Venlafaxine more tolerable side effects than SSRIs?

[pitofdespair]

Hi,

Since coming off Seroxat after 10 good years, any SSRI I take gives me CRAZY anxiety and insomnia, to the point where i have to stop taking the med.

Was wondering if anybody has had difficulty tolerating SSRIs but tried an SNRI and was able to stick it out for the 6-8 weeks needed? In other words tolerated SNRI better than SSRI?

Any experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

[Pipkin]

Hi there,

I don't think that there's an easy answer to your question as everyone's different. I couldn't tolerate sertraline at all but venlafaxine works great for me.

I would suggest that you have a read through the following thread to see the very different experiences people have had:

http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=110037

Join in there too and you'll get some varying answers to your question. Ultimately, it's a question of trial and error and you'll never really know unless you try. It's probably worth a go though if other meds haven't worked and therapy etc isn't for you.

Pip

[JonoClouds]

pitofdespair

Just another point worth bearing in mind: Venlafaxine may be better for side effects depending upon the particular patient, but withdrawal from it later is truly dreadful. I had it, and almost all other users report similar experiences. When you stop taking it, even if the drug is reduced gradually, you can become very poorly indeed. In fact, Venlafaxine is often considered to have the worst withdrawal syndrome of all anti-depressants. Having said that, it may still be the best option for you if it is better tolerated for the (possibly many) months that you take it for.
I have used several SNRIs and they do have different side effects from SSRIs. Some may be better, but as Pipkin said above, it really does depend a lot on the individual.

All the best,
Jono

[karenp]

I can't tolerate SSRI's either and have terrible panic and insomnia on start up for weeks even though I stuck out on Citalopram and got really well last time I was ill. I wish I'd never let my GP talk me into coming off it last July as though I was absolutley fine, even when my little Westie died back in October and I had a bad panic attack the same night, I was totally ok pill free until March time this year when I finally got the courage to leave my husband of 14 years. I refused Citalopram because I just couldn't cope with how bad it makes me feel at first but even after I went on Mirtazapine, it worked wonderfully for a week, I honeslty thought it was a miracle drug but then I've been terrible for nearly 5 months now relying heavily on sleeping pilsl and benzo's and even a Beta blocker has been chucked in the mix now to try calm me...but I am coming of anti-d's as because I don't suffer with depression, I am convinced they just totally hype me up too.

[miraiiro]

I also can't tolerate SSRI's but have just started taking Venlafaxine this week, and am finding it much easier to manage. I do, however, have insomnia, just like I did with Sertraline, but not everybody gets it. Kittikat, another member who recently started on Venlafaxine, has been getting better sleep, so I suppose it depends on the person really. As Pipkin says, you won't know how Venlafaxine will affect you unless you take it, but there are a few people on this forum who seem to tolerate it much better than SSRI's.

Hope that helps!

[kittikat]

I too had an awful time on SSRI's and have found starting Venlafaxine to be much more tolerable and generally very manageable so far. I am on a very low start up dose, only 37.5mg once a day, I specifically asked my GP for the lowest possible dose as I was so scared of the SE's. Oh, and as miraiiro said...I am sleeping really well since starting them, strange after months of little or no sleep!!

We are all different though, what suits one may not suit another. Talk it over with your doctor and see what he/she thinks, and as Pip suggested, have a read through the thread he has given you the link for. Good luck, Kitti

[karenp]

I've finally got my first Ven pills and start them tomorrow but I am so scared!!! I've only been given 37.5mg pills too Kitti and am so chicken I was even thinking of cutting one of those in half the first day seen as they are scored! Wuss! ha ha!

[kittikat]

Aww, good luck Karen, I'm sure it won't be as bad as you think....I was exactly the same first day, but I was actually surprised how much better they were than SSRI's. I hope it's the same for you. Are you on 1 or 2 a day?....look forward to your update tomorrow xx

[karenp]

just one 37.5mg so far Kitti and I decided to only take half this morning. I'm here any how, ha ha ha!!!

[Toast]

I am still trying to pluck up the courage, I feel truely awful depression wise. I'm just so scared of the SEs now and the withdrawal SEs in the future.
I can't seem to see the positive at all.