Fourth day on venlafaxine, tired AND wired!

[JezKnowsBest]

Hello everyone, I've been prescribed venlafaxine 37.5mg for 1 week, then 70mg for another week. I have an appointment with my doctor near the end of the 2 weeks to discuss how I've found it and what dose I should be on etc. The first day I took it on an empty stomach as nobody told me to take it with food, my God was I sick! I've taken it with a bowl of cereal every morning since then and the nausea has thankfully gone. I find that after I take it I feel vert tired for a good three hours then wired until around 5pm when I flag for an hour or so before going back to wired all night! I also have the weird yawning SE where I feel nauseous after yawning. I have decreased appetite and brain fog too. I feel constantly detached, like I'm in a haze through which I can clearly see everything happening around me but I'm seeing it with a 5 second delay if you can understand that. My jaw is tense and I have a dry, scratchy throat.

My anxiety has been going up and down like crazy, sometimes I'm totally flat and at others I have a big peak, almost approaching a panic attack. I want to persevere on this med as others(citalipram and mirtazapine) haven't been helpful and although the SE are bad now I've heard that they will get better and I don't want to give up yet.

It hasn't been finally decided what my diagnosis is yet but they're working with the assumption that it's GAD for now. I'm waiting for long term psychodynamic psychotherapy right now, with the hope that that will unpick my rather complicated issues and I'll be able to work towards a long term solution.

My psychiatrist(who precribed the venlafaxine) says I should expect to be on it for about a year? Is this realistic? How do I cope with the side effects? Does anyone else feel tired and wired at different times? I'm taking one tablet in the morning, if that helps.

Regards,

Jez.

[Annip]

Hi Jez
I take ven and it has been a life saver for me. It took a while to get into my system...about 8 weeks and some of the Se were horrid. I take my 2 doses at the same time every day, with food and a glass of water. When i first took them I felt very sick so took peptobismol which helped. My doctor also prescibed diazepam and zopiclone. I had heightened anxiety and agitation and these 2 meds helped. I rested as much as I could and didn't push myself to do anything. As soon as I started to feel better I gradually came off the diazepam and zopiclone. The ven has been brilliant.
Hope this helps
Anni x

[JezKnowsBest]

Thanks Anni, I am getting some heightened periods of anxiety but also periods of depression? I haven't been depressed for at least a year but the last two days I've been feeling the same, hopeless feelings. My fiance is worried and keeps asking me what I'm thinking but a lot of the time I'm not thinking anything, I'm totally flat and 'zoned out'. Basically, although it is helping with the constant anxiety I suffer it's making my moods unstable and I'm going through several episodes a day of being tearful, joyous, miserable, very anxious or just totally flat. Should I talk to my doctor about this?

[kittikat]

I have posted a more detailed response on your new thread -
http://www.nomorepanic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=124983

But Ven has been great for me too and things will definitely settle down for you. it is very early days and normal to be up & down at the beginning.

Kitti

[B rabbit]

hi, i have been on ven xl 150mg prolonged-relese tabs for 2 years now as i had significant symptoms of anxiety, i used to take one in the morning but got the same feelings as yourself so i started to take 150mg at night with nitrazapam 10mg and it has worked for me i still feel groggy in the morning. ven has help me from an inability to leave the house and the sense of agitation to slowly getting out bit by bit till i have got to the point where i can drive and face peopel. keep it up