Venlafaxine 150mg and Mirtazapine 30mg advice please regarding increase in Venlafaxin

[Charlj90]

Hi! I have been taking the above combination for post natal depression and anxiety for several weeks now and I can honestly say it brought me back to myself! However a few weeks ago I had a relapse with anxiety so my psychiatrist increased the Venlafaxine from 75mg to 150mg four days ago now! However since the increase my anxiety feels awful and I have the feeling of nervousness/excitement which is kicking off my anxiety (if you understand what I mean) it's like I have a constant feeling all the time that something bad is going to happen and it will not budge!! I'm just wondering if anybody else had these symptoms and are they side effects and will it get better!! I have a 11 week old son to look after and I'm desperate for this anxiety to go! I just feel so horrible! I'm having to take diazepam 5mg which only seems to help for an hour or so! So therefor this meowing I have took a 10mg Propanalol to see if that helps! I would be most grateful to hear people's opinions!

[nicola1980]

Hi hun, i take venlafaxine 187.5mg for anxiety and panic and everytime I increased it sent my anxiety soaring, my last increase was from 150mg to 187.5mg and I felt terrible, the anxiety was unbearable so I was put on Diazepam to help which did take the edge off and around 3 weeks the side effects lessened and I'm so pleased I stuck it out as I feel so much better but there were times I nearly caved and lowered again because I felt so terrible. Hang on in there it gets better XX

[MyNameIsTerry]

Hi and welcome to NMP

I'm sure Nicola or one of the other regular supporters on here taking Ven will be able to reassure you over this. Until then, if you look at Nicola's side effects thread which is pretty recent you will see she went through this too.

I'm on Duloxetine, a different SNRI to yours, and the starting point where my med starts to interact with the adrenaline receptors kicks in at 60mg. Yours is 150mg. So, when I started my taper on 30mg I had similiar side effects to SSRI's because its working more with serotonin at that point. The minute I increased to 60mg, the adrenaline starting point, my side effects changed completely to agitation, far increased anxiety, being on edge constantly, etc. So, I think its because it is working on the adrenaline but not everyone suffers these issues.

I held off on Diazepam for as long as possible and took 2mg upon waking on days 9 & 10 and by day 11 it subsided greatly. I found it helped for an hour or two and then I was back to agitation but at least it stopped the adrenaline rushes which I had been having upon waking for these side effects days.

It will go though.

Nicola's took a bit longer than mine which you will find in her thread and I'm sure she will post on your thread when she's back on later.

EDIT: Didn't think Nicola was on but she's just beaten me

[Charlj90]

Hi Nicola thanks for your reply!

I just feel awful like excited/nervous and I don't know why and it's making my anxiety worse! I felt so great a few weeks back on this combination of meds I'm just hoping it works again! Me my partner and the baby are going away for the weekend and I'm not looking forward to it one bit because of how I feel! I find myself wishing for night time to come in a hope I'll wake up in the morning not feeling like this! So do you think that this will ease off? Because this excited nervous feeling I have is bloody horrible I feel like something bad is going to happen all the time and I can't concentrate!! Xxx

[nicola1980]

I was exactly the same when I increased, infact I used to spend most of the day curled up in bed praying for it to stop, keep telling yourself that it's just the increase making you feel like this and it's only temporary, use your Diazepam to help you whilst your struggling, i was only on 2mg 3 x a day but it helped take the edge off, like I said it took about 3 weeks for my side effects to subside altho strangely mine didn't start until day 4 or 5 on my increase so it shouldn't last too long for you, I do understand how you feel tho, I don't think I left the house whilst I was like it and my poor husband had to take time off work to help with our son XX

[Charlj90]

I know that's what I keep trying to tell myself but I just keep panicking myself with how I feel! And I have a weird feeling in my head too which makes me anxious! Like fuzzy headed and I kind of get like a warm tingling feeling in my head! That's kind of what kicked off the anxiety a few weeks back hence why they increased due to my anxiety I just hope it works soon! I was feeling so great when they started me on this medication initially on 75mg alongside my Mirtazapine! Do you think my anxiety will go soon? And this horrible excited/nervous feeling and the head rushes? Because it's all making my anxiety awful and I can't interact with my son! I just want to feel normal and happy again! I'm just constantly worrying xxx

[angels22165]

Hi

I increased my venlafaxine upto 150mg 4 days ago and too feel intense anxiety, tingling and rushes of adrenalin and the horrible doom feeling. I just keep telling myself every day you will feel better and really trying to remain positive

[tommackent88]

Hi Char.
I'm take 30mg mirtazapine and 112.5 of Ven. I increased last week and feel awful. The increased anxiety is hopefully just a side effect and will subside after a few days. I know when you get to the 150mg mark it does make things worse temporarily.
I'm finding my mood is pretty good but at the same time my anxiety is sky high.
Please keep in touch to let us know how you are getting on.
T

---------- Post added at 22:36 ---------- Previous post was at 22:33 ----------

Also take propranolol and diazepam as needed so it seems we have a similar resume

[Charlj90]

Hi guys thanks for your replys! My mood is fine I feel myself but I'm so so so anxious and jittery and just feel totally on edge like I'm worried about everything it's horrible I just feel scared/excited it's horrible will this pass? I'm having to take doazepam and I don't want to take it but I just feel horrible! It's day 5 of the increase! I'm trying to tell myself that it will pass but what if it doesn't? I have a 11 week old baby and I'm finding it so hard to do anything because I feel like this! What should I do? Xxx

---------- Post added at 11:19 ---------- Previous post was at 11:06 ----------

Hi tom can I ask do you take the diazepam and propanalol together? Coz I do and I panic myself that I shouldn't be taking all these meds together?? Xx

[angels22165]

Hi just keep telling yourself it is the side effects of the increase and each day your getting better and better. It will take time please try and not think what if? As this is just fueling your anxiety and keeping you in an increased anxious state. If you need to take a diazepam do as this will help you in the short term whilst the Meds level out again xxx