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Thread: My Story - My Ven Journey

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    483

    My Story - My Ven Journey

    Hey all, my name is Jemma and i've just been prescribed Venlafaxine yesterday, so i thought i would post here a little of my story and reasons for taking these and keep a bit of a diary on how things are going on them.

    I'm 42 and i've had anxiety on and off for a lot of years which has always been controlled with Citalopram. I relapsed while on the cit and i couldnt handle the increase in dose. I then tried Sertraline but i dint really find that too effective and i have been sat on half the minimum dose of this for quite a while. After another crash i found myself back at the doctors. They advised that i stop taking the sert and start the ven tomorrow.

    At the moment my anxiety is 24/7, i'm struggling to eat and sleep is here and there with very early wakening in the mornings. To be really honest i'm all over the place. I'm off work this week and starting the ven 37.5 tomorrow morning and i'm even more scared about that with increased anxiety and other side effects i may get. Doc has given me 2mg diazepam to use as required although i've managed not to touch them yet. I keep changing my mind on why i have the anxiety and i cant seem to settle on anything. Also feeling a lot of agitation which is horrible. I'm praying the ven works for me as this is torture.

    Anyone else just starting wants to jump in here with me then please feel free, also if anyone has any positive stories then please share, no horror stories though please.


    Well that's it for today, i'll update after i've taken my first one tomorrow.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    483

    Re: My Story - My Ven Journey

    Morning campers, well today is the day!!
    Slept well last night from 10 till 6:30 this morning and woke with high anxiety, tried to go back to sleep and I dosed till 8am. Had a really vivid dream which I imagine has come from stopping the sert! Took my first ven at 8:20 with a cup of tea and the anxiety seems to have settled at the moment! I just feel very blah, don't really know what to do with myself as I feel exhausted and very flat. I know the anxiety is there under the surface waiting to come back. Feel very out of breath and I think I could just lay in bed all day! Is this what depression is as I've been feeling like that for a while which is what triggers the anxiety I think! Feel a little out of things as well. I know none of this can be the ven yet as I only took it an hour and a half ago!
    Partner is off with me today and need to pop to bank to sign some forms so I'll update more tonight.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    483

    Re: My Story - My Ven Journey

    Good morning, well today is day 2 and i will be taking my second ven shortly.
    Anxiety was about a 6 all day yesterday but i was very agitated all day. I spent a lot of the day pacing and couldn't keep still. I went over to my nans for an hour but found it hard to settle, then i came back and went to the bank. Still have no appetite and am forcing myself to try and eat little and often. I took the dog for a walk about 6:30 and the agitation cleared after that, just felt very strange for the rest of the evening.

    Up to now i'd say i was feeling: Anxiety, agitation, upset stomach, heavy eyes, very heavy body, general feeling of unwell and unsettled mind.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    483

    Re: My Story - My Ven Journey

    Well yesterday turned out to be a horrific day, i was agitated beyond belief and literally couldn't keep still, anxiety was quite high too. There was also some tears. I wound up taking a diazepam about 6pm.
    My doctor has prescribed me 28 which is 3 times per day for about 9 days but i am only taking them when i feel i really need to and i have only taken 1 up to now.
    So today is day 3, the anxiety has been here all day and i don't really know what to do with myself. Did manage to have a shower this morning and also have been out with my partner to the supermarket and to collect some parcels but i found myself wanting to rush everywhere to get home. Still having a lot of scary thoughts such as what if the ven doesn't work? Also been googling a lot trying to decide if i have depression, i never seem to come up with any answers though. I've been reading a lot of threads on here and generally just trying to fill my time until bed time, which isn't easy when every minute feels like an hour. Still have no appetite but my sleeping seems ok.

    I suppose i can't expect anything yet as today is only day three and i still have a long way to go.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    483

    Re: My Story - My Ven Journey

    Well it seems like I am on my own with this journey as no one else starting ven is about! Today is the morning of day 5. Yesterday was a strange one, I got up, had the anxiety but got dressed and went to my parents for an hour or so, I then came home and did some washing and pottered about. Felt very jittery but managed ok. I then dropped my son and his friend at the skate park and came home. I then started feeling very wound up as about 2pm I became really tired and was struggling to keep my eyes open. I went back to my parents house and fell asleep from 3 till 6pm. I came home after that and felt very weird for the rest of the evening. My body just feels like lead and I feel I am dragging myself around. Also having quite a bit of nausea. Took quite a while to fall asleep last night and woke feeling dreadful this morning. I was meant to be going to a Christmas market with my mum but I cancelled.
    I keep trying to remind myself that I'm only at day 5 but I'm so scared these won't work and I really want myself back! I feel like I am telling myself all the positives but it just doesn't work. Bit worried about tomorrow as everyone is back at work so I will be on my own.
    Any reassurance right now would be much appreciated.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2011
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    1,083

    Re: My Story - My Ven Journey

    Hi

    Take the Diazepam, honestly it will help loads
    There only 2mg( I’m on them) which is tiny but will help you feel less agitated and will help you feel more relaxed so your stomachs not so churned up so you can eat something.

    I take 150mg and 2mg of diazepam as needed. Like you I was scared to death of taking ANY meds but in order to get some rest and start eating again I had no choice.
    It will get worse before it get better, as it needs to settle in your system.
    Don’t let the Gp move you, till your a bit more settled on the 37.5 first. The have a tendency to push up ASAP to 150mg

    Well done for feeling so bad, but getting out and about. Don’t be hard on yourself, your doing very well. One day at a time, as I’m sure your already know.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
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    1,034

    Re: My Story - My Ven Journey

    I'm on day 3 of desvenlafaxine- otherwise, known as prostiq. Having the same symptoms of you. I feel more anxious . I take klonopin, but may switch to xanax if the anxiety is really bad. Keep me posted

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
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    483

    Re: My Story - My Ven Journey

    Thanks for the message Clio it means a lot. I'm not due back at the doctors until I have been on these for two weeks so I'll see how I feel and what she says when I go. I know what you mean about the diazepam and my family feel the same as you but I prefer to take them when I really need them rather than the 3 times per day. I'm also on propanalol and I do take that 3 times a day!

    Ethansmom also nice to hear from you, I found the extra anxiety hit around day 3-4, do you have anything to help if it does? You may be totally fine though. I think our tablets are similar though so it will be nice to help each other through.

    Yesterday was a strange one, woke with anxiety but it settled to a jittery on edge feeling, I had that really horrible feeling in my tummy all day which made me feel something was wrong. I got a shower and pottered around in the morning but I was waiting for the tiredness to hit, it didn't which was good. Took the dog for a long walk early afternoon. I am very conscious of every feeling though and totally obsessed with what's happening in my body. Started getting a bit wound up early evening and had a bit of health anxiety which I talked myself out of but had to take a diazepam. Went to bed around 10 and slept through till half 6 this morning.
    Today is day 6 and everyone is at work today so I may have a drive over to see my nan. Still worried these won't work but I'm trying to keep talking to my family and eat and sleep well to give myself the best chance.

  9. #9
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    Jan 2010
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    483

    Re: My Story - My Ven Journey

    Well day 6 started a bit shakey but I got up and went to my parents to see my dad for a while, I then went home, had a tidy round and put some more Xmas decs up and took the dog for a walk, I had the anxiety all the time! About 2:30 I started getting tired and it went down hill from there! I got extremely wound up and agitated and wound up taking a diazepam about half 4. Last night was awful. I felt like I could burst the TV was getting on my nerves, my vision went funny and it took me about 2 hours to get to sleep. I did sleep through till 6 this morning but I've woken up feeling terrible. This is the worst I've felt up to now. Tears last night and this morning. I feel very sick and my body feels like it has nothing on it. I keep telling myself the doctor said it would get worse before it got better and this is sure worse! I'm wondering if it takes a while before the side effects hit. I felt bad before I started the ven but after 6 days on them I feel even worse! When is this going to end? I'm trying to stay strong but it's difficult at the minute!
    Today is day 7 and I'm about to go for a ride out in the car with my dad. Fingers crossed today is a better day.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Posts
    483

    Re: My Story - My Ven Journey

    Good morning it's day 8 today! So I've managed a full week on the 37.5m of ven.
    Yesterday saw some new side effects hit, I spent most of the morning in a haze. I went out for a drive with my dad while he did some work and I sat in the car. We then called into my nan's on the way home where I managed some toast. Just felt really spaced out and very non talkative. When we got back I walked to the shop and came back and had a bacon sarnie then came home about 3:30. The evening was relatively calm but I felt extremely flat. The thoughts are constant though and there is about 4 or 5 things all health related that I constantly think about. I also keep trying to think of the right answers for these things. They are all to do with a physical ache and then I run through a load of possibilities of what they could be and my mind won't settle on one so I spend the full day going round and round and round. It's very frustrating.
    I am back at the doctors on Monday for a ven review so I will ask her about them then I think. Last night was the calmest I've been up to now, I managed to watch some tv and even ate a full burger for tea. I've had this mornings tablet with some shreddies and my nan is coming over today for a few hours so I'm not on my own all day! My mum is off tomorrow and Friday which is good too.
    Ok that's me for today, really wish there was more people on here just starting or doing well who could offer encouragement but I'll keep going anyway!

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