Raised Anxiety after starting Ven

[Dying_Swan]

That's brilliant. So pleased for you! My car is covered in dust and cobwebs from a resident spider. As long as it goes I don't mind. Nice one Maca

[Maca44]

Just interested in what is happening with morning anxiety. I always most anxious first thing in the morning, I take my Ven with breakfast then I pick up around 1pm and normally feel pretty good upto bedtime. Is the Ven getting low by the morning ? I ask because I thought that was the point in the slow release capsules.

[Dying_Swan]

It's possible. I didn't get on with XR because I'd start withdrawing before the next dose. I think that's quite unusual though and it was very definite withdrawal symptoms, not a change in anxiety. Hopefully panic down under might see this and have some ideas. My guess is your morning anxiety could be due to higher levels of the stress hormones (cortisol, adrenaline) in the morning. I usually find that the sooner I get up and going, the sooner it calms down. Taking some exercise, eg walking for 20 mins, is also supposed to help. It's a horrible feeling and I sympathise

[Jo79]

I’m exactly the same Maca, usually ok from 1 or 2pm and evenings are better. Hoping it will all settle down soon

[Jo79]

I sometimes wonder that my brain is putting me to the test as i’ll start feeling a bit more confident and then the old intrusive thoughts I was getting a few weeks back have started to crop up again although I think i’m learning to deal with them better now so hoping it’s all part of the recovery process and not the meds pooping out on me!

[Maca44]

No Jo I don't think it's pooping out on you, I am the same.

I get good days where I think, this is it i'm feeling OK again, then out of the blue i'm all anxious again and thinking here we go again my mind is turning in on itself again. Like you I have noticed that I am dealing with these thoughts better so I really do believe the meds are doing their stuff and I think as time goes on it will get better. It is so cruel when you get a good day then the next is crap, it's horrible isn't it, but I still see this as early days and on the whole i'm pleased with the results Ven is giving me so lets hope we are getting snippets of things to come.

[Jo79]

I really hope so, i’m having such a bad morning and can’t stop crying. My old intrusive thoughts are back making me think maybe I don’t love my partner and should leave him. The fact that it upsets me so much tells me this isn’t true at all, I can’t imagine life without him. It was my birthday yesterday (the big 40) which always gets me a bit down as I lost my sister 13 years ago and my dad 18 months ago. My partner took me out for a really lovely meal at a very posh restaurant but I very nearly got up and left not long after sitting down as I felt so anxious and thought I was going to cry. I’m 4 weeks today on 150 and not cried so much for ages! ����

[Maca44]

Sounds like you have alot of loss going on there Jo no wonder you feel like crying and I would say just go with it. Just get through today don't think too far ahead and I hope you feel better tomorrow, its all going to get better, I'm sure of it.

[Dying_Swan]

Belated Happy Birthday Jo. Sorry you're having a rough day. I think birthdays, especially milestone ones, can be a bit anxiety-inducing, when there's so much pressure to have fun and you don't necessarily feel like it. I'm also really sorry to hear about your bereavements, though I'm a firm believer in allowing yourself to grieve. I paid a high price for blocking out grief, so let it out whenever you need to. Crying is a good way to release tension. As for the intrusive thoughts about your husband, you already answered that. My understanding of such thoughts is that they're all about preventing harm. You know you don't want to leave your husband because those thoughts upset you. Try not to fight them, just allow them to be. Are you staying at 150 or increasing? I also have good and bad days, and it's difficult to know sometimes if the meds are working, but everyone has good and bad days and that's ok.

[Jo79]

I’ve got a CBT session this evening too which I’m always nervous about as it always brings stuff out. Seeing the psychiatrist on Friday so I’m kind of hoping she will tell me to increase. I’m also thinking maybe I should reduce the mirtazapine to 15mg as it’s more sedating at lower doses and i’m starting to struggle with sleep for the last few days. I’m trying to stay positive but sometimes it’s just so hard.