Brintellix/Vorioxetine

[LisaS]

Hey all,

After a few false starts on some meds and many years later, I've now been prescribed Vorioxetine. I'd love to hear if others had tried this and successes they have had. Please don't tell me horror stories! I usually have so many side effects so I started on 2.5mg 4 days ago. I plan to stay on this for 10-14 days and increase to 5mg. My side effect so far has been hideous nausea that lasts around 2 hrs after I take it. I've also been more anxious but I'm putting this down to my anxiety about taking meds and what may or may not happen.

Thanks all,

Lx

[panic_down_under]

My side effect so far has been hideous nausea that lasts around 2 hrs after I take it. I've also been more anxious but I'm putting this down to my anxiety about taking meds and what may or may not happen.

I suspect the nausea is being mostly driven by the anxiety, not the med, Lisa. Vortioxtine is absorbed only slowly with plasma levels taking 7-12 hours to peak. Ginger and/or vitamin B6 supplements often help.

(after recommending ginger for over 2 decades I recently had need of it myself to forestall seasickness and it worked great - I also discovered that it can trigger flushing for some minutes, not sure if it is a general side-effect, it isn't listed as one, or specific to the preparation I took, but something to be aware of)

[LisaS]

Thanks PDU.

I am pretty confident the nausea is the med - it appears around 30mins after I take it and last around 2 hours - to the point I'm feel ready to vomit. I know I have a variety of anxiety symptoms but nausea has never been on of them. It is also the no.1 side effect.

Just out of interest, my psych always uses these factsheets from the department of health when prescribing meds... https://www.choiceandmedication.org/...able-leaflets/ and also the 'Handy Charts' when looking for suitable meds https://www.choiceandmedication.org/.../handy-charts/

[LisaS]

Ugh. So this morning I have vomited. I forgot how horrible it is to vomit.

Do I keep going!? - I really am no good with meds ....

[panic_down_under]

Try taking something for the nausea 30-60 minutes before the AD to see whether that helps.

[LisaS]

Try taking something for the nausea 30-60 minutes before the AD to see whether that helps.

I took a kwells prior to the tablet and that really helped.

[panic_down_under]

I took a kwells prior to the tablet and that really helped.

Great! Just be extra careful if they makes you drowsy.

[LisaS]

Great! Just be extra careful if they makes you drowsy.

Yes! They make me so drowsy... I feel so lethargic!
Any other ideas!?

[panic_down_under]

Yes! They make me so drowsy... I feel so lethargic!
Any other ideas!?

Try ginger.

[pulisa]

I promise I won't!

I think it sounds very promising that you have had a response from the brintellix and who knows whether the dose increase has caused more anxiety or whether it's anticipatory anxiety due to uni commitments or whether it would have happened anyway? Therapeutic doses are only therapeutic if they work for the individual..

Don't be pissed off by this because you've had 2 really good weeks and that's success! If you really feel that the 5mg is making you more anxious then you could go back to 2.5 and see if this makes a difference? It may do psychologically because you felt good on this dose previously? Even if it's the placebo effect it doesn't matter-what matters is your quality of life.