Results 1 to 2 of 2

Thread: Venlafaxine and abdominal pain

  1. #1

    Venlafaxine and abdominal pain

    Hi there,

    I have recently gone from 75mg to 150mg. I feel OK apart from being a bit more tired but I've developed abdominal pain in the upper part of my belly. It's not bad like proper tummy ache or ache you get with food poisoning for example, but it's annoying and constantly aching.

    I'm just wondering if anyone else has had abdominal pain when starting or increasing venlafaxine and how long before it went away.

    Thanks everyone.
    Sara xxx

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2017
    Posts
    3,555

    Re: Venlafaxine and abdominal pain

    Quote Originally Posted by Saramarie25 View Post
    Hi there,
    to NMP, Sara,

    I have recently gone from 75mg to 150mg.
    Not in one jump, I hope.

    I feel OK apart from being a bit more tired but I've developed abdominal pain in the upper part of my belly. It's not bad like proper tummy ache or ache you get with food poisoning for example, but it's annoying and constantly aching.

    I'm just wondering if anyone else has had abdominal pain when starting or increasing venlafaxine and how long before it went away.
    Stomach/gut issues are fairly common at the beginning. Serotonin isn't only a brain neurotransmitter, it has many roles in the body. Nor is the brain the most serotonergic organ. The gut makes about 50 times more serotonin than the brain. It is controlled by its own mini brain, the enteric nervous system (ENS) which can be more affected by antidepressants (ADs) initially than the brain is. Constipation, or diarrhoea are also fairly common initial AD side-effects. SSRIs/SNRIs may also effect the mix of gut microbes which can also cause upset stomachs, etc, for a while. Most of these initial side-effects begin to diminish within a couple of weeks, but may return for a while after dose increases. The usual remedies for upset stomach should help.

    BTW - the ENS is also a major player in anxiety disorder and depression and may through its connections with the heart and lungs via the vagus nerves trigger anxiety symptoms such as rapid pulse and shortness of breath in addition to gut related anxiety symptoms. Electronic vagus nerve stimulators which impact the ability of the ENS to communicate with the brain have proven to be an effective for treatment resistant depression, though less so for anxiety disorders.
    __________________
    The opinions expressed above are based on my observations and, where applicable, interpretation of cited data and are general in nature. Consult your physician before acting on anything stated.

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. abdominal bloating and lower abdominal/pelvic pain
    By Daniele_T in forum Female health issues
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 21-07-15, 23:50
  2. Replies: 0
    Last Post: 11-03-15, 22:31
  3. Low left abdominal pain/back pain/spasms a total mystery!
    By watermelon in forum Health Anxiety
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 20-02-15, 04:37
  4. More abdominal pain
    By lofwyr in forum Health Anxiety
    Replies: 0
    Last Post: 28-02-13, 04:04

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •