Well here we go... 150mg

[Paradise10]

Sounds like the house renovation is going well Panic Down Under! Ha-ha.

Well 3 weeks today, a whole 21 days I have done up to now on this increase. Still plodding along. Hot cheeks turned up on cue today at 2.30, I actually knew the time before I looked at the clock. Not in so much pain today from aching muscles so the hot bath must of helped a bit. Had a busy morning at work then I had my first Online CBT session, not really sure what to make of it really, she asked me what causes the anxiety... I never seem to explain it very well but I think she has a bit of an understanding. That took up most of the session. She has sent me some stuff to read through and a video to watch before our next session in 2 weeks. I will keep on with it and see how it goes, but I'm not holding my breath.
Had to go get some Nexium at lunch time as this burping, stomach ache and uncomfortable feeling in my chest is driving me nuts, not sure It's done much good though. It said in the leaflet with it that you can't take it with Citalopram or Imaprime (or whatever It's called) or Diazepam, never said Venlafaxine and I haven't taken a diazepam for well over a week now so I'm guessing I was ok to take it.
No crazy anxiety just the same under the surface low level anxiety all day that seems to ramp up a bit late afternoon for a few hours and then settles.
Work is very quiet this afternoon so I'm looking around to keep busy, I have a busy day at work tomorrow though so that's good.
Take care all, Ava x

[Paradise10]

Good morning all, well yesterday was another mediocre day, seem to follow a bit of a pattern. Mornings are a bit shakey and it's takes me ages to muster up the effort to get ready. I'm not bothering with doing my hair or makeup, I'm just shoving my hair in a bun. I have a shower before bed so I just brush my teeth get dressed and I'm out the door. Had my CBT yesterday, popped back to the blind shop as I only ordered one room and was meant to do two. Got home last night and went to Sainsburys by myself, Didn't feel great but had a wander round and got some food shopping. Had tea and watched some TV last night. Went to bed about 9.30 and had some health anxiety while I was laid going to sleep due to the pains in my side and the stomach ache.

Woke this morning, another headache... still got the stomach ache and pains in my side and still wanting to burp constantly. Took my ven a little later today after breakfast to see if that helps. Found another journal yesterday (that's why I'm keeping it in one place on here this time) and it seems there were a lot of ups and downs on the last increase and it was 8 weeks before I wrote that I was feeling ok so I think I need to keep going at this dose till at least then before I consider an increase. I'm going to mention the pains and burping to doc tomorrow at my review but ask for another ven review in a few weeks. I might also look to reduce and come off the nortryptline after Christmas too as I'm not sure that's even doing anything.

Not really anything else to report so I will just carry on as is.
Ava x

[panic_down_under]

Had to go get some Nexium at lunch time as this burping, stomach ache and uncomfortable feeling in my chest is driving me nuts, not sure It's done much good though. It said in the leaflet with it that you can't take it with Citalopram or Imaprime (or whatever It's called) or Diazepam, never said Venlafaxine

Nexium (esomeprazole) slows the rate at which citalopram, imipramine and diazepam are metabolized which may increase their blood levels. That could be an issue with citalopram at its maximum dose, less so with the other two. Esomeprazole has a very short half-life, about 80 minutes so even with citalopram this is unlikely to be a significant problem with a single dose, but taking esomeprazole regularly for some days might raise citalopram plasma levels enough to trigger side-effects.

I might also look to reduce and come off the nortryptline after Christmas too as I'm not sure that's even doing anything.

Probably a good idea, although there is a chance it is having a positive effect, Ava. In the days before SNRIs were readily available nortriptyline was sometimes prescribed with a SSRI, usually sertraline, to create a bespoke SNRI. Many of the old time psychiatrists still prefer this to prescribing SNRIs because their short half-lives often creates both severe initial side-effects and withdrawals. I'd also wait until the side-effects you're currently experiencing settle down so there is less risk of confusion between them and any withdrawal symptoms from discontinuing the nortriptyline. Withdrawal from TCAs is usually less severe than from SSRIs/SNRIs, but there are always exception to prove the rule, so... I'd cut back in two stages dropping the dose to 10mg for two weeks.

[Paradise10]

Afternoon all, I hope you are well.
Not much stomach ache and burping yesterday so fingers crossed that was just a side effect which is starting to pass, or the Rennie Deflatine (god knows if that's how you spell it) is working. Felt a bit low yesterday afternoon and evening but went and picked my son up from football training last night and watched some TV, there were a couple of times yesterday where I almost cried so think I must be a bit emotional too. Took about an hour to nod off last night but I was calm laid there waiting. Same morning as usual where I just couldn't be bothered to do my hair or makeup, still very low anxiety and stomach feels like there is something wrong. Still having really achy arms and fingers which must be tension. Spoke with my doctor on the phone this morning, she thinks the tension is me and some of that tension is what is causing the pains, she said because I am anxious I am constantly scanning myself to see how I feel. She was right to be honest.

She has said to stay at the 150mg ven for another 4 weeks and we will review it then, but surprisingly she has increased my Nortryptline to 30mg to see if that will ease the tension. She thinks I am getting tense in my sleep as well and that's why I am waking up with sore muscles and headaches.
I agree with leaving the ven for another month as it was 8 weeks last time so that will bring it to a similar timeframe. Not sure on the nort but she's the doctor not me so I will go with it. I don't usually get many side effects with the nort, only a spacy feeling the first couple of mornings and a dry mouth for a couple of weeks so it's worth a try I guess. Prescription will take a few days so I will have a think when to do it.
I have all the things I want to say to the doctor, then when I am on the phone with her I just agree to everything. She does seem to really know about these kinds of meds though because she mentioned Olanzapine to me once before as a potential add on which I declined as the though of it scared me, I didn't realise doctors could prescribe that kind of thing, I thought it was just P Docs. My husband once said to me if you are going to question your doctors decisions what's the point in seeing them, I think if you have a doctor you can trust then that's true and I do trust her. My old doctor retired a couple of years ago which is a good thing as I had a lump on my leg which he kept freezing for 3 years, he finally referred me as it started bleeding. It was a sarcoma and luckily for me it was slow growing and I have now been in remission for 2 and a half years. Bizarre as I never had one worry over that lump, not one bit of health anxiety in the whole 3 years I had it. Whereas I get a bit of a cough now and think I must have something really serious.

I hope anyone reading and is on ven or any other med is doing well and I'll update soon.
Ava x

[Paradise10]

Afternoon all... Day 24ish I think, so around 3 and a half weeks. This is a long and frustrating journey and sometimes it feels like one step forward and 2 steps back.

Went home last night and had to mop my sons rooms and peel all the transfers off the walls ready for the painters today, I felt really unwell again last night so it was quite difficult getting it done, only managed half my tea as i felt quite sick. I feel like I have a stomach bug. I am having various symptoms (which I don't think are caused by the ven) and some that maybe are but they are making it very difficult for me to keep busy as I feel so unwell.

I am experiencing...
Stomach ache and nausea but I haven't been sick.
Pain in my sides around what I think is the kidney area.
An ache in a C shape around my left breast.
An ache in the centre of my chest, cough and constant burping.

These things are coming and going but make me feel quite unwell when I have them. The one positive is I have not googled any of them as I know that will leave me with more questions and will scare me even more, so however difficult it is, I will not google. It's been around 3 weeks nearly so I'm not going to break it. Because of the anxiety, I feel every twinge so I know I am more sensitised at the moment. The problem is sitting and doing nothing doesn't help with my anxiety, but making myself do things when I feel so poorly make me anxious... Can't bloody win sometimes.

I would say the ven in helping me physically as in it is stopping me going into full anxiety and panic. I'm not freaking out and pacing about anymore. It isn't helping with the low level simmering anxiety that lasts all day and it isn't helping me mentally either I would say as I am still thinking about it all 24/7 and it hasn't lifted my mood at all. To early maybe?
Still getting the odd headache and am very tense too. It does help me writing it all down here though as I don't seem to be able to talk about it very well.
Oh well I'll keep on keeping on... Till next time. Ava x

[panic_down_under]

She has said to stay at the 150mg ven for another 4 weeks and we will review it then, but surprisingly she has increased my Nortryptline to 30mg to see if that will ease the tension.

This is a decision that I suspect could have gone either way. I'm not a fan of poly-pharmacy, taking several meds when one could probably do the job, but given you are already on 2/3rds of the dose and significant side-effects from the modest dose increase are unlikely it's worth a shot.

I would say the ven in helping me physically as in it is stopping me going into full anxiety and panic. I'm not freaking out and pacing about anymore. It isn't helping with the low level simmering anxiety that lasts all day and it isn't helping me mentally either I would say as I am still thinking about it all 24/7 and it hasn't lifted my mood at all. To early maybe?

Afraid so. But you must be getting close to a solid kick-in. At least all the signs are positive, Ava.

[Paradise10]

Afternoon, it will be 4 weeks tomorrow on the 150mg dose.
Been pretty up and down this weekend. Saturday wasn't that good, I had a really busy day. Had to drop the dog at the groomers at 8.30 then was at the hairdressers for 9am. Got home and had to do two tip runs and lots of sorting out. I was quite stressed with it all. Yesterday was a little better. I sat and wrapped presents for most of the day, then put a few bits up in the loft. Went and dropped the presents of my parents doorstep ready for Christmas day.
Today has been fairly difficult... I am back working at home as we have parcels arriving and someone needed to be in for them. I feel quite wound up today. There are loads of things I could be doing but I just can't seem to make myself start them. I am getting impatient now and just want to feel better. I go to sleep every night thinking tomorrow could be the day that they kick in fully... Even though it took 8 weeks last time.
Here's hoping!! Ava x

[Paradise10]

Hi, I hope everyone is well. Today is 4 weeks exactly on the 150mg.
Yesterday wasn't that great, anxiety was higher than it has been for a while and it carried on all evening too. Tried to keep busy and I built my sons new wardrobe and put all his new bedding on. Went to bed about 10 as I was fed up with it all. Today has been a bit better. Back to simmering low level anxiety all day. Went into work this morning so that was an hours drive as I needed to pick a few things up. Then got my nails done and went to pick the blinds up I had ordered for my sons bedroom. So it's been a busy day. Still constantly checking how I feel though and thinking about it 24/7. Things are still an effort and I have very little interest or enjoyment. I feel like I could eat and eat at the moment which isn't a good thing. I get very frustrated at the way I am feeling and wish these would kick in. I feel like I'm there just waiting to be me again but it's just not happening. It's like waiting for something that you don't actually know is going to happen. I think I am doing all the right things though, I am still working and also keeping busy. Woke up this morning with a headache again and all my shoulders, neck and back ache which must be the tension. The hot cheeks turning up at 2.30 has me sussed out and decided to turn up at 11.30 today.
I'll keep going as tomorrow could be the day the light goes back on.
Ava x

[panic_down_under]

I think I am doing all the right things though, I am still working and also keeping busy.

I think you're doing much better than you think you are, Ava. I usually spend the first 4 weeks in a daze when weaning onto an AD. Unfortunately, ADs work to a rhyme and rythm of their own and no amount of willing them to kick-in seems to have any effect. Sometimes just going with the flow may be the better tactic.

[Paradise10]

Yeah I think you are right Panic Down Under, they will work only when they are going to and not before so I'm just trying to keep busy and go with it.... Doesn't stop me getting frustrated though.

Lost of count of the days but it's four and a bit weeks, last night was probably the best night I have had up to now... Was working yesterday and kept myself busy doing jobs at home to get ready for Christmas. Same effort and low level anxiety all day. Last night I went to pick my son up from football and got home and was still wrapping a few presents and pottering quite happily. Had no forcing to get in the shower last night it was just easy. I wasn't 100% but I felt like I was getting somewhere. Today however is back to forcing myself to do everything and low level anxiety again... Also feel quite a bit of nausea today. Oh well, hopefully those times will become more and more. I am happy to report that the stomach ache and burping have now been gone for a few days. I also still haven't googled. This is one of the best things I have done, even though it has been difficult. I know it has stopped me from a lot more anxiety and going down stupid roads of though worrying about all sorts.
Got the two older kids home from uni today so It's takeaway and games night which we always do on Christmas Eve, then we are going to my parents tomorrow for Christmas dinner and presents. The positive is that I am better than I was 4 weeks ago so I know I will cope OK.

Panic Down Under I hope you and anyone else who may read this have a lovely Christmas.
Take care, Ava x