"My Effexor Diary"

[spongebob]

Day Four

Had a massive burst of energy yesterday afternoon where I managed to cut the grass, and do lots of other jobs around the house. Felt tired in the evening but it's expected after all that manual effort.

Strange being a Friday night and having no alcohol (have decided not to drink while on the tablets).

Had a good nights sleep and woke up this morning feeling not too bad, no real flu like symptoms or headache. I just feel a bit spaced out and seem to be shaking more than usual.

Hopefully will feel a bit better once I've eaten, drunk some water and had my tablets.

At the moment don't seem to have a significant reduction in anxiety from what I can tell. Need to try and go out today to get some air and see how I am in public.

[hamster]

Sorry to hear the effects the venlafaxine is having at day 4. Fellow long term sufferer of severe anxiety here-found venlafaxine out of the chemist shop I've been prescribed over 10+years has worked best for me. Interested to hear how your sessions go-particularly do they give you any info on 'accepting' your condition? My pysch told me until I accept I can never go back to career & must build life outwith work I won't move on but finding that one difficult even tho' I have most supportive husband in the world.
Hang in there-Hamster

[spongebob]

Day Five

Well the flu like symptoms started to lift yesterday and I went out twice, one to the supermarket which is normally an anxiety provoking place (big open plan building, lots of people).

Happy to say that I had no feelings of anxiety, none of the light headedness I normally have. Despite me telling myself I should be feeling anxious I just didn't feel any of the normal feelings.

Woke feeling good this morning and went out again to do a job and felt okay again.

As I said to my wife yesterday, normally when I'm anxious the unsteady/dizzy feeling I get makes me feel like the top half of my body weighs 75% of my total weight and the bottom 25% almost like my legs can't support the top. But yesterday I felt like it was the other way round, I felt very stable.

I just hope that this is the start of something and not just a temporary feeling.

Off out now for a 5 mile hike through the countryside.

[Jon06121974]

Really positive things happening hey! enjoy the walk

[hamster]

Good news re progress day 5-hopefully a start of a run of good days for you!

[Diane75]

Hey Spongebob.
Effexor was the ticket for me.
Was on it for eight years tho (def too long) in that time turned my life a full
360!
A word of warning-I've just started coming of it and its difficult.
Head zaps, dizziness etc.
But one thing I'll say is "It really got me living again, instead of just existing."
All the best of luck!
D.

[spongebob]

Thanks for the replies guys, really nice reading them.

Day Six

Had a great walk yesterday, lovely weather and really nice countryside and village scenery. I'm sure that exercise is also the key to beating this illness - and finally I think the medication might give me the energy and motivation to do it where it wasn't there before.

Haven't had any alcohol for a week now and I think this also helps, as it used to make me anxious before for thinking I needed it and afterwards when I had the bad effects. I just need to get rid of the caffiene also and I'll be even better I think.

Just a couple of lingering side effects to mention - neither that bad - first I seem to be yawning excessively and when I finish a yawn get a really tight feeling in jaw and throat for a couple of seconds. Secondly my eyes sometimes feel like they are struggling to stay straight, like there is a mild feeling they are slightly cross eyed when they aren't.

[Jon06121974]

Dont worry about the side effects i had them to they are quite normal. the yawning thing stayed with me throughout my time on the med but the eyes improve but it does come back if you get run down or have a bad nights sleep.

Glad all is going well, Exercise is the key but dont over do it like me! 15 mins a day is fine to start with.

Its stange i used to get an increase in anxiety or side effects 2-3 days after overdoing it or not sleeping so dont be suprised if that happens. Aparently thats normal to!

Keep up the good work and you will get the rewards!

[spongebob]

Day Seven

Yesterday went okay, had a doctors appointment in the afternoon (unrelated to this) which was fine, no real anxiety and went out in the evening - felt a slight tinge of anxiety but nowhere near as much as I normally get in those situations.

Think I felt slightly anxious yesterday because I had planned to get some jobs done during the day but ended up doing nothing and it probably made me feel a bit down. I'm sure that achieving goals and feeling proud of achieving things is linked to the feelings of depression and anxiety.

Need to try and add a small amount of regular exercise into my daily routine. Am going to try a gentle 30 min jog each day on our running machine, or alternate that with some yoga.

[Jon06121974]

I totally agree that doing nothing is the worst thing for this illness! Since leaving my job last week ive been at home obviously job hunting which is a nightmare as its all rejections or waiting for the phone to ring. So have experienced quite a few depressive spells. Got temp work today though starting Thursday which is a relief as this will break my current routine and pay the mortgage if nothing else so finance worries are less as well.

Ref exercise its a great cure short term, i took my son swimming yesterday afternoon as was feeling low and had a real good session, came out knackered and tired but today ive a spring in my step so going to go for short jog later to keep it going. Just be careful not to overdo it as it will take more of a toll on you than you think to start with. I get like a popping in my leg muscles which is really weird and makes me panic as im used to being really fit, if i let it calm down and take a day off it goes and im ready ro run again.

Down side to running is its dam cold today! Yep im a blouse!