Venlafaxine

[JustMyself]

Anyone else prescribed venlafaxine to help them cope? Just curious really.

[rainyjaney]

Yes. I have been taking Venlaflaxine for about 15 years. It is the only medication that has ever really touched my anxiety and depression. However it has also given me awful withdrawal symptoms when I accidentally forgot to get a new prescription and, more recently, double vision and terrible headaches when a GP advised doubling my normal dose.

For me, it is, in general, a good thing but like all medication, has side effects.

[JustMyself in reply to rainyjaney]

Yes that’s similar to what I’m experiencing, it’s the fourth one that I’ve tried as the others didn’t seem to really do anything. However, as you say there are the side effects.

[RCJH8610]

🙋🏻‍♀️ I’ve been on it for over 15 years. It is the only antidepressant that has worked for me. I would have to agree that forgetting a dose can cause awful withdrawals but during both my pregnancies I was slowly tapered off with no withdrawals.

[JustMyself in reply to RCJH8610]

That’s been the same for me! Somehow the others just didn’t do anything, it was both soul-crushing and confusing why none of them seemed to have the impact on me that they did others. But I have started to notice how the missing a dose can quite rapidly affect me in a few ways. Was it difficult coming off of them? It’s something I’ve thought about quite a bit, since I can’t see myself coming off them any time soon but I’d still like the option to maybe have children in the future.

[RCJH8610 in reply to JustMyself]

Absolutely! I agree with the horrible withdrawals. I take it daily as soon as I wake up. If I forget to take it by noon I am physically ill and I immediately remember MY PILL! 🥴 The way you taper off without any withdrawals is to cut dose in half for 2 weeks and then 1/3 for another 2 weeks and then 1/3 every other day for 1 week. After that you should be 100% able to not take it without any side effects.

[CalicoPurpl90]

I've been taking Venlafaxine for more than 13 years now. I started off at 75 and am now on the max dose, 225mg. I would have to say that is has helped me with my anxiety and mild depression over the years. I was thinking about gradually coming off of it, however, my current psychiatrist felt it might be best to stay on it given current circumstances. My anxiety has definitely been flaring up more since COVID. She also prescibed an add on med for anxiety, Buspar, to take in addition in case I need it. I haven't decided whether I want to start taking it regularly with Venlafaxine. Side effects with meds always worry me. Thankfully I haven't experienced any side effects while taking Venlafaxine.

[Walneywanderer1979]

yes I've been on it around 2 months I was on sertraline previously and citalopram before that but I can't seem to wake up in the morning no matter how much sleep I have so I'm worried about returning to work with how I'm going to get up at 6am I also have strange dreams but other than that I think the venlafaxine is working OK for me

[jfdi in reply to Walneywanderer1979]

Hello

I have been on sertraline for over 10 years and have had to retire because of sleeping too much, I have no sleep pattern at all and alarms cannot wake me anymore.

I've been recommended to swap to venlafaxine (I think because of issues with pain also) and wonder if the sleep issues may subside.

Do you have any advice/info please?

Jac