Venlafaxine?

[Cyam]

I was prescribed venlafaxine recently, starting with a low does of just 37.5mg/day. I took the first pill two days ago and am still feeling awful side effects - headache, body ache, dizziness, heart racing, weakness, nausea - to the point where I couldn’t go to work. I opted not to take a second dose. In most of my research online people mention that side effects taper off after a couple of weeks. I can’t foresee dealing with these side effects for two weeks - I’d be completely useless and unable to function in any normal capacity. Before I start them again, I’m curious if other people on this forum have taken venlafaxine (or Effexor) and have had similar issues with the side effects?

[Recoveringdaily]

Yes unfortunately this is completely normal.

I found that the forst 3 days were the worst and then ot was uphill from there!

I am two weeks in and now on a double dose and feeling great.

However I have taken it once before for around a year so I do wonder if my body remembers it.

Before this I tried two other medications each for around 5 days and was an absolute mess with huge panic attacks, nausea, no appetite and I was a zombie so this is a huge improvement already!

Maybe start it on a Thursday or Friday night so you get the worst out of the way over the weekend.

Good luck.

[Dolphin14 in reply to Recoveringdaily]

I always start new meds on the weekend just like you do.

[Hidden]

i took Effexor for 5weeks and had diarrhea every day and nervous feelings. my psychiatrist took me off it and prescribed lamictal.

[Cheruba]

My advice to you would be to taper off them as soon as you possibly can.

You can google withdrawing from venlafaxine (Effexor) and I can tell you I had the most horrific time coming off them and they have left me with far worse mental health conditions than I ever had before I started taking them. The withdrawing is one thousand percent worse than the side effects. I wish you all the best in whatever you choose to do

[Tealribbon in reply to Cheruba]

I had terrible withdrawals I know everyone is different but this med kicked my.......!!