Venlafaxine stopped working

[Natsteveo]

I’ve been on venlafaxine 300mg since 2001

And propranolol

I still suffer with terrible chronic health anxiety is it possible you’re medication can stop working!!!!

I’m now down to 150mg of venlafaxine and I’m more chronic and my anxiety is still chronic

Any advice is welcome 🙏

Nat

[Smarticus]

Hi, used to be on venlafaxine, it might be worth discussing with your Dr changing to a new medication if you feel like its not working, I have been on lots over the years and changed because they stop working or the side effects get too much. Dont fall into the trap where you think they dont work and stop taking them! HTH

[Natsteveo in reply to Smarticus]

No I won’t my dr told me venlafaxine are the worst ever to ween off because the side effects are chronic... he’s said he’s going to try sertraline but I said slowly but surely I will come off them...how did you get on coming off them how long did it take

Nat

[Smarticus in reply to Natsteveo]

Yes, coming off them was horrible! felt like getting electric shocks through my hands and feet all the time, seemed to last about a week. (complete stop) Ask them to reduce the dosage slowly, in my view over a month. have a look at duloxetine, it tends to work one way or another, for me its ok, but like all drugs side effects are always there and affect everyone in different ways. Sertraline made me fuzzy and disconnected. HTH

[Natsteveo in reply to Smarticus]

Thanks so much for this I was right down to 75mg then I lost someone close so had to go back up but I was getting brain zaps ⚡️ and tingling I’m going to come off them completely but only gonna go slowly thanks so much

Nat

[Smarticus in reply to Natsteveo]

Hi, I think the brain zaps and tingling, for me it felt like I was walking on an electric fence, every step zapped me, horrid. It is something you just have to get through, I dont know any other way to do it. The good news is its the worst one in my opinion for this side effect so the sooner you are off it the better. HTH

[Natsteveo in reply to Smarticus]

yeah that's how mine were ive heard so many bad experiences from people who's come off them but I suppose everyone is different thanks for your support

Nat

[Tiger1981 in reply to Smarticus]

I have been 225mg venlafaxine for a long time I really wanna start slowly reducing the dose over a period of time.

[Teddy45 in reply to Natsteveo]

Venlafaxine is a terrible drug the coming off of it is dreadful It makes all your anxiety and panic Attacks worse I would never advise anyone to go on drugs I was a psychiatric nurse so I know all about these drugs I lost my son for years ago and it caused me to get very depressed and I’m speaking from experience With this drug and with people I work with that’s been on them and tried to come off and it is terrible my advice is to go back to your doctors and talk to him about it do you not try and come off of it yourself

[Natsteveo in reply to Teddy45]

hi thanks for this im working with my dr about tapering off the venlafaxine ive heard so many bad experiences it puts you off but I really want to come iff them ive been on them 20+ years snd think its time to very slowly come 9ff them...so sorry for your loss 😢

Nat

[Tiger1981 in reply to Natsteveo]

I really wanna come off too

[Smarticus in reply to Teddy45]

Agreed, do not just stop taking them (even if you feel like they are not working) I tried suicide when I was coming off them, not a good alternative!

[Natsteveo in reply to Smarticus]

wow sorry to hear that my friend hope your healing well now though thanks so much for your support means alot

Nat xx

[paulie23 in reply to Natsteveo]

I learned so much from this post, only just joined tonight because I wanted to read a bit more about venelfaxine. My doctor changes my dosages every so often, I've been on them for about 5 years now and wonder if it's time to come off them, not sure they're helping anymore (top dosage) but my worry is the side effects are crazy, and really don't like it.

When I speak to people about the side effects they look at me as if I've got two heads, but everything here makes sense, especially the electric shocks.

Thanks and I hope you don't have too much of a hard time coming off them.

[7846 in reply to Teddy45]

Hello, I’ve been on venlafaxine and sertraline for almost a year I don’t feel much better , I was wondering which antidepressant you decided to try after coming of venlafaxine. I’m worried about it all , I feel dreadful after losing my precious husband over a year ago so I do need help, but the side effects and putting a lot of weight on is making me need to change the meds x. Thank you for listening. Normski. X

[TailWags]

Yep. I have had to change rx several times over the years. Now i am on venlaflaxen with a small wellbutrin chaser

[Dell12345]

One thing to be aware of, that I wish I had been aware of, is that if you reduced your dose and come off them, but then have a relaps and need to start taking them again, they generally don't work as well the next time, and take longer to have an effect. So if you have had previous episodes of anxiety or depression, then it is worth staying on the medication if it is not causing bad side effects. This is not something GPs are generally aware of but is now being seen in research studies, and is something I can speak from personal experience about with regard to venlafaxine. I wish I had just remained on the same dose rather than trying to wean myself off it.

Therefore I would really recommend staying on the medication if it is not causing you issues.

[Natsteveo in reply to Dell12345]

They took me off it in the end and put me on citalopram 20mg I’ve been doing really well I only have the odd anxiety now not as bad as they was on venlafaxine but I still do have them