Effexor XR / Venlafaxine

[brittd89]

I started on 75mlg of Effexor XR first of August, things were going GREAT for about 2 1/2 weeks. (I feel like this could of been a placebo affect, as I know it wouldn't be fully in my system that quick) I was upped to 150 mlg and then my anxiety came back. I have been up and down with anxiety and depression for the last 3 weeks. I have read some other posts on other sites that an increase does take some time to settle in and there could be ups and downs in that time. I just wanted to post my own question to see if anyone else has had the same effects? If I can just hold on to the chance things will level out in the next week I feel like I could feel more optimistic. Any advice would be great! I see my psychiatrist in 2 days. 🙂

[Dell12345]

Hi there, I've recently have had the same with venlaphaxine. It does take a while to work fully, and its one of the drugs that is affected a lot by your personal metabolism. With venlafaxine people seem to need very different doses.

I have been up to 375mg/day before.

I've found it works well. Like you it works straight away a bit but then comes and goes before gradually getting better towards 6-8 weeks.

If after 6 weeks you are not feeling any better it would be worth asking you doc about increasing the dose.

I hope you are ok and it helps you x

[brittd89 in reply to Dell12345]

Thanks for your reply! I was on 275 last year, but I was convinced by my doctor to try a different RX. That was a mistake and it took 8 months to figure it out. I started back on it 5 1/2 weeks ago, I am hoping for a change in the next few weeks.

[Dell12345 in reply to brittd89]

ah, sounds like you had a very similar experience to me then. I was convinced to wind down and come off, but then had another episode. It takes longer to work if that's happened, but still should work, just may take a few weeks longer than first time round. Which is frustrating but positive really. Xx

[brittd89 in reply to Dell12345]

Thanks! That does give me hope, but man I wish it would hurry up!

[Ag1957]

hi britt89. I’ve taken venlafaxine for 6 years and it controls my anxiety well since being on 75 mg twice per day. I can’t remember how I felt when increasing the dose but it does take a while to work.

I hope things settle for you soon.

[brittd89]

Thanks for your reply. I first started it 15 years ago, I had been off for 8 months before starting again and I cant remember all those years ago how I felt either.

[Richi74]

Hello. I've been taking 225 mg daily for the last 6 years. I'd tried Citalopram a few months before which did me no good at all. Venlafaxin has really helped me to bring my anxiety under control. It took between 4 and 6 weeks before I felt an effect, but I've definitely benefitted from it. The only side effect I have is a dry mouth. On the rare occasions I've forgotten to take my daily dose, I have felt a bit woolly-headed. I've heard you have to wean yourself off it slowly, but I haven't tried to yet.

[brittd89 in reply to Richi74]

Yes, it does suck when you miss a does. Always made me dizzy and yes, it takes a while to come off of it safely and side effects to go away. The only side effect I have with taking it, is hot flashes. Which I always had, but didn't realize it was Ven until I got off it for a while. It was nice not having hot flashes while I was off, but I will take hot flashes everyday over anxiety!

[Livinginthepast]

The thing is everyone is different what works for one doesn't for another, So if I said I was on the max dosage & have been for years now & still cannot see much if any improvement you might expect me to say they are a waste of time but no I wouldn't

Secondly there have been a few articles in the media reporting that low serotonin levels may not be the factor once thought in depression & there is an increasing number of people demanding something new (some new drugs are in the pipeline) However it seems for some patients these drugs work for reasons really unknown so I would advise you to keep an open mind & see if they work for you over a longer period of time - if possible get some talking therapy as well & try to stay positive 😃

[brittd89 in reply to Livinginthepast]

It worked pretty good for me in the past. But so much time has passed since I was on it the first time I couldn't remember what it was like getting back on. I think I saw something about serotonin levels recently too. Therapy has been GREAT for me. Also seeing a doctor at at mental health facility rather than a family doctor was a great decision. I didn't feel like my GP really understood what I needed.

[babayaga]

Hello Brittd89

I've been taking 75mg Venlafaxine for about 5 years now., along with Mirtazapine. I am taking Slow Release, because of my heart problem. I have been on SO MANY different meds for anxiety and depression over the years -- some of them just seemed to stop working after 2 years, so then I was given something else. But the Venla seems to go on working.

I thought it was having some bad side effects (sleepiness, and balance and memory problems). The psychiatrist kept trying to get me to take a higher dose, but I refused. I asked if I could try something else, and I was given Sertraline. That didn't work at all -- I was just very depressed. I have atrial fibrillation, so the psychiatrist said any other ADs could affect my heart, and I just went back onto the Venla slow release -- same dose.

I have come to the conclusion that it was my anxiety medication that was having most of the side effects, NOT the Venla. (The anxiety medication is Pregabalin, used mostly for neurological conditions, but also for anxiety). I have reduced that one down as far as I can, and I am also trying herbal remedies. I am seeing a therapist, and with his help, I have come up with some coping strategies for the anxiety, so generally I feel better now (still have some days feeling awful....).

Anyway, that's my story -- I don't know if it is any help, but I hope you will find ways to feel better.

[beinganon]

I was about to reply detailing about how it’s one of the worst—if not the worst—antidep I’ve been on [six years, no less, the last two at 375 mg] —> and when you get off it, the brain zaps (just google “brain zaps” or “venlor brain zaps”) are worse than, well, I don’t know. They’re the worst thing in the world.

But seeing as how it’s helping you—I mean it’s an overall life positive for you—I won’t go into detail about all that or my horror story. I’ll just say that—and this *might* *just* be of some help—large doses of high-quality fish oil (I mean omega-3 basically, but “high-quality” is a key word here) can help anyone lower depression levels. This isn’t just from my experience; do spend five minutes reading about fish oil and depression.

So basically what I want to say is: Supplement with large doses of high-Q fish oil—which does *not* interact with Venlor—and you might be able to lower the dose, which *will* help in the long run. [And I’m saying this totally objectively; my experience has been rather more radical.] The “trick” part here is not to tell your doc about your supplementation; he/she is not going to like it for obvious reasons.