Venlafaxine: does nothing for me.

I've been on venlafaxine since january. before that I was on citalopram for over a year, which helped for a while until my body adapted too much to it. have also tried fluoxetine for a brief time but it was awful.

Thing is, Venlafaxine has had no positive impact on me. I have literally never been so unhappy as I have this year- in many ways due to circumstance, moving away from home, starting Uni etc, but despite many increases in dosage I've never felt like I was coping. I've been on 225mg a day for about 4 months now and am currently at my lowest point, hanging by a thread.

I've never experienced a drug doing NOTHING. I'm on a waiting list to see a psychiatrist to talk about changing medications at the moment... just wanted some opinions/comments.

.

Hiya and Thanks for your Post.

One of the annoying little things about being 'us', is that we don't all thrive on the same meds or dosages, sigh. If only it was that simple.

Have you read the Medsafe websites Consumer Info Sheet for Venlafaxine? If not, 'tis at http://www.medsafe.govt.nz/Consumers/cmi/e/Efexor-xr.pdf

Because none of us are here as health professionals (we're just us) its really hard to know what to say about an specific medication because what helps one may hinder another, ya know?

I'd suggest that if you can, have a yarn with the Practice Nurse at your doctors asap next week - he or she may be able to hasten things along to get you to see the psych. Print out what you have written here, and show it to the Nurse.

Don't stop taking the Venlafaxine, will you - until and unless the doctor recommends that, please. Thats really important.

Congrats on finding our place here at TBBD and for having the courage to ask as you have.

Moi - I'm currently taking Loxamine and I guess I'm lucky in that I'm slowly learning that I do better on them, than not.

Gentle care and yeah, contact ya practice nurse.

Paddy.

I've been on venlafaxine 3 times in the past 5 years. First time I was on a dose rate of around 375mg, worked for a short while then stopped it after a year coz it stopped working and was just making me feel nauseous all the time. Second time think the dose was 150mg, didn't work except made me feel nauseous. Third and current time am currently (meant to be) on 225mg, I stopped taking it though (probably not really recommended) as felt it wasn't working except for make me feel incredibly tired and even more depressed so have stopped it and seem to be doing all right.

I have just found this site(through TMMB) & what a blessing.I feel among my people.Even though we are all different,we are the same.I started on fluoxitine,went to cetalapram which did nothing for me.I have been on Venlafaxine,started at 75mg then I doubled & tripled my dose.I am now on 225mgs a day(which reminds me,I haven't them today,going from morning to night-time to quell the nausea & headaches).I have stablised on this dose,which my doctor told me the other day was a fairly standard dose! LOL.My partner of 3yrs is on cetalapram which seems to work for him.(he actually admitted to me the other day that he probably should have been diagnosed 20-30 yrs ago).I have been stable for so I am thinking of dropping my dose to 150mgs a day,but while things are ok I think I should stay with what is working well.

Hay didn't wok for me i was on it for two years and on a high dose good luck i find much better off them all. good luck in your hunt itz a hard one

Hi
I don't know how long your partner has been on meds but I know the feeling - as soon as I was diagnosed as depressive a lot of my past suddenly made a lot more sense . . .

Citalopram for me . . .

peter

My man has only been on them for a couple of months but they have supressed the bitter,negative,irritable(among other things)side of him.& let the much more pleasent & understanding side out.They became the major difference to whether I left with the kids or not.

Wow . . .

Just shows how everybody is different, I just took to bed repeatedly and would not go out to earn a living - a year later we are still trying to recover moneywise but compared to then i am a much calmer and better patient.

the improvement has been gradual as well so hopefully your other half will continue to improve

peter

I quit venlafaxmine cold turkey about a month ago, it was horrible (the vertigo was awful) but it was definatly better than the drug itself.
I was originally put on Citalopram for depression but it made me worse so I was changed to the above, started off really well but then I was getting pain behind my eyes when I looked around, shaking hands, rapid heartbeat and increased paranoia/anxiety.
I was wrongly diagnosed with depression, am actually BPD, with extreme anxiety.
I am looking at asking for Lamictal, has anyone tried this??

no havent tried that one but im bpd and i have tried a range of meds im on tegratol read up on this one as well.

Hi there MADJAX, I take Lamotrigine - a blessing for me that med...I've been on and off meds for about four years and like you would have an okay amount of time, then some side-effect I couldn't cope with.

I take 200mg in the morning and 200mg at night. I recall a settling in time of sorting out when to take the meds - It can cause insomnia for SOME... I also take Zyban combined with the Lamot the combination is working really well. oh and Initially the dosage is a slow climb in case of getting a rash...

I take sleepers and anti anxiety meds also....

My side effect I live with each day is headaches, sometimes nausea. BUT... I can deal with a daily headache - hair loss umm nup, weight gain...nup suicidal depression NUP

I hope it works for you too.

I have bipolar, a mood disorder or two thrown in with a cocktail of insomnia and anxiety and that just about does it....LOL

Poetry

just wanted to stress what was said about not stopping venlaflaxine cold turkey.. it can have some nasty side effects i found.

have you contemplated the thought that venlaflaxine mabye contributing to things being worse as opposed to doing nothing? just something to consider.

please let us know how you are getting on

cheers
nikki.

Hi I have been on Venlafaxine for 5 years or so. Within a few days my life changed (for the better) ...for a while. To start I had really horrible nightmares I would wake up in a cold sweat and would take me hours to settle again (now I dream rarely). It did not prevent a suicide attempt last year then the doctor doubled my dosage. I have seen counsellors psychiatrists you name it i have been there. In the past i have been on Prozac (which did a big fat nothing) arapax which i had to triple the dose and still needed more then the doctor changed me to ven.
If I miss a dose by 12.00 the next day I have severe stomach cramps dizzyness and I end up throwing up and feeling sick for the next day or so it takes a lot out of me (god help me if i ever try to give up) however the moral of the story is dont miss a dose. I can honestly say that it keeps my head above water but only just.

its a b**** to come off thats for sure

I dont want to try im too scared too. The side effects of coming off them seem unsurmountable. I dont know what I would take instead my docs not that great in fact he is a grumpy git. Grumpy but caring he would help I knowbut i dont see myself coming off them any time soon