Venlafaxine

[Leo]

Hi,

I suffer with Major Depressive Disorder and have done for over 10 years.

I hit a low spell a year ago and was put on Citalopram 10mg. I felt instant relief.
Over the past few months however, my symptoms got worse and I was feeling suicidal and couldn't cope with basic situations. My coping mechanisms were to sleep or cry. I locked myself in the toilets a few times in tears at work.

I am currently signed off work and my doctor has put me on Venlafaxine 75mg. I feel spaced out, have had diarrhea, nausea, anxiety and headaches. I generally feel numb but that is better than feeling suicidal of course!

Do these symptoms pass once you are used to the drug? I've only been on it a week.

Does anyone else have experience with venlafaxine?

I'm still not sure what to do about my work I have been off 2 weeks so far and it has really helped, I have another week left but my doctor has told me just to phone if I need further time off.

[Sweetpea]

They do say that anti-depressants do usually make you feel worse before feeling better. This is hard. I remember wanting them to work like a pain killer tablet .  If things do not improve have a chat with your Dr to put any worries to him/her. S x x x x

[Zaf]

I've no experience of this drug but agree with shaz xx

[Leo]

Thankyou for the replies.

Yesterday and today I have bad anxiety - something I never had on Citalopram. I want to go see my doctor but I think they will just tell me the meds take time to work as its only been a week. :s

My line runs out on Tuesday and then I either have to take the holidays I have booked and return to work at the end if that period or get another doctors line.
I am at a lost what to do....and I do think this is helping with the anxiety.

[woozywoo]

Hi Leo!

I am on venlefaxine 300mg. Have been on it for a few years now and have recently increased it. I can't remember how i felt at the beginning,but i was so low i don't think i cared,cos with or without the tabs i felt awful! They do take a while 2 work as my increase which happened about 2months ago i am only really feeling the benefit now. I know when i increased it made me feel very sick and extremely tired and very spaced out! I say as hard as it is,give it more time

In terms of bein off sick,i have been now for nearly 3months. It started with 2weeks and i was adamant i was goin straight back. Needless 2 say that didn't happen. And chances are i Will be off now until after Christmas. At first i made myself more ill with the worry of bein off. Now i know its what i needed. There mediation and this illness takes time 2 recover from and get well. I think it is extremely hard 2 do this while still working. Every couple of weeks i had the worry about should i go back or should i get another sick note. Now i have made the decision for after Christmas it has been a huge weight lifted off my mind.

Good luck with what you decide! Take care x

[Ruth]

Hi Leo,
I take venlafaxine. I was on 75mg for 5 months or so and have been on 150mg for about 6 weeks. Honestly I found the first 2 weeks very hard, but my depression was very bad at that point. I was also very anxious about being back on meds having had a bad time with Prozac so a lot of my starting symptoms were not all to do with the tabs. For the first two weeks I had headaches, anxiety, trouble sleeping at night, and drowsy during the day. I was also dizzy, spaced out and had vision problems. My family and psych helped me stick it out and I am glad to say week three was so much better. I still had slightly blurry eyes and was tired during the day but it was so much easier. I need to point out I already have bad eyesight and I sleep a lot because of the depression anyway. By week 4 all I had was tiredness. I noticeed the meds start working a little after 3 days but it took a couple of months before I noticed a stable improvement. My mood was no where near as extreme as it was but I still felt very low so the doc upped my dose. I am now up and about doing things again and I have started to have good days.
Sorry if this is really long. I know this is only my experience and meds effect everyone in different ways. For me trying to stay distracted and not think about my symptoms was helpful in the first two weeks. I slept a lot and watched a lot of tv with my mum. The doc told me to eat a plain meal like cereal 2 prevent feeling sick and this helped a lot. Stevie is right that it can effect your blood pressure so I would get it checked when u go back to the docs, but mine did not seem too worried in the short term.
I hope this was useful. Good luck you will be fine. If you are worried there is no reason not to go back to the docs even for your own peace of mind. They get paid enough after all.

[Leo]

Thankyou for sharing your experiences.

The nausea and headaches seemed to have eased which is good. I was feeling numb but starting to feel quite low again, and that there isn't much point in getting up.  As daft as it sounds I'm feeling quite anxious about leaving the house now.

I have a meeting with my work tomorrow to 'discuss' my absence but I'm not expecting any support from them. I am but a number in there. The last time I mentioned I had depression to a manager in their it was dismissed.

I spoke with a counsellor on the phone or should I say cried at a counsellor on the phone. I see her on Monday.

Going to persevere with the Venlafaxine, I'm not sure how long you need to be on it before they adjust your dosage.

I already have high blood pressure so the doctors are monitoring it.

[Beetzart]

Word of advice, try not to miss a dose or stop cold turkey.  I forget to take it yesterday and was very suicidal.

[Leo]

I will try not to. I missed a dose on Citalopram and felt awful!

[Leo]

Just thought I would update.

Side effects have subsided, but my sleep is now disturbed again.

I don't feel any huge benefit from the tablets.
 It's hard to judge - I'm not putting myself in stressful situations so don't feel too bad but still hopeless and don't see the point in things.
I was in tears with Occupational Health at our last meeting and basic things like going out for a few hours are exhausting me.
It will be four weeks on Sunday I have been taking the tablets, should I be feeling better?

[Sweetpea]

We are all different and side effects and benefit from meds vary. I think you should go and see your GP and have a chat about how you are feeling. He may decide to change your meds or advise you to keep on them longer. Take care. S x x x x

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[Munchroom]

I was on Venlafaxine 300mg (I think) for about a year. Beetzart is right, don't miss a dose or stop them suddenly....  I used to get 'brain zaps' if I left it too long between doses and I had to come off of them very slowly over a few weeks.

They did work though, its just very frustrating that we have to wait so long to see any improvement xx

[Leo]

Thanks, I have n appointment on Monday with my GP. :)

[Leo]

Spoke to my GP and she wants me to increase my dose of Venlafaxine.

I'm not sure what to do as I felt a bit better last week so I was given a line for 2 weeks and I have to go back if I want to increase my dose.

I have been given a booklet 'recovery for work'. It's basically about triggers, coping mechanisms etc i am struggling to fill it out as its upsetting me for some reason?

I also called my personnel manager to let her know I was going to be off and she hasn't even bothered to call me back. I am thinking of giving up my team leader position as I expect them to demote me when I go back due to absence anyway. Not to mention, one of the biggest issues is the lack of support and that's not going to change considering individuals who has just been promoted.

I'm not sure even if I can go back...it's such a destructive environment.

Money is getting really tight too!

[Sweetpea]

Feel for you. Having pressure from work just increases your anxiety. Your Dr seems to be understanding which is a comfort. Take care. S x x x x

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