I have been on Venlafaxine for 17 days and I am not feeling any better. I know the doctors say it taks a long time to take effect but surely there should be some good signs by now. I feel worse.
I would be grateful for any advice.
Many thanks.
Pat
Hi. Pat, Not much longer now, I know it seems forever but it took me 3 - 4 weeks before I could really tell Venlaxine was working. You are nearly there so don't despair. Just keep talking to the rest of us, we all want you to recover,
Kind thoughts Lizzie
Oh thanks lizzy. I feel so awful each day and I am staying in bed most of the time. Did you feel any improvement after 2 weeks. I have ffelt no improvement atall.
Pat
Hi Pat, It took longer than 2 weeks for me to feel any improvement and I ate nothing but Complan because my tum felt so bad, and like you, just wanted to stay in bed all the time. This is the worst bit and my heart goes out to you but it will improve, honest.
Hi lizzy I just hope I have the same expeience as you. I feel sick most ofhe time too. The worst bit is wanting to stay in bed all the time. I will let you know if there is any improvement
Pat xx
Hi Pat, At the time, I thought I was the only one on the Planet that felt that way. I now know that there are lots of us. Wish I could wave a magic wand for you.
Regards Lizzy
I hope you are starting to feel better pat. My pm's went a bit awry probably something I'd done on the pc. Anyway, hope your out of bed and feeling a bit better.
Hi Kat
I wondered what had happened to you. It said you had discontinued the PM. I did try to post you but it wouldn't allow it.
I have just been to the doctor and she has upped the Venlafaxine to 225 mg. She has also referred me to a psychiatrist. I can't believe this is happening to me. How are you doing?
Pat
Hi Lizzy
I have just been to the doctor and she has increased the Ven to 225 mg. Is that the dose you're on? I didn't feel good on the 150 so I don't know how I will feel on the increase. She has also referred me to a psychiatrist.
Pat
I'm still very up and down. Eating a bit better. Have you finished your injections now and has it made any difference? I hope so.
Hi Patricia,
I was put on to 225mg by a psychiatrist. I had the hard white slow release tablets when I got up to this dose and was told that it would take 4-6 weeks before they kicked in. (I'm also on 30mg Mirtazapine and 2.5 of Olanzapine. Appartently a low dose of Olanzaopine is supposed to help with anxiety. I had been on them 4 weeks when I had a repeat prescription and these tablets came from spain. on the 6th day of week 6 I saw a tablet in my stools as the leaflet said, but decided to investigate! It was full of powder and weighed exactly the same as the the one from the pack. I now don't know if the British ones were working. I am now on day 10 of the soft gel slow release capsules, so hope they work.
I understand completely when you say you can't believe this is happening to you. I am normally a strong, cheerful, optomisitic person. I have had this awful anxiety after 4 horrible things happening to me one after the other.
Are you feeling any benefit from the meds yet?
Lizzie
Hi lizzie. Sorry to come in on your conversation with Pat, but It's the first time I've found someone who is on the same medication as me. I'm on 150mg of venlafaxine, 45mg of mirtazapine and 10mg of olanzapine. I was on 20mg of olanzapine but have cut the tablet in half for 4 nights. I don't think it's doing me any good. I'm seeing my psychatrist on thursday and want to start to come off of mirt. Venlafaxine has done me good in the past so I just want to concentrate on the venlafaxine.
Depression is a horrible horrible illness. I just want to be 'me' again.
I have finished the injections but they didn't make any difference to the depression. I was never able to walk straight I would wobble and the injectins hav changed that. I am walking much better and my balance is better. That was one of the diwnsides of low Vitamin B12. Keep in touch. At least you're eating a little better so that's a start.
Haven't felt any improvement so far. The GP said that sometimes Antidepressants don't work (that really cheered me up) so she has referred me to psychiatrist. There isn't any reason for me to have depression. I have never had horrible things happen to me. I understood it was a chemical balance. I'll let you know how I get on
Pat
I really thought that the injections were going to be the answer to your prayers. At least your balance is better. Your doctor hasn't got a lot of tact has he/she. I hope you don't have to wait too long to get an appt with a psychatrist. When I was first referred to a psychatrist they said I might have to wait a few weeks to get an appt! That's why I went private at first. If your appt is a long time in coming I would ask to see if they have any cancellations. You might be lucky though and get an appt quickly. All areas are different I suppose.
How are you feeling today. I hope the increase in venlafaxine does the trick for you. Are you still able to go to work at the hospital?
Hi Kate, It's lovely to hear from you so don't apologise. I find the Mirtrazapine help me sleep at night, but I have been on them for 9 weeks and the olanzapine for nearly 4 weeks. Don't feel any better. I feel anxious about being anxious. I think I feel more anxious and panicky since starting the soft gel capsules but have read on a post that they do make you feel worse before you feel better. Did this happen to you?
As I said to Pat, I don't know if I was receiving any meds for the first 4 weeks on the hard tablet, but Believe I am starting Venlafaxine all over again whether I did or not
How long did it take for you to feel the benefit of Venlafaxine and did feeling better come and go for a bit.? I would be so grateful to hear from you again as I'm feeling pretty desperate.
Your sentence I just want to be 'me' again is one I have used may time so know exactly how you feel. It is very hard to stay positive when our days are filled with anxiety or depression. I live on my own which I normally love, but I dont think that helps at the moment.
Hi Patricia, I'm so sorry to hear that you have not felt any benefit yet. Me neither but I think I have to realise that I'm starting from scratch again whether or not I was gettng the meds for the first 4 weeks of being on the hard tablets. How long have you been on it now? I was told 4 - 6 weeks and I'm feeling really awful. There are so many positive posts about this drug so let's hope they start to work for both of us. I have read on some of the posts that it is normal to feel worse while they get into the system and start to work, but I'm desperate for some improvement as I have had this anxiety for just over 18 months now. I need to get well and get back to work.
Dr's and psychiatrists can say the most unhelpful things at time and don't realise that they just make us feel worse.
Hope thing go well with the psychiatrist.
Sorry Kat, just realised I called you Kate!
Hi Lizzie. I originally have been on venlafaxine for a few years with a few bouts of depression while still on the medication. This bout is by far is my worst. The doctor decided to cut down on the ven and put me on mirtazapine. Then olanzapine was added to help me sleep and give me an appetite. Then, ven was upped as was mirt. I've been cutting down on the olanzapine myself. I put the wrong dosage in my last post. I've been cutting down from 10 to 5mg. I am on hard tablets. Nothing seems to be working at the moment. I'm very up and down. I've never been on more than one anti depressant before. As ven has worked for me in the past I would like to taper the others off. I tend to just come out of my depression but it's taking a bit longer this time. Perhaps the concoction we are both on just isnt worķing. I'm sorry I can't be of much help.
I hope I haven't totally confused you with my long winded story.
why were you put on the 3 separate medications?