Time to give up on Venlafaxine?

Treatment and medication
1

I need some advice please, I've been on Venlafaxine for the following time; 8 weeks at 75mg, 6 weeks at 150mg and the last 2 weeks at 187.5mg. I've had absolutely no lift in mood and still need to take anxiety meds. Should I have started to feel a bit better by now? Thanks

2

Also want to add that ever since moving up to 150 I've felt almost sedated with no motivation at all. I was exactly the same when I tried Duloxetine

3

I'm on 75mg and have been, down from 150mg for a few years. I find I have more down days and more anxiety controlled days than good days

Got some definite stressors atm however I struggle to eat, just wanna sleep all the time, don't wanna leave the house and anxiety so high I shake

Going to get medication review on Thursday

I think that like me you may be better suited to something else

4

Hi Anne,

Yes after the length of time you have been on it should be helping. It can take up to 6 weeks when you first start. I notice that is when your doctor increased the dose, still no effect so another increase and still nothing. My advice is keep a mood diary and a short statement like, managed to go to supermarket.

I will be honest that I'm on 450 mg and have been for about 20 years. I'm having great difficulty trying to wean myself of it and will see my GP tomorrow about a referral to psychiatrist, to help me get off.

The drug has been great but now I feel it is not working at all. I have days now where I do not leave my unit. I'm awake for 2-3 days at a time then sleep for 2. I am lucky that I can organise everything over the computer.

5

450mg for so long! No wonder you're struggling to wean off it

I struggled weaning down from 150!!

Wish you all the best and positive vibes

6

Thanks. My new Gp just about had kittens when he saw my dose. I think GPs because of their workload become complacent about their patients and drugs. While caring for my parents I discovered my mum was on 4 blood pressure lowering meds. No wonder she was falling flat on her face constantly!

Dad was on blood pressure tablets too. He had low blood pressure always had.

7

I'm at docs tomorrow and the target dose is 225 but I can't see it working all of a sudden when I've had nothing positive from them. The tiredness is ridiculous, I'm typing this from my bed as I've just had a nap!

8

When I have a dose increase I just get worse anxiety for about a week but nothing else

9

Hi Anne

I would say yes! You should have definitely felt a big improvement by now. I stayed on a AD ffor six months and didn't get better.

I do not think this one is for you. The aim is to find one that kind of makes you feel better quite quickly. I had mirtazipine added to my venlafaxine, I feel really well now. I wish the same for you ♥

Get to your docs asap and try something else xxx

10

Thanks x

11

I agree with Lorraine. When 225mg venlafaxine was not working for me, my psychiatrist added mirtazapine 15mg then upped to 30mg, and that worked wonders for me. Perhaps you could suggest it to your doctor. If you changed the venlafaxine for something else you might have withdrawal symptoms to deal with, whereas adding on the mirtazapine you can avoid them.

12

I dread the withdrawals as I've had them before but would adding mirt guarantee the drowsiness go away? I can't do a thing I'm so tired x

13

And i think GPs should not be prescribing psychotropic medication. Anything other than standard dosage at lease. So wrong. Good luck!

14

Absolutely everything Lorraine and pixie said. I would bump you back down to 150 and add some mirt...but i am not a doctor. If that doesn't work i would take you down to minimum dose of ven and then bridge with prozac which does not make one drowsy. But i am not a doctor. Hopefully however your doctor is a psychiatrist and not a GP. otherwise, in your case i would insist on a referral. Good luck

15

I was referred to a psychiatrist and she upped me to 150 with a view to going to 225 then discharged me so I'm back with GP. Does the tiredness go away with the two different drugs? Xx

16

Unfortunately I can't guarantee that adding mirtazapine would get rid of the drowsiness, nothing is guaranteed. All I can say is that i've not suffered any drowsiness from the combination. Could your low mood, and the anxiety medication be contributing to your tiredness?

17

The drowsiness hit me at 150mg almost like been sedated, if I sit down for a minute I could fall asleep, I don't think it's the anxiety meds cos I've only been on them 2 weeks. I won't be able to carry on if this tiredness doesn't go away x