I am feeling like I can't carry on at the moment.
I have had severe anxiety and depression since giving birth to my daughter 4 years ago and it seems to coincide with my hormones during the month.
Since December 2015 I have had to increase my venlafaxine 5 times.
I was initially on mirtazapine 45mg then venlafaxine was added on for a year at 37.5mg this was great for the first year but now Every few months I am having relapses before my time of the month and the venlafaxine has to be increased by 37.5mg.
I am now up to the top dosage of 225 mg 4 days after increase and top dosage of mirrazapine 45mg and just feel like giving up and that I am running out of options, I am taking 4 different tablets of Ven throughout the day.
The doctor thinks I have PMDD but could it be that the venlafaxine is just not working well enough to mask my major hormone issues which it did successfully for a year.
Any advice please ???
Not sure if this is similar but I think you can suffer for about 3/4 weeks after each increase. I was put up to 187.5 a week ago and feel terrible today. I'm also on 3 X 5mg of Buspar during the day. It's hard but we've to try and get through the first few weeks X
Hi Anne
Thank you for replying sorry to hear your feeling awful.
I increased to 187.5mg exactly a month ago and felt grotty for a week then ok now 4 weeks later I am up to 225mg.
Really feel like I can't carry on fighting this anymore as soon as I start to feel a little better it starts again.
I can't even get out of bed at the moment even though I've been awake since 4am.
What is buspar? Is that an anti depressant? I am wondering if there's anything else I can add on to my meds to help me. Xx
Buspar (buspirone) is for anxiety as the Ven isn't helping with that yet. I think I'll have to go to 225 but want to increase slowly. I also have ADHD which gives symptoms of depression and anxiety, just wish I knew which was which!
Oh it's just so awful isn't it. I know exactly how you feel it's like living in limbo all the time with the not knowing. I just wish there was a magic wand that could get rid of all mental health issues.
Mine is just gradually ruining my life. I have given up two jobs and had to cancel a family holiday this year due to my mental health.
Just feel like I will never get better. I could just sit and cry all day
It really is awful, I've been trying to get well for a year and just feel like giving up
Hi Lauren
Sorry your feeling this way especially when your taking so much AD's. Personally I found out that Mirt and Ven do not mix well. I came off Mirt within a month because it was reacting with my Ven, it was making me hungry all the time, anxious, sweating, angry and constantly tired. My depression was the worst ever. I came off Mirt and started to be better almost straight away, however Ven was still making me feel depressed so came off them too.
Just remember it's not you that's making you feel awful but the drugs and it's only temporary, you will feel better soon.
You need to tell your doctor how your feeling as this isn't right and you need a change now.
Good luck and remember if you need a chat I'm here.
Thanks
Neil x
Thanks Neil.
What dosages were you on when they were both together?
I have had to increase 5 times since last December.
I go to my GP in floods of tears and they just keep increasing them.
The fact I have had to increase so much does make me feel that they aren't working.
I'm the same. What is the point in trying to get well when it doesn't work.
There's only so much fight you have in you.
Do you have problems with your sleep?
That's the worst part for me is the not sleeping.
No I sleep all night but feel exhausted when I wake up, could be the meds or depression I don't know. Feel in a haze all day
Hey Lauren
I was on 225mg per day of Ven and 30mg of Mirt at night. Trust me they don't mix well, it got to the stage I was hallucinating and sweating in bed so much I had to change the bedding.
I've been on nearly every AD you can think of and these were by far the worse.
To help me come off them I was taking Benadryl and Omega 3, I read this somewhere and they really helped.
Thanks
Neil x
I'm in a haze all day too. Hate it I feel so detached from everything. Have you ever levelled out on meds or have you only just started them?
I've been on them 23 years but last year my doc had me taper from Ven to Sertraline too fast and I've suffered for a year now, tried every med for the last year and doc says cos I tolerated Ven before I should be ok but I was always tired on it
How long have you been on the ven? And what dosages etc?
Thanks Neil.
God I am so scared to come off anything. I really don't feel mentally strong enough I just don't know what to do.
X
Up to last year I was on it for about 18 years at 150, you don't realise the side effects creep up on you, I thought been tired was part of me. I really didn't want to go back on but te others did nothing. This time round I'm carefully monitoring it and won't tolerate been tired all the time x
That's how I feel, hate been on meds but scared to come off
That's no good. Could it be the buspar making you tired? Or is it def the venlafaxine? X
I get scared changing meds, upping dosages thinking of coming off etc
Could be both. Doc keeps asking if I'm exercising lol I haven't the energy, if I'm not working I just lay about or go to bed, only go out if I need to