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[ladylollipop]

Hello ladies, I do have a question. I started taking venlafaxine in April 2018( 75mg) and I also started a HRT in August 2018. My worst symptoms were anxiety and I was very nervous. Also felt often?unreal?. The HRT helped with this unreal feeling and the anxiety and being nervous were much better. In February last year I have reduced the venlafaxine to 37,5 mg and from December 2019 until 3 weeks ago I took it every second day only. As I wrote, I have stopped the venlafaxine 3 weeks ago. Last weekend I had a bit of a spotting for two days but already gone. I realized that I am a bit more anxious und nervous again but still taking HRT. Was it the right decision to stop the venlafaxine? My doctor said yes because I took such a low dose. The doctor also said I should try without and not start again. Also venlafaxine isn't available at the moment. What do you think? Has anybody the same experience?
Hug
Lady lollipop

[CLKD]

What's the biggest problem for you?  If it helped initially why stop 

[ladylollipop]

Hello CLKD, I just didn't want to take it anymore and didn't want to rely on a pill. I thought and still hope that I only need HRT

Lady lollipop

[CLKD]

Maybe keep a mood/food/symptom diary to chart progress without?

[ladylollipop]

Good idea! Thank you . My main problem is: I think too much and over think every single symptom. 

[CLKD]

Yep.  It happens to a lot of us.

My method is: if a health niggle hasn't got worse and not killed me in 3 weeks it probably ain't serious.  I'm worse in the early hours 

[ladylollipop]

Thanks CLKD! I think you have got the right method. Hope I understood it right as you maybe remember I am German.
Lady lollipop 

[Hurdity]

Well done for stopping the Venlafaxine ladylollipop! Hopefully you will be able to ride through any adverse symptoms and the HRT will do what you want it to do. I can't remember which type (of HRT) you are taking? Try and find natural ways to overcome any anxiety - read up and practice different strategies for coping that don't involve meds....all the best

Hurdity x

[Harmony]

As you're probably aware, there can be many symptoms when you stop taking antidepressants, including things like depression and anxiety, which lead people to think that they need to stay on them. Hopefully they will wear off soon, it sounds like it's only mild, which is good. With menopause it"s so difficult to try to work out what's what, as for instance I have extreme fatigue and brain fog because of having ME/CFS, which are of course also common in menopause! .

I've found l-theanine with lemon balm, and magnesium citrate from Nature's Best helpful for anxiety. I also do creative visualisation where I imagine I'm somewhere beautiful, riding a horse. Obviously it needs to be something/somewhere that works for you. If I can really get into it, I find it calming.  YouTube has some great meditation/relaxation videos. Also I lie down listening to music that I find relaxing, and that comforts me. Hope you feel better soon. 🙂

[ladylollipop]

Dear hurdity, thank you so much. Hope I can manage without venlafaxine. I took Fem7sequi until it wasn't available. Now I take Fem7 estrogen only patches for two weeks and then I add uterogestan for 2 weeks. Can you suggest something for anxiety? I was told I can't take st john s Wort because I take HRT. Is that true?
Hug
Lady lollipop

[CLKD]

Hurdity - what natural ways to stop anxiety would you suggest that have been proven to work  .  Have you ever had anxiety?

I had bounce back symptoms when I stopped ADs.  Once I realised that they didn't last any longer than 36 hours after each reduction, I relaxed a bit.  It took 9 weeks of supervised weaning off, I was fine. 

St John's Wort should be avoided.  Other than using it for mild - what ever that might be - depression as a stand alone drug, it is not recommended 4 use with other meds..  Partly because 1 won't know which drug may be working [should that be might be?]

[CLKD]

ladylollipop - you are doing fine, far better than my grasp of a foreign language 

[ladylollipop]

Dear Harmony, thank you also for your answer and your recommendations what I could take for anxiety. Have to look up what l- theanine is  in German

Best wishes
Lady lollipop

[ladylollipop]

Dear CLKD , thanks for the compliment 

[ladylollipop]

Dear Harmony just checked l- theanine. Sounds great! Never heard of it. Can I take it with HRT? Do you know
Hug
Lady lollipop