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[ladylollipop]

Hello Ladies, I do have a question. As so many of you I am also dealing with anxiety. I take venlafaxin for 7 weeks now. The strange thing is if I am feeling better ( like today)  I already  worry it can be worse tomorrow . Or I think don't be too exicted about feeling better than it won't last. So silly! Anybody experience the same feeling?

Hugs
Lady Lollipop

[CLKD]

Not silly at all!

What I forgot was that depression didn't happen overnight.  It gradually crept up.  It took a while to find suitable medication in the 1980s.  Now if my brain feels low for more than 3 mornings I up the medication without giving a 2nd thought, 3-5 days lifts the mood.  Otherwise anxiety sets in.

Anxiety struck me at age 3.  So has been a problem for ever.  But: if I had medication I would worry that it would make me feel worse.  If I had to eat, would it make me feel worse ?  ......... I had to condition myself that some days I would be OK others not so.  Now I don't plan any more than half a day at a time and never say 'yes' in the evening when I feel better: because I know that by morning, anxiety levels would be too high to cope with.

I think that using up too much energy in the early stages of treatment can be detrimental, I found that if I worked too much on my better days, I would feel worse again. 

[Kathleen]

Hello ladylollipop.


 I get that feeling all the time and I have taken Venlafaxine for a few years. 

 When I feel okay I try and enjoy it because I don't know how long it will last and when I feel rubbish I worry that I will be stuck like that forever. 

I have read many posts on the forum from ladies who have the same experience so I think it is more to do with the hormonal turmoil of menopause than depression and anti depressants but I could be wrong of course.

Hopefully more ladies will be along soon to share their stories.

Take care.

K.

[ladylollipop]

Thank you both for answering. May I ask you a question Kathleen? How long do take Venlafaxine already ? I am on and off. Last time I only took 37mg for nearly a year and thought I can stop it. Wow, I was wrong. After 6 weeks my symptoms came back. My gynecologist told me so but I thought I know my body better    well so this time I stick with it until I am a 100  .

Hugs
Lady lollipop

[KarineT]

Same here.  I feel ok one day and worry that the following day will be terrible.  This is very stressful.

[Kathleen]

Hello again  ladylollipop

I have checked my diaries and see  that I have been taking Venlafaxine since 2013.  I didn't realise that it has been that long! I was given it to treat anxiety and  flushes. One time I forgot to take my tablet before bed and my night was a lot more disturbed so from that I assume they did work at reducing the night sweats. My initial dose was 37.5 mcg daily but that was increased to twice daily after a few months.

In all honesty I don't know what other effects they have because at the same time I began taking HRT and my focus was on get that right.

I hope this helps you and I would be interested to learn which of your symptoms the Venlafaxine definitely helped you with.

I believe several ladies also take this AD on it's own or alongside HRT.

Wishing you well and take care.

K.

[KarineT]

Apart from Bach flowers I'm not on anything.  I've recently tried Boots Menopause Support By Complete Woman and I am worried that I might be reacting to some of the ingredients in the product.
I don't know if it might make things worse; I.e. lower the mood.

[CLKD]

My depression and anxiety were with me long B4 peri ...... one can take ADs for as long as 1 requires them, I did find that when I stopped a particular tablet my brain wouldn't improve if I re-started it: I had to go onto something else.

[ladylollipop]

Hello Kathleen, Venlafaxine definitely helped me with jittery and anxiety. Last time I took it from April 18 to January 2020 and had a good time. From February 19 I have also taken 37,5 only. Now I take 75 mg since mid April. It always takes a bit until it kicks in. Today was the first day I would say it was better ( knock on wood) . The thing is I am also on HRT since August 18 . Patches. When I stopped the venlafaxine in January I also wanted to know if the patch helps me with the mental part. Well it didn't. But it helped me a lot with the brain fog and spaced out feeling. After a week these two symptoms were gone. I never suffered from hot flashes but had problems with my knees. Also gone. Well now I hope venlafaxine kicks in properly. May I ask you how old you are? I am 54.

Lady lollipop