Just started Venlafaxine

After previously trying five different antidepressants over the past three years nothing worked. My GP has now put me on extended release Venlafaxine three days ago. I’m currently taking straight after my evening meal. First night I didn’t go to sleep at all. Just lay in bed tired but not sleeping. Next morning I suddenly had a terrible hot sweat. Next night I slept four hours waking at two am. Last night I slept five hour but when I tried getting out of bed I was very dizzy. I couldn’t walk. I suffer with Postural Hypotension so dizziness is a big issue. But I feel the Venlafaxine is making my dizziness worse. I know I have to give it time but wondering what initial side effects have people had with Venlafaxine? How long did it take to notice an improvement in anxiety? Sorry it’s a long post.

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Originally Posted by Nannar1950

After previously trying five different antidepressants over the past three years nothing worked.

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What antidepressants (ADs) have you tried, what was the maximum dose taken and how long were you on that dose?

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wondering what initial side effects have people had with Venlafaxine?

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The side-effects you mention, insomnia, hot sweating and dizziness are all common initial side-effects of SSRIs and other serotonergic ADs. They're caused by the initial increase in serotonin activity triggered by the AD. The usually diminish within a few weeks as bio-feedback mechanisms begin to reduce serotonin synthesis and expression, though they may return for a while after dose increases. Talk to your GP is they become too much to bear as there are ways of easing them.

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How long did it take to notice an improvement in anxiety?

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ADs typically take 4-12 weeks to kick-in. They (and also the cognitive/behavioural/mindfulness therapies) work by stimulating the growth of new brain cells in the hippocampal regions of the brain. The new cells and the connections they form create the therapeutic response, not the meds directly, and the cells take about 7 weeks to fully mature though improvements in mood may begin earlier.