Increased dosage of Venlafaxine (Effexor): Did it help?

@bella04, it will get better but then it will be that much more difficult to decrease dose in the future. 225mg did help my depression for many years. I’ve been on it since approx 2006
without realizing that Effexor causes hypertension. Now when I want to get off of it I’m seeing how it may take 3 years or more!

@nomoreconf thank you for your reply I just hate how horrible it makes you feel terrible to get your feelings great again

Hi. I was on Effexor XL 150mg (& Celexa 20mg) for 21yrs and did great on it. In December I had a major recurrence and have been tweaking meds since. Went from 150 to 225 to 300....300 made me feel really bad (shaky, bad stomach, buzzy head) so I dropped back to 262.5 a few weeks ago.
We are now trying to increase the Celexa to see if that makes a difference.
I don't know your age but my Dr. has said the older we get, the longer the uptake/adjustment period is. What should/might happen in the usual 6 - 8 week window can now take longer and the side effects of the increase can be as bad as originally starting them.
15 days isn't nearly long enough to know the full effect. If it is going to work, it will eventually get easier....It's just the agony of waiting to get there that is so difficult and discouraging 🙁

@rufus31 thank you for your reply I suppose 15days is only just getting into your system but it’s the horrible feeling of knowing when will this feeling ever end. I have been on Venlafaxine for quite a few years now and coped good but as you say as you get older it probably is taking time to work it’s just so frustrating really.
I will keep on praying that it takes effect soon as my daughter gets married late next month and I would like to feel more like myself by then.

@bella04
Fingers crossed and lots of good vibes being sent your way. Hopefully you will be in a better position to enjoy the day. I too wait anxiously for that "Aha" moment when you know/feel that something is changing in the right direction. It is SUCH a joyful feeling that I cannot wait for us (and everyone else in our boat!) to have.... the sense that you are on your way to getting better 🙂

@rufus31 I to wait for that yee haa moment and I hope it’s a blessing for us all.

I've taken Effexor for many years and have been at 225mg for about 5 years. I am 82. Due to major life events, I became severely depressed and my Dr. prescribed (added) Rexulti, 1 mg. It started working within a few days and feeling so much better.
Also, during another bad depression, Dr. added Abilify and that worked well,, but stopped after 1 month.
I was so reluctant to try Rexulti, but I'm glad I did.
Wish you well in your search.

@cat73 thank you for your reply am glad you got the right medication for you and your doing well it’s all trial and error

The Effexor is to stabilize your anxiety so you can do the work that is causing the anxiety. You need a therapist or a group maybe like CoDA online or other groups that are helpful with healing unconscious issues. That is the real cure. There is no pill that will help with anxiety or depression. We must do the work.