JJAD

Date posted: 3y

Anybody have experience with Venlafaxine?

I recently switched from Sertraline-200MG to Venlafaxine. I’m currently on 75MG+37.5MG working my way up to the max dosage for OCD treatment. When I first spoke to a doctor about switching medications, he mentioned Venlafaxine and I found his reasoning compelling. As opposed to just switching to another brand, he explained that Venlafaxine is a combination SSRI and NRI. Meaning, that it is also a norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. He then explained that norepinephrine is linked to PTSD. I always misunderstood PTSD to be something only soldiers experienced but later learned that even a physical head injury can cause PTSD. I then started to wonder if there’s a chance my compulsions can be a way of trying to control some kind of version of PTSD. Might be a long shot but hey, at this point anything is possible. All that said, I decided to try it and I’m curious if anybody has experience with this medication or if anyone has anything to add about anything said above.

Nasim

Date posted: 3y

It's been a while that I'm using both venlafaxine and sertraline together. 🤔

Nasim

Date posted: 3y

Along side some other medication

JJAD

Date posted: 3y

@Nasim Wow, I’ve never heard of using both together. How has Venlafaxine been for you?

Nasim

Date posted: 3y

@JJAD Generally i feel much better. But i don't know how much of it is for venlafaxine because he gave me another medicine too called clozapine 25 mg. But overall i feel better. And i remember sertraline really helped me at the beginning. It made a huge difference for me. So i think it's a good medicine for me.

Anonymous

Date posted: 3y

I was on it for over a year. It did seem to help but it’s hell to try and get off of it

JJAD

Date posted: 3y

@Anonymous I think it’s hell getting off/switching any meds. Did you have particular trouble with this one? Why did you come off of it?

Anonymous

Date posted: 3y

@JJAD Yes it was worse than the average medication for me. I have been on various SSRIs over the years, and although they are all difficult to get off of, Effexor is different. It’s terrible anxiety and suicidal thoughts as well as physically sick. If you look up “Effexor withdrawal” on Reddit you will see what I mean.

Anonymous

Date posted: 3y

@JJAD However, my sister was on the max dose, stopped cold Turkey, and did okay with it. I think it depends on the person. It did help more than Zoloft and the other SSRIs I tried though. If you need it you need it.

Nasim

Date posted: 3y

@Anonymous Don't try to stop it on your own. I think you should do it with the help of a doctor.once I did this too. I suddenly stopped taking one of my medications and i get you.It was hell

JJAD

Date posted: 3y

@Anonymous That’s interesting, whenever I’ve missed a dose for even just a day I get this sensation of pulsing in my head and I feel just overall very foggy brained. Maybe that’s akin to the experience of coming off of it. That’s great to hear that it worked better than other SSRIs for you. That’s gives me some hope and keeps me optimistic.

Anonymous

Date posted: 3y

@JJAD How long have you been on it?

JJAD

Date posted: 3y

@Anonymous Just a few months now. It’s really difficult right now because I’m working my way up to my final dose, which means I’m still on a fairly low dose. I’ve been very sensitive to triggers.

AvsFan95

Date posted: 21w

OCD and Zoloft (Sertraline)

Hi everyone, I’m new to the community. I was diagnosed with OCD just a couple of months ago and have been doing some reading and other research to try and understand the disorder. With this, I have been actively seeing a great therapist who has been helpful to build tools to deal with my intrusive thoughts ( contamination OCD is my worst theme). Do help learn to deal with the compulsions, I start on Sertraline or “Zoloft” I believe since November 2024. Currently I’m on 50mg and have been doing this for just over a month. My question for those who are also taking Sertraline and it has been successful, how do you know it has really provided a benefit and how long did it take to get there? I sometimes feel the medication works, and sometimes I feel it doesn’t (maybe that’s my OCD trying to mess with things). Thanks!

cherryblossoms

User type: OCD Conqueror

Date posted: 20w

sertraline (zoloft) question

hi! i was wondering if anyone here began treatment using sertraline and then got off of it later? im just curious about other people's experiences using if for their ocd and if they eventually got off of it or are just taking it indefinitely. Thanks!!

Yoooastro

Date posted: 13w

Zoloft question

Hello last year I had gone thru a very rough time In my life where I needed to be put on Zoloft 50mg around march 2024. I was diagnosed with anxiety, depression and OCD. Ive been suffering from OCD since I was like 11 and depression since I was 19, but I never sought help until last year Im 27 because I knew I needed it to help me get thru life. I was on 3 months on Zoloft and I went to a trip to Miami which honestly helped me so much, I honestly attribute that trip to Miami in healing me more than the Zoloft it self. I met my current girlfriend there. After coming back I felt like a new person. I still kept taking the Zoloft 50mg until late April (2025) this year when I decided to tapper down to 25mg by my self without a doc recommendation, I didn’t feel anything during the month of may this year until like may 30th when I woke up in a panic and I felt like I was back at square 1 before I started Zoloft. Mind you ive been thru some life changes, I recently graduated RN school and my gf moved in with me. Ever since the end of may I’ve been very anxious, my OCD is on high gear and my depression too. I went back up to 50mg I’m seeing a new doc, my questions is has anyone gone thru a similar situation? If so what helped you and how long did it take you to stabilize ?

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