shamelessly fat is more apt. you are doing your best and why carry more “shame”.
PCOS is hard, i can imagine the struggle with weight gain 
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We probably need to start a “weight gain” thread or else James will fork us eventually as we are digressing 
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It’s both a societal judgement (echoed by the MD) and a personal hang up - an artifact of my parents’ constant negative focus on our appearance as kids. My mom was anorexic for a while. She will hate herself until the day she dies.
I thought of that, too. Still it’s valid for any antidepressant discussion.
Time to look for your next GP…
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Definitely seemed stressed when I last saw him - he needs to be careful that he doesn’t get a migraine!
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Who here has had success for their visual symptoms and at what dose? So far at 75 mg for several weeks it working great for my dizziness/rocking and sound sensitivity but hasn’t touched my extreme light sensitivity and eye focusing issues
Well Dr Hain recommends Venlafaxine specifically for visual vertigo. I’ve not read anywhere, yet, that it is great for light sensitivity per se. Amitriptyline is top there and well established as are betablockers for photophobia relating to migraine. A few weeks isn’t long although I think from what I’ve seen in print 6-8 weeks should give good indication. Presumably you are minimising all triggers and most particularly with regards to your extreme sensory issues, and not wearing sunglasses indoors etc. Helen
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So venlafaxine update from me I’ve been on my 37.5mg for around 8 weeks now along with 40mg of Ami which I’ve took before (which only really take for sleep). I’ve definitely found an improvement with my visual vertigo which was off the scale I could barely focus on someone’s face when talking, doing just the washing up was nightmare. Both are a lot better at the moment had first fortnight in 18 months without photophobia etc it’s amzing couldn’t stop chatting to people today I was that happy to feel normal. That said I’ve also quit TV and busy crowded places which has definitely helped.
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That’s amazing to hear Alex !! Are you having some normal days now ? you must be elated!
I’m 2.5 weeks in but not much change yet did it take a while to kick in? 
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Well Alex. That is Fantastic News. Go to the top of the class. You are My Star Pupil. You take the meds and avoid the triggers, and Voila.
and cut the triggers. Sorry to interrupt Amy’s thread but today I am so excited for you I don’t even care if James gets mad. I’m sure if we ask nicely he’ll move this into a PD thread and then you’ll be easily able to write up your success story nice and concisely for others to read. Now you see why they say there’s no such thing as a ‘free lunch’, eh? I know you’ve had a long road over years to get this far so it’ll help others to come. I appreciate we don’t hear much from you because of the avoidance strategy but so pleased it, and the meds, are beginning to work for you. All the best. Helen
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Thanks Amy 
yes it’s been real nice to enjoy life again, had some normal days for sure I’m probably running around 90% at the moment. Instead of avoiding people and conversations I’ve been chatting to everyone I see lol making the most of it I guess. So it’s been gradual up days and down days from starting Ven but I’d say 4 weeks in noticed I hadn’t felt as bad and the good days were getting longer. Stick with it, Dr S suggested I double dose after 2 weeks but I just stuck with 37.5 and noticed difference.
Thanks Helen it’s a little surreal to be honest I’m trying to keep my feet on the ground because it’s so easy to get carried away but I’ve definitely felt better. The management side of it is sure a key element. Avoiding smart devices and TV is tough but lve started training weights and fitness again and even socialising its felt good. I’ve a long way to go still but whatever happens Im enjoying life at the minute 
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I started slow and ramping up on weights and fitness and find it helps a lot. I am on effexor as well for more than a year now.
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Hi guys I’m coming up to 4 weeks on Effexor . I have noticed some minor improvements maybe ? BUT nothing major I am on 37.5mg.
My main symptom is feeling spaced out and like I’m detached from reality . I’m really hoping Effexor helps but just wondered when people started feeling better in this medication and at what dose ?
Would appreciate some feed back , As the more I don’t respond to meds’ part of me is convinced maybe something else is going on?
Hi Amylouise
The big improvement for me came when I got to 75mg extended release, I am now at 112.5mg and have gotten more improvement. At 37.5mg I had barely any improvement as it’s such a tiny dose.
Mav
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Thanks so much Karen ! That’s reassuring to hear I think I judge everything working on this spacey feeling as I can’t bear it ! How long did it take at 75 to feel relief I tried going up but felt so off so went back down but will try again next week .
About 3-4 days at 75mg and the spacey/floaty feeling started to diminish so that it wasn’t constant all day - walking outdoors or artificial light would still make me floaty but when indoors the floaty feeling went from being constant to a much much lower level. Are you on the extended release version? If not, I suggest you get your GP to give you that, I was on immediate release before and I wasn’t able to titrate either cos it made me feel awful so I switched to extended release. I recommend that you try that before thinking about switching to something else.
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Oh wow that quick ? I took 75 for 5 days and just felt worse ? It is the immediate release but my doctor dosent want me to go to exetened release because of timing of dosage ? Well that’s what dr s said anyway 
So it was quite quick that u felt change at 75? Getting a little disheartened that maybe Effexor won’t help
Amy. Read what Dr Hain has to say about Effexor. He states to only use the Extended Release. I‘ve also read on the internet generally many people saying the same. Even my own GP who is very poorly informed about many things knows this and only prescribes Extended Release. Thus is why our US buddies end up opening capsules and counting beads. You need to increase more slowly, not just double the dose as you are obviously having trouble tolerating it. In Ireland it’s possible to obtain Extended Release capsules that contain three tiny pills each equivalent to one third of the dose. I am almost sure these aren’t available in UK. The Immediate Release pills give your body peaks n troughs if drug which is no good. You need a constant level in your bloodstream. In a much more roundabout way I had exactly the same problem with Propranolol.
I agree with everything @Mav writes. Loads of people taking it for depression write the same. You need to ask for the Extended Release version before you dump yet another drug. Amy, Do it. Please. Helen
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what does your doctor mean by timing of dosage? The ER is the best because the short half life of venlafaxine, that is why you feel bad on 75mg.