Increased dose now my heart feels like it’s gonna explode
Hi all, I’ve been on Effexor for a little more than a year now. I was on 37.5mg but recently went up to 75mg and regret it. I felt good on 37.5. I was on it due to severe anxiety and panic attacks. It also helped me deal with my anger issues. I was previously on Zoloft but I felt like a zombie and hated it. I thought I was at a perfect place because I didn’t feel like I was constantly dying.
However every single appointment I would have with my psychiatrists they would tell me to increase the dose when I told them I was still depressed. I have a rough family situation and I also have gender dysphoria (I’m non binary). I really did not want to increase the dose but I finally caved and I feel I made the worst mistake of my life. I felt pressured into doing so and I’m so angry.
Previously I was already dealing with health issues. My doctors suspect I may have an autoimmune disease and I believe it’s POTS. I had dizziness, vision going black and heart racing when standing up, and heart palpitations just to name a few. I also may have hEDS. Now after increased my dose my heart palpitations are TERRIBLE. I used to just get them a couple times a day. Now it’s a couple times every minute. I’m struggling with them as I type this. My chest now hurts along with them and I feel short of breath. It never used to be this bad when I was on the 37.5.
I told my psychiatrists all my symptoms and they still told me to increase the dose. When I told them I was getting palpitations they said Effexor doesn’t usually cause palpitations. But I already struggle with heart issues so it would make sense it’s doing this to me. It feels like they think it’s all just in my head and just anxiety. I really want to go back to 37.5 but I have a wedding to go to this weekend (I’m the maid of honor) and I don’t wanna be going through withdrawals. I’m also scared things won’t be the same as they were before and the meds won’t work the same. It was literally perfect for me it’s just my life situation is just kinda shitty and no amount of pills can fix that.
I was also prescribed two different other medications that now I can’t take because they make the palpitations even worse than they did before. I was given norethin ace which is an add on to make birth control more effective. It’s to help with my gender dysphoria and endometriosis. Then I was prescribed gabapentin due to nerve pain in my back and legs. I really need those medication but I can’t fucking take them because Effexor 75 ruined my fucking life. I also can’t even smoke weed anymore.
I just wanna know what I should do. If I should go back to 37.5 or get off it entirely. Obviously I’m gonna ween off of it slowly after I have a few firm words with my psychiatrists. I also wanna know if anyone has had a similar experience with going from 75 back to 37.5 and what the withdrawals were like. All comments are greatly appreciated.