EFFEXOR Reviews (VENLAFAXINE HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 3.0 (925 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare EFFEXOR with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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More on EFFEXOR: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR EFFEXOR | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | CFS | relatively mild | was on it for 12 years It helped so much....i stopped taking it 6 months ago but have realized I need it so I am on it again working up correct dose of 150. People need to realize thses drugs need time to ween off. I did it very slowly and it went ok | M | 50 | 13 years 150 1X day | 1/6/2011 | 5 | No Libido, Brain is tranquil. | I started effexor at a very low dose and slowly increased the level from 37.5 to 75 and continued to increase to a comfortable level. I have stopped taking the drug by tapering off as well. I have tried many popular anti-depressants and find Effexor is the best for me. Everytime I stop taking this drug, I come to the same conclusion-I will need to take this until I find something better. I also take Wellbutrin in combination and highly recommend the combination. I used to love smoking cigarettes. Started smoking at 10 and stopped when I was 31. I went back to smoking for 2 years after not smoking for 8 years. Now I don't like smoking anymore-this is from wellbutrin perhaps. The combination works well for me personally and can easily get off the drug when I decide to. I have stopped at least 3 times. I always come back. My girlfriend is very upset about my lack of sexual drive. Diabetes doesn't help. No erections or ejaculation. It is better than depression and anger. | M | 50 | 10 years 150 2X day | 2/10/2011 | 5 | Depression, General anxiety | All side effects listed by other users. Early on dry mouth, increased appetite, difficult to sleep and stay asleep, fatigue, constipation, decreased sex drive (however increase duration during sex) mundane feeling and short term memory issues. Within 2 weeks of starting I didn't feel any better until Dr got more aggressive and raise my dosage. At 3 months, I was feeling like my old self. (375mg daily E-XR) After 3 years of use I weaned myself off over a 6 month period of time. (had missed some doses and felt poorly, sleepy and my brain actually felt heavier and I "felt" blah). For almost 6 months I was doing great - then I had a relapse (anxiety) following a loss of job, then move from the city life to the country and restarted after suffering for another 2 months. Have been on XR (for the 2nd time) for 23 months feeling great. | Effexor XR has definately helped me get my thoughts together, feel like my old self, become sussessful again in (sales). My body and mind have adjusted (finally) and my only issues are self-imposed. In the future I may again try to wean myself off but first plan to lower dossage from 375mg to 300mg to save $25/month. For those beginning to use Effexor XR, one should begin to feel better within 2 weeks - otherwise an increase may be warranted. By all means, communicate with your Dr. Try not to miss a dose as you will fell like a slug the day after. If you feel good - keep taking the med. It is ok to take meds to feel right again. Even the strongest willed person I know couldn't successfully overcome depression alone. Exercise is a must and vitamin b12 has helped. Don't give up - never give in. GFW (GO FIGHT WIN) | M | 51 | 5 years | 5/4/2006 | 5 | anxiety/ depression/ odd phobias | Side effects that only lasted 3 days are dry mouth, clinching jaw, dilated pupils, hand shakes, and yawning.(75 mg) None were too bad and did not trouble me in my work or at home. Now I have no side effects at all besides vivid dreams | Only been on it for a week and made a tremendous difference. Before I wouldn't sleep at night worrying about my life and had suicidal thoughts. I've had anxiety disorder since I was 5 or 6 years old and with Effexor I've never felt this confidence in my life. Before when I was put into uncomfortable situations I would lock up, get hot flashes, and was so nervous I couldn't talk. These were probably 20 times a day. Now I'm clear headed and have no problem coming up with a solution. My girlfriend notices that I'm in a good overall mood and not trying to avoid everything. My depression (which I think is caused by anxiety) has gone away totally. And my phobia has lessened drastically to the point where I can function around what I was scared of. I can sleep through the night besides only a few crazy dreams the pull me out of a sleep, but I fall right back asleep. I was never able to eat breakfast until now either. | M | 29 | 1 weeks | 5/14/2006 | 5 | depression/anxiety | the only side effect has been bloating (gases) no more mexican food | It's been the greatest medicine I have taken, I feel happy, I feel more love for my family it's a wonderfull drug thanks to whoever came out with it,I wish I had known earlier about effexor I am not planning to stop taking it. | M | 47 | 90 days | 12/29/2006 | 5 | anexity/depression | very little, sexual is the biggest....lack of desire is the worst, but have started using androgel and the desire is coming back | antidepressants are much like shoes....one size does not fit all feet.....this is my 5th trail of a antidepressant that i have tried and it seems to work very well....Lexapro did the best of any, but the muscle tics were getting severe.....effexor has very little side effects and completely get rid of the anexity and depression....as for it being habit forming as some say, i tend to think of it as you body just get used to it and is unhappy when it is gone.....it took me 6 weeks to fully get off Lexapro.....the brain is a vast and complex chemical factory and these drugs, when you find the right one, takes that chemical factory back to where it was before the problem began.....happy, happy | M | 52 | 2 months | 2/18/2007 | 5 | Dysthymia, Chronic Anxiety..... | Minor sexual dysfunction. | Truely a wonderful drug. I have had dysthymia for years and one episode of major depression, had been treated with several SSRI's which didnt work at all. I found Serzone to be very good but that was removed from the market a few years ago by which point I had thought I was well enough to cope with life off the medication anyway. Slowly but surely the depressive symptoms returned and I had to go through the regime of finding another medication that worked as well as the Serzone. So grateful for Effexor, it works AS well as the Serzone! My doctor thinks I may have to take this drug for the rest of my life and if I do I have no problem with that. I am quite an active person, lift weights, walk, hold down a full time job, study part time, The Effexor enables me to get on with my life without any inconvenience whatsoever. I suspect the negative posters do not adhere to a healthy lifestyle and listen to their doctors advice. | M | 36 | 2 years | 2/10/2007 | 5 | depression/generalized anxiety | delayed ejaculation; some anxiety on tapered discontinuation, but this went away within a month | Took at 300mg per day for moderate anxiety/depression. Worked very well to reduce symptoms. I was on it for 2.5 years, then tapered off over 6 weeks, and then was off it for 8 months, but my symptoms returned, so I restarted recently and felt better within 6 weeks. | M | 28 | 2.5 years | 8/23/2005 | 5 | chronic moderate to severe depressi | significant supression of libido HOWEVER I am also simultaneously in a long term relationship which usually deadens my naughty libido | the best yet in over 25 years at combatting depression with limited side effects other than mentioned above | M | 59 | 5 years | 3/3/2006 | 5 | depression, irregular heart beat | Initially, I had no energy and found it difficult to do anything but nap after my work day. Difficulty achieving orgasm but have an increased libido. | I began with 37.5 mg for a week and then doubled my dose to 75mg. My symptoms have completely disappeared. I had anxiety and depression which resulted in rapid and irregular heart beats. I have not had an event since I began taking effexor. I feel like the old "me" again. I'm very happy! | M | 59 | 2 months | 4/23/2006 | 5 | anxiety/depression | the 1st week- all symptoms..but they got better as each day went by. now i really just get gas, upset stomach sometimes and it seems to take me alittle longer to ejaculate(but it took me a while in the 1st place..ladies call me lol).a friend of mine who is the same age took this drug for depression and only experianced night sweats and sweating. | since i started this drug I havent had any panic attacks or even felt the symptoms of 1. I know the drug works cause i been put in situations where i would become a mess(recent just been laid off, running very low on money)as far as depression goes I still tend to think negative but it seems like the depressive thoughts dont effect me physically.I also have increased confidence, im able to approach women more easily.. I guess depending on age and person the side effects range, mine were extremely mild and im on 75mg a day, this forum had me well informed before i started the medicine, so for any 1 who is considering taking it should not read to deeply in others experiances..bottom line this is a amazing drug so far...and thank you all for your input..feel free to email me with any concerns or questions.. | M | 22 | 3 weeks | 2/1/2007 | 5 | medium depression | nightly vivid depressing boring dreams tremors shakes upset gi tract when missing dose or trying to withdraw | this medicine is very effective but very addictive. withdrawl is a very serious issue for many including me. the medicine worked for me by keeping me in a calm, alert, but unemotional state at all times | M | 58 | 3 years | 7/29/2006 | 5 | Depression | slightly high feeling for awhile, then increased urination (especialy at night). | M | 39 | 3 months | 6/12/2005 | 5 | Depression | Increased sex drive,loss of appetite.Fatigue all the time.but hey i love losing weight and having sex all the time. | M | 24 | 2 months | 7/31/2005 | 5 | depression | yawning, tired, jaw clenching | has worked rather well for me. had read a lot of negative stuff but was felling bad enough to try any way. glad i did. was on welbutrin before but couldnt sleep. switched to effexor and now i sleep like a rock, best sleep ive had in years. the side effects that are annoying for me is being tired and yawning a lot. i have to keep busy to curb these efffects. tried switching the time i take it from the morning to evening. it helped some. the best thing is im finally starting to feel "normal". my wife said i used to be like a "jumping bean" always in a good mood and ready to go. after the death of my grandmother 5 yrs ago, whom i was very close to, that jumping bean went away and i turned into something else. could care less about doing anything or even talking to anybody. those days are at a close now. still have bad days but not even close to what they used to be. for me effexor has been great so far. | M | 36 | 1 months | 11/30/2006 | 5 | Depression | Dry mouth | It, in combination with | M | 55 | 180 days | 11/9/2004 | 5 | Anxiety and depression | Flu-like symptoms, sweating, brain 'fog', difficulty concentrating, insomnia, impotence, constipation, acting out actions in dreams (shouting, thumping pillow), shaking in sleep, occasional shivers. | 75mg XR daily. After one or two months almost all side-effects were gone, including sexual dysfunction. Forgotten tablets (up to 12 hours overdue) lead to 'fogginess' sometimes, but no serious effect. The impact on mood was very positive and the drug did exactly what it was supposed to do. Still taking the drug and plan to wean off soon. | M | 35 | 6 months | 10/6/2006 | 5 | GAD & DP/other rx ineffective | Other meds tried: Paxil, Lexapro, Zoloft | M | 21 | 6 weeks | 5/24/2003 | 5 | depression | increased appetite, some drowsiness, decreased libido | If you need to be snapped out of a fog, I highly recommend Effexor. | M | 25 | 6 years | 3/24/2003 | 5 | clinical depression | My doctor had originally prescribed Nortriptyline which usually had undependable and uncomfortable side effects and never really seemed to work well. About three years ago I had made a 300 mile trip to visit my mother and felt very drained and fatigued when I arrived. I was out of my medication and could not seem to shake the fatigue no matter what I tried. I explained this to my mother who knew I was on Nortriptyline and offered me a 75mg Effexor tablet. It turns out, many of my family members also suffer from clinical depression. The effects amazed me. Initially I had a very sick feeling in my stomach that lasted about 5 or 10 minutes. After about 20 minutes I just seemed to come back to life and the fatigue was gone. I had been fighting this kind of fatigue and irritibility for almost 10 years before I was diagnosed with depression. Additional side effects I had had was alot of muscle quivering all over my body. Nothing serious and strangely it felt very good to have sensation where normally I had been physically insensitive. When I returned home I aksed my doctor to change my prescription to Effexor. These effects only lasted about the first few weeks I taking Effexor and the good effects have been pretty dependable. I adjusted the dose to about 4-5 65mg tablets per day. | Taking Effexor with or without food seems to make no difference at all. However, my nervous system has adjusted to the medication over time. This accounts for some rather difficult withdrawal symptoms of I stop taking it or miss a day or more of regular doses. These effects include extreme irritibility since I had no longer needed to psychologically cope with many of the extreme effects of clinical depression as I had for over 10 years, these resistances were not as well honed as they used to be. This withdrawal effect has been the worst of them. Another withdrawal effect are flashes of numbness and tingling, mostly in the hands and a similar sensation or dizziness in the head. Finally, over a period of time I noticed I had to adjust to higher doses currently at 4-5 75mg tablets a day and the time it takes for the medication to begin working noticeably has increased somewhat from 20 minutes to about 45 minutes to 1 hour. After taking effect, there is a peak where the medication is working very well for about 20 minutes and drops off again, quickly at first then gradually over about 4 hours. If I miss a day of medication, I need to limit my first dose to about 1 half or one tablet as more than this will cause some almost convulsive nervous sensation and a strong need for rest in order to re-adjust. | M | 35 | 2 years | 10/14/2001 |
EFFEXOR (VENLAFAXINE HYDROCHLORIDE): Venlafaxine is used to treat depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and social anxiety disorder (social phobia). It may improve your mood and energy level and may help restore your interest in daily living. It may also decrease fear, anxiety, unwanted thoughts, and the number of panic attacks. Venlafaxine is known as a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). It works by helping to restore the balance of certain natural substances (serotonin and norepinephrine) in the brain. FDA Approval Date: 1993-12-28 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)