EFFEXOR XR Reviews (VENLAFAXINE HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 3.0 (2225 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare EFFEXOR XR with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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More on EFFEXOR XR: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR EFFEXOR XR | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 1 | Premature ejaculation | Complete sexual shut-down. | Don't ever take this drug if you like sex because it can damage your sexual ability forever. | M | 39 | 1 months | 1/7/2006 | 5 | Fibromyalgia/Sleep Aid | Dry mouth (though could be 15mg Flexeril I'm also taking), slight weight gain, ADD-like symptoms (though could be the sleep issue, as well). | It's definitely working, though I gained about 5 lbs. I was never officially diagnosed, but I meet the requirements for GAD. It runs in the family -- my 71 year old aunt also takes Effexor, and loves it. Definitely be careful about tapering off this drug. When I was taking the lowest dose (37.5mg) and ran out, I was a raging witch for a few days. Only after I did some research did I find that some people are very sensitive to this medication. All people are different -- just read this list -- but this can be a very effective medication. | F | 35 | 18 months | 1/5/2006 | 4 | Depression, Eating disorder | Excessive yawning, with a euphoric feeling each time I yawned, very spaced out, happy in another world, no withdrawal, no weight gain | didnt get rid of my eating disorder, if anything it continued it. | F | 21 | 3 months | 1/4/2006 | 5 | depression, panic attacks | very sleepy the first week and the first week of increased dose. Freaky dreams for a few months after starting it. Blood pressure has shot up, but I'm not sure if it's related. | It has worked wonderfully for my panic attacks. I haven't had one since I started taking it. | F | 26 | 8 months | 12/31/2005 | 5 | Depression | Elevated blood pressure. Woozy feeling when I miss dosing | It took a LARGE daily dose to work for me, 300mg! But I will NEVER give it up. It changed my life. I still get blue moods, but am able to focus and work through them. | F | 41 | 8 years | 12/28/2005 | 3 | Social Anxiety; GAD | Didn't notice much at lower doses- intended effect or side effect-wise. Ended up slowly increasing to 375mg/day for about a month (not sure exactly how long, as my memory is terrible). On the good side, I felt a bit more relaxed when out in public (not completely, but I never have been yet- unless I'm drunk). On the bad side, I noticed some side effects: numbness/ slight tingling in my left fingers and left toes, cold extremities, occasional grogginess, extreme lack of energy. Also, strangely( embarrassingly as well) I seem to have "turtle dick" a lot. It's like my nuts don't like being outside of my body anymore; and sometimes it actually makes my stomach hurt- a bit like being kicked in the balls. Pretty crappy; but there's more. Also, at the higher dose, I had to push a lot to release urine. That's when I decided to talk to my Phsyciatrist and lower my dose to 300mg/day. I'd like to go lower still, but I want to go as slow as possible. | When lowering down from 375 to 300mg/day, about 1 to 3 weeks later, I've suffered some mood swings, depression, sadness, borderline suicidal, and for some reason I get somewhat manic-like in the night time. Even if I've had a long, stressful day, I could come home and it would be like I'd a get a second wind. I would end up working on little things around the house, and staying up almost all night. This continued for several days. I had an average of about 3 to 3.5 hours of sleep per night during that phase. I finally seem to be normalizing now. Not too keen on decreasing again; not right away, at least. | M | 35 | 2 months | 12/28/2005 | 4 | depression | weightgain, sex side effects | hard to get off of | F | 35 | 90 days | 12/23/2005 | 5 | Severe Depression | Increased sexual health | Started on regular Effexor 37.5mg twice daily then a month later upped to 75mg XR once a day and haven't looked back.(tried Paxil & this makes Paxil seem like a Placebo) | M | 29 | 5 years | 12/22/2005 | 5 | Depression, anxiety, PTSD | Moderate headaches, increased brain activity, tingling first time I took it. | Effexor "woke up" my brain. I had NO activity, I could think but things were numb and fuzzy. The drug has given me alot of energy, relieved some of the depression, has decreased my appetite and thanks to Effexor I can work full-time without sabotaging my job due to depression and anxiety! Finally the possibility of long-term employment. | F | 44 | 6 days | 12/22/2005 | 3 | FIBROMYALGIA | TOTAL LOSE OF SEX DRIVE, WEIGHT GAIN, FUZZY BRAIN, PROBLEMS REMEMBERING ALOT OF THINGS! | MY RHEUMOTOLOGIST BELIEVES THIS WILL HELP TREAT MY FIBROMYALGIA-WRONG! | F | 33 | 1.5 years | 12/20/2005 | 3 | Dysthymia | On 225mg: Weight gain (30 lbs) despite watching diet and exercising. High blood pressure. Joint pain after several years use - felt like arthritis. Withdrawal symptoms horrible if missed a dose. | At first, worked great at relieving depressive symptoms then benefit seemed to decrease over time. Tapered off drug over several months. Side effects disappeared after I was off completely for about 1 month. Began losing weight and blood pressure returned to normal. | F | 36 | 3.5 years | 12/20/2005 | 1 | DEPRESSION-ANXIETY | I felt as if i am in hell, it was so scary that i 'd rather be depressed and anxious. I felt like as if i am watching my life from outside, unbearable pressure and headaches in the evening, non stop nausea, no appetite, hot flashes and shivering, clamsy hands, tingling on arms and legs,electric shocks, disorientated,loss of concious memory, nigtmares, fatigue, more depressed than ever,no sex drive,i felt like a zombie in hell. When i quit could not eat for days,nausea feeling sick. Dont ever take it,it is not worth it.. | F | 34 | 7 days | 12/19/2005 | 5 | Depression | Going on the medication, only a slight feeling of visual, electrical sensation at the start and each time dose was increased; Coming off the drug, horrible side effects -- nausea, sudden bouts of rage. | I thought I had rage like everyone else, but realized that I never felt true rage until I was going off Effexor and experienced it as a side effect. The bouts would come quickly and would be virtually uncontrollable. I was tapering off the drug over four weeks and this side effect didn't happen until the very last week. If I ever need to take it again, my doctor will prescribe Ativan or Xanax to help that side effect as I taper off. | F | 41 | 2 years | 12/17/2005 | 2 | depression and anxiety | The first week starting off with the 37.5mg dose was hell. I cried the entire time was either nausated or felt like I had a stomach ulcer. Was either really tired or really awake. Dizzy. Now I am on the 75mg dose i twitch a whole lot but its not too bad. When I am sitting I constantly have to move my feet. Lately its got to the point where I can hardly sleep anymore. In the past week I have pulled an all nighter 3 times. | If you are new to this drug, don't forget to take a dose, it may not effect you when you start taking it but your body becomes very addicted to it over a period of time. Unless you like to feel dizzy and nausated, remember to take your meds. Also I had no problems with consuming alcohol, I don't remember my drunken nights as clearly but I don't blackout. All in all it has helped my depression to the point where I'm not laying in bed crying all the time but I still don't feel that great. I have become much more suicidal than before the meds. I really don't know what to thing about it. | F | 18 | 2 months | 12/13/2005 | 4 | depression, anxiety | Broke out in a rash that spread all over the body; no libido | I loved it when I could take it, felt great, but the rash and the lack of libido made me have to stop taking it. Rough side effects coming off it, two weeks of hell. | M | 39 | 3 months | 12/11/2005 | 1 | Dysthymia | I became zombielike, and was in a worse state while on Effexor than before I had taken it. The withdrawal is a living hell, and is long as well. A full 6 months of my life were made unbearable because of it. A year later, I still have withdrawal effects from it. | Avoid this drug. I can't think of a single good thing it did for me, and several problems that continue to this day. Caffeine will start making me hallucinate, which is really not a fun thing to need to live with. | M | 18 | 2.5 years | 12/8/2005 | 2 | chronic pain, panic attacks | Weigh gain, 1lb per week, nightmares, night sweats, no emotions orther than anger. | I never put on weight, and I have gained up to 10 lbs in 12 weeks. Makes me feel numb to all feelings and no sexual feeling whatso ever! I feel mad all the time. I am slowly trying to wean off...did help panic though. took 150 mg | F | 39 | 3 days | 12/6/2005 | 5 | Mood swings - lows were very low | The side effects were so awful that I have had to go off of the drug. I slept 18 hours a day, developed a huge unexplained itchy blistering rash, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, made me too passive, and gained 30 pounds. The sleeping was the straw that broke the camel's back. | The effexor did make my moods really up beat, very even, and gave me a great outlook on life. However, I had to weigh which was worse, the mood swings or the side effects. The side effects were just too great. | F | 48 | 2.5 years | 11/30/2005 | 3 | | 11/27/2005 | 5 | Major Recurring Depression | Strong headaches for 1-2 months; Interest in sex decreased significantly (50-60%); After 18 months, BP climbed to 170/110. | Effexor XR almost certainly saved my life. It lifted me out of a very dark depression & my life was close to normal again. The most beneficial dosage was 300 mg/day. After 18 months, my BP began to climb & Dr. switched me to Lexapro. I weened off over a 6-week period & did not experience withdrawal symptoms. I may try it again in the future. | M | 45 | 18 months | 11/26/2005 |