EFFEXOR XR Reviews (VENLAFAXINE HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 3.0 (2225 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare EFFEXOR XR with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Date from oldest to newest. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 |
More on EFFEXOR XR: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR EFFEXOR XR | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 4 | anxiety | Decreased quality of sex life. Insomnia. Tinnitus. | M | 59 | 3 years | 10/28/2007 | 1 | for anxiety | Actually, I was originally on Celexa, and that was not not working, so they put me on Paxil and that was not working and then back to Celexa. I had heard of these 2 before and spoke with ppl who were on these meds. I had never heard of Effexor so I thought I would do some research after I had been prescribed the medication - I actually took my first dose of 37.5 and then started my research. After finding this site and seeing all the bad reviews I got freaked out and decided to take myself off ALL meds. | I never thought it was possible to go off meds. I thought I needed to get better first. I was so paranoid, I was a hypercondriac, I had anxiety sypmtoms DAILY. Constantly taking Ativan along with the meds, when I was only taking it maybe once a week at the beginning. All meds were making me feel worse that what I was from the beginning when I had my first anxiety attack 5 months ago. I was so desperate that I started seeing a therapist (which I recommend for anyone), I see an acupuncturist( please, everyone try it - painless and you feel great), I see my chiropractor who also specializes in Kinesiology. He gave me some Nutri-West supplement pills and also Micro-West Whole System EEP drops I take 3 times a day. I don't know if it is working but I will tell you this ... I feel 90% better than I did on any medication. I have been off the meds for 3 days and have been taking these other things for the same. I don't even find myself being paranoid and anxious. I am relaxed and can actually | F | 28 | 5 months | 10/28/2007 | 2 | Anxiety | Excessive yawning, some vivid dreams, twitching while trying to fall asleep. | I was on 75mg for about two months. I mainly quit using it because I really didn't notice that much difference in my anxiety(which wasn't that bad) and my GF was getting pissed at my because I apparently kicked my legs all night while sleeping which kept her up. I weened to 37.5mg for a week and went cold turkey. Withdrawl symptoms were not horrible, just more annoying than anything. After two days effexor free I had a lot of short dizzy spells (vertigo?) and some hazy thinking which lasted about ten days. I do not recall having "brain zaps" Oh and a side note, I had the incredible urge to gamble large sums of while doing multiple shots of Don Julio.......well maybe not. | M | 32 | 2 months | 10/29/2007 | 2 | Severe Panic Attacks | Very tired, but not able to sleep at night. Moody, NO interest in sex, VERY BAD HEADACHES. | I don't know if this is the right medicine for me. I have only been taking it for 2 weeks, but I feel worse than before I started this. I was on Lexapro and I was happier, but still very nervous and BAD panic attacks. My husband thinks I am crazy and that Effexor is making me that way. I think I should stop taking it but I am afraid to since reading all the withdrawal symptoms on here. Please email if you have any advice. I am going to talk to my Dr though, but I don't have much confidence in him. I just wanted him to up my dose of Lexapro to see if that would help, but he wouldn't and put me on the Effexor......I am so confused no though...... | F | 27 | 2 weeks | 10/30/2007 | 4 | Depression | Dry Mouth, | F | 47 | 2 months | 10/31/2007 | 3 | depression, anxiety, binge eating | sweating, vivid dreams, needing lots of sleep, dry mouth | it worked well for awhile, but i feel like now that the seasons are changing into winter months that it is starting to crap out on me. i'm taking 150mg/day. i've had a relapse in depression over the last week. curious if i should try a different drug. (i've tried lexapro, which just made me super sleepy...) | F | 22 | 5 months | 10/31/2007 | 2 | Depression | Heavy body; tired; dizzy; no energy; loss of sex drive | M | 25 | 5 weeks | 10/31/2007 | 2 | Depression | Loss of libido, no problems with ED but extreme difficulty to orgasm (really sucks when you are with someone), insane sweating with any activity (even mundane tasks like vacuuming), brain zaps if you miss a dose | I am not sure if this drug has had any positive effects (I am also taking Levoxyl for thyroid). The DR started me out on a low dose and kept increasing, I was up to 225 before I decided enough was enough with the side-effects. I have been weening myself off for the last 6 weeks by slowly decreasing the does. I totally stopped 2 days ago, but after about 30 hours of general disorientness and zaps... I went ahead and opened a capsule and removed about 1/2 the medication... I will try this for another week to hopefully get off the stuff. | M | 34 | 8 months | 10/31/2007 | 1 | Anxiety, Panic Attack | I took one Effexor befor I went to bed at 11 p.m. Woke up at 7 a.m. sweating, disoriented and feeling like I was on PCP. I then had a seizure and was taken to the hospital. | The doctor cannot believe that I had a seizure after taking one pill but I did. He feels that since I have low blood pressure, this may have lowered it even more. I do not take any other medications and have never had a seizure before. I was sent for numerous test after the seizure and everything came up great. | F | 43 | 1 days | 10/31/2007 | 5 | anxiety | I have taken Effexor XR for 2 years, the only complaint I have is I do not get emotional anymore | F | 55 | 2 days | 11/1/2007 | 3 | Bipolar | during my "stay" with effexor, really it wasn't bad at all--i would even say great. but i decided that i should try to live with my other med, seroquel, on it's own. so i did the unadviseable and stopped cold turkey. i did so, some tell me that it doesn't matter why it is STUPID, because after all research, including FDA, pharmaceutical, friends, blogs, etc., it seemed that whether tapering or not the side effects occur. so i thought instead of prolonging the inevitable i would much rather get it over with ASAP. So to be honest with the side effects for the people out there willing to pursue this avenue: brain zaps, eye zaps, visual disturbances, extreme hyperactivity, racing thoughts, inability to focus--on ANYTHING, fainting and nausea, hypotension, decreased sense of "caring", anger and agitation--A LOT, insomnia and fatigue. I am not blaming any one for this--this med messes with your brain chemicals, that is what it is supposed to do!! If it doesn't work | F | 29 | 1.5 years | 11/1/2007 | 5 | Post-Partum Anxiety | When I began taking 37.5mg I felt numbness in my face and was tired alot. However, this subsided after a week. Gradually, my dose was upped to 75 mg and then to 150 mg. I felt good and was able to focus very well. But, noticed if I missed a pill, I would get dizzzy and have facial numbness. My husband observed that I have a delayed response at times. | After a year of being on the medication, my doctor reccomended that I begin weaning off of effexor. I was a little hesitant at first since, I had been feeling so good. But, I decided I did not want to continue taking it if I did not have to. Plus, I was a little concerned about long-term side effects. I decided to gradually cut back on my thirty day dose without advice from my doctor. 150mg to 75 mg to 37.5mg. The last week was 37.5 mg. Bad idea!! I have been off for 5 days and it has been extremely difficult. I feel dizzy and nauseous and very tired. I have to say ...this is one of the most difficult things I have ever done. The nausea and dizziness are really intense. I did not expect it to be this difficult. I am going to the doctor tomorrow for some advice. | F | 34 | 18 months | 11/2/2007 | 5 | major depression | excessive sweating when active, extreme night sweats, inability to reach orgasm | EXR has been totally effective for me. Eliminated all signs of the depression including suicidal thoughts. started at 37.5 and worked up to 150 mg over the first month. Been on 150 mg since. I take the pill after supper. No problems with sleeping. If I miss taking, wake up the next day with a headache but it goes away as soon as I take the pill. No problem achieving or maintaining an erection (reported by others) but do not ejaculate from intercourse. Considering what I was like before I started taking EXR, I can live with the sweating and sexual side effects. | M | 60 | 6 months | 11/2/2007 | 2 | depression, PMDD | TIRED TIRED TIRED, headache, increased anxiety | I tried taking this medication, but I was SO tired all the time, I was sleeping 12+ hours a day. It DID decrease my appetite, but I couldn't deal with the sleep stuff. after going up to 125mg the headaches and fatigue were so bad I weaned off. I did not have ANY negative side effects coming off, may be due to the short time I was on it... | F | 33 | 6 weeks | 11/2/2007 | 5 | M | 57 | 1 years | 11/4/2007 | 4 | Depression | For the first few days, a feeling like my body was shaking. Complete loss of libido. Ongoing minor digestive issues, headaches, nausea, yawning. | As much as I hated taking this drug, I have to admit, it cured my depression. But it has left me with no sex drive (2 years post medication), and weight gain. I had a brutal time withdrawing from this drug - it took 6 months of gradual tapering. Withdrawal symptoms ranged from nausea, vomiting, diarrheoa, general sickness, headaches...you name it. The withdrawal symptoms were genuine, and the only way to control them was to carefully taper the dose. | F | 30 | 2 years | 11/4/2007 | 1 | anxiety/depression | There was an adjustment period where i felt disoriented. From my experience, getting on it is fine BUT getting off is was one of the most traumatizing experience. I was on no other meds and took effexor xr for 3 yrs. I weaned off slowly for 2 weeks also and it didn't help at all. I slept for like 20 hrs a day. My eyes became hyper sensitive to light and had a hard time opening my eyes for more than a few mins without strain and migraines. I had the body zaps. The physical trauma lasted 2.5 weeks. I became crazy moody and felt out of control emotionally for the next 2 months. My mood is stable now but it was a frightening experience i never want to experience again. They don't list this on the side effects list!!!! | F | 33 | 3 years | 11/4/2007 | 1 | Bulimia | INSOMNIA, Nausea, Dizzieness, Confusion, Hallucinations, Constipation, Cramps, Muscle Tightness, Rapid Heart Rate, Chest Pains, Sweating, Shakes, Chills, Tiredness, Withdrawn, Hives, Headaches, Anxious, Brain Zaps, Irritability... The list goes on and on folks! | I am so angry! I feel like my doctor took something from me. Like I have to take this crap just to feel normal. I was only supposed to be on it a year and now I can't function without it. Talk about life not being fair. Any suggestion on how to ween my self off this properly please send me a message. | F | 24 | 2.5 years | 11/4/2007 | 1 | anxiety depression | discontinuing this drug seems impossible. It may do more harm than good. is it worth the risk? | M | 29 | 4 years | 11/4/2007 | 4 | depression | occasional sleeplessness; @ 225 mg/day - very difficult to orgasm, not as bad @ lower doses. Withdrawal symptoms are horrible - as noted by others. | Withdrawal is an awful experience - I've tried (and made it) several times, but within 2 months the darkness just settles on me again and I have to start taking it again. I haven't even tried quitting in about 3 years. Taking 225 mg for the past year and it doesn't work as well as it used to; previously 150 mg kept me very even and I was well-pleased. Increased stress in my life for the past year and effexor xr hasn't been able to keep up. Not sure which way to go now. | M | 47 | 8 years | 11/5/2007 |