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 newest to oldest. 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 |
| 1 | DEPRESSION/ANXIETY | From the time I went on it I was experiencing very weird/vivid dreams and a "mild electrical" type dizziness/brain pulsation. I later came to find out that it led to gastro-intestinal problems. I took it for about 8 years at 37.5mg, I did not feel I needed it however the withdrawal symptoms were too much to bear. I recently went off of it under medical supervision. I WANT YOU TO KNOW, YOU CAN GET OFF OF IT!! But it is a long, unpleasant road. You have to wean off cutting the dosing no more than half, and then half to half to the point you are only at 5-7mg. The 5th day after stopping completely was straight out of hell. My doctor told me to tough it out, I spent the weekend on the couch, evertime I move my eyes left to right the dizziness was too much to bear. But day by day for the next week it was less and less and now a month later the dreams and dizziness side effects seem to be gone. GOODBYE TO EFFEXOR FOREVER!!! | Although it seemed to help with the root issue, the depression & anxiety, the side effects were not worth it. When I would report them to my physician, he and many others told me it was me and not the drug. I gained weight, had stomach problems, all from Effexor. I think and my opinion is backed by research from clinical psycologists, that therapy would have gotten me through, without medication. Anyone who wants to get off, you can, just stay strong. I am not going to lie, it is extremely, extremely unpleasant for about 1-2 weeks, but after that you will be liberated. | M | 32 | 8 years | 7/27/2009 | 4 | Depression/Anxiety | Dilated pupils, nausea, chills, dizziness, "brain zaps" and muscle spasms/tremors. | I've alternated between Zoloft, Celexa, and Seroquel for the past 7 years. This seems to work the best. Experienced all symptoms at their fullest upon first use. After about 6 weeks of getting used to the 150mg/day dose, I felt fine. Days I forgot to take my dose were miserable-- same nausea and chills as before. | F | 17 | 9 months | 7/13/2009 | 3 | depression | I want to get off this drug. If you miss a dose you get dizzy, confused, and have weird dreams. It is suppose to be not addictive but it has all the side effects of an addictive drug. I have gained weight and find it very difficult to lose it. I am tired most of the time, still depressed and very sad. I wish I did not take this drug. | F | 56 | 6 years | 7/13/2009 | 1 | anxiety/panic attacks | insomnia, tingling, an intense burning sensation throughout my body, dry mouth, nervousness | My doctor first put me on celexa for anxiety and panic attacks, after 3 days I was throwing up and felt severly sick. So he switched me to effexor xr. I had a very bad feeling about it because of all the negative comments I read about the drug,and I was very hesitant to take it. Well I should have listened to myself and never started this pure crap. It didn't help at all with my anxiety, in fact I believe it made it worse. I have only had side effects, the worst being a very intense burning/tingling sensation thoughtout my entire body. The highest dose I was on was 75mg and I am trying to come off the drug right now and its pure hell. Im fine the day I miss a dose but the next morning I am so dizzy, and have this overwelming head sensation whenever I move my eyes or head. Its a good thing im off work right now because there is no way I could drive when those spells hit me. Once I take another 37.5 pill those symptoms go away in a few hours. So if your doctor gave you these pills and your not to sure about taking them DON'T. The side effects and withdrawl are not worth it. | F | 25 | 2 months | 7/13/2009 | 4 | Major Depression. Pain , | tired felling during day, weight gain | felt tired during day so I take it about 6:00 pm helped with my sleep,has helped with my depression alot !!! helped with my pain and muscel spams in back, still have Tardive Dyskinesia Symptoms from the drug from HELL metoclopramide.Will keep taking it. | M | 54 | 45 days | 7/12/2009 | 3 | Depression, anxiety, OCD | Absolutely no motivation and can sleep all day, weight gain, sweats, very weird dreams, weight gain, can’t remember nothing, weight gain, don’t know if I dreamt something or it really happened and did I mention WEIGHT GAIN! I gained a total of 50 lbs in the last 4 years on anti-depressants. | I am sooo confused.. These meds are made to make you feel better. In the beginning you start to feel better, but I wonder if it’s just a mind game. In the August of 2005, my life changed right before my eyes. I tried to kill myself because I could not handle everything. My husband and I decided I should get back on anti-depressants. It had been quite some years that I had taken them. I got on Zoloft and in time was up to 150mg. I felt better, but the weight gain was killing me. OK, now I don’t feel better, at least I think I do, but the way my body looks, makes me want to jump off a bridge and kill myself. Now I am right back where I started from. After time, I was tired of the weight gain and didn’t feel like the Zoloft was working for me anymore. I went to the Dr. and he switched me to Effexor XR. In no time, I was up to 150mg. Today, I have not lost any weight, just gained. AND to tell you the truth, I guess I really don’t feel any better, cause I am depressed about the way I look. I weigh more now, than when I was 9 mon. pregnant. I cry for everything. My family and I feel like now is my time to get off ALL anti- depressants. I hope with the LORD, my husband & family in my corner along with exercise, I will be able to beat these awful withdrawals everyone is talking about. I can’t be any more depressed off than I am on them, especially being FAT! Wish me luck.. | F | 33 | 2 years | 7/9/2009 | 4 | anxiety | once i got restless and paranoid. isolated experience. | good anti-anxiety/anti-depressant | M | 365 days | 7/8/2009 | 2 | Anxiety | Bad headaches on the low "starting" dose of 35mg, and still on the 70mg. When gradually going off the medicine I had zapping in my lips!! Very weird. | Wouldn't take it again. | F | 26 | 1 months | 7/8/2009 | 1 | depression | Only on 3wks - heart decompensation, triggered arythmia & defibrulated 2x by time withdrawals were over, alergy like head symptoms first leading to severe bronchitis cough, profuse sweating at room temp, dizzyness tieing shoes, wound up, worsening sleeplessness, wake too early on 2-3hrs sleep, loss of inhibition, Viagra didnt even work - at times would have done all sorts of crazy things if they had been handy; summarized as hookers, heroin and hand grenades | 36hrs after dropping to 50% dose withdrawals apeared and trapped me at work unable to function or drive, 5 more days hidious withdrawals and less serious effects for 3 more weeks This drug knocked my very damaged heart so far out of whack they zapped me twice - week before stopping and 10 days after late in withdrawals. I believe there are lasting memory and thinking problems - also running low temp of 97deg regularly and don't feel 80deg heat right, ut do 90+ and get chills some times at 75 - weird and nobody believes | M | 44 | 20 days | 7/6/2009 | 1 | Depression | Sore Muscles, head aces, sleeping problems, wieght gain | I do NOt like this drug at all, What ever you do DO NOT MISS DOSE, or try to come off the medication yourself, I have Bad muscle cramps, dizzenss Very short and Violent mood swings. What ever you do talk your way out of taking the medicine, I have missed dose with bad side effects been in the ER for muscle cramps with no reason, This Drug will bbring evil and violent side out of of you What ever you Do DO NOT MISS A DOSE,, The drug manufactor gets your body addictive to the point you are not able to get off,, In my mind is a way for the Drug company to keep you coming back for more,, I trully believe it is addictive, IF it was being sold on the streets It would be a crime, So why is Wyeth getting away with it | M | 39 | 5 years | 7/5/2009 | 1 | depression | suicidal thoughts, constipation, dry mouth, lost of short term memory, etc | MUST BE BANNED! BETTER TAKE NATURAL MEDICATIONS | F | 29 | 4 years | 7/4/2009 | 1 | bi polar and borderline personality | implusiveness increased sex drive carelessness alomst like i dont have a conscience | geodon effexor clonipin and oxcarb is any one out there having these type of symptoms | F | 27 | 2 weeks | 7/1/2009 | 2 | Depression/Anxiety | Loss of sex drive. 20 lb weight gain in 1 year, which added to the depression. Change in sleeping habits. When I decided to get off it- withdrawals were hellish. I had a fever and flu like symptoms for 3 days...I was a b*tch to my family...really bad mood swings...nausea...brain zaps, but not as bad as some have described on here. It was terrible getting off the drug. | Don't do it. There are other antidepressants out there that are easier to come off of when the time is right. This one is just ridiculous. I take xanax now on a daily basis for anxiety and have been off all anti-depressants for 2 months now. I feel better, but am working on that 20lb weight gain. It's not budging. | F | 31 | 1 years | 6/30/2009 | 1 | 150 mg | my son was on this drug for a year, and it stopped working well, he could not afford it, went to the doctor for something else, the anger and depression he was feeling was really the effexor, not working, he got another kind of anti-depressant, and he went off effexor cold turkey, began experiencing horrible dreams, and pain and diahrrea, and hallucinations, etc. almost all the side effects, got in a fight with his wife, that was serious, was arrested, sent to jail. | When he got out went to the hospital, they told him it was dangerous what he did, and put him back on effexor, he did well for a short while but got almost obsessed with getting back with his wife, although he had a restraining order, he was seeking help with counselors, but could not afford it, out of work, he told me all the symptoms everyone has been experiencing, was happening to him, even yet, he drank alcohol too, to ease the pain, with it, I have not seen the side effects with that included. 3 weeks after he had his first episode, that put him in jail, he had a fight with his wife, on the phone, went home and hung himself!!! What does that say about this horrible drug? He would have been 31 years old, he left a 2 year old son, and wife behind and his brother, sister and me and his father, and all the people who loved him, because he was truly a very good man, everyone loved him, so what does that say about this drug, or any of these drugs, I could not believe he did that, he was a survivor, but he gave up, I believe this medicine killed my son, mentally!!!!where is the site for the lawsuit, someone please tell me? | F | 54 | | 6/30/2009 | 4 | Severe Depression | Decreased Libido | Have been taking Effexor XR for 9 years. I was suicidal before I started taking it. I take 150 mg once daily. I couldn't survive without it. | F | 42 | 9 years | 6/26/2009 | 1 | anxiety | i am going through living hell with the brain shocks, | someone should file a lawsuit i am in!!!!!! | M | 39 | 36 months | 6/25/2009 | 5 | Depression & Anxiety | At first- nausea. After a few months, the only side effect I had was just being more tired throughout the day-- which was nice because I would sleep a lot better through the night. | Wonderful antidepressant-- had tried several others. I felt more emotionally 'balanced'. No more suicidal thoughts, no more crying several times throughout the day. The only reason I am currently not on this drug at the time is that I had to cut some expenses. Will hopefully return to Effexor XR soon. | F | 26 | 3 years | 6/24/2009 | 2 | Depression, anxiety, bulimia,ocd. | Teeth grinding, extreme fatigue, lack of motivation, 'angry face',thoughts of self loathing and self harm. | When i first started taking this medication two years ago i cut my arms with a razor and now have permanent and embarassing scars all over my arms. I went off this medication and back on it a year later i felt very energetic and was constantly going to the gym. Now for some reason i feel like shit i cannot get out of bed in the morning all i think about is how much i hate myself i cannot feel any emotion other than anger my face is always looking miserable without me even realising is like i have a permanent 'i want to kill you' look in my eyes. I find it hard to muster up the energy and motivation to get dressed after ive gotten out of the shower its like im in slo mo all the time. I take 300mg a day i think i want to go back on zoloft that worked well for me. | F | 24 | | 6/23/2009 | 3 | depression/anxiety | sweating, really weird dreams, headaches, twitches | F | 26 | 6 months | 6/19/2009 | 1 | depression/mood elevation | weight gain, muscle weakness/soreness, anxiety | I began the medication to help with my healing process. I am a cancer survivor. During the time, my children had both left for new careers and college, hence "empty nest syndrome". Three years later, I wanted wean off the drug with the help of my neurologist. To define best per my daughter, it's like getting off crack coccaine! I screamed at her when the microwave oven blasted the scrambled egg! I don't do that...I would normally laugh. The same day, moments later, I had an anxiety attack. I literally was out of control. My daughter did not leave for work until my husband had returned home. She did not want to leave me alone for fear of me causing myself harm. I felt suicidal. I was shaking, I had tremors, my mind was confused, I had no logic to my scientific mind. This medication does more harm then good. DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION!!!! | F | 57 | 3 years | 6/12/2009 |