EFFEXOR XR Reviews (VENLAFAXINE HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 3.0 (2225 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare EFFEXOR XR with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
|
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 |
| 4 | GAD | Zero - Dry mouth in the beginning. | A lot of people on anti-depressants worry about weight gain. I truly believe the weight gain is a result of general overall well being and feeling better. When on anti-anxiety the anxiety in your body decreases, and perhaps the metabolism slows down. You feel better so you want to eat!!! I have zero side effects from this med, but I also have a high tolerance to side effects. Also, if you read all the threads and side effects, and have an axiety or obsessive personality, of course you're going to think you're going to have all these side effects and, in turn, your body will respond by, indeed, producing the side effects you read about. I have been on Effexor for 5 years. I believe it has done all it can do for me and I need to dive into my true self and also help myself. There is no 'happy pill'....these anti-anxiety meds simply take the edge off....YOU have to do some congnitive work as well. Yoga and meditation have worked wonders for me as well. | F | 34 | 5 years | 12/20/2006 | 1 | dysthymia/OCD/name it | Felt better the moment I swallowed the first pill (placebo effect). Able to cope with life better (although perhaps a bit numb). Took for two months, stopped cold. Experienced terrible headaches and feelings of primal aggression after stopping medication. Also, experienced lucid dreams in which I could not tell if I was awake or asleep. It was an out of body experience. I jumped up to see if I was awake, and if I stayed floating in the air, I knew I was having the out of body experience again. Then I would float down the hall. It was like being in 'The Matrix'. If you think this sounds fun, guess again. It was terrifying. (The dreams happened say within a year of stopping Effexor. I can't prove this was a side effect of taking Effexor, but what else would it be? I read some other posts that prompted me to think it was the Effexor.) | Simply too dangerous to try it. If you have an addictive personality you will find it difficult to quit. If you MUST take an antidepressant, at least consider another one. If you must take Effexor, do not let your psychiatrist talk you into taking a larger than starting dose. (I took Effexor for two months when I was about 27.) | M | 33 | 2 months | 12/19/2006 | 3 | Depression / anxiety | At 75 mgs migraines for the first week or so. Slight inablilty to orgasm. (took a lot longer but still able to) Increased to 150 mg 7 days ago. Migraines again for the first few days. Back and forth between feeling really tired to feeling extremely energized and different times through out the day. Appetite is completely gone. Ate 1/2 a side salad yesterday and was full. (not normal for me). Sexual side effects have increased. Unable to orgasm, slight loss of sexual desire. | I'm torn. I've tried lexapro, paxil, celexa, wellbutrin and this is the first med that has actually helped me feel better but I don't know if I can deal with the sexual side effects. I'm starting to feel like I'm not myself anymore because of this and I don't want this to affect my relationship. I've been in a great mood and feel so much better but something is definitely missing. I don't want to get to the point where I have no desire because it just doesn't work anymore. Is it at all possible to counteract this side effect? It wasn't as bad on 75 mg but the 150 has seriously improved my mood. | F | 32 | 2 months | 12/18/2006 | 3 | Depression / anxiety | At 75 mgs migraines for the first week or so. Slight inablilty to orgasm. (took a lot longer but still able to) Increased to 150 mg 7 days ago. Migraines again for the first few days. Back and forth between feeling really tired to feeling extremely energized and different times through out the day. Appetite is completely gone. Ate 1/2 a side salad yesterday and was full. (not normal for me). Sexual side effects have increased. Unable to orgasm, slight loss of sexual desire. | I'm torn. I've tried lexapro, paxil, celexa, wellbutrin and this is the first med that has actually helped me feel better but I don't know if I can deal with the sexual side effects. I'm starting to feel like I'm not myself anymore because of this and I don't want this to affect my relationship. I've been in a great mood and feel so much better but something is definitely missing. I don't want to get to the point where I have no desire because it just doesn't work anymore. Is it at all possible to counteract this side effect? It wasn't as bad on 75 mg but the 150 has seriously improved my mood. | M | 32 | 2 months | 12/18/2006 | 2 | Anxiety | Upon start up: vivid & almost hallucinogenic dreams that drew the line between reality and fantasy, i.e, I felt I was in my waking life watching everything. Kind of like lucid dreaming. Sometimes they were quite entertaining. Other times they were absolutely terrifying. Either way, I was waking up at 4am every morning like clockwork and would wake up every subsequent hour. This left me extremely tired and, with a full time job and a four year old, unfunctional at times. Oh yes, I took this for anxiety...the feelings in my stomach went away but I found myself getting very paranoid and very angry where at one point I felt like running as fast as possible into a wall to stop it all. For a brief moment I felt like ending it all. Other than that, upon reading other comments, I think I did experience a lack of interest in sex and it was more difficult to have an orgasm. No weight gain but loss of appetite | I took effexor once before for anxiety and post partum depression. After 3 weeks of crazy dreams and all the rest, as above, I stopped it cold turkey and experienced 'withdrawal' (they call it 'cessation symptoms' how nice), which was the same as the start up but the dreams were very very negative and the lethargy was and still is an issue. I am not waking up in the middle of the night anymore, I dont feel any symptoms of anxiety which is why i took it in the first place, no paranoia, but I'm still dealing with the feelings of utter anger. I talked to my doctor and she said I should never had taken it for anxiety. My mother took it for depression and anxiety and she had a really hard time getting off it. My final comment? Talk to others who feel as you do as a support network...I don't think this drug is good at all. | F | 32 | 45 days | 12/16/2006 | 3 | Anxiety/Depression | Dramatic weight loss of 16kgs in the three months I have taken it (150mg a day). Also get lots of night sweats. My jaw is continually clenching. A lot of hair loss. | Not too sure what to expect in the long run. I seem to still be very anxious but not depressed. Maybe that is because time is moving on and I beleive time is a great healer. | F | 44 | 3 months | 12/14/2006 | 1 | Depression | Headaches, vivid dreams, insomnia, fatigue, nausea, bruising, jaw clenching, fidgeting. | Suffered all these side effects which are almost ruining my career as most days I am too tired to go into work. I haven't seen my friends in months. I feel far worse than the depression ever made me feel. I am now trying to wean myself off but that is also awful - I am dizzy and nauseous until I take the tablet. I'm not even sure it has helped with the depression. Maybe this drug works for some people but I think the risk of the side effects and the withdrawal symptoms mean it shouldn't be prescribed except as a last resort. | F | 25 | 4 months | 12/14/2006 | 5 | depression | initially: inability to have orgasm, profuse sweating, muscle twitching. vivid dreams | I have had great success with EXR. Initially had the side effects indicated but they gradually subsided and were virtually gone after 6-9 months. The worst was the sweating and the orgasm problem, but the depression was COMPLETELY gone. On days when I forget to take it, there is not much that I notice until I go to sleep when I have the most incredible, long lasting (continue even after I wake and fall back asleep). They arent nightmares, more like technicolor incredibly detailed novels. I've been on 150mg for the whole time and doctor has advised to stay on it long term since it works. | M | 47 | 1.5 years | 12/13/2006 | 2 | anxiety and depression | My first language is not english so bear with my spell. When I whent fron efexor xr 75 to 150 inmeditely i start feeling very warm in the stomag and sleppless in about three weeks after I en up in the emmergency room with 57 of hemoglobin concentration out of 135 they have to give me 4 bags of blood and I stayed there for three days, during those days I did not take the efexor but on the fourth day when I came out of the hospital I was feeling very dizzy so I took the efexor again with food in the morning and later I eat two kiwis and I felt so much pain in the ulcer caused by efexor that I had to drink a lot of milk to calm down the horrible pain. Today I have'nt take it and I eat somethin spicy and greasy and my stomag just blouwed but no pain, I have never had stomacal problems prior to efexor until now so I am goin to stop taking it but taping it down I let you know how I recover from my ulcer and the other side effects | Sleepiness Dizziness Constipation Raised blood pressure Fatigue | M | 45 | 75 days | 12/13/2006 | 5 | Depression/OCD | Body tremors, Low sex drive, Difficulty getting an erection, Loss of need to socialize, and Weight gain | If it were not for Effexor XR (300 mgs) and Lamictal (75 mgs) I would not have been able to focus and stay on task in finishing my bachelor's degree. This drug may work too well in allowing me to see the world for what it really is almost in an alienating way...Effexor XR makes being alone perfectly fine and combined with the low sex drive I feel little need to meet people which is not good. I get withdrawls on the 2nd day of not taking the medication to the point of being frantic...not lovely. The food I used to avoid I LOVE now...to the point of gaining 40lbs which is also not lovely. Hope the comments help and good luck. | M | 28 | 14 months | 12/11/2006 | 3 | depression | lethargic, unusual vivid dreams, yawning, difficulty reaching orgasm | Sorry - posted 2X, time taken 3 MONTHS, not 3 days.....I was diagnosed with "double depression"....Started on 37.5 mg for about 2 weeks, no change, only very sleepy, missed worked, switched to taking at night, uppped to 75mg for a week or two, helped a little bit, I was at an extremely depressed point in my life before I started and it got me back to my "regular" state of derpression. I am now on 150mg, with hope that is will just get better....my ONLY side effects have been listed, but mainly unusual vivid dreams. My cocern is that I read more negative reviews of effexor than positive and it is really scary - ANYONE HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE ON THIS???? | F | 27 | 3 months | 12/11/2006 | 3 | depression | lethargic, unusual dreams, yawning, difficulty reaching orgasm | I was diagnosed with "double depression"....Started on 37.5 mg for about 2 weeks, no change, only very sleepy, missed worked, switched to taking at night, uppped to 75mg for a week or two, helped a little bit, I was at an extremely depressed point in my life before I started and it got me back to my "regular" state of derpression. I am now on 150mg, with hope that is will just get better....my ONLY side effects have been listed, but mainly unusual vivid dreams. My cocern is that I read more negative reviews of effexor than positive and it is really scary - ANYONE HAVE A GOOD EXPERIENCE ON THIS???? | F | 27 | 3 days | 12/11/2006 | 2 | depression, and stress | weird dreams, dizzyness ... the WORST = stoping it .. u get weird shocking sesations in your body, not pleasant. NO sex drive AT ALL. You feel less emotions which is good for some, but when u hurt someone, and then u get off the medication and realise...u feel emotions. Be very careful, I dont recommend this at all. I even woke up several night drentched in sweat, and I have a good physical endurance. I can run for 45 mins without sweating that mnuch. There are possibilities other than drugs. See your psychologist.. and if he or her recommeds it... then that person is trying to notdo their job. | Please... its not worth it .. its the worst thing ever. I'm not being sarcastic either. I wish I could go back time and not take it. | F | 20 | 1 years | 12/11/2006 | 4 | depression, anxiety | rapid heart rate, dialated pupils, excessive yawning, dizzyness, constipation, lowered libido overall but prolonged and stronger than usual ejaculation (nice!), extended sleep with vivid dreams. | I've been taking Effexor for a month now. Started at 25mg for the first two weeks and I'm only at 75mg. I don't know if my doctor will keep me at 75mg or go up yet because I'm also taking 100mg of Lamactil for bipolar (hypomania). It was rough for the first week and a half but then most of the side effects wore off. Overall I think my depression has lifted, so this combo seems to be working for me. I was worried I'd be emotionally flat, but I still have a full range of emotions. I was also worried that I was sleeping about 12 hours a night, but now I'm starting to get my regular sleep back. The only downside is that there's no generic yet. | M | 34 | 1 months | 12/10/2006 | 1 | depressive disorder | 30lb weight gain,fatigue,severe withdrawl upon missed or un-timely doses,vertigo,eye twitches,electrical 'zaps'..VERY expensive without insurance. | worked well for depression in the beginning,but the withdrawl to get off of this med was debilitating..good thing i have a great doctor who was able to taper me in 4 weeks with addition of cymbalta..my energy is returning,and no more dizziness and fatigue. | F | 40 | 5 years | 12/9/2006 | 5 | for panic attacks | alittle nausea but thats all | Effexor is the only medicine that has ever taken away my social anxiety I love it!! | F | 25 | 1 months | 12/6/2006 | 1 | | 12/4/2006 | 5 | depression | M | | 12/3/2006 | 4 | Almost had a nervous breakdown | When starting on effexor I experienced dizziness and feelings of nausea (but not actual vomiting), and was extremely tired for the first week. After 2 weeks, all side effects were gone. | I've been on a 150mg dosage for a year now. I can honestly say this drug saved my life and made me normal again. I knew I was reaching the end of my rope and even though I knew my nervousness and anxiety was 'all in my head' I couldn't get my brain to shut it off. Effexor has successfully done this for me! The only downside was after several months I seemed to be suffering from ED. I still had the desire but could not make love to my wife no matter how much I wanted to. My doctor gave me Cialis and that has worked like a charm. | M | 38 | 1 years | 12/3/2006 | 4 | depression and anxiety | nausea diarrhea dizziness sleepiness irratable bowels frequent urination | F | 26 | 2 months | 12/3/2006 |