EFFEXOR XR Reviews (VENLAFAXINE HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 3.0 (2225 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare EFFEXOR XR with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
|
Results are sorted by Gender with females listed first (reviews with no gender reported listed before females). 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 |
| 3 | Mild depression & anxiety | I was 245 pounds at 6'2". I started at 75mg. The first couple of weeks I felt jittery. I have had a cycle off and on of diarrhea for a few days and then constapation for a day or two since I have been on the drug. My rage got worse. I felt like I really wanted to hurt someone when they did something that was not that offensive or disrespectfull. It was hard to control. | I am currently taking 150mg dose. The rage has not shown itself in about 2 weeks. About the withdrawal talk. I have missed two days in a row sometimes and the only side effect was increased diarrhea. I have lost weight but I think it's due to a change in position at work. A much more active job. But the drug could have something to do with it. Not sure. | M | 27 | 5 months | 11/29/2006 | 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 | 3 | despression and anxiety | Feeling disconnected. My emotions were somewhat blunted as well. I stopped taking Effexor XR after two years because the sexual side effects were HORRIBLE! And weaning off effexor was the worst experience in my life. At times, I could not even stand up because I was experiencing "electrical shocks" throughout my entire body. | On the positive side, my anxiety and depression all but disappeared. However, they begain to return and that is why I stopped treatment. I think there might be some permanent loss of brain function because I just don't "feel right". I am considering Wellbutrin or perhaps (God help me) going back on this drug. | M | 32 | 2 years | 6/2/2006 | 3 | Anxiety (MS related) | Fatigue. Decreased sexual drive. It's better than being crazy though. | M | 27 | 4 years | 11/25/2006 | 3 | depression/anxiety | Just started experiencing the brain (head) zaps everyone is talking about. WEIRD!! More importantly for me is the severe NIGHT SWEATS. I just came back from the doctors office and told him about them. He is sending me for a chest xray, blood work and stomache ultrasound. I asked him if there was anyway they could be from the meds and he said no.?! I am very relieved to see I'm not the only one experiencing them! The're so bad I get up and have to towel dry! Dry mouth and of course, a decreased ability to maintain an erection and it takes forever to orgasm and when I do, they're like a slow dripping tap :( I also hear ringing in my ears at night like the doorbell. For what it's worth, I seem to be drinking much more alcohol than I had previously. | As for the depression/anxiety, I feel that that the med has done it's job. I've been on them for a month at 75mg. I don't experience the lows that I did however I also don't experience the highs I had as well. The doc wants to bump up my dosage? After reading about the side effects on here, and those when you stop taking the med, (scary) I'm not sure what I'll do.!?! | M | 40 | 45 days | 4/26/2006 | 3 | anxiety/depression | stronger heart skips, blurry vision | it would have been great if not for the strong heart skips | M | 35 | 5 days | 5/26/2006 | 3 | DUAL DEPRESSION | Sleep sweats, memory loss/fuzzy memory (really pisses my friend off), loss of libido, short breath/ bad cardio (used to run a 19:15 3 mile) can't take any stimulants (NO-Explode) because they hurt my heart. hard to keep weight off. tight chest, coughing, general numbness/mental "blankness". | The first two weeks, the first two months, and the first six months, had the most pronounced noticeable side effects. Now after about 15 months I mostly suffer from memory loss and a "floating" emotional experience of life moment by moment. Otherwise I can say that effexor XR has most likely saved my life. But I can't wait to get off of it too, I am going to wait until i am back in sunny, happy CA for that. | M | 25 | 15 months | 4/22/2007 | 3 | abnormal amount of Dreams, NOT Nightmares, just dreams. Light stomach Upset. | M | 45 | 3 months | 4/16/2007 | 3 | deppresion, anxiety | jaw pain, constipation, | It started like panic attacks, anxiety, deppresion. Now I am on Ambien, Effexor and Valium. I hope to improve soon. Anybody taking this mix? | M | 36 | 14 days | 12/23/2004 | 3 | Depression | Alot of weight gain 50lbs. COnstipation when i started. Taking 159mg in the morning and 75mg at night. | This drug works well for Depression and Anxiety. But, Don't forget to take it. If you do, you will be messed up. For one, i get really angry if not taken. 2 I get so dizzy i cant function and every so often it sounds like someone screams in my head for a quick second. I see alot of you are trying to wean. Dont w/o doctors permisssion. | M | 34 | 1 years | 12/26/2004 | 3 | severe depresstion, anxiety | constipation, increased sweating, insomnia, sexual side affects trouble maintaining and errection, problems having an orgasm very frustrating, no sex drive. | I take 300mg of Effexor a day. I am on soc. sec. disablity for bipolar disorder. My insurance has run out and I will be off my meds soon. This has happened to me once before and I am terrified of the withdrawal I am about to go through. Do not take this drug! I have been on just about every antidepressant this worked temporarily like all others I've experienced. Do you're research before taking this drug or any other antidepressant. I wish I never started taking them. | M | 39 | 4 years | 12/17/2004 | 3 | severe anxiety/black depression | sweating,dizziness, severe dry mouth (coughing all night,can't talk without choking),itchy scalp,insomnia, constipation, hard stool, gas, racing thoughts, teeth grinding, agitation, severe loss of short term memory, moments of enhanced colors,tired all the time, blurry vision, extreme sensitivity to light and sound, insomnia and drunk feeling caused weak immune system, brief speedy moments periodically followed by extreme fatigue, one good day followed by three days of needing to sleep 15 hours, light headedness, loss of balance, complete loss of sex drive, void of emotion | Dosed at 35 to start, have built up to 225. I started out taking Xanax to battle my insominia, but it didn't do much. After web info provided by other patients turned me on to Trazadone, I started to sleep, complete with vivid detailed dreams. At dose 75, I experience moments of bliss, and extreme colors. I came back out into the world, and started to see my friends again. It built up great courage, and reinstalled a strong sense of self esteem. Experienced extreme carb craving, and bizarre urge to consume alcohal all the time.But after 3 weeks, it just stopped working. Thus, the dosage climb. Currently at 225, I am very agitated, dizzy, lightheaded, off balance, emotionless, and one week after I started taking Effexor XR, I saw obvious daily weight gain, bloated stomache constipation, etc. And then the financial shock. Along with Levoxol for thyroid, Trazadone to sleep, Xanax to take the agitation edge of and the XR dose of 225, I am paying $398.00, due to being uninsured. (Monthly insurance costs about the same. So, if the depression doesn't eventually cripple you, the costs will......I hope this levels out. | M | 44 | 2 months | 12/12/2004 | 3 | severe anxiety/black depression | sweating,dizziness, severe dry mouth (coughing all night,can't talk without choking),itchy scalp,insomnia, constipation, hard stool, gas, racing thoughts, teeth grinding, agitation, severe loss of short term memory, moments of enhanced colors,tired all the time, blurry vision, extreme sensitivity to light and sound, insomnia and drunk feeling caused weak immune system, brief speedy moments periodically followed by extreme fatigue, one good day followed by three days of needing to sleep 15 hours, light headedness, loss of balance, complete loss of sex drive, void of emotion (And I am a singer songwriter, painter.)Cannot currently sing due to my arid dry mouth and throat | Dosed at 35 to start, have built up to 225. I started out taking Xanax to battle my insominia, but it didn't do much. After other patients' ratings and experiences, I learned about Trazadone, I started to sleep, complete with vivid detailed dreams. At dose 75, I experience moments of bliss, and extreme colors. I came back out into the world, and started to see my friends again. It built up great courage, and reinstalled a strong sense of self esteem. Experienced extreme carb craving, and bizarre urge to consume alcohal all the time.But after 3 weeks, it just stopped working. Thus, the dosage climb. Currently at 225, I am very agitated, dizzy, lightheaded, off balance, emotionless, and one week after I started taking Effexor XR, I saw obvious daily weight gain, bloated stomache constipation, etc. And then the financial shock. Along with Levoxol for thyroid, Trazadone to sleep, Xanax to take the agitation edge of and the XR dose of 225, I am paying $398.00, every monthdue to being uninsured. (Monthly insurance costs about the same. So, if the depression doesn't eventually cripple you, the costs will......By the way, no one informed me of the withdrawl nightmare-the once you're in, you're in club. Seems like I'm trapped in a whole new kind of hell.....I hope this levels out. | M | 44 | 2 months | 12/12/2004 | 3 | M | 39 | | 12/14/2004 | 3 | Social Anxiety | Night sweats and I start sweating a lot with minimal activity. Semen in urine, hard to retain erection, low libido which makes my wife wonder why any man would be given this medication as that alone could cause depression to a guy. | I have tried to get off this medication several times, but the side effects are so bad I couldn't handle it. I am down to the lowest dosage, but would like to get stop taking it. If anyone has successfully stopped taking this medication please send me and email with how you did it and the symptoms. | M | 36 | 3 years | 6/13/2005 | 3 | anxiety | -incredibly vivid, complex, bizarre dreams, often nightmares -loss ability to maintain erection, lowered sex drive | I was prescribed Effexor for anxiety related to hypochondria. After the first month it seemed to be working quite well, aside from a lowered sex drive, which i underestimated. Tonight I had a hot date with a girl I really like. I brought her into my room for the second time only to find myself becoming aroused and then not aroused in a cycle. After 4 or 5 times I was becoming confused, needlesstosay so was she. To make a long story short: I'm a bit disappointed with the drug (and my doctor whom told me there would be no sexual side effects) - very not cool. I could of lived with the dreams as they actually provide some interesting creative content, but I don't think I can deal with having to patch up another mojo destructive situation like this. Effexor for sex poor. | M | 22 | 1 months | 9/18/2004 | 3 | Depression | I feel so tired most of the time. If I forget to take it, I feel disconnected from the rest of my body, my eyes feel strange. I have very little appetite most of the time. | I don't know if it's working or not. I told the doctor that and he increased the dosage for a while. I still don't know if it's working like it's supposed to. | M | 29 | 1.5 years | 9/30/2004 | 3 | Depression and Anxiety | Reduced appetite and moderate weight loss during initial few months. Problems stemmed mainly from inability to discontinue use. Missed dose triggered brain shock feeling. | Worked great but am now drug dependent. It can be difficult to get off of this drug. | M | 39 | 1.5 years | 11/2/2004 | 3 | lactation/sleepy. | after taken effxor 150 mg for one year prolactin level is up. | M | 37 | 13 months | 11/10/2004 | 3 | Depression | Mania at times, especially when combined with alcohol. Mood swings. Lost effectivness after 8 months | This anti-depressant is not for someone that drinks. I've not had as much problems when taking anti-depressants and alcohol than with this one. Took it as a teen it worked very well and lost effectiveness after a year. | M | 23 | 3 years | 11/25/2008 |