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 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 |
| 4 | Anxiety | Constipation, loss of appetite, weight loss, increased sex drive | I was on Paxil and Lexapro, both of which caused worse and strange side effects and seemed to be making my anxiety worse. I have only been on Effexor for two months, and am hoping that it continues to get better. | F | 25 | 2 months | 4/12/2004 | 4 | depression | IMPOSSIBLE (so far) to come off the med!!! The withdrawal symtoms are HELLISH! I had my first and only PANIC attack after quitting cold turkey (i only lasted 3 days before ending up in the ER wondering what was happening to my body) If i miss even ONE DAY I have terrible night sweats. Let me assure you I am not a hypochondriac these symptoms are REAL. I feel like I am stuck taking this drug forever. Unless, I get brave enough to try a gradual taper, which 6 months after my withdrawal episode I'm still not brave enough to try. And did I mention you can kiss your sex life goodbye? Oh forget about kissing it goodbye, you won't even have the desire to kiss!!! | F | 34 | 3 years | 6/24/2004 | 4 | depression (divorce) | I didn't have any side effects while taking the drug. I took 150 mg per day. | I was never clinically diagnosed with depression or anything. I was going through a divorce and asked my doctor for something. I can't believe how readily they just hand you whatever is in the cabinet... Anyway, my life is on track, I have nothing to be depressed or sad about. I also have no health insurance at the moment, and it's pretty expensive, so I decided to quit taking it... COLD TURKEY. I knew there would be side effects, and I was ready for them. And boy did they arrive with a vengence!!! I've been off for a little over a week, and it's getting a little better. The first 3 days or so, I thought I was in the twilight zone. Dizziness, ringing of the ears, irritable, anxious, horrible nightmares, feelings of electrical surges in my body. My God, I wasn't in this bad of shape before I started taking the drug!!! Well, like I said, it's getting a little better everyday. But I feel I can say that this drug is VERY ADDICTIVE. Some people probably do need to be on it forever, but many do not. Everyone needs to know the side effects of coming off of this drug when it is given to them!! I would've asked for something else!! I wish I could've afforded to come off gradually, but oh well, what's done is done. | F | 34 | 3 years | 4/5/2004 | 4 | Clinical Depression / Panic Attacks | I think i had them all. The worst being when i missed a dose or trying to reduce dose....as others have stated...it becomes a living hell. Excessive sweating, weight gain of around 45lbs, no desire for sex, shaking hands and tremors in the entire body, eyes and head foggy, headaches, ridiculously tired all the time which was counteracted by caffeine. | Considering the side effects and the | F | 25 | 5 days | 4/5/2004 | 4 | Clinical Depression / Panic Attacks | I think i had them all. The worst being when i missed a dose or trying to reduce dose....as others have stated...it becomes a living hell. Excessive sweating, weight gain of around 45lbs, no desire for sex, shaking hands and tremors in the entire body, eyes and head foggy, headaches, ridiculously tired all the time which was counteracted by caffeine. | Considering the side effects and the | F | 25 | 5 years | 4/5/2004 | 4 | Bipolar Depression | Lack of sex drive, 25 pound weight gain, in the beginning blurred vision, | F | 27 | 6 years | 5/31/2004 | 4 | depression/anxiety | Night sweats with 150mg, slight weight loss | It has greatly decreased my mood swings and my anxiety, I have had a lowered libido with all antidepressents so far. But I guess the good outweighs the bad so far. | F | 28 | 4 months | 6/2/2004 | 4 | major depression | The major effect for concern was dry mouth that even with +++oral hygiene resulted in horrible dental problems. Interest in sex is absent and I used to be one juicy broad! Due to some new problems with severe facial pain, the neurologist suggested discontinuing Effexor (effexor not cause, but we didn't want to mix medicines)...........I now know what withdrawls are like ( fuzzy headed, colorful dreams/nightmares, shakey, etc.) but if it stops even a little of the face pain, yahoo! Been a physically and mostly mentally healthy person my whole life......in it's time, Effexor saved my life | F | 59 | 4 years | 2/11/2004 | 4 | major depression/anxiety | I take 300mg a day--where do i start, sexd isnt great, NIGHT TERRORS, NIGHT SWEATS, random crying, sleeping ALL the time, dizziness, low blood pressure when raising from a seated or laying position, jaw clenching (now have dental problems), twitching, stuttering, HIGHLY ADDICTIVE!!!!!!! Cannot live more than 26 hours without having to take it or elsei literally feel like i am dying, FEEL LIKE I AM HAVING A HEART ATTACK!!, rapid heart palpitations, loss of appetite, irritability, concentration problems, possible long term side effects?, possible eye degredation problems, cannot take other medicatitons with this... i do not suggest, memory loss, confussion.. I WOULD NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION UNLESS YOU HAVE NO OTHER OPTION!!!!! I AM ADDICTED TO IT AND I FEAR I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO GET OFF OF IT... WORKING WITH MY DR TO GET OFF OF IT... I THINK THE SIDE EFFECTS OUTWEIGH THE BENEFITS OF HTE MEDICATION!!!! IT CANNOT BE GOOD FOR YOUR BODY IN THE LONG HAUL | I WOULD NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION UNLESS YOU HAVE NO OTHER OPTION!!!!! I AM ADDICTED TO IT AND I FEAR I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO GET OFF OF IT... WORKING WITH MY DR TO GET OFF OF IT... I THINK THE SIDE EFFECTS OUTWEIGH THE BENEFITS OF HTE MEDICATION!!!! IT CANNOT BE GOOD FOR YOUR BODY IN THE LONG HAUL | F | 20 | 2 years | 4/19/2004 | 4 | Depression | weight gain (20lbs in 12wks), constipation, skin rash, muscle twitches, fatigue | It really helped with my depression. Due to gaining weight I stopped taking effexor cold turkey. Not only did I have severe withdrawal symptoms and recommend that no one stop abuptly, I snapped right back to the old depressed, crying routine I so happily learned to live without. Other than the weight gain, I would be happy (literally happy) to live with the other side effects and stay on this drug. My doctor is going to put me on Wellbutrin after I taper off Effexor to see if that solves the ravenous appetite. | F | 40 | 3 months | 4/30/2004 | 4 | Depression | WEIGHT GAIN - approx. 30 pounds in a little over a year and a half. No sexual desire. Mood swings. | Took Effexor XR for a little over a year and a half - gained 30 lbs. in that time - with little or no change in diet or lifestyle - which leads me to believe the Efexor caused the weight tain. I do believe Effexor XR helped me. My depression is gone - at least it seems to be. I just got tired of carrying around and extra 30 pounds. I would love to hear from anyone who has LOST weight once they've stopped taking effexor xr. I've been off it for a week - so I'm looking for encouragement and positive feedback!!!! | F | 25 | 1.75 years | 3/9/2004 | 4 | depression | Weight gain, possibly increased headaches | F | 26 | 2 years | 3/12/2004 | 4 | Anxiety | Sexual; dry mouth; constipation, etc. All were intial side effects that subsided after a few weeks | F | 23 | 6 months | 3/29/2004 | 4 | generalized anxiety disorder | I started taking this drug and everything is going good. Been taking 150mg for a week now. Problems are vision and being confused. I also take 1mg twice a day of Klonopin. My sexual desire is great. I feel alot better, but i am tired alot. | This has changed my mood dramatically in a good way. I am more social and happy. Hopefully this stays the same. | F | 26 | 3 weeks | 2/22/2004 | 4 | depression/anxiety | Loss of libido, gurning, tiredness, yawning | Withdrawal symptoms are severe, headaches,muscle pains,nausia,sensory problems like electrical shocks,wobbly vision. Cured my anxiety and depression wonderfully, stopping the tablets is the difficult part. It is all physical and will end after about 8 weeks of | F | 24 | 7 months | 4/27/2004 | 4 | agoraphobia, aniexty, depression | Heavy sweating Seems to wear off during the night-heavy sleep and wierd vivid dreams Severe wieght gain | Helps with the aniexty and depression, but the dosage high enough to allow me to function normally in the working world puts me to sleep. As long as I stay home or in an enviroment where I feel in control-I feel normal. I take 75 mg twice daily, seems to build up in my system over time,until I start nodding off, and then I alternate 2 one day and 1 the next. Better than prosac, would like to try wellbutrin XL-please email if you have gone from effexor xr to wellbutrin xl, let me know how it went and thanks. | F | 45 | 4 years | 3/3/2004 | 4 | Major/ Clinical Depression | Effexor XRgives me really terrible dry mouth and I sometimes have these terrible pains in my chest and it feels as if i am going to have a heart attack. | Taking this SNRI has helped me function in my every day life. I had been on other SSRI's which did not help me at all. It is frustrating for me as I am 18 and have such troubles finding the norm. I was on Celexa for a couple months and I didn't improve at all. I have been diagnosed with SIB which means i cut myself when i get frustrated/depressed/angry/lonely/numb etc. The medicaton has not helped with my SIB but hopefully in time psychotherapy along with the SNRI's will help. | F | 18 | 30 days | 6/26/2004 | 4 | Anxiety and Depression | I have been on 75mg for about one and a half years now. I have found myself getting sleepier earlier; I usually can not stay up past 9 PM. My libido has gone down a great deal. I do still experience sweating, and become cold quite easily now. | I am less emotional with this medication, and feel more | F | 26 | 19 months | 8/18/2004 | 4 | Severe Anxiety/Panic Attacks | First 2 weeks felt energy and wonderful(lost weight - great) ; unlike Paxil which gave me a severe panic attack. Then months later all the side effects started....no sex drive at all, certainly no orgasim, slow weight gain, (still feeling great tho and no attacks), more and more tired, don't give a you know what attitude, very vivid wild dreams, excessive night sweats, ravenous appetite...now serious and uncontrollable weight gain even watching every morsel entering my mouth along with massive daily exercise. Everyone (including myself)has been baffled about the weight gain and now after visiting this site...problem solved! Loved it before....hate it now!!!! | Effexor XR did its job relative to allieviating my panic and anxiety, however, the side effects are now stressing me out. Time to wean off and so far so good. From 150 mg./day, to 75 mg. and about to go down to 37.5 mg./ day for a week then done. Some withdrawal side effects like nervousness and anger but manageable. It did train me to think more rationally and lets hope it stays that way. I just hope now I can now loose all that weight and enjoy sex again with the hubby! | F | 45 | 1 years | 7/1/2004 | 4 | depression | Very low sex drive | F | 30 | 11 months | 7/6/2004 |