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 | depression | no noticeable side effects unless I miss a dose | I started at 75mg and increased about 2 years later to 150. It helped me so much. I have not tried to quit taking it, but I do know that if I miss a day I have a tingling sensation all over, very dry mouth, and paranoia. I left it at home when I went away for the weekend once and was extremely sick by the time I got home. Don't know how I will ever stop taking, but not sure that I would want to stop anyway because it helps so much. | F | 41 | 7 days | 2/23/2008 | 4 | depression/anxiety | really no side effects while continuing to take effexor. side effects have come whenever i try to lower dose. went from 75 to 225 over period of 6 years. works great. when trying to taper off: headache, night sweats, nightmares, and very umcomfortable dizziness and nausea. with working and taking care of children, can't see a time when i will be able to forego the side effects of lowering dose and still be able to function. its like i am stuck on it forever. very irritable when tapering also. | F | 32 | 6 years | 2/26/2008 | 4 | General Anxiety | If I miss a dose or more I felt very dizzy and lightheaded. If taken correctly, it works great and I have tried a few. I do like this medication and plan on staying on it. | The highest dose is 150mg's. My doctor wanted to prescribe me a higher dose, but this would entail two co-pays and two pills, lame. So, I chose to stay on the 150mg's. They need to do something about that. | F | 29 | 4 years | 2/28/2008 | 4 | situational depression,work related | broken sleep (taking hypnotic at bedtime to correct); minor hand tremors and dry mouth first few months; occasional arm and leg tics prior to sleep or when sitting relaxed (almost gone after 1 year); increased sweating, especially in summer; possibly a little emotionally "flat". Also difficulty reaching orgasm, although this has improved. | Felt better i.e. not blackly suicidal after several days on Effexor. That made me feel able to start making some other helpful changes: complete physical which led to iron supplements and thyroid meds; time off work; cognitive behavioural therapy. Have been on 150 mgs daily for 14 months and plan to start slowly tapering off this coming long weekend. My doc has suggested dropping to 112.5 for 3 weeks, then to 75 for 3 weeks, and so on.....but I think I'll start by breaking up the 150 mg capsules and removing a couple of grains per day. I did forget my morning capsule once several months ago - for 1 day I felt fine, so I deliberately didn't take it the second morning. I was snappish and irritable all day and a bit weepy. On the whole the Effexor had the desired effect of kick-starting my recovery. My opinion may of course change depending on how the withdrawal goes. After that I can hopefully start weaning myself off the sleeping pills. | F | 47 | 15 months | 3/17/2008 | 4 | For Episodic Depression | Nausea first week; now take 1/2 hour after breakfast. Other side effects are some shakiness and anxiety. | To counteract the anxiety I take 0.5 mgs. Xanax several times a day. It works well for me. | F | 69 | 6 weeks | 2/5/2009 | 4 | dysthymia, mild anxiety | violent dreams, night sweats, itching, irregular circadian rhythm, suppressed libido, affective flattening beyond normal maturation. Withdrawal during past week: dizziness, vertigo, so-called brain zaps (jittery vision especially when turning the head, difficulty focusing sustained attention on visual or informative stimuli, resulting in restricted learning capability), sensation of eye-strain even upon waking, somnolence, irritability, as well as an unanticipated and very welcome return of libido. | I've been medicated for mild depression since 2002. I spent a year on Prozac, almost year on Paxil (30 mg), a month on Wellbutrin (drymouth was not compatible with my employment at the time), and I have been on Effexor xr (150 mg) since. Through it all, I've learned what should now be obvious to the psychiatric profession at large: medication without emotional support (paid professional friend or good volunteer friend) for the depression itself is a waste of time and money. My insurance will be changing, and I've decided to take myself off of Effexor; it has not been as terrible as Paxil withdrawl but I am also a better adjusted individual than I was when I went off Paxil in late 2003 (the books of Dr. Yapko were a help). It would be unfair to say that Effexor did not help me define what 'even-keel' feels like, because it certainly did. I used coffee to correct undesired drowsiness no more than once a month on average. In recent months, however, it has done little to curb reemergi | F | 24 | 3 years | 7/15/2008 | 4 | Clinical Depression | Dryness of mouth, wierd very intense dreams, nausea after eating, decreased appetite, headaches, heavy sweating, unable to get a good night sleep I wake up very often during the night and have to have a nap at least once during the day. | It seems to have worked, I have stopped crying for no reason and my mood swings have decreased. Although i have experienced lots of side effects, I am just starting to take the pills and have not yet reached the full dosage. I do not always experience all of these symptoms, they appear randomly and not all at once. I would recommend this to anyone that truly needs help. | F | 18 | 3 weeks | 2/4/2009 | 4 | Bipolar II, PTSD, Social Anxiety | chronic diarrhea, blurred vision, insomnia. When I miss even one dose (300 mg) I get the withdrawal symptoms. Headache, nausea, vertigo, loss of coordination, nerve twitches through my arms and head | I spent a month in a psychiatric hospital and they tried every antidepressant they could think of. Effexor XR is the only one that worked. The only side effects that really bother me are the withdrawal ones, and thats just motivation to help me remember to take it. | F | 20 | 2 years | 1/10/2009 | 4 | Major Clinical Depression | Heart palpitations where I have to take deep breaths to overcome, disembarkment syndrome, poor gait, inability to really cry and emote; I feel 'Teflon' coated when it comes to dealing with crises. I now have trouble with sequencing tasks at home and work. Five years ago I took a full regimen of Biaxin for pneumonia. I experienced paranoia, sensitivity to light, noise, and seriously - had to stop watching my soap opera and still can't bear to hear how the characters speak. For 3 months of the winter of '05 I stayed in bed until 2 p.m. After that I could socialize, shop, and talk on the phone. Otherwise I would over react to changes in air temperature and noise level. | I went through therapy which led me to a psychiatrist who prescribed the Effexor XR. I was able to do temp work after the layoff in 04 which coincided with the pneumonia in 05; a delayed reaction to the layoff was major depression. I gladly accepted a full time job with a cavalier attitude; the money is great and if they fire me so what. Now A new upsetting issue I have named "verbal" Tourettes - "F" you is 1 new favorite outburst. I only mutter it or mouth it. I'm gabby and will tell anyone anything - I don't repeat gossip or start it - it has to be about me. Telling people "off" does not scare me, I will eloquently say what I think of someone's attitude. I sound pompous and omniscient; disassociated and don't really care what others say or think about me. The only person I am 100% honest with is my only child. That is a blessing. The stalwart feeling I have is what allows me to keep my job. Not caring if I'm late will be why I might lose it. I have no de | F | 59 | 4 years | 1/11/2009 | 4 | social anxiety disorder/ depression | often tired, intense dreams, higher sex drive | this drug has probably saved my life, i began taking it at the age of 16 when I often felt suicidal and was unable to participate in normal teenage life. I began taking 37.5 mg which went well but when i went to college i had an increase in my anxiety and went up to 75 mg, last year after having some traumatic social experiences i went up to 150 mg which has gone well but I do have a constant internal dialogue questioning how much this medication changes my energy levels and/or sex drive. i continue to take it because i appreciate how moderate it makes my moods. | F | 21 | 7 years | 12/13/2008 | 4 | Depression | I have very strange dreams. If I miss 2 days of taking this I experience dizziness/disorentation. I can't seem to get enough sleep. | I have taken zoloft and lexapro in the past with no luck. I have tried a psychologist. I finally went to my family dr. and she prescribed me this. I am only on 37.5mg but it seems to work. My mood has definately improved for the better. I am however very concerned about what will happen if I need to go off of this med. I am currently laid off and have no health insurance and the cost of this meds. is insane. | F | 23 | 9 months | 12/22/2008 | 4 | Post-Partum Depression/Anxiety | Brain pains, weird dreams if taken before bed, restless sleep if taken before bed, loss of ALL sex drive! | I have been taking Effexor XR for 14 months now and it has helped tremendously and has turned my world around. However the weaning of of them is HORRIBLE! You get flu like symptoms, headaches and nausea. | F | 24 | 14 months | 2/19/2009 | 4 | Depression and Anxiety | Night sweats, loss of appetite, vertigo feelings, headaches, tiredness, weight gain, low sex drive. | I've been on 75mg for 3 months now and the psychiatrist has just uped the dose to 150mg so I can get the full benefit. First intial weeks were absolutely terrible on the drug but after that I found it to help a lot with my depression and anxiety. WIll let you know how the 150mg dose goes! | F | 26 | 3 months | 3/5/2009 | 4 | depression | when i first started effexor xr, i experienced nausea, dry mouth,sweating,and trouble sleeping.NEVER,EVER miss a dose! i have never experienced craziness like that before. | Im starting my fifth year and i have noticed some long term side effects; weight gain, the inability to lose that weight and low sex drive. im am terrified to get off it due to the side effects. my doctor said she is going to help me so that i can wean off slowly and hopefully with no real problems. | F | 38 | 5 years | 3/3/2009 | 4 | OCD, GAD, TTC | In the beginning: stomach upset, slight dull headache, some blurry vision and seeing "tracers" especially at night, constant yawning. Six years later: none unless I forget to take it. | I've been on Effexor XR for more than 6 years now and overall it's probably helped me 60-70%. I go through phases of doing good, and then not so good. Diet, exercise and taking the time to relax play major roles in how well I'm doing. I also take klonopin 2-3 times a week when I feel overwhelmed. Other drugs I've tried are Zoloft which made me extremely agitated and Luvox that I couldn't stay on long enough to see if it worked or not because I couldn't get past the headaches and nausea. I was on a tricyclic at one point with the Effexor and it made me feel like I was really crazy (very scary). I'm at 225mg/day and I'd like to wean down because of the side effects from not taking it but my doc says this isn't necessary and it's probably just part of my OCD that I'm worrying about being on the meds in the first place. I wish they'd figure out what causes OCD already, or at least how these meds work. I feel like a guinea pig that no one can help sometimes!!! I know the things I do don't make any sense, I just don't understand what's wrong with me. | F | 34 | 6 years | 3/23/2009 | 4 | depression, ptsd | withdrawal-like symptoms when dosages were missed | I took this medication for about two years. My general practictioner recommended it for me because it was an "activator" (as he described it) - it would help to motivate me to get out of bed and go to class, work, etc. It definately did that for me, and helped to stabilize my moods so I could cope with everyday issues instead of feeling like everything was falling apart around me. I gained a lot of weight while taking it, but I think that had more to do with my lifestyle at the time than the drug itself (although anorexia is listed as one of Effexor's side effects - I'm still waiting for that one to kick in, lol). The only negative thing I could say about it is typical of all anti-depressants - if I missed a dose, it made me horribly ill with headaches, anxiety, nausea, bouts of crying... it was awful. I stopped taking it due to pressure from my parents, but it was definately a mistake. It helped me manage my life and my depression so much better. | F | 23 | 2 years | 3/11/2009 | 4 | social anxiety, depression | I get dehydrated very easily and frequent headaches. Pretty sure I've gained a few pounds due to the drug. Makes me crave sweets, I think. It's also harder to orgasm, but I'm okay with that. Not a huge issue. | Overall, after trying about 7 or 8 different meds I came back to Effexor as I find helps me the most. After many years of having anxiety/depression I am now working with a therapist that helps me. I think the first time I was on meds I thought it would cure me. But it never did, it just made me able to function, but I wasn't truly happy. Anyway, I finally figured this out after many difficult processes. I had to fix me and I finally found a shrink that was able to help. My anxiety is lowering, but I still stay on the Effexor for now. I do look forward to coming off of it, but for now it helps quite a bit. I've already weaned down to 37.5mg anyway. The most uncomfortable thing about it is the constant dehydration and headaches. Even after doing yoga I am dying and I can drink 5 glasses of water and only then feel better. It's crazy. I don't like the extra 5lbs either. But whatever. | F | 34 | 4 years | 3/15/2009 | 4 | severe depression | I started taking Effexor XR approximately 2 weeks ago. I started at 37.5 mg for 7 days and have now been taking 75 mg for 5 days. I felt euphoria for the first 7 days: I started exercising again, my chronic back pain went away, I organized my desk, papers and finances, I was able to finish some adminstrative duties that had been hanging over me for quite some time. My anger diminshed almost completely and my best friend commented on how I seem like my old self again. Prior to 2 weeks ago I had never been on any meds. My depression started as post-partum and then just blossomed out of control over the course of the last 2 years. After only 2 weeks on Effexor, I feel like I have my old life back. I'm enjoying my daughter and life as a Mom like I never have before. I'm running again and dug my mountain bike out today for my first ride of the season. And what's really positive is that the pain I've had since being 5 months pregnant has pretty much all but disappeared since taking this drug | My psychologist pointed out that most people on website forums are people that are unhappy about their meds and have an agenda about passing on their warnings. So I'm on here specifically to provide a positive outlook. I am so happy on this drug right now that I am sad I didn't take it before, or listen to my friends and family who said that I had 'changed' since pregnancy. Talk to your GP and a mental health professional and get some REAL advice. | F | 40 | 12 days | 3/28/2009 | 4 | depression | F | 47 | 6 months | 5/21/2008 | 4 | anxiety | wired feeling and nausea. No desire for food. | went off once and am back on it. Made me feel more like a 'normal' person and not so worried and stressed about people judging me and i smile more easily, laugh more easily and can get through the day without a meltdown. Take smallest dose possible 75 mg i think cuz then u wont have bad withdrawls. | F | 37 | 1.5 years | 5/21/2008 |