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 disorder and depression | No libido, very delayed orgasm, agitation, sleep disturbance - difficulty getting to sleep and very restless sleep, hot flushes/sweating, dilated pupils. | I am on only 75mg for panic and anxiety, which has been very effective in stopping panic/anxiety attacks. I find that if I miss a day or two it takes me a week or so to get back to no panic and get rid of the weird, dissociative feelings. Lower dose has definitely been better for anxiety. Have previously been on 375mg for severe depression and anxiety, but was too agitated to continue. Hideous withdrawal! I needed to take a week off of work to withdraw. | F | 25 | 2 months | 7/3/2007 | 4 | Depression & Mood Swings | Extremely vivid dreams, lost of sex drive, greatly delayed orgasm, extreme sweating at night & during exercise, loss of motivation, and small amount of memory loss. | Weigh the pros/cons of this medication before taking. It has dramatically improved my drepression, and removed my mood swings about 99%. I had dramatic weight gain (about 45 pounds in 7 months). After week 1 I began to feel like the person I was back in my 20's; like I was back in reality after being away for a very long time. For this, I give Effexor an A+++. I began taking it after being married for 8 months. I too feel this saved my marriage. My husband thinks this drug is a Godsend. I am trying to find other ways to deal with the delayed orgasm & lack of sex-drive because emotionally it takes a toll on my enjoyment of sex and willingness to participate. Missed pills are a NO NO!!!! I have terrible depression, non-stop crying, and it takes 3 days for me to get back to normal after missing 1 dose (or even taking a dose 6 hours late). I now have to use a pill box marked with the days of the week so that I can remember if I took my medication or not. I'm currenly taking 75mg a | F | 41 | 5 months | 7/23/2007 | 4 | Depression/Suicidal Thoughts | Vivid dreams, feeling of no emotions, excessive yawning, jaw pain, no decrease in suicidal thoughts. | This medication is great. While I have not tried to come off this medicine yet, nor have I missed a dose in order to evaluate the withdrawl symptoms that people have discussed, this medicine did help me go from crying all the time to being more level-headed. While I did have some times where I had no emotion at all (where they could've told me that my entire family was killed and I would've just shrugged and said "that's too bad") It has helped me move forward. I'm on the lowest dose 37.5 right now, might increase to the 75 soon as I'm still having suicidal thoughts and have found myself measuring rope at the hardware store one night and not remembering how I got there. Otherwise, this med has been a Godsend. | F | 26 | 6 months | 5/8/2007 | 4 | Depression | Night Sweats. Works good for me. | EVERYONE'S PHYSICAL MAKE UP IS VERY DIFFERENT. EFFEXOR MAY WORK FOR ONE PERSON ( EG NO OR LITTLE SIDE EFFECTS & GOOD RESULTS) AND IT MAY ALSO BE A DISASTER (WORSE THAN THE ORIGINAL SYMPTOMS) FOR OTHERS. IF IT'S NOT WORKING FOR YOU OR THE SIDE EFFECTS ARE WORSE.........STOP USING IT!!!!!! TRY A DIFFERENT ONE. NO POINT SUFFERING!!! | F | 26 | 4 years | 2/12/2007 | 4 | anxiety/depression | First week on 37.5 mg: major yawning, insomnia (could have been carry-over from before taking med), dry mouth, sleepiness, nausea if I didn't eat first. Taking 75 mg: increased depression, started yawning again, dry mouth, malaise. Back on 37.5 mg: night sweats, decreased sex drive, increased and vivid dreams, flat feeling (less emotions, like I'm in a dream when I'm awake), need more sleep, and decreased motivation and concentration (different than anxiety though). | I don't take a high dose but it seems to work. I can now study for exams without freaking out and having insomnia. Was thinking of trying to increase the dosage because my concentration is diminishing and anxiety is increasing but after reading others' comments, maybe not. Didn't know why I was sweating at night and needing more sleep, but because of this website, now I know. Not going off though; need to get through school. This is my first antidepressant. | F | 25 | 8 months | 3/17/2007 | 4 | depression, anxiety | most noticeable side effect: dialated pupils. also severe withdrawal symptoms/"brain zaps", increased time to orgasm (though admittedly I started this medication so young that I don't really know if it's the medication or me). | I started taking this many years ago, and for about a year it was fantastic! Then I began sleeping ALL THE TIME. About a year and a half after that, the doctor decided it was the effexor, and I was switched to SSRI after SSRI... until finally I was ordered a sleep test and it turned out I had VERY severe sleep apnea, and there was evidence that it'd been around for a while. So, when treated for SA, wanted to try effexor again because it was the only one that had really worked! I'm not entirely sure it's working this time, there's been a lot of external events recently (deaths etc.), only time will tell. | F | 20 | 4 years | 5/1/2007 | 4 | depression | F | 18 | | 5/5/2007 | 4 | depression, bulimia | alcohol intolerance, increased sweating at night, nightmares, loss of libido | Efexor has worked for me a lot better than Prozac, which I was on earlier. I feel a lot happier now, and actually look forward to the future. However, I hardly ever want sex, and can't drink alcohol. It is a bit unbelievable, but even after one or two drinks I feel nauseous dizzy and headachey. Well, I don't mind not drinking in itself, but it's a social problem, as it's hard to refuse drinks or just sit there sourly sipping diet cola stone sober when your friends are happily tipsy and buying rounds of beer. | F | 26 | 6 months | 6/4/2007 | 4 | major depression, anxiety, BPD | INSOMNIA,jaw clenching,inability to focus. If dosage not taken by afternoon feel very disassociated/blurry/vertigo/jellylike. | on 300mg,up&down 225-300 for 2 years or so. can relate to a lot of the side effects on here although i do believe it has been effective in treating my depression and MOST definately anxiety. Never sure how helpful it is as i don't know myself off it now, and have still gone through some depressive/suicidal stages but remembering that meds are not a cure therapy has been the most helpful of all! | F | 23 | 2 years | 6/17/2007 | 4 | menopause/depression | I became a gambling addict and lost everything. I switched meds and I am no longer interested in slot machines. | It worked for all of the side effects of menopause, but I didn't feel any less depressed. Stopped hot flashes immediately. | F | 39 | 3 years | 5/9/2007 | 4 | Anxiety | No side effects but I have been taking it for a while now so I dont remember if I had and side effects in the begining. | I have been taking this drug for about 4 months, (give or take a week or two) and I have had 3 anxiety attacts, where as before I was having attacts atleast once a week. I think I got tired when I first started taking it. Sex drive is the same. Now heres the bad part. I went outta town for the weekend, left on a friday and I forgot to pick up my refill......I didnt have a pill till Monday, I suffered half the day Saturday, and all day sunday, up untill bout 1200 afternoon Monday. I slept all day Sunday and just felt "blah". I think I was having brain zaps as they say, its kinda an indescribable feeling for me. Almost a twitching thing I guess. Horrable all the way. Dont miss a dose!!! | F | 26 | 4 months | 5/7/2007 | 4 | Anxiety | No side effects but I have been taking it for a while now so I dont remember if I had and side effects in the begining. | I have been taking this drug for about 4 months, (give or take a week or two) and I have had 3 anxiety attacts, where as before I was having attacts atleast once a week. I think I got tired when I first started taking it. Sex drive is the same. Now heres the bad part. I went outta town for the weekend, left on a friday and I forgot to pick up my refill......I didnt have a pill till Monday, I suffered half the day Saturday, and all day sunday, up untill bout 1200 afternoon Monday. I slept all day Sunday and just felt "blah". I think I was having brain zaps as they say, its kinda an indescribable feeling for me. Almost a twitching thing I guess. Horrable all the way. Dont miss a dose!!! O yeah, extreem vivid dreams now | F | 26 | 4 months | 5/7/2007 | 4 | GAD | First few weeks on effexor 75 mg, worked very well little side effects except insomnia. As time progressed almost 6 months now I am weaning off the medicine, it has helped a lot but side effects are horrible as a 19 year old. NO SEX DRIVE, Weight gain from 120 to 132 in 6 months. Where on wellbutrin I lost weight, down to around 110 I normally weigh 120. VIVID dreams recently. As the doses lower now I am feeling the withdrawl symptoms of sadness, unexplained crying and such. But works differently on every person, did help me tremendously while going through therapy for anxiety. Recommend but stay on the least amount of time possible. | F | 19 | 6 months | 5/29/2007 | 4 | Depression | Dry Mouth, | F | 47 | 2 months | 10/31/2007 | 4 | Depression/anxiety | Brain zaps, excessive yawning, fatigue, increased appetite, vivid sexual dreams, sexual side effects | I am currently takin Effexor XR 37.5mg, sometimes twice a day. When I first started I loved it! It really gave me my life back somewhat, Now I feel I am extremely drowsy at times, hard to stay awake. I will also get the brain zaps, electrical shocks if I'm just lying in bed..scary. But I will continue to take it for now and see what happens! | F | 28 | 15 days | 11/8/2007 | 4 | depression | intermittent insomnia | I have tried Prozac and Celexa. Was on Celexa for 6 years and sweated profusely the whole time. I thought it was just menopause, until I stopped the medication and the sweating stopped. Tried to stay off the medication for 3 months and mood crashed. Asked my doctor about Effexor after doing much research on my own (I'm a nurse) and wanted an energizer. Have been on Effexor 31 days...starting first at 37.5mg for a week, then 75mg a week and now at 150mg...on the second week. I know it takes approx 5 weeks to get the full effect. I haven't had any adverse side-effects except for some mild insomnia...and I had that occasionally anyway. I am feeling more myself, back to doing my fav hobbies and still working a 40 hr work week. I have always had a low libido, and haven't seen any improvement there yet. Noted Effexor may be approved for sexual dysfunction, so I'm still hoping things might get better. (I can hope, right?) My husband says he is noticing a difference, I'm smiling and l | F | 49 | 31 days | 10/26/2007 | 4 | OCD / Depression | Side effects very dose dependent. 35MG - very few side effects. 75+ weight gain, difficulty reaching orgasm, somewhat lethargic (but tolerable), night sweats | I have a love / hate relationship with effexor. It really helps my OCD a lot. It improves my mood, helps me focus, gives me confidence, and really gives me a more positive perspective on life. It is a lifesaver in many ways. However, I really hate the fact that it is harder to control my weight on it. I also hate the fact that I can't orgasm on it. I am an overachiever and it takes away some of my drive which is also bad. Adding wellbutrin to it did help counter some of the side effects (especially adding it to 35Mg). Overall, I really recommend giving it a try because everyone reacts differently to these medications. Also, the withdrawal is not that bad if you taper it slowly. I have gone off it 3x now and tried other things and as long as you don't go cold turkey, it's not as bad as people make it sound. | F | 33 | 6 years | 7/18/2007 | 4 | Anxiety | Dry mouth is the worse | i love it .It made me energetic joyous and impulsive. My sex drive hit the roof and i Lost weight form haivng energy to walk five miles a day and I dont have an appetite to snack. | F | 54 | 70 days | 10/31/2008 | 4 | social anxiety | very few when first started. mild dizziness and decreased appetite. | DO NOT STOP TAKING without first talking to your doctor. HORRIBLE HORRIBLE side effects when you stop taking it suddenly. | F | 20 | 2 years | 5/25/2007 | 4 | depression/agitation | ringing in ears, clenching teeth at night, memory loss | I feel like Effexor saved my life! However, now that I've been on it for 3 years, I'm beginning to feel like my memory loss is getting worse. But, I would never want to go back to where I was 3 years ago. I'm on 300 mg. This is the first and only medication I have taken. | F | 43 | 3 years | 10/28/2008 |