EFFEXOR XR Reviews (VENLAFAXINE HYDROCHLORIDE)

Average Rating: 3.0 (2225 Ratings)

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 ANTIDEPRESSANTS

 Type: Rx Drug

  

EFFEXOR XR  (VENLAFAXINE HYDROCHLORIDE):  Venlafaxine is used to treat depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and social anxiety disorder (social phobia). It may improve your mood and energy level and may help restore your interest in daily living. It may also decrease fear, anxiety, unwanted thoughts, and the number of panic attacks. Venlafaxine is known as a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). It works by helping to restore the balance of certain natural substances (serotonin and norepinephrine) in the brain.   FDA Approval Date: 1997-10-20 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)

  

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.)
5=HIGH (this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal.)

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More on EFFEXOR XR: Reviews Summary  |  Drug Safety Information

RATING  REASONSIDE EFFECTS FOR EFFEXOR XRCOMMENTSSEXAGEDURATION/
DOSAGE
DATE ADDED
 
 5  Anxiety and Depression When I was on 300mg/day I had night sweats and if I was late on a dose I would feel the "brain shivers". I am now at 37.5 mg/day and I don't feel any side effects and it helps my anxiety and depression and irritability a lot. F 33 10 years
1/6/2008
 5  Chronic depression sweating, urge to drink alcohol. Tried to quit and get on to Wellbutrin, but headaches and dizziness forced me back. Loved the effect it had on depression but afraid of becoming an alcoholic. F 2 years
1/14/2008
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 5  Panic attacks and depression dry mouth, insomnia if taken late in the day. However, I can't say these side effects outweigh the benefits. I'm on 225mg a day and this drug is the only one that has ever worked for me. I've tried so many. However, I'm ADDICTED I feel. I've tried to wean myself a few times and it's terrible. The nightmares and the sickness that goes with it are terrible besides the symptoms you had to begin with. It's just not worth it to me. I always tell my doctor, please don't start anyone, because once they get started, they'll never be able to stop. It's like a narcotic. The nightmares are the worst for me. F 44 5 years
1/17/2008
 5  depression, anxiety, social anxiety dry mouth, sexual side effects, increased anxiety for 1st few months, sweating, I am increasing from 75mg to 150mg. slowly, ( 2 -75mg spaced out)because I am very sensitive to drugs and have learned this the hard way. I think you must have additional help while taking this or any other drug for these problems. Learning to cope with our individual situations and taking the drug goes hand in hand for a successful outcome. But I suggest you tell no one that you are seeing a phycologist or phychiatrist until you are well on your way to peace and maybe not even then. This drug tends to make you say the first thing that you think and that may not go well for some family members. F 50 3 months
1/10/2008
 5  Generalized Anxiety Disorder Not really any side effects at all. One Note though, I am constantly tired but I think that is my lifestyle rather than the drug. It's great cause I feel like myself without all the nervous anxiety. I still feel like a normal person though. Before taking the drug I was afraid it would change me in negative ways (like make me not care about things that I should). However, that is not the case. I still get stressed, but I in a way that a person without a generalized anxiety disorder would. It's a more healthy version of stress. F 22 1.5 days
1/12/2008
 5  depression/anxiety dry mouth, constipation, decreased sex drive, difficulty achieving orgasm, blurred vision F 43 3 years
1/21/2008
 5  Depression Insomnia for the first few days. Shakiness and numbness in fingers which went away after the first few days. Night sweats which I still get occasionally as well as very vivid dreams. I started on on a low dose and gradually increased to 150 mg. I feel so much better taking this drug and even my friends and family have noticed a dramatic change in my overall well-being. My Dr. started me on fluoxetine (Prozac- 10 mg) which I take in addition to the Effexor. Maybe for me it is the combination of the two but I have not experienced any of the negative side effects others have described. The ones I did experience certainly wouldn't make me stop taking it. Everyone is so unique and I'm sure this drug effects us all differently but for me it works extremely well and I plan to continue on it. F 39 3 weeks
1/21/2008
 5  severe clinical depression dry eyes, blurry vision, unusual dreams, sleep talking This may sound extreme, but Effexor XR has saved my life. ADter trying 4 other anti-depressants, I decided to try it and had heard many horrible things about it. However after several weeks I started feeling so much better. Being suicidal and at the stage of carrying out the suicide, Effexor XR has changed my perspective on life completely and helped me to become normal again. F 21 1 years
1/23/2008
 5  Depression periodic "twitches," yawning, increased sex drive I have been on MANY antidepressants.....this is the only one that has worked. Even though I have read other people's issues with the drug; I NEED to stay on it because it has changed my life. I thought I was "cured" (have struggled with depression since age 20) and stopped taking the drug and within 2 weeks, depression returned and i remembered why I was taking meds..... F 31 6 months
1/25/2008
 5  anxiety disorder some weight gain I started taking Effexor after a MS diagnosis sent me into a tailspin. I had not felt my anxiety was a problem that needed treatment before this, but what a surprise. I can't remember a time in my adult life when I've felt so able to control my emotions, I can put my worries into a mental dungeon with a thought. What a wonderful thing, that I feel better after my MS diagnosis than I did before it. I will take Effexor for the forseeable future. F 45 7 months
2/1/2008
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 5  Clinical Depression The only side effect I've had is I'm thirsty all the time. I've not experienced any of the side effects I've read about on this site as well as others. This medicine has saved my life, literally. I have attempted suicide on two different occasions, my last attempt was Jan 6, 2008. I slit my wrists and my husband found me 15 minutes later. My psychiarist put me on Effexor XR that very day at the hospital. I have NEVER responsed to the other anti-depressionants as well as I have Effexor XR. I've been on Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac, Wellburtin and Lexapro with very limited success. With Effexor XR 150 mg I have a new life! I see my doctor every week and she is monitoring me very closely. We may have to increase my dosage over time, but I really don't care....I feel alive again!!!!! I laugh, smile, feel, care, and love again. I don't even care if I gain weight! F 50 5 weeks
2/3/2008
 5  depression, anxiety can't cry F 39 7 months
2/20/2008
 5  Depression & body aches No adverse side effects I love Effexor XR. I was prescribed 300 mg. Weaned off. My depression & body aches returned after 3-4 months. Each time I went on Efferor XR, the first day I could feel a great improvement, especially with the body aches. F 55 7 years
7/12/2007
 5  anxiety/substance abuse slight fatigue, clitoral priapism (treatable) Changed my life! Had SEVERE anxiety, panic disorder, OCD, and some depression since I was born. Started to abuse Vicodin to control it, and it escalated from there to oxycontin. Two and a half weeks on 300 mg, and I truly am free of this demon. 28-day rehab and NA meetings help keep me clean also, don't get me wrong, but I could not stay clean without Effexor XR. Thank you!!!! Don't give up! There's hope and happiness if you find the right medication for yourself! F 24 2 weeks
6/9/2007
 5  Depression/ Anxiety At first, a bit of a buzz, light-headed, a bit on the stoned side. Now (after six weeks), a bit yawny, some interesting dreams, but that's it. Overall, this drug has helped me like no other. I'm less anxious, meaning I can go out and be social. My boss has noticed a difference, even though I haven't told anyone at work I'm on anything. Generally, my anger has been reduced, I'm able to tackle tasks without being in a dazed stupor, and it seems weird but my period seems like it is more regular. Overall, I don't know if I would recommend this to everyone, but generally, this has helped me like you would not believe. F 30 6 weeks
5/21/2007
 5  Depression i yawnd a lot, was dissy, tearful, tired and had neusea for the first 7 to 14 day of being on the pills. During the time i have been on EFFEXOR XR (75mg) i have noticed decreased to no sex drive and i beleive i have had to fight against my weight the majority of the time. When i went on EFFEXOR XR i struggled to keep the weight on then i struggled to keep the wieght off for the remainder of the treatment time. I am coming off the medication now, the side effects include: dissyness, triedness, extreme excietment( beyound the norm.). In the short term the medication helped me keep my husband, which i was very close to loosing from my abusive out spurts and my negitive out look on life (He was alway wrong even when he was right). In the long term, it has helped me find myself again and indoing this i am able to return to work after loosing my job. (long story, but i should have taken it to the unfair desmisal board). Fianlly and most importantly, i am strong enough to start trying for a child again after having several miscarragies (early in preg.). Although i am having side effects coming off the medication i am glad i did something about my problem. BUT I WILL SAY THIS: "REALLY THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU ARE DOING BEFORE GOING ON THE MEDICATION AND GOING OFF IT. MAKE SURE THERE IS NOT ANY OTHER WAY OF HELPING YOURSELF BEFORE GOING ON ANY ANTI-DEPRESSANT AS ITDOES MESS WITH YOUR BODY AND YOU CAN'T JUST DECIDE TO GO OFF THEM OR HAVE A FAMILY OR ANYTHING THAT REQUEST YOU TO BE OFF THEM". "GOOD LUCK IN YOUR F 27 7 months
6/30/2007
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 5  Fibromyalgia, Depression First few weeks sleepy, constipation, shivers. Causes strange dreams! Fibromyalgia disappeared after first week which was a huge improvement for me. Anxiety and depression decreased greatly as well, but I feel less motivated. Started on low dose and increased to 75mg. I was fearful of this med. because I am very sensitive to medication but I have had no other problems while on it. F 49 3 months
7/1/2007
 5  generalized and social anxiety Leg burning, muscle aches, weight loss and increased metabolism. I forgot to mention below that my sex drive has increased dramatically with Effexor. Before taking it, I had a hard time concentrating on my husband and I felt very little sex drive. Since taking the medication, I have an amazing connection and desire for my husband and sex has become 100X better. Even though a common complaint is decreased libido and difficulty having an orgasm while on Effexor, I have felt exactly the opposite. F 21 6 weeks
7/11/2007
 5  Depression Trouble Staying asleep for more than 2hrs at a time. Loss of appetite (good side effect) weird, lucid dreams, night sweats. All side effects went away except the dreams. Unfortunately, I developed another side effect after the ones I mentioned above disapeared. When I forget to take my medication I get vertigo immediately after I miss my dose and often I get massive headaches. All in all, I love it. I have not have a depressed moment since I've been on it, approx. 8 months. The side effects caused by missing a dose are easily managed by taking my missed dose. I can live with them. F 32 8 months
5/17/2007
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 5  anxiety/panic attacks Switched directly from 15 mgs Lexapro to 37.5 mgs Effexor, so not many side effects at all, just regular ones. Crazy dreams, a little tired when waking up, but better energy during the day. Going up to 75mgs in a week... So far so good.....not much has happened yet, except less panic attacks, which is awesome....not as tired as I was on Lexapro, but still in the beginning, so I'll rate again later. F 37 2 weeks
5/18/2007
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