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 |
| 3 | Bipolar | during my "stay" with effexor, really it wasn't bad at all--i would even say great. but i decided that i should try to live with my other med, seroquel, on it's own. so i did the unadviseable and stopped cold turkey. i did so, some tell me that it doesn't matter why it is STUPID, because after all research, including FDA, pharmaceutical, friends, blogs, etc., it seemed that whether tapering or not the side effects occur. so i thought instead of prolonging the inevitable i would much rather get it over with ASAP. So to be honest with the side effects for the people out there willing to pursue this avenue: brain zaps, eye zaps, visual disturbances, extreme hyperactivity, racing thoughts, inability to focus--on ANYTHING, fainting and nausea, hypotension, decreased sense of "caring", anger and agitation--A LOT, insomnia and fatigue. I am not blaming any one for this--this med messes with your brain chemicals, that is what it is supposed to do!! If it doesn't work | F | 29 | 1.5 years | 11/1/2007 | 3 | Anxiety, Depression | Inability to orgasm, lethargy. | I've noticed myself taking more naps lately. Overall my emotional state is better. I'm not a robot, I can still feel, it's just not as intense as it was before. HOWEVER, I can't have an orgasm and this is a definite problem...does this go away? I think I'd rather be depressed than not be able to have an orgasm! | F | 24 | 15 days | 5/28/2007 | 3 | Depression | so far no side effects | i am in the 1st week at 37.5mg - but after seeing this site im so freaked out I am thinking of stopping the pills!!!! | F | 51 | 2 days | 5/22/2007 | 3 | depression | headaches and insomnia | F | 52 | 2.5 years | 10/15/2007 | 3 | depression | major weight gain | F | 28 | 2 years | 3/4/2007 | 3 | situational depression | At first, I did notice a loss of appetite for which I was thankful. I started 37.5 and gradually increased to 225 mg. I began having occasional vertifo and dizzy spells. I couldn't shift my eyes without feeling like I was going to bottom out. I now experience constant constipation, and have occasional nausea and horrible night sweats, literally soaking the entire bed. My horomone levels are normal so I know the night sweats must be associated with the Effexor. Also, I have lost so many things within the last few months such as new prescription eye glasses and my wedding ring, among other important items. I believe this also must be associated with the Effexor. I reduced my dose to 150 mg three weeks ago, and am going to have my Dr. wean me off entirely. The side effects are worse than any of the depressive ymptoms I had before going on Effexor XR. I have begun to meditate in the mornings with brainwave tapes and am taking Yoga 3-4 days a week. I have terrible balance now to | The Effexor did calm me and allowed me to still have emotions. I did completely lose all interest in sex and began to believe that I was asexual at this stage in my life. | F | 46 | 8 days | 4/25/2007 | 3 | depression/ anxiety/ptsd | The first few weeks of the medicine made my anxiety level unbearable. I had terrible insomnia, sweating, dizziness, nausea, and every other imaginable side effect usually associated with starting antidepresants. I've been on Prozac, Paxil, Welbutrin, and Zoloft and never had side effects as severe as with this medication. Although I still experience these side effects when upping my dosage they all go away after two weeks. I still have mild depression and anxiety, but it has been the most effective treatment for me. I've found that no matter what the medicine is you never really get to the point of being symptom free. | If I am late taking my pill I experience withdrawal symptoms within an hour of my missed dose. Once I start feeling dizzy and nauseous it's too late. Although I take my medicine as soon as I remember i generally feel ill for the whole day until my next dosage the following evening. | F | 26 | 3 years | 5/15/2007 | 3 | Major Depression | Headache, tremors in hands, gas, constipation, not able to have orgasam, night sweats and sleeplessness, anger thoughts of death. | I have raised my dosage 3 times, each is a little better for a while then needs to be raised again. When it stops working I feel worse than before I started. If I don't take a dose I am dizzy and feel very confused, and have bad short term memory. | F | 25 | 3 months | 7/2/2007 | 3 | Depression | night sweats, weight gain, headache, inability to orgasm | Effexor has lessened my depression somewhat, but I am far from satisfied. Currently on 187.5 mg Effexor and 150 Wellbutrin each day. It has helped with my fatigue, but I have gained 20 lbs, have frequent night sweats, no libido, inability to orgasm (even with the Wellbutrin). It has helped my anxiety quite a bit. Just like any med, we all respond differently, and I have friends who absolutely love Wellbutrin. Oh, and if you miss a dose or are a few hours late, you feel like you've been run over by a semi-truck. | F | 22 | 7 months | 2/14/2007 | 3 | Major Depression Disorder | Increased sexual desires. Insomnia. 5 pound weight gain. Suicidal thoughts for the first three months. | I've tried getting off this medicine, and all that's happened is I have extream with drawl to the point where I get just depressed as I was before, which was depressed enough to kill your self. Even if I forget to take it for one day, I'm extreamly depressed, cry, feel nautious all day, and have migraines. However, since I've taken Effexor the occasional seizures I've had have stopped, which is apparently a rare effect of this drug. | F | 17 | 4 years | 6/21/2007 | 3 | Bipolar | Headaches | Effexor worked for me for a long time, but the withdrawal from this drug is horrible. I tried 3 times before I was finally able to completely wean off of it. I had brain zaps, nausea, crying jags, dizziness, and couldn't even walk straight. | F | 31 | 8 years | 7/3/2007 | 3 | ANXIETY | HORRIBLE DRENCHING NIGHT SWEATS. NO INTEREST IN SEX AT ALL NOW. OCCASSIONAL SHAKY SPELLS. | F | 32 | 1 years | 6/12/2007 | 3 | Depression | headache, nausea for the first few weeks, lightheadedness, dizziness, dry mouth, lots of crying, insommnia, then would sleep for 16+ hours and would wake up exhausted, no energy, loss of appetite, lost about 15 pounds (from 107lbs to 93), felt spaced out, forgetfulness, and horrible nightmares, yawning, and felt spaced out all the time. Also, this med. is addictive. If you forget a dose you get horrible headaches, nausea, dizziness to a point where its hard to stand or walk, and you can feel the blood pulsing through your head, chest, etc. | I was taking Effexor with Lithium for my bi-polar. I didn't like the side effects I had so I switched to Cymbalta. | F | 18 | 2 years | 7/3/2007 | 3 | Anxiety | This is an update to my earlier post. It has been 5 days now since I was weaned off Effexor 75mg. I am still dizzy and have vertigo! I have found that ginger root pills and dramamine has helped with some of the vertigo and dizziness. I have been having some of the worst nightmares I have ever had in my life! I'm hoping this withdrawal won't last much longer. Good luck to those trying to withdraw from this pill. | Ginger pills help with vertigo! | F | 40 | 1 years | 4/11/2007 | 3 | depression | none | F | 53 | 1 days | 7/24/2007 | 3 | poor sleep & depression/anxiety | initially dry mouth, slight nausea. terrible "brain zaps" if I forgot the daily dose of 75mg. after some months I recognised muscle weakness and sore joints, especially finger joints which would swell a little. Also although I had stayed the same weight for 16 years I have put on 6kg and think it will be difficult to shift. After 12 months (recommended time by doctor to take this drug) I asked to go off it - nearly 3 months in and phasing down to half dose of 37.5mg every second day for the last month I am still getting horrid brain zaps, muscle weakness, headaches, nausea and I noticed a weakening of my eyesight while on this drug. the side effects of Effexor far outweighed the initial benefit I received by taking it. I would not recommend it to anybody. | It might not be addictive but the side effects are insidious and really affect your lifestyle. Exercise is supposed to help elevate your mood, Effexor can limit your ability to exercise due to the muscle weakness and sore joints some people can suffer. | F | 48 | 12 months | 6/6/2007 | 3 | symptoms from Tamoxifen | Weight gain (40lbs over 5 years, but could be Tamoxifen too), loss of interest in sex. Brain shocks and dizziness if missed a dose. Withdrawals are HORRIBLE. | I started taking Effexor after I had breast cancer at age 33. Standard treatment after chemo/radiation is 5 years of Tamoxifen, which put me into early menopause...it was ugly! My oncologist put me on Effexor after I told him I couldn't stand myself and didn't know how anyone else could stand me either! Worked well for the 5 years I've been on it (except for weight gain and loss of interest in sex...my poor husband), but the withdrawals now are HELL. I was on 75mg daily, stepped down to 37.5mg for 4 days, then 37.5mg every other day for two pills. I have my last dose tonight. I've been dizzy, vomiting, have brain shocks, and feel like I have the flu. Wish I had known at the beginning that it would be so hard to stop...maybe there would have been another way to go. | F | 38 | 5 years | 6/27/2007 | 3 | major Depression | hard to stop taking it! But had fewer side effects than Prozac. | F | 50 | 8 years | 6/7/2007 | 3 | depression/anxiety | sleepiness in the day, clenched jaw, weird heavy menstrual cycle, spitting up lots of blood(from lungs?) increased urination | Well, this drug has helped with my depression and especially the anxiety and panic stuff...but I have been experiencing some strange dreams and sometimes, I don't feel like the same person! I was taking prozac but I found the effexor much more effective at relieving the depression stuff.Scared to come off of this stuff because I have read about the weird withdrawal , but it seems to be doing it's job for now so I think I'll stay on for as long as I have to.Good luck to all. | F | 34 | 4 months | 5/9/2005 | 3 | Depression | Initially experienced loss of appetite & weight loss. I also experienced an initial period of emotional numbness by which I mean I didn't feel I was experiencing my emotions normally no matter what it was I was feeling. Now I find I have extremely vivid & bizarre dreams- some good, some bad. Sweating has definitely increased as well as heat sensitivity. I also found that after the initial period of appetite & weight loss, my appetite went back to normal & I have since gained quite a bit of weight. | I haven't experienced any sexual side effects which is a plus but I am really not happy about the weight gain. I feel as though I have reached a plateau in my progress. For a while I felt as though things were really improving, but recently it things seem almost like they were before I started. | F | 25 | 9 days | 5/10/2005 |