EFFEXOR XR Reviews (VENLAFAXINE HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 3.0 (2225 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare EFFEXOR XR with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
|
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 | short temper, feeling overwhelmed | I have experienced the "brain zaps" that some others have described. I usually take in the a.m. but just realized that drowsiness is a side effect! If I miss my morning dose, by lunch or so I am hearing (and feeling) these almost electrical type pulses in my head that get louder (I also have tinnitus) so it sounds like it's echoing off of my brain. If I don't have one with me that I can take I will go in to a full blown meltdown. Crying over nothing, feeling worthless (almost suicidal) headache, nausea, the whole nine yards. I have only been that way ONCE and I really felt like I wanted someone to shoot like like a hurt animal and put me out of my misery! I am NOT MAKING THIS UP! | It works when taken properly, however, my goal is to get off of this med. I will be seeing my Dr for annual exam so I will hopefully be able to wean off and get on something a little less mind-altering! | F | 42 | 3 years 150 MG 1X day | 5/10/2011 | 3 | POTS | I HAVE ONLY BEEN ONE IT FOR 3 DAYS AND SO FAR SO GOOD THE FIRST DAY I WAS REALLY OUT OF IT SO DID NOT TAKE IT FOR 3 DAY AND HAD A HEADACE FOR 2 DAYS SO THAN I WAS FELLY REALLY PANIC SO I HAVE BEEN TAKEING IT 3 DAYS NOW 1ST DAY WAS UP ALL NIGHT AND THE 2ND I GOT SOME SLEEP AND I AM DONT SO FUZZY AS I WAS SO EVERY DAY IT GETS BETTER JUT GIVE IT TIME TO WORK I HATE TAKEING MEDS BUT I THINK I WILL STAY WITH THIS ONE | F | 31 | 3 days 37.5 1X day | 9/11/2011 | 3 | depression | I was part of the clinical trial for this drug. I never got to determine whether or not it was effective -- I had such severe night sweats, soaking the bed every night (not related to menopause!), that I had to drop out of the study. It was a double blind study, but there was no doubt that I was taking the drug and not the placebo given the severe side effects. Night sweats were the only problem for me. No other side effects, not even the dry mouth the tricyclic antidepressants had always given me. | F | 55 | 8 weeks 150 mg 1X day | 9/12/2011 | 3 | Panic Disorder, GAD | Tinnitus, extreme constipation, apathy, fatigue, insomnia, weight gain, hair loss. | I had to go up to 150mg to get rid of my daily panic attacks. The following are side effects I experienced from withdrawal: flu-like symptoms, crying, fatigue, brain zaps that would whoosh through my head and make my eyes roll back into their sockets, nausea. The drug worked, but the side effects both during and when I was weaning off are not worth it. There are other options out there. | F | 40 | 9 months 150 1X day | 6/9/2012 | 3 | depression | This medicine had an odd effect on me. I started noticing dust and had an uncontrolable urge to clean dust from everything. I am not joking. This was the medicine because it was not my normal behavior. It also made my neck stiff and painful. | A while after I quit taking this medicine, my infatuation with dust disapeared. I know this medicine has helped a lot of people. | F | 40 | 3 months 1X day | 3/3/2012 | 3 | Depression and Anxiety | Effexor has undoubtedly saved me from countless spells of depression and anxiety, but knowing now what the side effects are, I'm not sure I'd make the same decision to get on it. I'm on a high dose, so night sweats (sometimes soaking the sheets) are an issue, as well as the crazy dreams and I think, some slight memory loss. The worst is the withdrawal effects. Coming off this drug is almost torturous for people. I know when I miss a dose it sends me into a tailspin. I'm not looking forward to the day I have together off of it. I took it while pregnant and I also believe it led to some issues at birth with my son's health (low muscle tone, feeding issues, withdrawals for him). The drug works well, but I'm not sure it's worth all the other symptoms. | F | 32 | 10 years 375 mg | 8/23/2012 | 3 | Depression | Weight gain, emotional numbness, muscles sore, constipation, Restless Legs, do not even THINK about sex and memory loss that made me think I was getting dementia ( that runs in my family). | I asked my Dr. to take me off effexor because of memory loss. He told me to take 1/2 tablet (75mg) for 2 weeks; then 1/4 tablet (37.5mg) for 2 weeks then 1/4 tab every other day for 2 weeks. I could not tolerate the every other day because of the "brain zaps" so I took 1/8 tab (18.75mg) daily for 2 weeks. I then stopped taking any amount and the brain zaps increased and I was a crying, sobbing mess! I cried at everything and at nothing! So...I am taking 1/16 tab (9.375mg) and it has stopped the brain zaps and minimized the crying spells. This is RIDICULOUS!!! Will I ever get off this stuff??? | F | 65 | 8 years 150 MB 1X day | 1/6/2013 | 3 | GAD / Mild Depression | Day One - spacey, Day Two - nauseous, tight neck and head muscles, internal hot flushing accompanied by weakness and trembling, Day Three - nauseous, increased heart rate, warmer than usual, increased anxiety, Day Four - nauseous, digestive upsets, tight neck and jaw, prickling & tingling on skin, flushing, increased anxiety, experiencing zaps when falling asleep, woke in the middle of the night very hot, anxious, prickly, got scared, didn't take the med on Day 5, now decided I will try to tough it out, Day 6 - took it an hour ago, so far just tight neck and head muscles | Too early to tell. I've read enough posts that I think I need to just get through the hell of the first two weeks and then move up to 75 mg and see what happens. Very anxious (duh!) about the whole process. | F | 51 | 5 days 37.5 1X day | 7/16/2012 | 3 | BECAUSE OF DEPRESSION | F | 22 | 9 days | 3/3/2006 | 3 | low depression | Serotonin Syndrome | I was doing fine on 150 mil. and then due to an upcoming move suggested to my doctor we raise it a bit. He doubled it and now I find out he had me 75 mil. over the recommended dosage. I started losing days from Vertigo, spasms, headaches, confusion, etc. This did not happen overnight and it was more gradual - which is why I never suspected Effexor. Another doctor and two neurologists later I finally know that I ended up with Serotonin Syndrome and suspect I could be dead by now had I not put two and two together. The neurologists never even questioned this area. It is important that anybody taking these types of drugs know that this possibility does exist and to watch the dosage. It is said to be rare, but I suspect as more and more try these drugs we will hear more about this. My symptoms were not necessairly listed as side effects and that is what threw me. I was on no other drug and it had to be the high dosage. I read this site and realised it could be this and cut the do | F | 47 | 5 years | 5/12/2006 | 3 | depression and anxiety | Some nausea first night, less the second. Trouble sleeping the first night. Better the second. Diarehea. Breakthrough bleeding - very small. | It's only been 2 days, so we'll see. I feel good, but probably placebo effect. Side effects haven't been too bad, compatred to others - prozac, wellbutrin, zoloft. | F | 39 | 2 days 75mg 1X day | 3/3/2010 | 3 | major depression | While taking this in conjunction with Wellbutrin (to counter fatigue caused by effexor XR) I felt much better: I don't think that I remember ever in my life having such a long time without having a conscious death wish, the lack of libido was worth the lack of suicidal thinking. However, due to job loss, I could no longer afford these meds. Withdrawal is very bad with the brain zaps and the constant feelings of being seriously ill. I spent all my free time in bed even though I was only just weaning off of the Effexor. I have begun to recover from the withdrawal symptoms now (about 2 weeks after effexor stopped). But, now the crying has begun. | While on the effexor I was emotionally numb, which was, (I thought), great, after having experienced lifelong major depression. Now, however, since I've had to stop the meds, I have been suddenly hit with all the griefs (such as the death of my best friend) that I did not feel while on the meds. It feels like a tidal wave has knocked me down and I am now drowning in my own tears. Not surprisingly, I have returned to being the girl who wished she had never been born. | F | 56 | 6 days 150mg 1X day | 2/7/2010 | 3 | Anxiety, Depression, OCD | Weight gain despite being a very healthy person, a little more tired than usual | This medicine helps me tremendously. It cuts down on my anxiety and makes me a lot more patient and upbeat. That being said, holy "COW" I can't take the weight gain. I've been off and on this medication 4 times over the past decade. (And despite what everyone says, if you taper really slowly, the withdrawal isn't that bad.) Every time I go on the medicine, I gain about 25 lbs. I go off it, and I lose it within 6 months. Then I go back on and boom, and the weight comes back again. There is no doubt in my mind that this drug slows down my metabolism. I'm normally a size 6 and I'm tall so that's pretty thin. I am a size 10 or 12 on this medication. It's so frustrating because otherwise it helps me tremendously. I wish they would come up with a medicine that helps and doesn't turn me into a moose. | F | 35 | 9 years | 1/28/2010 | 3 | ptsd/anxiety/depression | It made me really really drowsy | It worked to quell the anxiety but I couldn't handle the drowsiness. I would sleep for 14-18 hours a day. It worked miracles for two of my friends with no side-effects. I think it's just a matter of finding what works for you. | F | 29 | 3 months 37,5 1X day | 2/10/2010 | 3 | Post abortion dysphoria | Sexual side effects (Lost the ability to reach orgasm), twitching(sometimes my entire thigh will twitch), weird dreams, (In which I'm always dying)headaches, (Not too bad) and weird zombie like feeling. (Just like I have cotton for brains) | I took Celexa, wasn't too impressed. Starting off on 37.5 pills for now. Guess time'll tell what it's gonna be like. :D | F | 20 | 10 days | 2/12/2005 | 3 | depression | high blood pressure, had to discontinue taking it | F | 45 | 5 months | 2/15/2001 | 3 | major depression | lots of sweating, feeling hot in the middle of a Canadian winter, changes in sleep patterns, insomnia, long hours of sleep when fell asleep, constipation, foggy thinking | F | 21 | 4 months | 3/22/2001 | 3 | Postpartum Depression/ Anxiety | Weight gain-90 lbs! Decreased sex drive, difficult to reach orgasm. Night sweats. | This drug helped me so much. However, now I am trying to get off. Before this I took Paxil, again with the weght gain. Celexa made me vomit immediately. SSRS effect people in different ways. I was hospitalized under suicide watch when my baby was 2 months old. Effexor did help me through it. I did feel good, after the dry mouth, nausea etc. stopped, it worked great. But now the excessive weight gain has me depressed! I have no interest in sex. It has been 14 days since I took a pill, and sometimes it is literally minute by minute to get through. My mood swings are terrible! I feel overwhelmed, like before. The headaches are horrible! It is so tempting to go back on, but I want to be slim again. I used to be so small. My pharmacist addmitted that weight gain is a side effect, while my Dr denied it. My dietition told me my diet is fine, it's probably the effexor. 7 years is a long time to be dependent on a drug. I hope I can do this. From what I have been reading here, I am not alone. | F | 36 | 7 years 75 1X day | 3/30/2010 | 3 | home | hands feet,legs swelling & red blotches | F | 40 | 2 times 75 1X day | 4/18/2010 | 3 | Depression and Anxiety | Excessive sleepiness (10 hour or more of sleep), when awake I felt like I was on speed: heart racing, jittery. Not much of an appetite at all, kind of force myself to eat something each day. Sex drive is low as well. | I've been on this drug in the past (5 years ago) and it worked wonders then, almost to the point of feeling manic, though. I stopped taking it then b/c it raised my blood pressure to much. I am now trying it again hoping the side effects that I experienced then (and now) will taper off. I do recommend being cautious and educated on this drug before taking it and always wean off of it gradually. Luckily my side effects are no where near as bad as other peoples, but its the withdrawal I am worried about even if the manufacturer says there are no "withdrawal symptoms." I personally call bullshit. | F | 30 | 8 days 75mg 1X day | 3/15/2010 |