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 |
| 1 | Chronic back pain | Severe changes in my personality. Developed anxiety with anxiety attacks occuring daily, if not up to 3x/day. Developed feelings of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts. Withdrawal from friends and family, loss of self esteem and confidence. Not wanting to get out of bed in the morning. Bursting into tears for no apparent reason, and not being able to control myself from hyperventalating...or getting myself to calm down. | I do not recommend taking this drug if you are not clinically depressed. I WAS NOT depressed before starting this medication. My doctor put me on this anti-depressant because I have chronic back pain due to moderate scoliosis, 2 bulging discs, and arthritis. She told me that pain causes depression, and depression causes pain so this drug should break the cycle. Within the first 2 weeks of starting this medication I have seen major changes in my personality. I have developed anxiety with anxiety attacks since starting this medication. I did not have anxiety prior to starting this medication. I am now taking myself off of this drug(under the supervision of my doctor) in steps, which is making the anxiety and depression worsen. I do not want to get out of bed in the morning. I do not want to go to work, see friends/boyfriend, have sex, or do anything socially engaging. My self esteem has all but dissappeared along with my self confidence. I now burst into tears with nothing triggering me | F | 19 | 5 weeks | 2/20/2008 | 1 | depression, suicidality | had problems with blood pressure: treatment related diastolic hypertension. problems with my stomach. my immune system was down. lost of libido. | i am trying to decrease- now tappering just 10%. tried before, had horrible side effects, the worst was vertigo... | F | 48 | 4 years | 2/15/2008 | 1 | Anxiety | I experienced severe withdrawl when trying to stop taking Effexor. I could not wean myself off of them because of the nausea, headaches and vomiting that would occur. I had to switch to another medication and then wean myself off of that. I would NEVE recommend this medication to anyone. | F | 24 | 8 months | 1/26/2008 | 1 | depression | extremely nauseous,fuzzy feeling all over,just not right | I was on wellbutrin 300xl for a couple of years and had weight gain and my depression had gotten worse,so I decided to try effexor.What a huge mistake,I only lasted two days. | F | 41 | 2 days | 2/5/2008 | 1 | Concentration/focus | no sex drive, tired one second then feeling like I was on speed the next, can't sleep at night I was up a lot, very strange dreams, blurry vision, after about a month I got very depressed and started having suicidal thoughts | I just stopped taking this medicine was on 75mg my dr put me on something different. now my face feels numb, I am VERY dizzy, Ill to my stomach, head ach, I get this shock feeling and my arms and hads feel numb for a few seconds. dr told me this could last 7 to 10 days what a nightmare to come off of this. | F | 35 | 1 months | 1/29/2008 | 1 | severe post natal depression | Initially insomnia, needing sleeping meds, initial weight loss, 10lb, constant headache,feelings of desperation wanting to be violent towards others,sweating excessively,heat intolerence dampening of emotions- not happy or sad, just don't care- sexual side effects: inability to orgasm wears off eventually but stuck with low libido. Later side effects: memory problems, weight gain of 40lb+, want to sleep all day. | Started effexor as alternative to old trycyclic meds.First 2 years were a nightmare, couldn't tolerate 225mg so self reduced to 150mg and felt much better (didn't experience any of reported withdrawl side effects)I couldn't work during this time. Doctor just wanted to increase meds - no way! Need Zxprexa and imovane to help me stay on effexor and reduce side effects. Weight gain is a nighmare also has lead to high blood pressure, high cholestrol, diabetes and gastric problems. I was definately better of on my old meds but I am scared to get off this drug after reading about withdrawl problems. Has helped with anxiety but no effect on depression. | F | 40 | 3 years | 1/7/2008 | 1 | Anxiety | Bruising = Unexplained Bruises came up all over my body. | When I was taken off this medication, I was warned that I may feel lightheaded and a little bit dizzy. I constantly felt weak, tired and lightheaded. I also experienced alot of nausea. It was/is very frustrating as I havent been able to do anything, no work absolutely nothing. | F | 20 | 2 months | 1/6/2008 | 1 | Depression | Severe night sweats,3-4 times a night,Major lack of interest in anything, no energy at all,no sex drive, | Don't do it,find something else | F | 38 | 2 years | 12/30/2007 | 1 | anxiety, thought. | Took it one day---nervousness, hot flash, heart racing, reflux, dizzy, eyes blurred, in a fog, ended up in ER. Meds make you crazy. | Go outside, walk, write, pray, get your mind off of you, don't always rely on doctor. Be with your family. Some people on Effexor need to be, true, but the rest of us, just need to qut being self centered and just rely on God!!! | F | 37 | 1 days | 1/19/2008 | 1 | Mild Depression after loss of Mothe | Headaches, nausea, sweats, chills, stomach pains, tired, bad dreams, feel terrible all the time | F | 44 | 7 months | 1/12/2008 | 1 | depression, anxiety | shock sensations in my head, profuse sweating, lack of libido along with difficulty reaching orgasm, no relief from depression and mood swings, suicidal thoughts. | Effexor didn't help my symptoms of depression at all. I was still a wreck. My psychiatrist kept wanting to raise the dosage rather than switch medications, and finally had me up to the maximum dosage. With the increased dosages came increased sweating, increased shock sensations, yet no relief from the depression. Withdrawal was ABSOLUTE HELL! I'm no longer on an anti-depressant. After trying zoloft (massive weight gain), paxil (zombie-like), wellbutrin (allergic reaction), effexor was the last straw. I'd rather just deal with it than go through side effects like that. | F | 24 | 2 years | 6/9/2007 | 1 | depresson | weight gain, insomnia, mood swings | I am trying to wean myself off this drug it sucks i am dizzy lightheaded and nervous..... i went from 75 mg to 37.5 it has only been 3 days and it is really bad... but i am not going back i can only hope for the best. | F | 31 | 1 years | 6/9/2007 | 1 | Sleep disorder | While the Effexor XR did help me regain a normal sleep pattern, the cost of gaining 50+ pounds was not worth it. | I would not recommend taking this medicine unless you need it for a severe or life-threatening condition. | F | 41 | 4 years | 8/11/2007 | 1 | depression, suicidality | diastolic hypertenssion, lack of libido, huge problems with decreasing, sweating | To decrease it in the way that does not cause problems I need to use liquid solution- the decrease is 5-10% at the time. It will take me more than one year to get off it. There are not small enough doses that would help with the process. There is no information available from doctors. | F | 47 | 3 years | 8/29/2007 | 1 | Anxiety | I start getting the worse migraine headaches of my life. | F | 47 | 6 days | 8/14/2007 | 1 | depression | my blood pressure has gone up, have no bladder control, bad nightmares my husband has to shake me to wake me from these. Cramps in legs, muscle aches, headaches, dizziness.I cry all the time, never leave the house except for doctor appointments. | I ask my doctor to start weaning me off and she said I will never come off. As of yesterday I cut down from 300mg to 150mg, gonna try this for a week then go down to 75mg. I put my faith in God that he will help me get through the withdrawful of this drug. | F | 63 | 3 years | 6/23/2007 | 1 | anxiety | Horrific side effects while getting off of Effexor, beware!! | I was on it for 2 years and it worked good while I was on it (taking 150mg a day). It basically stopped working overnight and my doctor upped the dose to 225mg. After 3 days on 225mg my anxiety was unbareable! I went back and he took me off of it completley and replaced it with Wellbutruin. It's been 7 days since I've stopped taking it and it's been a living hell. I know it's not he Wellbutruin as I've have researched it on the web and know people who have taken it with no problems. I would describe Effexor XR as being drunk 24/7 plus having the flu at the same time. My dr. told me that it could take up 3-4 weeks for it to completly be out of my system and has given me Valium to get thru the next couple of weeks. If you are thinking about taking or know of anyone thinking about taking Effexor don't do it, save yourself the pain!!! Take a look at the Effexor website and it will tell you the symptoms if you stop taking it, basically its a withdral!! There are about 15 aweful symp | F | 33 | 2 years | 7/26/2007 | 1 | Hot flashes | Weight gain, contstipation | Did not realize how addicting this could be. I have been taking it for hot flashes for 3 years. I ran out last week and have been having horrible headaches, nausea, dizziness, loss of appitite, general feeling not myself since. I went online and read all of these comments and have decided to wean myself off this stuff and just put up with the hot flashes. I do not like to be dependent on any chemicals but I cannot quit this cold turkey and function. I am just taking enough to function until my body adjusts. I didn't know all of this when I started. | F | 60 | 3.5 years | 7/18/2007 | 1 | depression | suicidal thoughts, mood swings, anger, violent outbursts, crying | titrating off of it was one of the most difficult things I have ever done. I was so ill I ended up in the hospital. | F | 26 | 6 months | 8/11/2007 | 1 | Depression | Hypomania on second day of 37.5mg starting dose, severe panic attack on day 4 required a trip to the ER. | This type of reaction is apparently very rare but not unheard of, especially with people who have some features of bipolar disorder. I know people who have been helped a great deal by this drug, I just wasn't one of them. | F | 17 | 4 days | 8/28/2007 |