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 | depression/mood elevation | weight gain, muscle weakness/soreness, anxiety | I began the medication to help with my healing process. I am a cancer survivor. During the time, my children had both left for new careers and college, hence "empty nest syndrome". Three years later, I wanted wean off the drug with the help of my neurologist. To define best per my daughter, it's like getting off crack coccaine! I screamed at her when the microwave oven blasted the scrambled egg! I don't do that...I would normally laugh. The same day, moments later, I had an anxiety attack. I literally was out of control. My daughter did not leave for work until my husband had returned home. She did not want to leave me alone for fear of me causing myself harm. I felt suicidal. I was shaking, I had tremors, my mind was confused, I had no logic to my scientific mind. This medication does more harm then good. DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION!!!! | F | 57 | 3 years | 6/12/2009 | 1 | 150 mg | my son was on this drug for a year, and it stopped working well, he could not afford it, went to the doctor for something else, the anger and depression he was feeling was really the effexor, not working, he got another kind of anti-depressant, and he went off effexor cold turkey, began experiencing horrible dreams, and pain and diahrrea, and hallucinations, etc. almost all the side effects, got in a fight with his wife, that was serious, was arrested, sent to jail. | When he got out went to the hospital, they told him it was dangerous what he did, and put him back on effexor, he did well for a short while but got almost obsessed with getting back with his wife, although he had a restraining order, he was seeking help with counselors, but could not afford it, out of work, he told me all the symptoms everyone has been experiencing, was happening to him, even yet, he drank alcohol too, to ease the pain, with it, I have not seen the side effects with that included. 3 weeks after he had his first episode, that put him in jail, he had a fight with his wife, on the phone, went home and hung himself!!! What does that say about this horrible drug? He would have been 31 years old, he left a 2 year old son, and wife behind and his brother, sister and me and his father, and all the people who loved him, because he was truly a very good man, everyone loved him, so what does that say about this drug, or any of these drugs, I could not believe he did that, he was a survivor, but he gave up, I believe this medicine killed my son, mentally!!!!where is the site for the lawsuit, someone please tell me? | F | 54 | | 6/30/2009 | 1 | Depression | Anxiety! VERY VERY difficult to get off of--had to read on-line advise and reduce by several granuals each day. | F | 36 | 1 months | 6/3/2009 | 1 | lot going on causing stress | just about flipped out on my family thank-goodness they stayed with me,they knew something wasnt right with their mom | It is the most terrifying time in my life getting through one day at a time ill find my way back to me | F | 48 | 8 months | 6/3/2009 | 1 | Depression | While on the medication I would experience painful shocks through out my body when I would miss a dose even by an hour. These shocks radiated from my forehead, to my teeth, and then the rest of the way down my body. They were so bad I would involuntarily turn my head. My depression never got better while on this. I experienced weight gain and loss of sex drive. | When I finally went to the doctor and demanded to be taken off of Effexor she started to slowly decrease the dose. Even cutting the dose in half caused me to have SEVERE shocks all day long. When I went down to taking none the withdrawl effects were so bad. During the first week I could not be around my 4 year old son because of extreme anger!! For the first two weeks I could not drive and could barely leave my bed. I constantly felt like the room was spinning. After about six weeks the withdrawl effects decreased. I have been off of Effexor for about nine months and I still experience withdrawl effects atleast once a week. I swear these shock effects never go away!! I would never recommend this medication to anyone. It nearly ruined my life. Please use serious caution with this medication. Feel free to email me, I have been through it all with Effexor. (Also, I am now on Elavil and it has helped me more than anything my doctor's have ever tried.) | F | 27 | 2 years | 5/17/2009 | 1 | GAD-Generalized Anxiety Disorder | Weight Gain, inability to focus, horrible migraines w/aura, & the worst side effect of all was the BRAIN ZAPPING! After researching online and reading this suggestion I tried it and was successful! THE ONLY WAY TO WEAN OFF THIS DRUG W/OUT THE "HEROIN-LIKE" WITHDRAWAL WAS TO TAKE 1- 20 MG.PROZAC DAILY AS I WAS WEANING AND WAS FREE OF THIS POISON IN 7 DAYS! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS TO EVERYONE GETTING OFF THIS MED!!!!!! | ***ATTENTION ALL-PLS READ, I TOOK THIS MED 8-9 YEARS AGO***! I am an example of long-term effects and damage from effexor xr!! I took 175mg for approx. 2 years and besides suffering from the same exact HELL everyone else did in their posts I am convinced that my diagnosis of Adult ADD 2 years ago is a direct result of taking this poison. My husband can attest to the fact that I exhibited no symptoms of ADD until 1-2 years after taking effexor. I'm devastated that I will never be the person I once was for me, for my husband, but more sadly... for my children! I beg everyone on effexor to GET OFF NOW or enjoy your future life in living hell as I am!!!!!!!!!!!! | F | 42 | 2 years | 7/20/2008 | 1 | Depression | I was more withdrawn and I wanted to commit suicide while I was on the drug | SUCKS | F | 23 | 2 months | 6/9/2008 | 1 | depression and anxiety | if missed for more than a day, the withdrawal effects are horrendous. sickening headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea, basically complete inability to function. very difficult to come off. | i wish i had not gone on this medication, as i am now so physically dependent on it. i am currently suffering terrible withdrawal symptom as have run out of my pills and not had it for 4 days. i am not capable of getting out of bed, and have a migraine, and want to vomit. the medication is also not very effective as an antidepressant, but even though it is not working for me, the withdrawal syndrome is making me too scared to come off it. not worth it!! i will never forgive my doctor for putting me on this medication. | F | 20 | 7 months | 6/9/2008 | 1 | firbomyalgia | lack of sleep,extreme and rapid weight gain (50lbs), difficulty having an orgasim | Effexor did not reduce my pain at all, but it did increase my energy level. It took me almost a year to stop taking it. I had vomitting, no energy, sleepiness all the time. The nerves in my face felt strange. I hated this medication and would never recommend it! | F | 44 | 1.5 years | 6/14/2008 | 1 | depression | Nausia, heartburn, constipation, excessive and insatiable hunger, weight gain (12 pounds in two months), increased bruising, apathy, excessive fatigue, difficulty recalling information, "ticks" (legs and arms involuntarily twitch) | I have taken several other medications for depression in the past, including Prozac, Paxil, and Wellbutrin. Overall, if you believe you need help for your depression I would recommend trying a different drug BEFORE resorting to Effexor. It has more side effects than most SSRI's and SNRI's. For me, any benefits were greatly outweighed by these side effects. | F | 28 | 3 months | 6/2/2008 | 1 | NAUSEA LACK OF MOTIVATION BUZZY EXHAUSTION | F | 37 | 2 days | 7/30/2008 | 1 | major depression disorder | extreme hypertension,dizziness,constant fatigue,palpatations,loss of weight,anger,anziety I am on 225mg per day and no significant antidepressant effects. weaning now off this god awful drug-would like to join in on a class action lawsuit against Wyeth. Not one MD suggested blood pressure problems! I would like the man that mentioned lawsuit pending to contact me...PLEASE | DON'T TAKE IT PERIOD!!! I waited too long to research this drug, I was just at the end of my rope and would have taken anything prescribed, zoloft stopped working after 10 years. Have been clinically depressed for over 40 years, self medicated destructively until I sought tx in 1995. | F | 53 | 10 months | 8/13/2008 | 1 | Bipolar disorder, depression | "Strung Out", inability to orgasm, "brain zaps", feels like my nerves are to short for my body, gross motor shakiness (feel like a robot), void of any emotion. | Was taking it for a few years then went off it because of side effects. I'm married and my husband has to deal with enough (like my mood swings), sex was always great until I started on this med. D/C'd the drug and sex life came back. I recently went back on it because I was going through a stressful time and the other meds (Wellbutrin & Lamictal)were not keeping me stable. Been on it again for 1 week and am going to discontinue again. Can't handle feeling like I stayed up all night doing cocaine or acid and sex drive is gone again. Also lack of interest in being around people. Withdrawel wasn't pleasant the first time I went off it and I don't expect it to be this time around. | F | 43 | 3 years | 8/31/2008 | 1 | bi polar and borderline personality | implusiveness increased sex drive carelessness alomst like i dont have a conscience | geodon effexor clonipin and oxcarb is any one out there having these type of symptoms | F | 27 | 2 weeks | 7/1/2009 | 1 | depression | suicidal thoughts, constipation, dry mouth, lost of short term memory, etc | MUST BE BANNED! BETTER TAKE NATURAL MEDICATIONS | F | 29 | 4 years | 7/4/2009 | 1 | anxiety/panic attacks | insomnia, tingling, an intense burning sensation throughout my body, dry mouth, nervousness | My doctor first put me on celexa for anxiety and panic attacks, after 3 days I was throwing up and felt severly sick. So he switched me to effexor xr. I had a very bad feeling about it because of all the negative comments I read about the drug,and I was very hesitant to take it. Well I should have listened to myself and never started this pure crap. It didn't help at all with my anxiety, in fact I believe it made it worse. I have only had side effects, the worst being a very intense burning/tingling sensation thoughtout my entire body. The highest dose I was on was 75mg and I am trying to come off the drug right now and its pure hell. Im fine the day I miss a dose but the next morning I am so dizzy, and have this overwelming head sensation whenever I move my eyes or head. Its a good thing im off work right now because there is no way I could drive when those spells hit me. Once I take another 37.5 pill those symptoms go away in a few hours. So if your doctor gave you these pills and your not to sure about taking them DON'T. The side effects and withdrawl are not worth it. | F | 25 | 2 months | 7/13/2009 | 1 | Depression | Mania, weight loss..Bad side effects when taken off of Effexor. | I thought Effexor was working for me. I felt great when I was on it. However, I didn't notice at the time how manic I had become. I was doing stuff I wouldn't normally have done. I had to stop taking it because of finances. What a horrible mistake. That was the worst couple of weeks ever. I had brain zaps, insomnia, very upset all of the time, just couldn't focus. Horrible to come off of. | F | 28 | 6 months | 8/8/2009 | 1 | Depression | Severe head zaps, nightmares, suicidal thoughts and dizzy spells. | Thankfully I wasn't working during the almost year long process it took to get this drug out of my system. I originally took 3 months of slowly lowering the dose to try and avoid the known side effects in addition to another antidepressant recommended by my doctor. It took about another 6-9 months of horrible anxiety attacks, severe head zaps (couldn't drive for months) and on a few occasions I actually thought I was going to commit suicide. How I survived is nothing short of a miracle. The nightmares were so bad I couldn't/wouldn't sleep for days on end. I would NOT recommend taking this prescription. I still suffer from anxiety attacks and dizzy spells that I never even had prior to taking this medication. This drug is scary. I only recently have been able to work a part time job again. | F | 34 | 6 months | 8/19/2009 | 1 | Depression/ | While taking it - emotional detachment, loss of sex drive, memory loss.weight gain, moody Withdrawals - fogginess, brain zaps, crying at the slightest thing, insomnia, fatique, basically feel like s**t!! | Have just come off 225mg effexor (5years) and I am going through PURE HELL. The Psychiatrist call it - Sideeffexr - need I say more! Withdrawal is hidious and this drug should never be given to unsuspecting people without the full knowledge that the withdrawals are not worth it. | F | 51 | 5 days | 1/22/2010 | 1 | Depression and anxiety | The side effects were insomnia, night sweats, dizziness, headaches, palpitations and lower right abdominal pain. I am now trying to cut back and on top of all those symptoms I am very itchy, shaky and miserable. | I was prescribed 75 mg three in the morning and three at night for a total of 450 mg. Recently found out that is above the FDA recommended dosage. No wonder I suffered so many side effects. Have not slept the whole time I have been on the medication. I am trying to cut the dosage down so I can get off the medication. Make sure you are not prescibed more then you should be taking. I am suffering and should of not trusted the NP who prescribed the pills without first checking it out. | F | 40 | 8 months | 1/11/2010 |