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 | Decreased libido, constipation | Effexor XR worked quite well for me, except that I didn't really feel much of anything at all, but because of this I didn't care. I have been off this medicine for three weeks now, and it has been indescribably hard! I not only feel awful emotionally, I also was physically ill-- diarrhea, "brain shocks", very nauseous. I am now over most of the physical problems, but the emotional problems are still as bad as ever. I am on 4 different medications now to counteract the withdrawal. Even people who take this medication for a short time have a hard time getting off this drug. I would only suggest this drug as a last resort. | F | 32 | 7 years | 1/25/2007 | 1 | GAD | Constipation, dry mouth, complete loss of sex drive, INCREASED ANXIETY, trembling, agitation, horrific nightmares, rapid weight gain of ten pounds in two months (not typical for me). | This drug helped for about a week, then my anxiety got worse. WAY worse. Doctor increased my dose and anxiety (constant shaking, trembling, tremors) became unbearable. She insisted I give it more time, I insisted on quitting the drug. I have tried to taper off, got down to 37.5, now stuck and feel like a heroine addict. The worst has been the 'brain zaps.' I feel like I'm wearing an electric shock collar and someone keeps pushing the button. I am so desperate to get off this crap that I am taking the capsules apart and counting the granules, trying to wean off one granule at a time. Naturally, my doctor parrots what the drug company says. "This is not a known side effect." "I've never heard of it being as severe as you say." Yada yada yada. I may kill myself before I get off of this stuff. THIS DRUG IS DANGEROUS. If your doctor tries to force it on you, find another doctor. They get kickbacks from the drug company, you get a life in hell. | F | 45 | 3 months | 1/20/2007 | 1 | depression/anxiety | sexual side effects, nausea, drowsiness, "brain zaps", dizziness, weight gain | The drug did what it was supposed to do, but it's the withdrawal symptoms that occur from lessening the dose, or tapering off the medicine. These adverse effects are horrific and make it very difficult to function for a period of at least 2 weeks. While I was taking this drug, I would experience these side effects if I missed ONE dose. By the next morning, I would barely be able to get out of bed, had dizziness, brain zaps, nausea, headaches, excessive sweating/urination that often lead to dehydration, etc. When I tapered off this medication, over a period of 2 months, these effects were 10x worse and lasted for about a week each time I lowered my dose. | F | 23 | 4 years | 7/19/2006 | 1 | Depression | Extremely nervous about discontinuing. Have been taking 450mg daily for 5+ years. When trying to wean off, I experience extreme audio hallucinations (similar to that of a race car passing in front of you moving from one side of your head to the other) Terrifying nightmares fatigue, can't keep a straight thought with thoghts scattered. | F | 48 | 6 years | 7/21/2006 | 1 | depression, ADD | dizziness, night sweats, bladder problems/incontinence - have to pee fifty times a day, insomnia but with constant sleepiness, nightmares and vivid dreams, severe hives, dry mouth, increasingly heavy and painful menstruation - heavy periods resulted in severe anemia | Forgetting to take effexor resulted in dizziness and brain shivers. Effexor worked on my depression, but it's not worth the side effects. Unfortunately, it's a bitch to get off the stuff. | F | 31 | 2 years | 7/22/2006 | 1 | depression, ADD, anxiety | dizziness, night sweats, bladder problems/incontinence - have to pee fifty times a day, nausea, insomnia but with constant sleepiness, nightmares and vivid dreams, severe hives, dry mouth, increasingly heavy and painful menstruation - heavy periods resulted in severe anemia | Forgetting to take effexor resulted in nausea and brain shivers. Effexor worked on my depression, but it's not worth the side effects. Unfortunately, it's a bitch to get off the stuff. | F | 31 | 2 years | 7/22/2006 | 1 | Depression | I went on this medication too fast. From 75 to 150. Coming off of it was the worst experience ever. Brain shivers and more anxiety from just lowering it. Try going off slowly.. This medication is ruining my life. | F | 17 | 11 months | 1/9/2007 | 1 | Severe PMS Mood Swings | Not too many at first but then Headache (especially when late with a dose), diarrhea then achiness, flat mood, severe itching when my skin got cold resulting in bruising. | Was prescribed 37.5 mg for severe PMS mood swings. My doctor told me to take it a week before my period when I noticed PMS symptoms and then to stop after menstruation. She then advised I should take it all the time. Had been on for about 5 months and over that time noticed side effects getting worse to the point where I decided that I would rather suffer through PMS than to take this med. any longer. I stopped cold turkey when I started bruising easily from itching, my mood was very flat and it seemed to change me as a person. Also noticed severe headaches when I was late with a dose. The withdrawal is crazy. I feel terrible for those who are trying to get off a high dose. Extreme electric shock or brain fuzz, crying for no reason, severe moodiness, migraines, nausea, muscle soreness and still the itchiness and bruising. Was not able to function for a few days and it has been 2 weeks and still getting the brain fuzz/vertigo, headaches etc. Doctors should be made to disclose n | F | 34 | 5 months | 1/10/2007 | 1 | Severe PMS Mood Swings | Not too many at first but then Headache (especially when late with a dose), diarrhea then achiness, flat mood, severe itching when my skin got cold resulting in bruising. | Was prescribed 37.5 mg for severe PMS mood swings. My doctor told me to take it a week before my period when I noticed PMS symptoms and then to stop after menstruation. She then advised I should take it all the time. Had been on for about 5 months and over that time noticed side effects getting worse to the point where I decided that I would rather suffer through PMS than to take this med. any longer. I stopped cold turkey when I started bruising easily from itching, my mood was very flat and it seemed to change me as a person. Also noticed severe headaches when I was late with a dose. The withdrawal is crazy. I feel terrible for those who are trying to get off a high dose. Extreme electric shock or brain fuzz, crying for no reason, severe moodiness, migraines, nausea, muscle soreness and still the itchiness and bruising. Was not able to function for a few days and it has been 2 weeks and still getting the brain fuzz/vertigo, headaches etc. Doctors should be made to disclose n | F | 34 | 5 months | 1/10/2007 | 1 | severe depression,anxiety | headaches,skin felt like bugs were crawling all over me,twiching,sweating during the night,couldnt sleep.the worst side effects ever | My doctor put me on 75mg/day.the first day was hell,so then he told me to take 37.5mg,which i've been taking for 4 days now and i feel so terrible.feel like dying,no energy,the anxiety is higher then ever before,really weird dreams.I will see if i can switch over to Lexapro.i cant take this anymore I know you're supposed to give it 6 weeks,but i cant handle it | F | 27 | 5 days | 3/27/2007 | 1 | depression/anxiety | night sweats, complete and total deadening of sexual arousal/orgasm,bad withdrawal including sensory disturbances,agitation,etc | actually worked great for mood but not worth the disturbing effects. I think it's way too strong for the average | F | 45 | 7 weeks | 8/4/2004 | 1 | Hot Flashes (menopausal) | None until discontinuation. | Worked well for controlling 90% of menopausal hot flashes. Problem ocurred when family physician discovered multi-nodular, enlarged thyroid. Thyroid was healthy 1 year before starting Effexor. PDR states that rare/infrequent cases of altered thyroid function have been documented as a result of taking Effexor. I am now slowly tapering off and having a myriad of side effects. Dizziness, nausea, muscle aches (even a swollen arm), headache etc. The withdrawal symptoms are terrible. I would caution people not to start this drug unless it is absolutely necessary. AND if you are using it, have your thyroid checked periodically with ultrasound. The thyroid blood tests are not as reliable. | F | 56 | 1 years | 8/14/2004 | 1 | for fibromyalgia/sleep aid | Excessive sweating and strange dreams, hot flashes and chills | Not a drug for me | F | 53 | 3 weeks | 8/2/2004 | 1 | Anxiety/Panic Disorder | Tired all of the time...could barely get out of bed in morning to go to work; had no desire to exercise thus I gained weight. Dry mouth, very vivid dreams, but the very worst was the urinary frequency which really debilatated me. | I started Effexor XR early April 2004 at 37.50 for two weeks; increased to 75 mg. for two more weeks and was increased to 150 mg. which was when the urinary frequency began with a vengeance overnight! I thought I had a bladder infection and was treated for such with no relief twice. I finally went to a urologist and had two cultures done and both were clear; he said that the Effexor was causing the problem. My family doctor pretty much said I need to get to a specialist who can deal more with the anxiety issue so I made an appt. with a psychiatrist who was wonderful! Prior to the visit I had already weaned myself down to 37.50 mg. and so the doctor took me off the Effexor XR that day which then began the week from HELL. I began throwing furniture, slamming doors, yelling at people, crying all the time. THIS IS NOT ME!!! This is day 6 off the medicine and am to begin Lamictal tomorrow. The psychiatrist said that depression, anxiety, seisures, obsessive/compulsive, etc. all stem from the same area of the brain and that the Lamictal is actually an anti-seisure medicine that she believes will calm that part of the brain down; hope she's right. The bladder is not back to normal yet and if it doesn't get better I am going back to the urologist for tests to see if the medicine did some damage to my bladder. I hate the anxiety attacks but coming off of this medicine is the worst I have felt in my entire life!!! DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICINE and if you have any problems such as depression, anxiety, etc. don't rely on your family doctor. If you can afford it, or if your insurance covers this, see someone who knows the brain and the medicines that are out there to help bring your life back in order. GOD BLESS!! | F | 59 | 5 days | 9/8/2004 | 1 | bipolar II, taken w/ lamictal | It is my first week off effexor after tapering off for the past 3 weeks. I feel nauseous, have the runs, am going from giddy/manic to teary/depressed. My eyesight is strange, feel like I am in tunnel and everything looks like it is wiggling (don't know how else to describe it). Don't feel safe driving with eyesight like this. Hope it goes away soon. My Dr. gave me this in conjunction with Lamictal (a mood stabilizer) but bipolar people aren't supposed to stay on antidepressants or we'll cycle. It sure is hard to get off of. Having nightmares now and sleeping through my alarm clock. | I gained about 15 pounds on this medicine over the past year and had night sweats and felt warmer than usual. | F | 31 | 1 years | 7/29/2004 | 1 | Depression, anxiety | Extreme nausea, vomiting, extreme headache...all leading to weakness. | Horrible, horrible drug. While on it, I began to become a non functioning humanbeing. Had no desire to go, do anything. | F | 46 | 3 weeks | 7/13/2004 | 1 | anxiety, depression | WEIGHT GAIN, massive headaches, night sweats, constipation, increased appetite, craving for sweets, heart palpitations, nightmares, dizziness, zombie like approach to life--no longer sad, anxious, or angry but it was because I didn't care about anything (my dog could've died & I wouldn't have had any emotion!), emotionally flat--no good emotions, no bad emotions, | Now trying to get off of it & withdrawal effects are bad enough to make me either want to die orjust give in & stay on it forever (wouldn't that make the pharmaceuticals happy?!) I WANT MY LIFE BACK! | F | 29 | 18 months | 7/17/2004 | 1 | MS depression & pain | weight gain, sweating!!, | intolerable withdrawal - dizziness, myscle pains, rage, weepiness, nightmares, insomnia, weird ear pressure & noises, itching. Most Dr.s do not know or care about side effects while on the drug & especially when discontinuing. Patient's beware!!!! | F | 48 | 5 months | 8/7/2004 | 1 | Clinical Depression | Lack of energy, lack of motivation, feeling | The biggest problem I have had has been with my sleep pattern, my brother (age 15) is on the same medication and he has had the exact same problem. I have had countless days where I will sleep for a ridiculous amount of time without waking up. When I finally do wake up I do so in a cold sweat - which is horrible. If I miss even one pill I am dizzy and have spells of shooting dizziness every 5 to ten minutes. I become confused and disoriented- forgetting where I put things that I just set down, it is as though I am lost in some foreign world with my mind. Instinctively, I want lay down and sleep to make the dizziness go away - ( I should mention my eyes are always very dry when this happens, too) and then I will proceed to sleep for hours on end AGAIN. It scares me that these antidepressants are prescribed so casually - because they can alter your life dramatically. I feel as though I am addicted because when trying to go off of the drug (as prescribed) the withdrawel symptoms are so overwhelming - I turn into a true nutcase. I really urge that more medical research be done with these drugs. I know that I am a guinea pig for doctors due to the youth of this drug - but please keep in mind the lifechanging and devestating effects that these drugs can have on people. These drugs are adding chemicals to your brain. When I mention feeling | F | 21 | 3 years | 8/18/2004 | 1 | depression/anxiety | Weight gain, bruising, jaw clenching, added Wellbutrin XL lost about 10 lbs at first. Dr. started weening me off of Effexor around May 28. I am still struggling to get off! BEWARE OF HORRIBLE SIDE EFFECTS!! | June 1st I went to the Dr. was having flu-like symptoms. Chills, nausea, woozy feeling, severe headache. He gave me 1 90 mg prozac and said this should take care of it. WRONG!!! After a few days symptoms were back. He then gave me 2 weeks of 37.5. Then I was able to skip 5 days. I took my last one june 5 and I am having slight nausea but nothing compared to at first. I will only take another one if the nausea gets very bad. Hopefully I can go more days in between and hope to finally get off. DO NOT STOP COLD TURKEY!!!! You must go slow. Please feel free to email me. | F | 41 | 2 years | 7/7/2004 |