PRISTIQ Reviews (DESVENLAFAXINE SUCCINATE)Average Rating: 2.8 (628 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare PRISTIQ with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by length of time drug was taken from shortest to longest duration (reviews with no time reported listed first). 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 |
More on PRISTIQ: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR PRISTIQ | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 4 | GAD/DEPRESSION | Two weeks in, I was ready to throw in the towel, but I know that meds can take up to 6 weeks to work. By 4 weeks, I was totally back to myself again. Side effects during the two weeks: major insomnia, worsened anxiety, and night sweats. All of that subsided and the only side effect now is low sex drive. All in all, Pristiq has been a God send!! | For the comments screaming, DON'T TAKE THIS DRUG seem to mostly be people who have been on it for a day or two. Please don't take them seriously. It takes a good 3 to 4 weeks to get into your system fully. I think Pritiq saved my life, but the first 2 weeks were horrible. You can't judge a drug on taking it once or twice. If you really want to TRY to get your life back, give it a month and if you don't feel better talk with your doctor about it. | F | 32 | 1 years 50 1X day | 2/7/2012 | 3 | PTSD | The drug works great compared to other SSRI's.. Downside is clumps of hair loss at beginning of therapy that tapered off but then hair thinned out over time, now scalp showing through. | F | 42 | 1 years 50mg | 4/3/2012 | 3 | Depression | Weight Gain (10kg in 12 months) despite attending the gym 5 days a week, brain zaps and sinking feeling in less than 24 hours between doses. These withdrawal symptoms became intolerable if dosage missed in 24 hours. Tiredness within 30 mins of dose, brain fogginess, short term memory loss and loss of concentration. Attempted moving to 100mg tablets during several periods which resulted in increased stress, agitation, frustration and heightened aggression. | Was very good within the first few days of helping me get work done and focusing, but these benefits faded after the first month. It was successful in relieving the depression, however, the side effects of withdrawals/discontinuation during a 24 hour cycle are very unpleasant. The weight gain is another cause for concern and certainly doesn't help with maintaining a good psychological state. I used to take Pristiq in the morning, but found that within 30 mins or so of dosage that I would feel tired enough to sleep. So, I changed to a PM dose which had the side effect of helping me sleep and made my performance during the day better. I would love to come off this medication but considering I have withdrawals even during my daily dosage cycle, I am really hesitant to go down this path without having time off work and some other therapy/medication to relieve the symptoms. I would recommend anyone considering this medication to avoid unless all other medications had failed - and I wish I had never started them in the first instance. | M | 31 | 1 years 50mg 1X day | 7/10/2010 | 3 | Depression | Moderate constipation, horrible withdrawal symptoms if one dose missed:nausea, blurred vision, headache,violent tendencies, itching all over | I started on Pristiq after lexapro quit working,after 7 years.After trying several other drugs with unbearable side effects, this one was great. Missing a dose is a nightmare though. I can't function at all until I take it. I get very sick.Now after being on it a year I've developed itching without a rash. Just itching like crazy. First my scalp then random places on my body.Allergy need help and anxiety or stress make it worse.I am also on generic lamictal for years,but never had that issue before taking Pristiq.I wish I could get off meds, but depression is too scary and powerful in my life.Single mom, need to keep it together.I still struggle emotionally even with meds. | F | 43 | 1 years 150 mg | 4/8/2015 | 3 | Depression/anxiety | Lost 20 pounds; feel terrific till I don't. | I was on EffexorXR since it came out as an XR. No major complaints--but, then I saw a poster in my doctor's office about having my DNA done to find out the best antidepressant for me. Turned out Pristiq was better for me--and after duking it out with my insurance company, they cover it. It seemed perfect--until I became hopelessly hooked on Pinterest--lamps and lighting...? I do have diagnosed OCD--apparently, Pristiq does nothing for that. Not sure if it actually exacerbates it--but I am completely unhinged about our decor, our lamps, our ceiling lights--I've even lost hours of sleep over needing a Lava Lamp--or looking up how to make one at home for nothing. My personal relationships are wonky, too. A friend with a lot of problems of her own became my project and I don't even like being with her--but I did more for her than I've done for just about anybody in my life. Then, she told me she didn't have time to be the friend I need right now--I have relived that moment and that text a million times--the sleep I've lost! Seems the only time I'm not thinking about this slight is when I am thinking about how to make the perfect coolie lampshade. No--that's not racist; it's a style. I can't say I'm depressed--just exhausted. I've got lampshades down though... | F | 67 | 1 years 25 1X day | 10/2/2022 | 2 | It makes me very nervous | F | 1 years | 1/7/2015 | 2 | depression | F | 46 | 1 years 50 mg 1X day | 6/21/2010 | 2 | Anxiety and depression | While taking Pristiq, I developed restless leg syndrome, indigestion (constant), nightmares on a regular basis, nausea, night sweats, insomnia, and constant cravings for sugar. | I have taken Pristiq for a little over a year. At first it did make me feel better and i did survive the situations that were causing me immense grief and stress at the time. So yeah, it helped. But I have to say that during the time I took it, I also developed major problems with my bowels including IBS and diverticulitis. Maybe it's a coincidence, but since going off my meds, both have improved drastically. Going off has been a nightmare. I am at one full week off and still experiencing dizziness, restless leg syndrome (and no I didn't have it before and don't take anything else to cause this), nausea, cravings for sugar. I have heart palpitations both with and without it now(yes, I've been checked and nothing shows up). I'm having severe cramping in my fingers and toes. And my arthritis seems to have doubled in intensity since I have begun to ween myself off of it. I have experienced a major weight gain although I have been trying to diet and exercise regularly so I fully believe the no weight gain is a lie. I can't say that I wouldn't take it again if recommended but I would have to seriously consider it as it doesn't seem that the side effects are worth it, or are the withdrawal side effects worth it. | F | 53 | 1 years 50mg 1X day | 7/31/2011 | 1 | Mild Depression/Mild Anxiety | memory loss, loss of motivation, increased thoughts of suicide, increased depression, disoriented, forgetful, sleeplessness | Overall I really feel this med set me back years in my stuff I was working on. Now that I have been off of it (and any other med) I am feeling like a recovering alcoholic with the work I have to do. | F | 37 | 1 years 50mg 1X day | 9/27/2011 | 1 | Depression/ADD | I talked to my doctor, described all the symptoms of ADD, and she put me on this anyways. Things stay EXACTLY the same, still depressed, still unable to focus. I demand to be treated for ADD, things get immensely better...I can focus and get things done for the first time in my life since I was a 3rd grader, but theres still this unnatural lack of energy plagueing me, and my weight keeps going up, despite weight-training, cardio and a healthy diet. I give thought that it might be the Pristiq, but am not too worried about it. Lethargy gets worse, insomnia gets worse, but I attribute the insomnia to the adderall, so I don't take it for a couple days...insomnia is still there. At this point I want to experiment with taking a small break from Pristiq...and am immediately thwarted by electric-zap feelings like my brain is a tesla coil, am incredibly irritable, dizzy, and nauseous...the VERY next day. I wasn't warned, and when I attempted to tell others about these withdrawl symptoms noone took me seriously, so I stayed on it. Well, I've been on it for over a year, and am now into week 2 of going off it, and the symptoms are. not. going. away. Everytime someone says "you should taper it with smaller doses" I feel like punching them, because there are no doses smaller than 50mg, and it's time-released, so you can't break it up. A major doctor from the company admits this drug is terrible, so why are we being prescribed this poison? Don't take it. | M | 25 | 1 years 100mg | 2/26/2012 | 1 | Depression / anxiety | Weight gain! 30lbs in one year. Nausea everyday, stomach cramps, extreme fatigue, aches and pains, teeth grinding, locked jaw, a feeling of not feeling or caring about anything, lethargy I just had a meeting with my doctor who could not explain why i have gained so much weight and am feeling ill all the time. With this information we are now working at slowly weaning me off this horrible drug. | F | 34 | 1 years | 5/17/2012 | 1 | Severe Depression | Severe exhaustion, loss of moods (i was like a zombie), loss of memory. | Took this my freshman year of college. Looking back, I have hardly any recollection of my freshman year. Bits and pieces come back to me, but it is nothing compared to the memory of my sophomore-senior years. I ended up going off it after a year. The medication was too much for me. I am on citalophram now and am doing much better! | F | 21 | 1 years 50 MG 1X day | 10/8/2012 | 1 | Depression | Huge huge weight gain, fogginess, exhaustion, horrendous dreams you name it I had it. All it did was contribute to my depression and feelings of lack of self worth. | I would not recommend this drug to my worst enemy. It is a shocker in every sense of the word. I ended up going off it "cold turkey". I just was not functioning when I absolutely had to. I have fibromyalgia so when the pain of that gets really high my serotonin levels plummet and depression sets in again so both my natural predisposition to depression and the fibromyalgia feed off each other so I need to be on anti-depressants permanently. Nothing much was working for me when I was home caring for my bed ridden dying father who I just absolutely adored. My Dr. changed my medication. He also managed to kill my father so I should not have expected he would do me any favours either. Pristiq nearly killed me as well. Just don't take it. There is plenty of other stuff out there which doesn't have the horrendous side effects of this piece of crap. | F | 60 | 1 years 1X day | 4/2/2013 | 5 | depression | Nothing notable | 50mg. of Pristiq has changed my life. My depression has been reduced 98%. Please give it a try. It may do the same for you. Good luck. Hang in there. (I have also been taking 300mg. Lamictal for many years, the big change did come about until I took pristiq.) | F | 41 | 1.5 years 50mg 1X day | 2/20/2011 | 3 | Depression | Hair loss, constipation, insomnia if taken at night, grogginess if taken in the morning, painful feet and hands (as if being beaten by wooden paddle), aching joints, night sweats, hot flashes, memory issues... | It did improve my depression which is why I have remained on it so long. Went through unbelievable withdrawals when trying to get off it; so bad that I started taking it again in just a few days without it. Am going to revisit getting off it with doctor. Perhaps someone knows of work-around to the wretched withdrawals of this medication. Would recommend if no other medication has worked and depression is SEVERE. | F | 43 | 1.5 years 50MG 1X day | 7/28/2010 | 5 | depression | Headaches when I'm withdrawing and when I take the pill at night I have difficulty waking up in the morning especially if I don't have to go to work. If I don't set my alarm I can easily sleep to noon. | Pristiq is my miracle drug, I just wish it wasn't so much money. Insurance doesn't cover much and there is no generic at this time. | F | 21 | 2 years 50MG 1X day | 8/20/2010 | 5 | depression | no side effects during the course of treatment | getting off of it..... WOW!! before i was taking effexor, and i had to seperate the capsules and if i took more than two beads out per week, i felt horrible. i finally after 5 months of getting off of that, started pristique. it is the same, but not as severe, but much harder to cut the dosage due to it being in tablet form. this may sound crazy, but to alieviate the brain buzz, just take psudophedrine. it cuts out the dizzy, fuzzy brain zapps!! dont know why it works, but it does!!! i just get the 12 or 24 hour dose so i dont have to take it every 4 hours.......try it!! | F | 44 | 2 years 50 mg 1X day | 3/4/2010 | 5 | Anxiety | I only experienced irritating side effects the first 2 weeks of commencing this medication. I was hesitant to take it because I was told that it takes atleast 2 weeks for the side effects to go away. The only problem I can really remember having was a little bit of difficulty swallowing. You have to give these things time to work! 7 days from the above post is not enough time . I had horrible panic attacks and general anxiety and now I feel normal again on the occasion I get anxious but just the same as every one on earth. Prestiq is brilliant although I do get night sweats I would take them any day over anxiety!! | F | 20 | 2 years 100mg | 8/6/2012 | 5 | Depression/anxiety | No side effects as long as I take it regularly. If I miss a few days or run out, I get angry very easily. | This medication saved my life. I went from taking all kinds of things- Zoloft, Prozac, lexapro, klonopin- you name it, I was on the max dosage. It turns out I just needed one simple thing. I cannot say enough good things about Pristiq. I also take Valium occasionally for anxiety, but Pristiq has saved me! | F | 25 | 2 years 150-200 | 1/8/2015 | 5 | major depression | None. | After 8 yrs. of trying many other antidepressants, this has given me my best results. Very pleased. | F | 56 | 2 years 50 mg | 12/12/2014 |