Reviews for EFFEXOR XR55 ratings: (taken because of OCD)Edit Filter | Clear FilterCompare EFFEXOR XR with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
|
Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) |
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR EFFEXOR XR | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 3 | Anxiety and OCD | Difficulty concentrating and sleeping. Increased my desire for alcohol. Decreased my sex drive. | I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and attention deficit disorder. I tried many different medications, and for all of its side effects, Effexor works best for me. I cannot take some generic versions, which is unfortunate. Withdrawals are indeed a living hell. | F | 52 | 10 years 75 mg 1X day | 6/3/2021 | 1 | Depression, anxiety, ocd | severe nausea, shaking, extreme dizziness, vertigo, increased anxiety, extremely vivid dreams, nightmares, sex dreams, very hard to wake up, headache, difficulty sleeping, worsening memory, hard to think, brain zaps (feels like a shock running through your head) | I’ve heard that it works miracles for some, but that was NOT the case for me. If you are thinking about taking it, research and know what you’re getting into. It was extremely difficult to ween off of, even when I was down to taking a few little beads from the capsule at a time for months and months.The side and withdrawal effects were absolutely miserable, and I feel like it did something permanent to my brain. I had to use a Prozac “bridge” to get off because it was too difficult alone. My memory is horrible now and I shiver from anxiety when I never did before, and I’ve been off of it for about a year. Did not seem to help my anxiety or depression at all. If I was even thirty minutes late taking it, I would feel horribly sick and shaky for hours. It would make me so dizzy that I had to hold onto things to walk around at work. The symptoms were there even when I wasn’t late taking it, but much more severe if I was. | F | 21 | 1 years 150 mg | 8/10/2020 | 5 | OCD, Anxiety Depression | Definitely hurts sex drive, first few days makes my concentration weird and fuzzy almost, can cause some nausea and tends to make me extremely tired/sleepy... | I can say with 100% certainty that Effexor XR has saved my life more than once. I have terrible OCD/Anxiety with some bad depression and Effexor handles both nicely. Anyone who tells you Effexor is not addicting though is lying...I can say Effexor is an addicting drug more so than even benzos, and that is a bold statement. It's more psychologically addicting. I've done both over the years and while I could get away from benzos, the psychological/physical need for Effexor hangs around, I'm certain my brain requires Effexor to function properly now....So be warned that Effexor is a drug you might become addicted to, I know I am. | M | 35 | 8 years 150-300mg 1X day | 12/2/2017 | 5 | OCD, Social Anxiety, Asperger's | Startup side effects (experienced during the first week and when escalating dose) : Nausea, loss of appetite, yawning (but not tired), getting songs stuck in your head, feeling odd, insomnia (it's a bit stimulating at first), night sweats, vivid dreams, dilated pupils, ejaculation delay. Continued side effects: ejaculation delay, slight daytime lethargy, and emotional "hardening". Other than that, you don't feel like you are on anything. | Effexor XR has been generally great. It's a medication I can't do without. I've gotten off it successfully twice (slow downward dose titration over a month or two) but my symptoms return. The only thing I don't really care for is the ejaculation delay. This is has been one of the primary reasons for me trying to get off of it. It's not all terrible however. When I reach orgasm it is very intense and it's VERY productive....The sexual dysfunction is dose-dependant and I'd be unwilling to go on a higher dose even though my partner is understanding. It has no effect on libido or erections for me, it just takes longer to finish. It has been great otherwise. It's way better than the Lexapro/Cipralex I was on. I'm happy and can deal with stressors. My obsessive thoughts stop and are replaced with logical deductions. It has made me into the optimistic realist I knew myself to be. I have improved so much on this medication. I've gone back to school to study my passion and finally got the balls to come out as gay to my family and friends. The only issue is that I've started defining who I am while on the medication. It has therefore been hard to come off it for long periods of time because I start loosing my built-up ideal self. I hate being dependant on a substance but I may have to make an exception for Effexor. My anxiety and OCD rear their ugly heads when I'm off it. I need to make peace with my situation. | M | 25 | 2 years 150 mg 1X day | 2/17/2015 Patient History | 5 | OCD & Anxiety | I started taking Effexor for my intrustive thoughts (OCD) and generalized anxiety. After trying multiple medications this one seems to be the best so far!! Getting adjusted to the med wasn't easy, but my patience has paid off. It has helped significantly with my anxiety and intrusive obsessive thoughts. Obviously I still get bothered by them a couple times a day, but that's much better then every 4 or 5 mins. Unlike others I'm actually losing weight, which is great considering Celexa made me gain 20 lbs in just two months. I feel clear headed which hasnt happened with any of the SSRIs I've tried. Although when I first started this drug I often felt high or out of it. I was worried about sexual side effects, but it hasn't been that bad. I'm just not as horny as I was before, which isn't a bad thing. Don't let bad reviews keep you from trying SSRIs or SNRIs each person reacts differently and it usually takes a couple med changes to find the right one for you. It's truly saved my life, and made it comparable to life prior to my OCD onset. | M | 24 | 3 months 75 | 6/14/2012 | 5 | anxiety and ocd | difficulty losing weight, more frequent breakouts, some sexual side effects | I give this drug a 5, not because it is perfect but because it has radically changed my life for the better. I've tried various antidepressants over the years and other drugs and I always come back to effexor. It really reduces my anxiety dramatically with minimal side effects. I do have to watch what I eat when I'm on it but I haven't gained massive amounts of weight like I did on other drugs. I've also had to go off and on it a few times (when getting pregnant, etc.) and though it is hard to come down off from it, it's not that big of a deal if you just reduce it slowly, take benedryl the last few days and sleep a lot. Any side effects are really not a big deal in light of how much it helps me in my life. I have no idea how people with anxiety survived before these drugs were invented. Effexor has dramatically changed my life for the better. | F | 37 | 10 years 75 mg 1X day | 3/21/2012 | 1 | Anxiety and OCD | Increased irritability, overreacting to everything (couldn't control it), insomnia, excessive crying, headache. | My doctor took me off after only two days because it was so bad for me. I would not suggest it, but remember that everyone has different reactions to drugs. I was also just diagnosed as bipolar which could explain my extremely bad reaction. | F | 20 | 2 days 37.5mg 1X day | 4/25/2011 | 1 | Depression and OCD | I tried to overdose on 1375mg of this drug. | F | 16 | 1X day | 12/5/2010 | 3 | Depression/OCD | Nausea, staring into space, delayed orgasm, increased anxiety at times | Good for OCD and anxiety but really didn't help with depression so my pdoc switched me back to paxil with no taper. Even after taking for just 30 days the withdrawal was really significant. I felt like I was a having a really bad allergic reaction, but after resuming at 37.5 felt fine. | M | 38 | 30 days 75mg 1X day | 7/2/2010 | 2 | Depression/buliuma/ocd/anxiety | Low sex drive/cloudy head/unable to lose weight. | I have been completely off of Effexor for about 2 weeks now. It has been a nightmare. I would like to say to people that are thinking about taking this med. to really look at the side effects of withdrawal. for some it is different. but it has been a nightmare for me. this drug didnt really work that well for me to come off this hard. it feels like someone else is in your body. feels like you have the flu x 100 constantly for 2 weeks now I cant work, cant go to school, can't function. I have tried to take vitamins. omega 3 6 and 9..nothing is working to make me feel better you honestly feel like a walking zombie. My hair has been falling out, my under eyes are so black from being so weak. my body feels like jello. I will never ever recommend this drug to anyone..let alone take effexor again. knowing what i know now..i would have never ever put this into my body. | F | 25 | 6 years 300 mg 1X day | 2/26/2010 | 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 | Depression, OCD, PTS | Shaking, Irritable, Energy, later fatigue, constipation, anxiousness, anxiety attacks, craving sweets, flu like symptoms, ear ache, weak, as if my heart was overly stressed if I done the least little thing | My experience with effexor has been a mess. I'd have days on 75 mg 1 a day that I'd wake up early and be n a cleaning jolly mood until someone else stepped n that space whether by phone or n person. Well except for my boyfriend. But by the end of the day I'd b tired and easliy irritated. I was also on 200 mg wellbutrin sr 2x day. My pshyc. Lowered my wellbutrin to 150 mg 2x day after one mth of the 400 mg my regular doc had prescribed and raised my effexor xr to 225 mg a day 3 75mg pills n the morning. Things ain't so good. Can't tolerate much. My man touching me, my child talking in a loud tone, or someone even just interrupting me with myself time which I want all the time it seems. Think I'm gonna call my pshyc. Monday before I hurt someone, myself, or just their feelings | F | 28 | 1.5 months | 12/6/2009 | 3 | Depression, anxiety, OCD | Absolutely no motivation and can sleep all day, weight gain, sweats, very weird dreams, weight gain, can’t remember nothing, weight gain, don’t know if I dreamt something or it really happened and did I mention WEIGHT GAIN! I gained a total of 50 lbs in the last 4 years on anti-depressants. | I am sooo confused.. These meds are made to make you feel better. In the beginning you start to feel better, but I wonder if it’s just a mind game. In the August of 2005, my life changed right before my eyes. I tried to kill myself because I could not handle everything. My husband and I decided I should get back on anti-depressants. It had been quite some years that I had taken them. I got on Zoloft and in time was up to 150mg. I felt better, but the weight gain was killing me. OK, now I don’t feel better, at least I think I do, but the way my body looks, makes me want to jump off a bridge and kill myself. Now I am right back where I started from. After time, I was tired of the weight gain and didn’t feel like the Zoloft was working for me anymore. I went to the Dr. and he switched me to Effexor XR. In no time, I was up to 150mg. Today, I have not lost any weight, just gained. AND to tell you the truth, I guess I really don’t feel any better, cause I am depressed about the way I look. I weigh more now, than when I was 9 mon. pregnant. I cry for everything. My family and I feel like now is my time to get off ALL anti- depressants. I hope with the LORD, my husband & family in my corner along with exercise, I will be able to beat these awful withdrawals everyone is talking about. I can’t be any more depressed off than I am on them, especially being FAT! Wish me luck.. | F | 33 | 2 years | 7/9/2009 | 2 | Depression, anxiety, bulimia,ocd. | Teeth grinding, extreme fatigue, lack of motivation, 'angry face',thoughts of self loathing and self harm. | When i first started taking this medication two years ago i cut my arms with a razor and now have permanent and embarassing scars all over my arms. I went off this medication and back on it a year later i felt very energetic and was constantly going to the gym. Now for some reason i feel like shit i cannot get out of bed in the morning all i think about is how much i hate myself i cannot feel any emotion other than anger my face is always looking miserable without me even realising is like i have a permanent 'i want to kill you' look in my eyes. I find it hard to muster up the energy and motivation to get dressed after ive gotten out of the shower its like im in slo mo all the time. I take 300mg a day i think i want to go back on zoloft that worked well for me. | F | 24 | | 6/23/2009 | 4 | anxiety, ocd | well, side effect wise, not all that bad. Sweating, high blood pressure, and somewhat agitated. also shaking bad after alchohol, for days that is. When i withdrawled the first time i cold turkyed it. it wasnt that bad, brain zaps mostly, but you people need to realize, NOT everyone gets the withdrawls, most people that come off it fine dont get on here to post how there withdrawl was ok, only people that complain do. | Well, for all the ad's ive taken, i think this one has helped the most. i enjoy the decrease of anxiety that effexor has, compared to say zoloft, which zombied me, or generally just not giving a damn about anything. Im currently in the airforce so i have to deal with alot of things, and effexor has helped with that, so im generally really happy ^^. really i dont have much to say,sorry for all the people that have bad withdrawal symptoms, but it worked for me ^^ email me if you have any questions. | M | 21 | 9 months | 4/17/2009 | 4 | OCD, GAD, TTC | In the beginning: stomach upset, slight dull headache, some blurry vision and seeing "tracers" especially at night, constant yawning. Six years later: none unless I forget to take it. | I've been on Effexor XR for more than 6 years now and overall it's probably helped me 60-70%. I go through phases of doing good, and then not so good. Diet, exercise and taking the time to relax play major roles in how well I'm doing. I also take klonopin 2-3 times a week when I feel overwhelmed. Other drugs I've tried are Zoloft which made me extremely agitated and Luvox that I couldn't stay on long enough to see if it worked or not because I couldn't get past the headaches and nausea. I was on a tricyclic at one point with the Effexor and it made me feel like I was really crazy (very scary). I'm at 225mg/day and I'd like to wean down because of the side effects from not taking it but my doc says this isn't necessary and it's probably just part of my OCD that I'm worrying about being on the meds in the first place. I wish they'd figure out what causes OCD already, or at least how these meds work. I feel like a guinea pig that no one can help sometimes!!! I know the things I do don't make any sense, I just don't understand what's wrong with me. | F | 34 | 6 years | 3/23/2009 | 5 | Major Depression and OCD/OCPD | I have been on Effexor XR for 11 months. I am currently taking 300mg. Every time the does increased, for 1-4 days I had the shakes, trembeling, sudden crying, facial ticks, extreme edginess, anger, weird concentration, heart/chest pains. Then they would go and I'd feel good. I am wondering if the current dose is a little high for me because I find I have become really nonchalant and carefree socially - unlike I've ever been. My movement is a little "stupid" at times, much more expressive, a little overly-relaxed, and I say what is on my mind more often without thinking (unlike before). At times, its like feeling drunk, without being drunk, and people don't get my sudden "out-there", openness. | I've lost my obessiveness. I suddenly allow people in my house and can relax (never did this before). I suddenly started having sex (after being celebate for 16 yrs) (TRUE! - DEPRESSING, I KNOW!), and suddenly don't get nervous around other people (like men, work collegues, etc). I hate and resent taking a drug to feel happy, I worry about long term side effects, but it made me able to deal with other (difficult) people in this world better without taking it out on myself. My depression is almost gone. My life has improved. Effexor has been good to me. In saying that, I also actively changed things in my life (changed jobs) and didn't just rely on the drug to get rid of the depression. The drug has helped though. | F | 34 | 11 months | 2/15/2009 | 1 | anxiety, ocd & to balance 2nd RX | Severe hot flashes all day & night. Weight gain, enough worth mentioning. Please read about it's withdraw effects and research why this drug has been banned form several countries. | Effexor was given to me to combat the se's (side effects) of another med I was taking for OCD. The Effexor continued as each time I tried to come off I feel very sick, and crazy!If Effexor helps your symptoms it may be worth taking but you must keep taking it, forever. The withdraw effects are killer and I would do anything to keep another person from going through what I did. I stopped after linking the hot flashes to the Efx in seeing another doctor who helped people "come off" of Effexor. I followed a very long weening schedule that took 3 months & still the withdraw effects were intolerable & could have cost me my family.I was full of anger, rage & sadness. I was stuck,the SE's were to much to stand but the withdraw was even worse (that's why the 3 years). This drug has been banned from many countries, question that! BEFORE you take Effexor please drill your Dr. on the withdraw effects and see if there is an alt. drug for your condition. I have hear that comin | F | 34 | 3 years | 2/10/2009 | 1 | ppd, panic, ocd pure-o | dizziness, weight gain, lack of sex drive, flattness in emotions, suicidal ideation, little anxiety while taking it, felt like it wasn't me inside my body, couldn't eat certain foods like creams or msg, absolutely no alcohol (learned that the hard way), withdrawal was hell on earth | The withdrawl was hell. i was dizzy and had vertigo and extreme panic attacks and crying spells for a week straight. I was having the same symptoms that put me on the stuff. However, been off of it for almost two years...I think it has lasting side effects (for months after withdrawal), I still have the anxiety disorder, but completely changed my life with great success. My periods are when the anxiety peaks. I am going to a homeopathic doctor next month to rule out food or environmental causes. Effexor only delayed the disorder and fixed the symptoms, not the cause of the disorder. | F | 28 | 5 months | 1/12/2009 | 5 | axiety, OCD, panic attacks | I was a little manic at first and I dont feel hungry anymore, I guess it's because it controls my axiety. But ih helped me to feel less edgy. | Effexor has been great for me so far, I was suffering from PPD, my life was dark and my problems seemed to be way worst that they really were. Effexor helped me realized that it was just my mind. My OCD is more managable now, I dont go around freaking out and fixing things and cleanning around the house and I no longer haver paranoia. I also sleep better and have more energy to do things. I have been on lexapro before and so far I like effexor better because although lexapro worked for me effexor gives me much more evergy. I'm affraid of the withdrown side effects but every medication will have that. I got into a conclusion that I cannot live without medication anymore and it's just a fact. | M | 2 weeks | 12/17/2008 |
EFFEXOR XR (VENLAFAXINE HYDROCHLORIDE): Venlafaxine is used to treat depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and social anxiety disorder (social phobia). It may improve your mood and energy level and may help restore your interest in daily living. It may also decrease fear, anxiety, unwanted thoughts, and the number of panic attacks. Venlafaxine is known as a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). It works by helping to restore the balance of certain natural substances (serotonin and norepinephrine) in the brain. (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA) FDA Approval Date: 1997-10-20