EFFEXOR Reviews (VENLAFAXINE HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 3.0 (925 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare EFFEXOR with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Date added. 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 |
More on EFFEXOR: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR EFFEXOR | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | Anxiety | The usual in the beginning (anxious, fatigue, "buzzy", naseous). | This is the third time in three years I've been on Effexor. The initial side effects are brutal, but after 5 to 7 days, they subside and I get my life back. I notice an improvement almost right away. After a month or so, I can honestly say that I have no side effects other than vivid dreams. The drug definetely improves my anxiety and helps me get a complete night of sleep. This time around, I don't plan on going off, but just to maintain a daily dose of 37.5 - 75mg for "maintenace". Probably my biggest complaint is trying to understand why I require a pill to manange my life.... | M | 35 | 3 times | 6/15/2008 | 5 | depression | Tracers or "brain dizziness" if dose missed, twitching in first month, weight loss | Has worked very well for me. Was on several different "drug cocktails" for 5 years prior. This was the only one that took away the feeling that I was walking through cotton batting all day. Weight loss side effect was good because my depression caused weight gain. Easier to get up in morning. I am on a high dose now (225 mg), but noticed a major improvement in mood within 2 weeks of 75 mg. Regarding stopping: I noticed there were some irrational comments about fearing withdrawl symptoms on this site. Please people, take the advice of your doctor and taper off slowly over a long peroid of time. | F | 31 | 3 years | 6/14/2008 | 5 | clinical depression | Euphoria | It's a wonder drug. Over the last 20 years I've taken Elavil, Zoloft & Wellbutrin for depression and have steadily sunk deeper & deeper into my depression. I read that the generic Welbutrin I was taking (150mg x 2 daily) tested as being only 30% the brand-name strength, so I was weaning myself off when my sister got sick with cancer. I knew I'd need help getting through her illness and asked my doctor for something new. She prescribed Effexor and it's changed my life for the better. I've lost 10 lbs, even though I took Provera for 30 days while on the Effexor. I have lots of energy and have notice no negative side effects, except I haven't been able to express my deep sorrow when I lost my sister....but I also didn't sink into despondency when I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. It's a miracle drug. | F | 51 | 3 months | 6/11/2008 | 3 | depression | The drug did help my depression but maybe this effect would have happened without effexor. I've been on effexor for 4 years and went off cold turkey 9 days ago. I had cut down to 37.5 mg but still had horrible withdrawal which has been described extensively by others. I know it may take at least a month for these awful side effects to go away, but my body is telling me to stop taking this drug. Also, I have stopped taking this by consulting my physician and she is keeping close tabs on my progress. She suggested taking smaller and less frequent doses but I've gotten this far without it. | I have always wondered why people in other countries are not on antidepressants at the rate in the US. I'm beginning to think it is because we do not know what real problems are and personally, I'm going to get off my fat ass and begin to exercise regularly, eat healthy, and appreciate life and the good things around me. I do believe there is a thing as clinical depression, my family has a long history of the disease. If I get the blues again if my new life style changes does not work, I will consider anti depressants again but not effexor. Too many side effects if you miss a dose or want to quit the drug. | F | 51 | 4 years | 6/9/2008 | 2 | DEPRESSION | SWEATING AND INCONSISTENT SLEEP PATTERNS WHILE TAKING----- HORRIBLE BRAIN ZAPS, FLU SYMPTOMS, DIZZINESS WHEN TRIED TO COME OFF | DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG!!! ALTHOUGH IT IMPROVED MY DEPESSION SYMPTOMS BY ABOUT 25%, IF YOU MISS A DAY, YOU'LL REGERET IT THE NEXT- I HAVE TAKEN 4 OTHER SSRI'S / SNRI AND THIS (AND EFFEXOR) ARE THE WORST TO COME OFF OF- I HAVE TRIED TWICE AND COULDNT, SOME PEOPLE NEVER CAN COME OFF- | M | 30 | 4 months | 6/7/2008 | 5 | OCD / Anxiety | Dry mouth, increased appetite, slight increase in sweating at the highest dose I was on (225 mg). I was tired the first 2 weeks and then that went away completely. | I love effexor. It is not perfect, but I have tried every antidepressant as well as Lamictal and Topamax - you name it. I've tried lots of combinations of medications too and effexor is the best one for me so far. I take 150 mg a day, along with 300 mg wellburtin and 36 mg concerta. The wellbutrin and concerta offset some of the side effects. Overall this combo has changed my life for the better in an enormous way. | F | 33 | 6 years | 6/3/2008 | 1 | depression | didn't alleviate my depression; was on it for a few months a couple of years ago and once realized it wasn't helping tried to discontinue taking it. withdrawl effects were unbearable, do not take this medication! | F | 36 | 90 days | 5/29/2008 | 1 | Anxiety | weight gain, no sex drive, acne | Was researching the withdrawal side effects when I found this site. Even though I tapered off, having been off the drug for two days now and I feel like I have the flu with vomiting and upset stomach. This is terrible, I would not advise anyone to take this medicene. When I discussed the weight gain with my dr. she said it couldn't be the effexor...but now after reading all the comments I know it was. Can anyone tell me if the weight comes off after being off the medication. | F | 46 | 2 years | 5/29/2008 | 1 | Mild Depresson | Headaches, constipatin, vivid dreams,yawning,dizziness, and runny nose and eyes, troble getting to sleep,fierce sweats and feeling generally crap.. | Do not take this drug ! I am going to wean myself off it from tommorow.It appears side effects are horrific | F | 52 | 10 days | 5/27/2008 | 2 | ANXIETY | WHILE GETTING OFF THE EFFEXOR WHICH IS NOW RIGHT AROUND THE 4TH DAY I AM HAVING EXTREME SHOCKS/ZAPS THROUGHOUT THE DAY. ITS LITTERALLY LIKE TOUCHING AN ELECTRIC FENCE | NOT MUCH HELP, MADE ME TIRED AND I DIDNT WANT TO DO ANYTHING OR GO ANYWHERE | F | 38 | 3 months | 5/9/2008 | 3 | Depression | Dry mouth, constipation, and mental "fogginess". | Eventually acquired an allergic reaction to it. DO NOT ever abruptly stop taking Effexor as the withdrawal symptoms are horrible. I have since switched to Lexapro and tolerate it much better. It moderately decreases hot flashes too. | F | 51 | 5 years | 5/6/2008 | 2 | Depression | Nausea, dizziness, dilated pupils, tingling, hot & cold sweats, being spaced out, confusion, memory loss, inappropriate behaviour | I reacted very severely to the 2 tablets of Effexor that I took. I took my first (75mg/day) with lunch straight after the doctor gave them to me, then went back to work. Bad move. I was overcome with dizziness, nausea, hot & cold sweats, and I felt like I'd taken a strong ecstasy tablet only without the elation. I was very spaced out staring at the computer screen unable to work. Someone spoke to me and I couldn't understand them, and I just giggled. At that point I decided I should leave work before I embarrassed myself further. I don't remember driving home. The effects took hours to wear off. I was told to take another next morning, which I did very early, hoping that the worst would wear off before I had to drive to work. Wrong again. I was still sick at 11.30am, and felt (and looked, according to my housemate) completely drugged off my head. I had to shower and change my saturated clothes 4 times. I saw the doc that afternoon (after forgetting where I was driving to and then | F | 36 | 2 days | 5/6/2008 | 4 | menopause symptoms | In the beginning very little side effects...now more often restless legs, urge to clench teeth, yawning, inside tremors, sweating, weight gain | Effexor has helped my mood swings 110%! | F | 53 | 4 years | 5/5/2008 | 4 | Depression | Significant weight gain, massive sweating, increased blood pressure | Wow. Thanks to all who have posted here. Been on Effexor for 6 months, (75mg, taken in morning with food) and trying to make crucial decisions about continuing and doing research for conversation with Doctor and therapist. First good news. Changed my life mostly for the better through increased energy, positive dealings with depression, and near end of all suicidal ideations (thoughts, not plans or action). Entire outlook on work, getting things done, lethargy, sloth, woe-is-me is all mostly gone. combined with Ambien, a life of insomnia is virtually cured. waking up early is a wish I've longed for my entire life, and now it happens. If I try to sleep in too long, ironically, I get those crazy dreams I'm reading a lot about here. The dreams are bizarre, and at times disturbing, but if I get my ass out of bed, when I awake naturally, (and a kitten's wet nose helping) they don't happen during the normal nighttime hours. Ambien is 20mg, taken around 9pm, reliably asleep within 2 hours. I | M | 42 | 6 months | 5/4/2008 | 1 | Insomnia caused by depression | Nothing worth noting except lowered sex drive and perhaps 10 lbs more weight. | Getting off was a problem. I used only 75 mg, and it took three weeks to withdraw. I opened the capsule and took out increasing numbers of grains till I got to zero. For two weeks, I did it in a stair-step fashion: lower the dose by 20 grains, stay at that dose for two or three days, and then lower the dose by another 20 grains. For the last week, I lowered the dose 20 grains per day. | M | 61 | 15 months | 4/29/2008 | 2 | GAD | weight gain, sweating, fatigue, no energy | Effexor has helped manage my anxiety somewhat. However, I'm too young to constantly feel exhausted. I'm also heavier than I want to be, because my appetite has increased significantly. I've also become more anry and tend to feel numb about everything. I am slowing withdrawing from this medication, but experiencing tingles, fogginess, nervousness, and vivd dreams. I wish I never took this medication!!! | F | 26 | 2.5 years | 4/21/2008 | 3 | depression | weight gain, restless legs, irregular sleep patterns, apathy | i'd taken effexor before, in college. it was at the end of a long list of anti-depressants that i had tried and i think i settled for it out of frustration and exhaustion. it did help though, just enough to help me get by. when depression crept back up last year i decided to go with effexor because i knew it would help even if it wasn't a miracle drug. i don't know that the side effects are worth the small relief from depression, especially the 20lb weight gain, which just adds to the problem. what's worse is not really feeling like myself...apathetic, lazy and lethargic, mood swings...etc. i know depression is a chemical imbalance and requires medication to correct but so far, medicine has made things worse. | F | 27 | 2 years | 4/12/2008 | 1 | Bi-polar disorder | Where do I start? My face swelled, agitation, sleeplessness, hallucinations, heart issues, HIGH blood pressure higher than I've EVER had it, no dreams... | I always felt like I was in someone elses' body. I didn't feel like myself. I'd look at myself in the mirror and see pictures of myself and feel like I couldn't recognize who that was. I felt like I was going crazier. I also developed high blood pressure which I had never had, and when I had an EKG, the Dr. couldn't tell what the hell was going on. I had constant chest pains. Withdrawal was hell, but my new doctor was great, and cut my dose down, and I took it slowly, and am now off of Effexor. But I still suffer from really mild hallucinations. | F | 31 | 6 months | 4/9/2008 | 4 | Bi-Polar | Heavy night sweats, weight gain (15 - 30 lbs?) Its hard to know if the weight gain is really med related or just from getting older. Not sure I know what a "normal" sex frive is anymore, but its likely that effexor lowers mine as well. | I have been diagnosed bi-polar for well over 20 years and have been on meds for almost 20. For me its a brain chemistry thing - it is not going to go away, I will never not be taking meds, so I guess I dont think about the potential "withdrawal" symptoms. I dont remeber exactly when I switched over to effexor...number of years is really a guess. Currently on 450mg/day. Works well to prevent major cycles. I still have minor spells (mania as well) but I prefer to under medicate and work with my psychiatrist to do so. Have been on a number of others in the past, Wellbutrin, Zoloft, Paxil, Przac etc...everything works different for everyone. Prozac did a good job for me (maybe better than effexor) but started losing its efficacy after about 8 years (also had worse sexual disinterest impact), regardless of what we did with the dosage. If you have concerns about effexor, it could be useful to find a psych whose specialty is neuropharmacology - this is especially true i | F | 37 | 6 years | 4/7/2008 | 4 | anxiety, depression | nausea, insomnia, twitching | I never knew how much I struggled with anxiety until I started this medication. For me, the side effects (although bothersome) are worth it for what this medication has done for me. I found it easier to avoid the nausea if I take it before bedtime and eat breakfast first thing in the morning. I have to take Ambien most nights to get to sleep. Twitching is strange, but not really bothersome, only notice it when I am relaxing. Overall, I am very pleased with how this drug has helped me feel at peace finally and able to work through my anxieties. | F | 43 | 4 months | 4/6/2008 |