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 |
| 1 | situationl discouragmnt (job loss) | significant tingling at every pressure point when lying down; voice weakness; severe insomnia; delayed or non-existent orgasm; | This was a VERY bad drug for me. After I got off the drug, I successfully used a small amount (and short time) of Xanax. I believe that DEPRESSION/DISCOURAGEMENT IS BEING WAY, WAY OVERSOLD. I haven't taken any psych meds for a while now, and don't plan to! No one even mentions the possibility that reaction times and judgment are adversely impaired--yes, I'm talking about the increased risk of falls and motor vehicle deaths and injuries. Read about the Australian attitudes regarding psych meds for the elderly Stephen Lord, et al. Falls in the Elderly University of New South Wales--check it out on amazon. First thing they do is get the elderly OFF of all psych meds! | M | 55 | 21 days | 12/6/2005 | 1 | Depression | thirst, nausea, headaches, migraines, vivid dreams / nightmares, night sweats, insomnia, seeing things out of the corners of my eyes, brain shivers, intermittent short term memory loss, mild case of dyslexia every now and then, lethargy, no sex drive or pleasure, weight gain - 50lbs over 8 months -I seemed to gain no matter how much or little I ate. Blood pressure increase. Bloody stool for about a week in the beginning, and then none. Made me want to drink or is it just me? | WITHDRAWAL: Started tapering off 2.5 months ago from 225mg. After getting to 75mg, had to go back up to 112.5mg. HORRIBLE HORRIBLE SIDE EFFECTS. Withdrawal symptoms included: more severe migraines, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle pains, agitation, insomnia, brain shivers, dizziness, weird dreams, blurred vision, sleepy during certain hours of the day, fatigue/exhaustion for no reason. Sometimes irritable, sometimes want to cry. So much more - I am so tired of remembering. The smell of alcohol is nauseating now. I have missed over 6 weeks of work since I started tapering off. Please notice everything that happens to you that is unusual that you question. It is not your imagination - it is the stupid drug. Doctors need to educate themselves more about the effects of this drug on their patients, and Wyeth (the manufacturer) needs to be sued for not releasing adequate information upon releasing the drug onto the market. It may help you short term, but unless you plan on being a | F | 31 | 9 months | 12/6/2005 | 4 | major depression | Restless leg syndrome, akisthesia, memory loss, increased libido, weight gain. This drug is hard on me if I miss a dose: inability to stay awake, drugged feeling. I am afraid to ever go off this drug or any other SSRI. I stopped taking SSRI's during an illness and experienced severe withdrawal: constant vertigo, akisthesia, nausea, vomiting. I was never able to successfully stop taking SSRI's completely. | When I started this drug I was unable to care for myself, work or function normally. I had difficulty with speech and was unable to move about normally. In a short period of time, the uncontrollable crying, and paralyzing depression stopped, and I was able to return to work. I have been able to function, care for myself and work for two years now. Even with the way Effexor patched me up enough to work, I don't think I would take that very first SSRI pill four years ago (Celexa, then Lexapro). I have to take ativan at night to sleep because the Effexor makes me restless and sleepless. I also have noticeable memory loss. After two years, restless leg syndrome started, sometimes waking me out of a sound sleep with unconrollable muscle spasms. This medicine helped me a great deal, but at a high price. The pharmaceutical makers should warn strongly about the severe discontinuation syndrome (their word for withdrawal). And what are we doing to our brains in the long run I wonder. | F | 44 | 2 years | 12/5/2005 | 3 | Depression | -nausea -sleeplessness/waking up early and not able to fall back asleep -migraine headache --sweating | I am on Prozac and still experiencing some 'sadness/weepiness'. My Psychiatrist suggested I try combining the Prozac with another anti-depressant. On the 'low dose' (2 per day) of Effexor, I was fine...then, when the dose was increased to 4 per day, I experienced the above side effects. I will call my Doc today and tell him about this. Hopefully, he will keep me on the low dose, only. | F | 47 | 10 days | 12/5/2005 | 4 | Social Anxiety & Depression | Sometimes tired and dehydrated. Unable to achieve an orgasm. | Effexor has greatly improved my mood, and allowed me to see the world again without feeling anxious or depressed. Unfortunately the sexual trouble is extremely frustrating. | F | 19 | 6 months | 12/4/2005 | 3 | Severe Depression/Anxiety Disorder | A couple weird ones: very dry hands and feet and the ability to drink very large amounts of alcohol without getting sick or having a hangover. I don't know why and I couldn't before. | F | 16 | 3 years | 12/2/2005 | 4 | Depression | No appetite; weight loss (yippee!); sweaty palms; vivid dreams. | I'd tried Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Paxil and Prozac -- all with hellish side effects. The side effects with Effexor are tolerable; and I ACTUALLY FEEL BETTER! I've been happier that I can ever remember being. Thank GOODNESS something finally worked for me. | F | 44 | 3 weeks | 12/1/2005 | 3 | Depression | Side effects included sweats and hot flushes, vivid dreaming (neither good or bad), some weight gain, dry mouth and skin, difficulty in concentrating (feeling as though im detatched from my immedicate situation), severe tiredness. | F | 22 | 6 months | 11/29/2005 | 1 | Depression | Dizziness, nausea, acid reflux, inability to sleep | In trying to stop taking effexor (because it didn't help with my depression at all), I have been subject to horrible, excruciating side effects. Extreme dizziness, nausea, acid reflux leading to an inability to sleep and vomiting. I don't want to keep taking it, because it doesn't help, and makes me sick in new ways, but I can't stop taking it, because it makes me even sicker. Don't get stuck in this vicious cycle. | F | 25 | 2 months | 11/27/2005 | 5 | Major depression/Anxiety atttacks | Decreased appetite/weight loss (yeah!), Eye pain (I realized my pupils are dilated), blurred vision. dry mouth, constipation, mild twitching, some dizziness/loss of coordination. The strangest has been the sensation of dreaming while I'm awake. Somewhere between a hallucination, deja vu, and experiencing soemone elses memory. I really space out. Fortunately it seems to happen only when doing mundane tasks. Has anyone else had this? | Up till the daydreams, the side effects have been very tolerable. Effexor has been a lifesaver, got me back into life again, and the weight loss is fabulous. I don't know how to deal with the daydreams, though. | F | 30 | 2 months | 11/22/2005 | 1 | Sadness/Depression | Extreme insomnia and agitation. Feeling like I can't lie still in bed. | Who knows why I took this medicine? TERRIBLE. I had heard that the side effects were awful and said so to my doctor but he pushed it on me. For one week, I debated taking the first 37.5 mg capsule and finally did last night at 8:00 p.m. It's now 5:15 a.m. and I've gotten not one wink of sleep. Forget it. Instead, I will go to counseling to talk about all the loss and tragedy in my life rather than endure this hell. I have one question. Why is this drug still on the market? Thank you everyone for your posts. | F | 59 | 1 days | 11/18/2005 | 4 | depression | no side fffects unless I miss a dose. If I miss a dose I get irritable, headache, nausea and dizzy. | I have been on effexor for 2 years now and I am starting to doubt it.I haven't been In therapy for 9 months and have moved and must find a new one. I feel like medication is good but best when used with therapy. I am only on 75mg a day. I am curious to know how the people on 300mg feel.When I started I took 37.5mg twice a day and that was great. Maybe the 75mg is too low. I took 150mg once by mistake( forgot i took it already). I felt really tired and like I was a puddle.Has anyone ever had that happen? | F | 29 | 2 years | 11/15/2005 | 5 | Depression | Decreased sex drive, bad breath, headache | Effexor helps me a lot. I am becoming more independant. I feel free to expose what is in my mind including angers and happiness. I lost 10 lbs and am so enegetic. I had never felt this happy before. | F | 35 | 5 months | 11/9/2005 | 3 | depression | nausea, acne, weight gain. | went off this med and now am depressed again but gonna try something else. | F | 37 | 1.5 years | 11/3/2005 | 1 | Depression from Pulsatile Tinnitus | Clouded thinking. Heavy headed. Weight gain. Aches and pains in joints, almost flu-like. Very vivid, wake you up, can't go back to sleep dreams. Missed dose for two days and thought I would rather die. I could barely walk from the dizziness and nausea. After reading the postings on this site, I want off as soon as possible. | I am taking Effexor because I have had migraines for over twenty years and most anti-depressants make them worse. This one wasn't supposed to. Although it doesn't seem to bring on a migraine, all the side effects do. I thought I needed to up the dose because the depression was not improving. Doc said to take two pills at bedtime. OMG, when I woke up in the middle of the night, sweating, scared out of my mind because of a nightmare I couldn't remember, and clinging to my husband like a little child, I decided not to increase the dose. | F | 41 | 5 months | 10/30/2005 | 2 | Depression | Jaw Pain, brief thoughts of suicide, don't care attitude, nausea, constipation, no decrease in depression, vivid dreams although not nightmares | F | 45 | 6 weeks | 10/28/2005 | 5 | Depression and anxiety | The only major side effects are when I miss a dose!! I feel very dizzy, nausea, headache, etc. I also have gained 20 lbs since i have been on effexor and I have also recently had problems with acne | Overall, effexor has helped me tremendously, and I feel a lot happier and less irratible. | F | 26 | 1 years | 10/21/2005 | 4 | depression | nausea. watery mouth | gave me lots of energy and helped me find a happy side to daily life | F | 44 | 7 days | 10/20/2005 | 1 | Depression & Anxiety | I forgot to mention dry mouth, hot flashes, and trouble thinking and driving. | F | 27 | 6 days | 10/18/2005 | 1 | Depression & Anxiety | Dizziness, extreme headaches and nausea, difficulty going to the restroom, loss of appetite, sleeping all day, feeling more depressed, flu-like symptoms, delayed or non-existent orgasm. | I was told the side effects would go away in a week, and I can't take it anymore. I'd rather be depressed than feel like I want to die from all these ailments. | F | 27 | 6 days | 10/18/2005 |