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 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 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 |
RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR EFFEXOR XR | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
1 | anxiety | Dry mouth, restless legs, fatigue and drowsiness. The worst part of about this drug is it eventually did nothing for my anxiety, and when I tried to discontinue it several times, I had rebound anxiety so bad I had to go back on it to relieve it. This was a vicious cycle that went on all four years. | I would not recommend taking this drug or any SSRIs. They do not work and they are addictive, no matter what your doctor says. You will get hooked on them as bad as heroin or cocaine. It will be impossible to ever stop them. They cause brain damage like short term memory loss and dementia. All the SSRIs are bad. Don't ever start them. | F | 53 | 4 years 75 mg 1X day | 1/13/2013 | 3 | Depression | Weight gain, emotional numbness, muscles sore, constipation, Restless Legs, do not even THINK about sex and memory loss that made me think I was getting dementia ( that runs in my family). | I asked my Dr. to take me off effexor because of memory loss. He told me to take 1/2 tablet (75mg) for 2 weeks; then 1/4 tablet (37.5mg) for 2 weeks then 1/4 tab every other day for 2 weeks. I could not tolerate the every other day because of the "brain zaps" so I took 1/8 tab (18.75mg) daily for 2 weeks. I then stopped taking any amount and the brain zaps increased and I was a crying, sobbing mess! I cried at everything and at nothing! So...I am taking 1/16 tab (9.375mg) and it has stopped the brain zaps and minimized the crying spells. This is RIDICULOUS!!! Will I ever get off this stuff??? | F | 65 | 8 years 150 MB 1X day | 1/6/2013 | 1 | Depression,anxiety | gained a lot of weight. I didn't wan't to miss a dose because withdrawl starts right away. | I didn't realize I was gaining so much weight. It just started slowly coming on and before I knew it 3 years later I had gained about 30 plus lbs. I suggest trying almost anything before this, and if you do go on this drug be prepared for a living hell getting off of it. There have been a few that had minimal issues getting off of it but the majority including myself wen't through a special effexor version of hell. That possibility is my warning to anyone who wants to give it a try. Keep in mind the websites by the drug makers of effexor gloss this truth over. So look into it well before taking it because I sure didn't. Weaned myself off very slowly because I just wasn't getting enough good out of it and it was unpleasant if I was late taking my next dose or if I missed it for some reason. this is one med that you better not miss getting a perscription filled for. Finally got off this pill and lost 30 lbs over about a year without even trying. | F | 37 | 3 years 75 1X day | 12/21/2012 | 1 | Depression and intrusive thoughts | Heart palpitations (beat at 140bpm) whole body numbness and weakness (couldnt lift my arms or walk without help) whole body tingling/burning, couldn't breathe or speak, felt like I was dying. Ended up in hospital. Stopped on day 5 and all symptoms went away. Do not take this drug!!!!!! | F | 21 | 4 days 37.5mg | 12/18/2012 | 3 | Depression | Stimulation, Restless leg, tingling in legs and feet, nausea, Dizziness, mood swings, suicidal thoughts, aggression. | M | 20 | 30 days 37.5MG 2X day | 12/6/2012 | 3 | anxiety | After beginning i had terrible nausea,sweating profusely,constipation,lack of sex drive. Trying to wean off now and my brain feels like its on a rollercoaster,im so irritable i feel horrible. This is my 2nd time on effexor xr and there Will NOT be a 3rd!! effexor xr and there willNOT | F | 29 | 2 years 75 mg | 11/24/2012 | 1 | Social Anxiety | Debilitating knee pain (permanent), increased joint pain, bone pain, chest/heart pain, rapid heart beat, sweating, exhaustion & insomnia despite exhaustion, confusion & impaired cognitive function, increased anxiety. | This drug caused permanent knee pain so severe that I can barely walk now about a year later just from the lowest dose taken for only two weeks. This drug is poison to most males, although it seems it works okay for females. If you are male do not take this drug! Instead take a benzo like klonopin for anxiety or if you have pain take something that is less experimental like vicoden or percocet. | M | 24 | 2 weeks 37.5 1X day | 11/7/2012 | 1 | Panic Disorder, GAD, PTSD | Nausea, heavy heart beat, weakness, abdominal pain24/7 bloating, lightheaded24/7, shallow breathing,blurred vision24/7, increased thurst, servere sweating (expecially when nervious) ie: makeup would come off within minutes of putting it on. nightsweats (soking the sheets) chronic constapaion for (1.5 years) developed Tinitus too. | Worst thing I have ever done!! It had affected every area of my life. Could not do 'normal' everyday life easily, as was ALWAYS PHYSICALLY ILL! Felt 85 not 25! I agree with the RN nurse above. Do not try this drug unless you have been chronic(years) and have try natural methods first (NO SIDEEFFECTS) The way God intened to help this. | F | 27 | 3 years 75mg - 225 1X day | 11/6/2012 | 5 | Major Clinical Depression | Have taken for 13 years and is the only drug that has sent my depression into complete remission with the help of lamotrogine which I added about 4 years ago. Wanted to document the fact that I am otherwise perfectly healthy and fit, but have just had a low grade tumor removed from the base of my spine. Don't know if this was related to the Effexor or not. Will continue taking it, as it allows me to live a normal life. But wanted to let everyone know. Noticed in another post that someone also had a tumor in the pituitary gland. | Have taken for 13 years and is the only drug that has sent my depression into complete remission with the help of lamotrogine which I added about 4 years ago. Wanted to document the fact that I am otherwise perfectly healthy and fit, but have just had a low grade tumor removed from the base of my spine. Don't know if this was related to the Effexor or not. Will continue taking it, as it allows me to live a normal life. But wanted to let everyone know. Noticed in another post that someone also had a tumor in the pituitary gland. | F | 43 | 13 years 225 1X day | 10/3/2012 | 1 | depression | Alcohol binge drinking. | M | 34 | 8 months 150 | 10/1/2012 | 1 | Major Depression | Dilated Pupils | Didn't do sh*t. I read about all the withdrawal stuff and how wonderful people thought the drug was for their depression. But really, it was a wussy drug because it had no effect on my emotion/mood whatsoever. Is this a joke? I didn't even have a withdrawal. | M | 20 | 3 weeks 65mg 1X day | 9/16/2012 | 5 | depression ptsd | weight gain but being emotionally healthy is more important | F | 6 years 225mg | 9/7/2012 | 5 | Manic Depression | Sweaty hands & feet Euphoria | This medicine has saved my social life. It has saved me from making terrible mistakes at work and around my family. My manic depression has driven to do things any normal person would never even think of doing and it seems as though I cannot live without the medicine. I think I may have to have my dosage up'd to the next level because the bad dreams and sudden outbursts are coming back I've noticed. Thank you Venlafaxine. You've saved my life and my daughters. I wouldn't recommend it to just anyone though. I'd like to think of it as a "last resort" type. I've tried countless other meds. But this is the only one that does the trick. | F | 27 | 2 years 75MG 1X day | 8/30/2012 | 5 | manic depression, Bi-polar, anxity | Nausea, Insomnia, Loss of appetite, Dizziness, Dry mouth, Increased sweating, Constipation, Abnormal dreams, Weight loss, High blood pressure, Flushing, Abdominal pain, Twitching, Inability to sit still, A rapid heart rate, Fever, sweating, or shivering, Coughing, Extreme confusion, High cholesterol, Hemorrhoids, Liver problems, A decreased sex drive, | My Dr. tried every medication and nothing worked, until he put me on Effexor XR. I started out on Effexor XR 75 mg, and was slowly raised from there to Effexor XR 300 mg. Then I was changed to the generic Venlafaxine XR 300 mg. I have had a lot of side effects with both of the medications, but it has been a life savor for me. I have been committed 3 times in the last 2 years. I was also getting 1 on 1 counselling but at the time I didn't have any insurance and the laws changed. So I had to start doing group therapy, and that didn't work. I always wanted to help others instead of helping myself. The Effexor XR worked wonderfully for me until about 2 1/2 years ago. I fell 4 1/2 years ago and broke my right ankle in 3 places and I ended up with RSD. Since then I have been in a power chair and I can do almost nothing by myself. I also ended up getting a blood clot in my right leg and was put in the hospital for that also. The Effexor XR worked so good for me with little or no side effects, until I was raised up to 300 mg. I feel that a lot of the side effects that I have are from the RSD not the Effexor XR.. I am trying to get back into counselling now. The counselling does wonders for me. As far as the liver problems, the Dr. told me I had a fatty liver. I am also on morphine for pain from the RSD. I would recommend for anyone to take the Effexor XR. The help that it has done for me along with counselling out weighs the side effects by far. | F | 49 | 8 years 300 MG 1X day | 8/30/2012 | 3 | Depression and Anxiety | Effexor has undoubtedly saved me from countless spells of depression and anxiety, but knowing now what the side effects are, I'm not sure I'd make the same decision to get on it. I'm on a high dose, so night sweats (sometimes soaking the sheets) are an issue, as well as the crazy dreams and I think, some slight memory loss. The worst is the withdrawal effects. Coming off this drug is almost torturous for people. I know when I miss a dose it sends me into a tailspin. I'm not looking forward to the day I have together off of it. I took it while pregnant and I also believe it led to some issues at birth with my son's health (low muscle tone, feeding issues, withdrawals for him). The drug works well, but I'm not sure it's worth all the other symptoms. | F | 32 | 10 years 375 mg | 8/23/2012 | 4 | depression | Sweating, sleeplessness and some dizziness (infrequent) | 57 | 3 months 150mgdaily | 8/22/2012 | 1 | Anxiety | feel like a zombie. Headaches, fuzziness, drowsiness, and lightheadedness. B.P. went way up. | I have tapered down to 37.5 mg. but have been unable to stop the medication due to terrible withdrawal side effects like insomnia, anxiety and panic attacks. Headaches and dizziness as well. | F | 52 | 4 years 150 mg 1X day | 8/10/2012 | 1 | Perimenopause | I had a very severe and sudden reaction within 20 minutes of swallowing the pill. Vomiting, diarrhea, sweating, shaking, passing out, writhing on the bathroom floor for an hour. This was followed by a severe headache that lasted several days. Stay away from this pill!! | My dr. told me that this was a mild drug with little side effects and put me on a low dosage. Nope - this drug was like a poison to my body. I would never recommend that anyone take it for any reason. I can't ever recall being that intensely sick - I lost 4.5 pounds in 1 day, and I'm already a skinny gal. Avoid this drug. | F | 39 | 1 days 37.5mg 1X day | 7/29/2012 | 1 | anxiety insomnia fibromyalgia | Made insomnia and anxiety worse. I was never hungry, but when I did it, I was like a bottomless pit. I got bad headaches. Then I spoke with a friends parent who is a doctor and was told about the meth-like substances in effexor and how it should not have been prescribed for me for insomnia or my social phobia. Coming off of it has been easy for me, besides the constant moodswings, the fatique, headaches, and the nausea. I don't recommend anyone take this. | F | 19 | 2 years 37.5 mg | 7/21/2012 | 1 | depression and anxiety | Omg, I kept feeling worse and worse and so stopped it. And then all hell broke loose. I had to go to the hospital for an I.V. I vomited so much--so much pain. That stopped but now I can't stop weeping, can't tolerate light or noise; can't read or watch tv, I'm a writer who can't write. | F | 69 | 4 weeks 75 1X day | 7/19/2012 |