EFFEXOR XR Reviews (VENLAFAXINE HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 3.0 (2225 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare 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.) 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 |
More on EFFEXOR XR: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR EFFEXOR XR | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 2 | Bi-Polar (Depression) | Jaw Clenching, anxiety, nervousness, sweating, yawning then feeling disoriented and dizzy, tingling scalp, bouncing leg, | Not good for me. Also taking Lithium carbonate and Welbutrin. | M | 46 | 2 days | 10/16/2007 | 3 | depression | headaches and insomnia | F | 52 | 2.5 years | 10/15/2007 | 5 | clinical depression | I took Effexor for a year before I stopped it because of developing an allergy to it and experiencing hives. My doctor didn't know that this is a rare side effect. It did help my depression but going off of it was difficult with electrical zapping in by brain. | If traditional SSRI's have not worked for you this medication could be helpful, but do understand that there are side effects with any drug. Go off of it slowly tapering your dose. Also, know that medication alone rarely helps depression long term. You also need life style changes and usually, talk therapy. | F | 59 | 12 months | 10/13/2007 | 5 | Bipolar | Excessive sweating, memory loss, decreased libido, decreased appetite. | I'm happy with it. I'm taking 75mg. The excessive sweating has caused acne, but I can deal with that. Libido is dead, rip. I've lost 5 lbs in the past 2 weeks. I'm taking this in combination with Abilify 5mg. I'd recommend it. | F | 28 | 3 weeks | 10/12/2007 | 3 | bipolar | very tired, and always hungry | the first time i took effexor xr, i took it with migraine and acne medications. i was very energetic, and i lost 80 lbs. within 1 1/2 years. this time, i take it alone, and i am very tired, all the time. although it has fixed my deppression. i really do function a lot better on it, i just wish i didn't feel so drained. | F | 21 | 2 months | 10/12/2007 | 4 | Depression, anxiety | Forgetfulness; vivid/bizarre dreams that seem so real i have to think about them for a while to realize i was dreaming; some blurred vision; low libido; suicidal thoughts (read comment); frequent urination | I love this med so far (150mg). I feel "normal". I still have real emotions (crying when i'm sad, anger when it's right to be angry, etc). I don't feel depressed and am more interested in activities. I did have suicidal thoughts each time i upped the dosage; however, I knew it was a side effect and was able to put it aside in my head + I felt better about myself, so it wasn't really an option. The dreams are extremely bizare and profoundly real feeling. I am not sleeping well and think that may have an effect on my forgetfulness and not paying attention to detail. Doc said i could develop a carb addicition and to stay away from them. Have lost weight so far and plan on watching what i eat even more so I don't have the weight gain. | F | 26 | 2 months | 10/11/2007 | 2 | Depression | Weight gain, profuse sweating, dizziness, headaches, tiredness | The weight gain has made me feel horrible about myself. I get severe headaches which last a few days at a time. I am tired all the time, difficult to wake up. I can't think straight. Not much better than when I was depressed. Still can't function. I am on dose of 225. After reading the comments, I am scared to go off the drug. | F | 52 | 2 days | 10/11/2007 | 5 | depression | absolutely none, it works beautifully for me | F | 49 | 8 days | 10/9/2007 | 4 | chronic & social anxiety | stopping it cold was horrible, after a day, i had this pulse in my head, i felt weak, tired, not myself at all. a few days after that i just vomited, you cannot stop cold turkey, the reason i stopped was because i had to wait a week to refill my prescription, my doctor didnt tell me about the harmful effects of not taking it | i think it will be hard to get off this drug, you will have to taper it down, i am not looking forward to it, it helps, but the generic version tastes horrible | F | 38 | 6 months | 10/9/2007 | 2 | Mild Depression/Hormonal Balance | Insomnia, anxiety, abnormal vision, weight gain | My MD recommended this drug when I complained of not feeling "balanced" after delivering my son in February 2006. After missing two doses over a holiday weekend and feeling the withdraw effects I started to research this drug. I am now completely paranoid to come off of it but feel I have to now before my body becomes more addicted. I'm on the generic pill, 75mg's twice per day. I only sleep decent (not well) when I have wine and/or a Vicodin and/or a Lioresal (muscle relaxer) in the evening before bed. When I go to sleep without "help" I lie awake with muscle anxiety (can't lie still) or my mind tells me I'm addicted to alcohol or pills because I cannot relax without them. This drug has made me more anxious and I question nearly all of my actions. I'm even anxious about speaking with my doctor about weaning off as I'm afraid he'll try to convince me to try it a little longer. All of these comments I'm reading are interesting but scary. I'm open to anyone's | F | 34 | 2 months | 10/9/2007 | 3 | depression | yawning, decrease in appetite, happy urges, sad urges | This is my second time around on this medication. The first time was fabulous. I lost 10 pounds in the first month. I wanted nothing but water. I had to have had at least 2 gallons a water a day. This time, I am not feeling the effects as much. I am not as thirsty as I thought I would be and my appetite seems the same. The main part of my depression is my weight. I am not heavy. I just need to lose about 10 pounds. It just seems to always bring me down. Now I am wandering if taking it the second time around is effecting what it's supposed to do. Any suggestions?? | F | 24 | 10 weeks | 10/8/2007 | 3 | Menopausal symptoms, insomnia | Slight dizziness the first few weeks. Started out at 37.5, and after a month went up to 75mg. Started gaining weight (17 lbs. in 4 months). I did sleep better at night with no night sweats,also very little joint pains, but weird strange dreams. Dreams are every night. The effexor makes me tired, no motivation, some constipation. I could sleep 15 hours if I was able to. I'm sleeping better at night,but don't feel fully functional until the middle of the day.Can't deal with the weight gain, and the lack of interest in life. | I know that you are not supposed to go off this drug cold turkey, but I am trying. It is day 2. A little head zapping now and then, but tolerable. I'll see how it goes. Reading about all the horrible side effects that some people have had, just makes me more determined to get off of this drug.Has ANYBODY been successful going off effexor cold turkey? | F | 51 | 5 months | 10/8/2007 | 2 | Major Depression | excessive sweating on my face and scalp (to the point where I would like look I just got out of the shower when walking from my car into the mall); very vivid sexual dreams but no sex drive; my symptoms did not completely go away, I still have depressive episodes that last 2 days-1 week. | I have suffered from depression for 12 years and have taken multiple medications over the years. Unfortunately, side effects (especially the decreased sex drive) are very common with each one. I will be going off the Effexor XR and onto a different medication because I can not tolerate these side effects. | F | 27 | 4 months | 10/8/2007 | 1 | Bipolar I and Depression | Increased anxiety increased blood pressure. Feeling jumpy, going to come out of my skin. | Coming off of Effexor was very hard. I had chills, shakes and extreme nausea. Had to take Klonopin and Prozac to get off the Effexor. I would not recommend this drug to others. | F | 42 | 6 months | 10/8/2007 | 5 | Anxiety | If I miss a does I start getting the "sparks" or twinges by evening time. If I realize it and take it I'm fine. One time I missed a whole day and I couldn't go to work the next day I was so unbearably dizzy for lack of a better word. | Works wonderfully for me at 150. Did try to double that and got really depressed. I feel "normal" on it and I don't have sexual side effects like I did with Prozac, Wellbutrin or like a zombie when I tried Paxil. | F | 28 | 6 years | 10/7/2007 | 5 | Major Depression | None. I don't have the zaps or low libido. The only problem was weaning off of it once I had some bad anxiety. | This drug has saved my life twice. I have suffered major depression all my life and this drug completely removed it. I need to take 300 mgs a day but no side effects at all except being happy and feeling energetic again. Last year I was switched to Cymbalta which just stopped working and within a week of being back on Effexor I am back to living again. Great drug for MDD. | F | 44 | 9 years | 10/6/2007 | 5 | Anxiety, Depression, OCD | sweating in sleep, orgasm took more effort than usual. | Effexor XR was great for alleviating my anxiety and ocd. I lost my job a few years later and needed to up my dose due to feeling depressed. The higher dose worked well. People complaining about feeling tired with some of the other antidepressants didn't happen to me with effexor xr. I felt motivated, energized, clear headed, and my memory seemed sharper. I did sweat in my sleep sometimes. I lost weight on the drug but I do workout a few times a week. I did't initiate sex with my husband as much as I would've liked, but I enjoyed it when he initated it. I had to work harder to reach orgasm and couldn't always get there, but it still felt good. Recently came off Effexor XR looking to start a family. Withdrawal is not so bad if you know what to expect. Dizziness, nausea, feel like crap. The worst of it is day 2 and 3. I found that wearing SEA BANDS and/or taking Dramamine less drowsiness(motion sickness) works great and really helped with the withrawal symptoms. I also stopped cold t | F | 30 | 4.5 years | 10/5/2007 | 3 | depression | anxiety | | 10/5/2007 | 3 | Major Depressive Disorder | I moved up from 37.5 to 75mg a few days ago, and do not intend to exceed 150mg because of possible withdrawal symptoms. I take my pill every morning within an hour of waking. (I was advised not to take it before bed.) I've had increased tension in my neck and thighs. I'm thinking of starting yoga, to see if that helps, because I was already pretty tense before. Also, I have trouble getting to sleep and sometimes feel the need to nap in the middle of the day, but I can usually manage at least six hours a night. Also, if I eat well throughout the day, that helps. I had some nausea the first week but found out that, again, eating well throughout the day and drinking plenty of water makes it go away. No change in libido. No weight gain or loss. | I was having suicidal thoughts about twice a week before getting on medication. Since being on medication, I've only had one instance of suicidal thoughts, although they were a lot worse than other times. Also, I was before my depression an avid reader, but during I found that I couldn't read more than a few pages without feeling like, "What's the point?" But I've read a few long books these past couple weeks, and I feel really good about that. I haven't been on the medicine long, but I am optimistic. | F | 20 | 12 days | 10/2/2007 | 3 | Depression, rage | Severe lethargy, apathy; it's made me the laziest person alive. No problems with weight gain (if anything, I've had weight loss), no brain zaps, no nightmares or any of that other stuff. Headaches, dopey/groggy/crappy feeling when I tried to wean off it. | Effexor does work as a "chill pill" for me. I was going through an extremely stressful time six years ago (cancer, bad marriage/philandering husband/raising two children virtually alone > divorce) and probably would have completely lost it without this. That said, it seems like overkill. I'm on 225mg, but 75/150 didn't cut it. I've tried (weakly) to get off it, but tapered doses made me a crazy woman. But I'm a zombie! Divorced for several yrs, no desire to meet anyone, no desire to leave the house or even get out of bed. Family thinks I'm "severely depressed" although I'm just plain tired or lazy. It SUCKS. I want to WANT to have a real life again, I want to get out and live life but I just CAN'T do it! Would love to hear about someone having a successful discontinuation of this drug! | F | 40 | 6 years | 10/1/2007 |