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 |
More on EFFEXOR XR: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR EFFEXOR XR | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | gad | a bit dizzy | much better than lexapro which made me sleepy and much better than cymbalta which made me unhappy | F | 48 | 2 years | 2/22/2007 | 5 | Depressioin, GAD | I would commonly experience 'brain zaps' (see wikipedia's effexor page) if I missed a dose. I stopped taking this medicine for a brief time to see if it was causing my high blood pressure; the side effects for me were mild to non-existent. I was on 225MG per day. | I've tried Effexor XR, Paxil, and Cymbalta. I'm now back on Effexor and wish I had never left. I realize that some people experience very nasty side effects from taking this med; my experience, however, is the polar opposite. I have NEVER felt better in my life...this medicine allows me to live. Note the 'length of time taking this drug' is in two time periods. Like I said, I recently got back on it, and (for me) it works perfectly. | M | 33 | 4 years | 2/22/2007 | 3 | General Anxiety, cumpulsion | Started at 37.5 and then went to 75 and am now on 150. Felt extremely dizzy and out of it the first couple of nights, but that quickly settled down. Now I suffer from excessive overheating and sweating (night sweats are the worst). Perhaps some loss of energy, but that could be the result of any number of things. Major dry mouth for the first couple of months too but I think thats mostly faded by now. | Really seemed to calm me down and stop getting all worked up over every little thing. Not totally sure its the best medication for me - but thats more because im not exactly sure what it is "I have." | F | 23 | 7 months | 2/22/2007 | 5 | DEPRESSION | Experienced immediate craving for sweets. HAVE NEVER eaten sweets. Have gained 25 pounds. Do not seem to be able to control this craving! | In 3 days I began to feel better. Have been depressed since I was a child. Other antidepressents never worked and cause all kinds of terrible side affects. Feel normal for the first time in my life! Had moderate to severe depression for 50 years. Yes 50 years! | F | 59 | 2 years | 2/21/2007 | 4 | Depression/Anxiety | No side effects. | Has worked rather well but I'm not adding Wellbutrin to lessen the depression even further. | F | 27 | 2 years | 2/20/2007 | 2 | anxiety | extreme sweating, very sleepy, lots of yawning esp. while active, | F | 21 | 8 weeks | 2/20/2007 | 5 | PTSD/ DEPRESSION | In the beginning I was sweating during the night, but it seems to be wearing off. | This medication has helped me through a very difficult time, my Husband says I HAVE CHANGE FOR THE BETTER | F | 41 | 6 weeks | 2/19/2007 | 5 | anxiety, panic attacks | nausea when I first started and every time I raised my dose. yawning! severe loss of appetite, weight loss, low sex drive | I love effexor and it cured my panic attacks, depression and even lowered my blood pressure but when I went from 175 mg to 225 mg I became very itchy! It progressively got worse. The itchiness would start then hours later I would break out in hives. Over a 2 month period of itchiness and hives I thought I had developed an allergy to something new b/c I had moved. I had been on the drug for over 8 months and my doctors ensured me I would have experienced an allergy to the drug months ago. I kept taking it. I only discovered it was effexor when I lowered the dose and my lips and mouth would swell 30 mins (on the dot) after I took my pill. I eventually weaned myself off of it but it was so hard because of that tingly/light headed/electric shock feeling you get from withdrawl (I've seen a lot of comments on that from other people...weird). I also lost about 15 pounds because of my loss of appetite. even though I seemed to have a rough time on this drug I was fine and healthy and happy f | F | 22 | 8 months | 2/19/2007 | 3 | depression | weight gain, insomnia, thyroid nodule | Have taken 75mg daily for five years. Am considering taking capsule only every other day then quit. I am scared because I know what I feel like if I miss one day. I know the Dr. will not want me to stop but I don't want to take any other med, as I already take 100mg wellbutrin as well. Is there an official site where I can get info to bolster my agrument with my psychiatrist? | F | 46 | 5 days | 2/19/2007 | 1 | Anxiety disorder and depression | Feeling of not caring about anything, frequent urination, unsatisfying yawning, dilated pupil, jaw clenching, vivid dreams, stomach aches, increased appetite, dry mouth | *****BEWARE- DANGEROUS DRUG!***** Read the 4 and 5 ratings where people think this is a miracle drug, they'll also say things like "But don't miss a dose!" b/c the withdrawal is so horrible in most cases! There's a reason- This drug has a the shortest half life of any of the antidepressants out there. Miss or decrease your dose and within 5 hours, your brain is left "abandoned" and going haywire! ***** I found Effexor fixed my depression (major depression, suicidal) within one week- to the point that I felt totally detached from everything and everyone. Not sad, not happy- just like I didn't care. I stopped calling/emailing/seeing people. Wanted to drop therapy where before I was totally attached to my therapist and would never dream of leaving. Still had no interest in hobbies or things I used to like to do. Just felt like a robot- like nothing could ever get to me. Which is better than anxiety and depression, but also pretty surreal and abnormal. Chances | F | 33 | 3 weeks | 2/19/2007 | 3 | depression | Initially, inability to reach orgasm. More recently, decreased (dead) sex drive, night sweats, periodic auditory hallucinations, chronic fatigue/inertia. | When I first began taking the drug, I thought it was a wonder drug. It was as though I had had a "screen" of depression and anxiety between me and the world and Effexor removed it. I had never before felt so balanced. However, over the years, I've put on a significant amount of weight, and more recently, I've been having a lot of sleep troubles (either can't sleep or can't seem to wake up) and feeling tired and disinterested regardless of how much sleep I've gotten. I tried to discontinue the drug several years ago, and as others have noted, the withdrawal effects are horrendous. Considering that it no longer seems to be helping me and I don't want to increase my doseage (I'm at 150mg), it looks like I'm in for a long period of misery while I try to wean myself off it. | F | 39 | 7 years | 2/18/2007 | 5 | Depression/ Anxiety | Extreme sleepiness. It's hard to get out of bed, most mornings... though considering I was struggling with insomnia before taking the drug, I don't mind it all that much. Also, dry mouth and loss of appetite. Excessive yawning. | Seems to be working fine. I've never taken anything to compare it with, though. | F | 22 | 3 months | 2/17/2007 | 5 | Panic Attacks, Depression | While taking it: Weight gain, difficulty achieving orgasm. If I miss a day: extreme disorientation, nausea, headache, agitation, anxiety, inability to concentrate, inability to wake up, wake up feeling exhausted. | I went through zoloft, serezone, and one other medication I don't remember before finally being prescribed Effexor several years ago. I take 300mg daily. Effexor saved my life. I don't even know how to describe how it is to have the veil lifted from my eyes and just be myself. I would rather die than go back to the way I used to live, and I appreciate so much that I don't have to. | M | 29 | 3 years | 2/16/2007 | 4 | depression | my pupils are gigantic and i cant get an orgasm... hard time lossing wood after not getting an orgasm, but whatever. Very Slaphappy all the time which is nice. | nah | M | 18 | 1 days | 2/15/2007 | 3 | mild depression / gad | 37.5 mg. First day symptoms - increased sex drive, delayed orgasm, loss of appetite, excessive yawning. | After one day I smile more and see the 'bright' side of things I used to look at with negativity. Placebo effect? Not sure... | M | 23 | 1 days | 2/15/2007 | 5 | Depression | I suspect that Effexor XR has caused me to gain and retain extra weight in the approx. 8 years I have been on the drug. Apart from that, I have had no bad side effects... | Prior to Effexor, I was on Paxil and that drug really did suck big time... Effexor really is my antidepresent of choice, with my experience. | M | 58 | 8 days | 2/14/2007 | 5 | depression | works great! | M | 52 | 2 months | 2/14/2007 | 3 | Depression | night sweats, weight gain, headache, inability to orgasm | Effexor has lessened my depression somewhat, but I am far from satisfied. Currently on 187.5 mg Effexor and 150 Wellbutrin each day. It has helped with my fatigue, but I have gained 20 lbs, have frequent night sweats, no libido, inability to orgasm (even with the Wellbutrin). It has helped my anxiety quite a bit. Just like any med, we all respond differently, and I have friends who absolutely love Wellbutrin. Oh, and if you miss a dose or are a few hours late, you feel like you've been run over by a semi-truck. | F | 22 | 7 months | 2/14/2007 | 1 | Ongoing Depression | Strange electrical brain zapping (I have taken recreational hallucinogenics before and the closest thing I can come to describe these zappings are like when you come down from LSD), extremely vivid dreams (they should rename this drug FX-er, as in special effects), and very bad night sweats, gradual memory loss that DOES NOT return....I had to spell check "memory" | I would not recommend this drug to anyone! I felt disassociated and numbed to the point where I had no ambition, no real personality. I actually quit smoking on this drug and when I went off it, was upset that my alter-effexor-ego had taken it upon herself to quit smoking. Very strange. It calmed me down alright, right to the point of non existence...I was a non entity, didn't care, didn't know that I even should care. To this day I have effexor flashbacks. I am losing weight now and because this stuff is stored in your fat cells (yes, also the ones around your brain) it is giving me withdrawal symptoms 1.5 years after going off it...and I was only on it a few months! I have "cured" my depression through detox and eating right and getting enough exercise....a toxic system is the major cause of depression but you won't hear your doctor say that...they want you on drugs, they are nothing but salepeople for the FDA. Side effects just mean more drug sales, I think they build them | F | 48 | 3 months | 2/14/2007 | 4 | depression, anxiety | depression, anxiety nausea, decreased libido, a little trippy though most side effects decreased over time. | i had absolutely crippling anxiety with anyone who wasnt in my close family. nightmare. this made me depressed but it was mainly the anxiety causing it. i am worried about the long term side effects as this drug hasnt been long around, no one knows what decades of use will have on people. & im sure itll effect all the long term users differently too so its a chunky gamble. all this said, this did save me at a most awful time so im very thankful for it. the side effects on it were tolerable for the benefits reaped. after a year of using i felt ready to get off this drug. jesus h christ. horrendous just like many others have said. the zaps, rage, depersonalisation & some return of prior symptoms. several months later i was ok & for a while i was ok agian with no drugs. in the last six months all of my awful problems have returned & i am very seriously considering getting back on this stuff. the long term concerns & horriific withdrawal problems scare the hell out of m | M | 23 | 1 years | 2/13/2007 |