EFFEXOR XR Reviews (VENLAFAXINE HYDROCHLORIDE)

Average Rating: 3.0 (2225 Ratings)

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 ANTIDEPRESSANTS

 Type: Rx Drug

  

EFFEXOR XR  (VENLAFAXINE HYDROCHLORIDE):  Venlafaxine is used to treat depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and social anxiety disorder (social phobia). It may improve your mood and energy level and may help restore your interest in daily living. It may also decrease fear, anxiety, unwanted thoughts, and the number of panic attacks. Venlafaxine is known as a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). It works by helping to restore the balance of certain natural substances (serotonin and norepinephrine) in the brain.   FDA Approval Date: 1997-10-20 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)

  

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Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.)
5=HIGH (this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal.)

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More on EFFEXOR XR: Reviews Summary  |  Drug Safety Information

RATING  REASONSIDE EFFECTS FOR EFFEXOR XRCOMMENTSSEXAGEDURATION/
DOSAGE
DATE ADDED
 
 5  Depression, anxiety weight gain Although I have gained weight with this drug, I finally feel like myself again- and I was beginning to wonder if I would ever feel normal again. My anxiety has decreased as has the depression. I take 150 mg. each morning. F 31 2 years
11/22/2005
 1  mild depression Headaches, Feeling stoned, couldn't concentrate, couldy vision & thoughts, tight chest, a few times thought I was going to rape my wife I was on the 37 mg for 10 days, my dr. wanted me to do 37 for 5 days, then 75 for 5, & then 150. But I couldn't stand the 37mg. Am trying Wellbutrin Xl now M 38 10 days
11/22/2005
 2  GAD sweating buckets, loss or appetite, sleep problems, nightmares, headaches, taste perversion I endured the withdrawls and have been off effexor 10 days (weaned off of it gradually). It is nice not to have to look for a restroom to towel off all the sweat when I go places. It's nice to orgasm again. I now enjoy a good night's sleep. I saw my reflection minus the dark undereye circles for the first time in months. Unfortunately my sense of humor has taken a hit and I'm irritible as hell, but at least I am comfortable again. I'll find something better to take. F 26 6 months
11/21/2005
 3  Panic attacks The panic attacks stopped, ***BUT*** it gave me HORRIBLE nightmares, a **blood disorder**, constipation, sweats, lost my short term memory, walked around in a "bubble", gained 50 pounds (and I was thin all my life), and my thyroid is not functioning properly. This medicine is POISON. And getting off of it can be sheer hell. Go to this forum and read my post: "HOW TO TAPER EFFEXOR"--and--New & Better Water Taper added 11/19/05 ; there are two (2) methods listed there you could use. Here is the link directly to the message: websitetoolbox.com/tool/post/focussober/vpost?id=722041 If that doesn't work here is the homepage to the forum, remember to look for "HOW TO TAPER EFFEXOR"--NEW & BETTER WATER TAPER INFO ADDED 11/19/05: www.websitetoolbox.com/tool/mb/focussober DON'T USE THIS POISON---THE LONG TERM PROBLEMS ARE NOT WORTH IT!!! F 44 4 years
11/20/2005
 5  depression Going on it the side effects only lasted about a week. I had 2 nights where I just couldn't sleep, was slightly nautious and my pupils were MASSIVE! But all in all it wasn't too bad. I was worried about coming off it so I timed it so I had a week booked off work for it. The main side effect was being light headed, like a permanent head rush. Again, it was bearable. If anyone has any reservations, I would say try it. For me it was fantastic. It helped me get through a tough stage in my life. I'm off it about a month now and have come out the other side smiling!!! F 27 1 years
11/19/2005
 2  Major Depression Brain shocks, Weight Gain, Tired, Insomnia, Depression, Constipation I lowered my dosage. I was taking 300 mg. More seems better, right? But I was sooooooo tired all the time. And I was gaining weight since the last dosage increase. I cut back to 150. The daytime tiredness wasnt as bad...but about a MONTH after I cut the dosage back...I started getting brain shocks. REALLY bad. If I turned my head to the side fast or even my eyes, my brain would 'shock' or reverberate. Bright light also caused it to be a lot worse. Loud sounds. Etc. Has my search for a depression cure damaged my brain? At this point, I dont know if the 150 is helping with the depression...and I am afraid to go off it any further for fear of worse brain shocks. I read one post that someone is having brain shocks TWELVE YEARS LATER after taking Effexor F 39 8 months
11/15/2005
 5  Depression None Effexor was a LIFE saver, literally. I had attempted suicide (had been on Prozac for 12 years when it quit working, which I found out is not unusual). I went on Effexor XR and within a week felt like my old self! I highly recommend it for the RIGHT PERSON. F 52 8 months
11/8/2005
 5  Depression and Anxiety Loss of appetite. Ear ringing. Inability to sleep for more than 5 hours. Tingling in fingers and toes. Dry mouth. This is my third cycle of Effexor XR. The first time I went off of it I quick without tapering the dosage. BIG mistake. Got really irritable for about 2 weeks. Second time I went off I tapered the dose to 37.5 mg / day. No withdrawal symptoms. I recently went back on it (2 weeks ago) at 75 mg / day and it's a life saver. I was experiencing severe anxiety and depression. Until this episode I had never had thoughts of hurting myself. Now the thoughts are gone and I look forward to starting my day. I've never experienced sexual side effects while taking this medicine and the initial side effects disappeared after a few weeks. I find I can concentrate now and think clearly. I'm not as jumpy anymore either. I suspect I'll be taking this medicine for the rest of my life which is fine by me. M 34 2 weeks
11/5/2005
 1  Severe Depression Fine at first as it levelled out my moods and enabled me to cope with life. From the start though I had tremors and hot sweats. Then I started to gain weight, dizzness, disorientation, vivid & disturbing dreams. Excessively tired and apathetic. When trying to reduce the dosage I experienced tinnitus, brain shivers, muscle spasms, disorientation, extreme changes in body temperature, and agitation While being hospitalised for depression my Doctor prescribed Effexor 250mg. If he'd bothered to explain the potential side-eefects and the difficulties in reducing the dosage (and getting off the drug) then I probably would have had second thoughts. It may have fixed one problem at the time but caused many others - some of which I'm still living with despite not taking the medication anymore !!! F 32 2 years
10/31/2005
 4  anxiety & mild depression Side effects - extremely vivid dreams (some good, some bad), memory loss, weight gain, & decreased sex drive. continued... The only way to shake some of the symptoms of withdrawl is to lay down. It doesn't work instantly. I have to lay there awhile to feel a little better. Once I get up the symptoms are there. The only way for me to shake these feelings it to take another dose. (I currently take 150mg.) F 26 4 years
10/30/2005
 3  panic attacks Blood pressure increased a little. No other side effects that I noticed. This medication was more effective than other medecine tried to help with constant anxiety and panic attacks. I have been on this medication for about 4 years and would like to get off but the stories I hear about withdrawal are scaring me. M 33 4 years
10/30/2005
 5  Depression/Anxiety The withdrawal effects are horrendous when I miss a dosage. Very quick half-life, even on the XR. No side effects while I'm taking the medication. Haven't noticed a decrease in libido, aches, pains...anything like that. The withdrawal symptoms, though...those are a completely different matter! This was a miracle drug for me. I had major suicidal thoughts with obsessive tendancies. The week after I started taking Effexor XR, I couldn't keep a suicidal thought in my head if I wanted to! Miracle drug for me! I do have some concerns about pregnancy. I'm not pregnant yet, but hope to become pregnant in a year or so. Effexor XR is not an anti-depressant for pregnancy. I don't know what I'll do then. F 29 4.5 years
10/27/2005
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 4  depression Horrible missed dosed side effects; diffculty in orgasm I think the medication itself, when taken properly is fantastic. DO NOT MISS A DOSE. This can not be stressed more imprtantly. When I missed two days because I was too busy to pick up the refill, I started having SEVERE panic attacks. Be careful. When taken regularlly - it's great. No decrease in sex drive - though seem to have lost ability to orgasm, sure wish I could find it. No weight gain. F 33 2 months
10/27/2005
 1  panic attacks OMG THE WEIGHT GAIN!!!! I gained 30 lbs on Effexor and that was enough to depress anyone...then I was on cimbalta. Cimbalta put me into a major depression after 3 months, so now I am moving on to Wellbutin XL. I hope this works. I wish I hadn't had the the wieght gain with Effexor. It had few side effects and really worked for me otherwise. F 38 16 months
10/26/2005
 5  severe depression Had a few symptoms: nausea, agitation, headaches when i started, after a month they ceased Saved me from severe depression and suicide. After 6 months felt I should stop, very concerned after one day without efexor resulted in extreme emotions- crying etc, electric shocks continually through my head, nausea, severe dizziness. Continued to work and push through with symptoms. After a week just very mild dizziness- withdrawal symptoms don't last a long time for everyone, don't be scared to cease the meds because of withdrawal F 30 6 months
10/25/2005
 4  Depression few side effects at first, but now, after about months on the stuff, at about 20 hours after last dose, I start to get wierd feelings. ALmost shakey, or tremors, but they are "below the surface" rather than something visible. More like I feel as though I am vibrating. Sometimes ringing in my ear, or lightheadedness. I was here looking for anyone who sensed the drug was moving them towards taking a higher dose (one friend suggested this might be the problem) It did work well for my depression, but reading these make me wonder about other things that have been going on - like the pins & needles I attributed to some other mystery. Still concerned about the apparent 'withdrawl' in less than 24 hours between doses... F 43 6 months
10/25/2005
 5  Depression ear infections, difficulty reaching orgasm at times. Many side effects during withdrawal: extreme joint achiness, dizziness, mild electrical shock type of feeling starting in the head and going down the spine, and unfortunatley, very high blood pressure I am trying to withdraw from taking this medicine, but I am experiencing major, major side effcts as listed above. I have been trying to withdraw from 75 mg to none. Now I am on 37.5 mg/day and everytime I don't take it for 2 days, I experience those major side effects. M 41 4 years
10/22/2005
 4  mild depression weight loss, insomnia, fatigue, yawning, sleepiness. Seems to have helped in soothing out mood swings and lowering anxiety. I understand that after a few weeks some of these side effects will subside. Seems a difference of opinion about whether it's better to take in morning or evening. Insomnia a problem but when I sleep, I sleep deeply and have no dreams I can remember. M 53 1 months
10/19/2005
 4  depression, anxiety, ADD Initially on 37.5 mg - yawning, jaw flexing, light headed. Currenlty 375mg + 200 mg Wellbutrin: Sleepy during the day, frequent awakenings during the night, occasional light headedness, decreased appetite but unfortunately no weight loss. Libido -- seems unaffected, in fact much improved after starting the Effexor, maye due to the lifting of the depression. Intermittent Crashes -- I've had small crashes after 3-6 months at which time the dose is increased. The Wellbutrin was added to improve the effexor -- I'm not sure it did. It seems to take about 2-3 weeks before the increased dose improves my mood. I'm at the max. dose now -- discontinued the Wellbutrin and my psychiatrist (ADHD specialist) has added Concerta. I'm at the starting dose of 18mg. It has made my head more clear, reduced my anxiety but my I'm having interupted sleep again. F 38 3.5 years
10/18/2005
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 4  major recurrent depression Sweating, sensitivity to the heat during running, difficulty reaching orgasm (though my libido has, paradoxically, increased), insomnia, and (initially) acne and tremors. Hyopmania at the higher dosages (150 mg). This is the only drug--and I've tried everything but the MAOs-- that has made me feel without a doubt better. I don't spend hours every morning questioning the purpose of my life. The insomnia has been the worst part, however, and all the sleep aids I've tried (Benadry, gabitrl, Lunesta, etc.) have pushed me back into a depression while, in interacting with the Effexor, giving me incredible and exhausting nightmares. Xanax, though has helped me sleep, but it has addictive potential. M 39 10 months
10/16/2005
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