The following information is NOT intended to endorse drugs or recommend therapy. While these reviews might be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgement of healthcare practitioners in patient care.
I was told to take Effexor Rx at the age of 14/15 when I responded horrible to other anti-depressants. I am now 19 and am extremely satisfied with the results of this drug. I rated it a 8 out of 10 because the dosage can be tricky. GO TO A MEDICAL DOCTOR when confused about dosage regarding season changes, how it interacts with other drugs, or when discontinuing use! I have read numerous blogs about the horrible withdrawal effects - tell a medical doctor. They know how to fix this.
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I just started a few weeks ago and it has helped stabilize my mood, give me energy. Not noticing any major side effects. I've had some headaches, some light nausea and some crazy dreams. But I've always had crazy dreams. Other medications gave me much worse side effects. Effexor seems to be working for me. My daughter says that I'm "funny" again. I love that!
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I've been on Effexor now for 2 years after trying Prozac and Celexa (which both had awful side effects). My dose ranged from 37.5 to 112.5. I am now at a point in my life where I feel like I can break through my depression and get off these drugs. I want to start having kids and Effexor is very anti-baby. Today is day 5 and the only thing I have noticed is all I want to do is sleep and I have cried every single day since lowering my dose. I still feel like it is worth it to get off them though. They had only minor side effects such as lowered sex drive and nauseous if you don't eat but I feel like I can find a more natural way to feel better! Good luck to everyone out there, it's hard but you can do it!
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It saved me from committing suicide. Never thought there would be a drug that could help me since I tried many antidepressants and all didn't work. Was extremely suicidal and overnight after taking Effexor XR, my thinking and feelings changed. It saved my life.
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I gave this a high score because I got lucky. I went for years struggling with depression, weary of Big Pharma, self-medicating. Finally a friend took me to a doctor. The first drug she prescribed was Effexxor. I was prescribed the 75mg capsules. I found it to be too much for me, so I take one every other day. The only side effects I feel are from withdrawals if I skip a few days, and 'ditziness' if you will. Other than that, managing my depression has changed my life. My weight has even dropped because I used to self medicate with food. I do recommend taking only the lowest dose possible for your symptoms. I am not a big fan of prescription drugs, but this was a lifesaver for me.
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I am a 40 year old male who has been prescribed Effexor for some 6 years, more recently due to increased feelings of unhappiness. The dosage has been increased from 75mg to 150mg, and on review 2 months later, a further 75mg was added to the medication. My experience is, all these tablets do is switch off showing how you feel, as in no more bouts of crying due being overwhelmed by inability to fulfill a days work, meet a deadline, etc. Since I have spoken again to my doctor regarding sleeplessness, he added Zispin 15mg to my existing medication, that was 4 weeks ago. Today, 28th July 2009, this has been increased to 30mg. No help yet.
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I took Effexor for a little over a year. I really didn't feel anything at all. It numbs your emotions to a cold lukewarm middle of nothingness. I also had a minor seizure after accidentally forgetting to take it one day.
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Effexor was the first medicine given to me when I started having panic attacks. It helped me with my depression and stopped the crying spells. But I still continued to have panic attacks.
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I have been on Effexor for 4 years. My doctor at the time told me I was depressed but since then I was tested for severe sleep apnea. I have tried unsuccessfully 3 times to get off of it. I was taking 150 mg. One doctor told me to start taking the 150 every other day then eventually stop. Horrible side effects. Dizzy, irritable, bad dreams, sleepy and general flu like symptoms. I wish I had been told about the possible withdrawal symptoms at the time my doctor had given it to me. Effexor gave me sweats and I've gained a ton of weight. My new doctor has me on Wellbutrin and is slowly lowering the dosage. I'm on 37.5 right now and so far so good.
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Just finished coming of Oxycontin after 6 years of use. Took Effexor 75mg throughout. Now a member of NA and tried to wean myself off - horrible side effects from the withdrawal, dizziness, panic attacks, severe depression and social withdrawal. Went back on at 75mg and now feel that the drug is pretty hard to get used to again. Can't seem to win.
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Effexor alone didn't help me. A psychiatrist combined it with Remeron. Effexor in the morning and Remeron at bedtime. This combination gave me great relief from depression over eight years.
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I am 24 years old, female, 5'1, 130 lbs. Treated for major depression and anxiety. I have aversions to junk food (I am normally health conscious unless I am really depressed), weight loss (12 lbs), dry mouth, lighter mood, easier to focus, more motivated, mountains turn into anthills, lower sex drive, sometimes get headaches. For me, the pros overwrite the cons - I went off of this for 6 months with no problems. No addiction or sickness. I am back on it and boy am I glad to feel happy again.
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I started taking this medication about 3 years ago for Depression/Social Anxiety. I will say for depression this drug worked wonders, not so much anxiety though. However, recently I've decided to try for the 3rd time to stop taking it. The withdrawal you get from Effexor is the worst feeling.
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EFFEXOR HAS MADE ME EMOTIONLESS, DON'T GIVE A DAMN, THIS IS 10 MONTHS AFTER COMING OFF OF IT. CAN'T SEEM TO COMMUNICATE, CAN'T DRIVE, MEMORY PROBLEMS AND THE LIST GOES ON.
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I am 19 years old. I was diagnosed with depression/OCD/GAD at 11 years. This medicine worked wonders for me. I took it for 3 years. I later began to think I'd be okay without it. Now that I am back on Effexor, it makes me really sick every time I take it. It made me put on a few pounds. I have taken almost every anti-depressant out there, and I have to say this is the best one. Stay on it, even when you feel better.
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I have depression, anxiety and stress caused by my workplace. I have noticed that for the first time I can actually enjoy going to work. Before this medicine I used to cry and shake in bed before work, and my poor husband had to drive me there like I was a little kid going through withdrawals from parents. I've noticed I don"t "freak" out as much, and the best thing is my anti-medication" husband calls Effexor XR a "miracle pill". The only side effects I've noticed are extreme racing thoughts, and night sweats.
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I've been taking Effexor for 5 years now for depression. As far as my mood goes, it works wonders. I'm a completely different person and its awesome. As far as side effects go, I have had some sexual ones, concentration issues and short term memory problems. I'd rather deal with those than the depression though and if I forget to take one, or can't afford to get them right away, all hell literally breaks lose. I get dizzy, emotional and aggravated. All I want to do is cry and sleep.
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After I started taking this medicine I got Restless Leg Syndrome - when I went off of the medicine it went away.
I was always tired while taking the medicine. When I quit, I got dizzy twice and fell within the first week after I stopped taking it.
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I've been taking 75 mg of Effexor for a year and a half now and has made me a much happier person. If I miss 2 days in a row I start to feel dizzy, overly emotional and like I have the flu. Only drawback (which is a big deal for me) I have gained 40lbs.
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I suffered from depression and general anxiety disorder. After Effexor, I experienced memories I long forgot which cleared up a lot of confusion. Today I am clear on all the negative emotional feelings I experienced and when I cannot afford to buy it for a few days, I really experience depression, anxiety and confusion on my own self worth, life, etc. I feel this medicine is a God-send for me.
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I started taking Effexor about a year ago. Started on 75mg and went all the way to the maximum 375mg over a 6 month period. The side effects were really quite bad, thus had to cut back to 225mg, this dose works very well. Some doctors are quite quick to push up your doses if your progress is slow. My advice is give it plenty of time before increasing doses. More isnt always better. Effexor is a good drug just somtimes can be a little slow working, the withdrawal from cutting down tablets wasn't really that bad at all; as long as you take it slow. Good luck to everyone who takes this drug.
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I've taken Effexor for 7 years, in a dosage that has decreased from 225mg to 75 mg over the last 2 years. While I had some benefit with depression I experienced side effects from Effexor. I experienced short term memory loss, problems concentrating, blurry vision, weight gain, sweating, and dry mouth. I cannot drink at all on the medication, since it exacerbates the memory and mental focus problems enormously, even at one glass of wine.
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I was on Effexor XR for 8 years and I recently went off. I gave the drug 8 out of 10 because overall my anxiety and depression were greatly improved. I didn't have any sexual side effects and only felt dizzy when I did not take the medication at exactly the same time every night. I did lose a lot of my energy and was prescribed Wellbutrin to help out with that. However, the withdrawal, as others have mentioned, is terrible. My doctor prescribed a low dose of prozac (20mg) to ease the withdrawal and it really helped. If you are going off effexor, do it with prozac. I tried without it twice before and it was such a horrible experience that I went right back on.
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I had the 5HTTLPR biomarker and CYP450 genotyping tests from a blood draw (which can help doctors determine how antidepressants are metabolized by your specific genetics and help predict which medications may be most beneficial as well as how long it may take for you to notice results), and was prescribed Effexor based on that info. It has helped me GREATLY for 6 months so far.
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Changed to Effexor XR 75mg about 2 months ago from Celexa 20mg. Having some dizziness and tiredness, maybe not feeling quite myself, so experimentation with the dosage is probably in order. Otherwise no problems. Serious diarrhea side effect from Celexa stopped immediately upon changing treatment. But I am disturbed by some of the comments on this site about withdrawal from this medication. I have had no problem drinking in moderation while on this drug.
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I find the drug good, my doses go up and down depending on how I am feeling. I have put on weight at 225mg and I was told that you are not supposed to exceed 225mg. I will go back down to 150mg for the summer. I usually go up in the winter months.
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Effexor XR has saved my life twice. The side effect was major weight gain, but, sad as that was, it was worth it after trying several other drugs that did not work. The withdrawal is tough, but done easily if you just keep reducing your dose. The first time I went off of it was cause it was making me depressed again, even at the smallest does. But, 3 or 4 years later, when I once again sunk into a deep depression, it was the only thing that could get me out. I've been on 150 mg one year.
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I've been using 75mg Effexor for 9 weeks now and it has changed my life. I wake up looking forward to the day and can remain focused throughout. I woke up on my 30th Birthday feeling very depressed and could not believe that's how I felt everyday before taking Effexor.
My libido is back to where it was a year ago and the only side effect I experience is an upset stomach during very intense work outs. I see a therapist and that too has helped. My wife says I'm now a different person.
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I've been on Effexor XR for several years now. As far as helping to control my depression, it has been wonderful. However, I have had some severe side effects. I have gained 80 lbs since I started taking the medication. I have been diagnosed with benign vertigo. I have had countless specialists poke and prod me because no one can figure out why I get a sinus infection every month. I stopped getting menstrual cycles, and specialists can't figure out why. These are all possible side effects
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I have been on effexor xr for about 8 years now, I currently am taking 300 mg per day, I tried to commit suicide several times before going on effexor, I had been on so many different antidepressants I thought this was how my life was always going to be my children slowly watching me sleep and then eventually die. The doctor put me on effexor and it was the best thing ever.
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I ended up in the hospital after drinking a few glasses of wine getting my stomach pumped and extremely out of it. I should have read the side effects of effexor first and I would've known that you should not drink alcohol while being on this medication.
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My girlfriend has been on Effexor XR for almost seven years now. We just found out two weeks ago she is pregnant. The doctor told her to lower doses from the 300mg she has been on to 150mg then three days later drop to 75mg then three days to 37.5 then your done. Doctor said that there might not even be any withdraws if it is done this way. I wouldn't wish these bad withdraws on anyone.
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I've been on effexor for 5yrs. I keep telling my Dr. that I wanted to quit this drug, mainly because I don't want to be on any anti-depressants anymore. I'm supposed to take 225mg, but all this time I've only tbeen taking 150mg, all this time. So, now I've reduced my dosage to 75mg a day, and I'm starting to feel alot better. If I can get some 37.5mgs. I can ease myself off to the point where I can finally
be clear in my mind. The only side effect I've experienced is a little dizziness.
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kamv30 said: 
juanita1984 said: 
