User Reviews for Effexor XR

Before taking Effexor, I was an anxiety wreck. I was unable to preform to my full potential before feeling my anxiety slowly take over and hinder me from preforming. I am student at a prestigious university and I can say that I am living anxiety free. The statement itself sends chills down my back.

I started taking it about 3 months ago. It really changed things for me especially with depression. Anxiety wise it has definitely made an improvement. The only complaint is that I think my libido is dropping. I started taking 150mg per day a week ago. Anyway, if you are in absolute despair I would recommend this medication.

I was prescribed this medicine after being hospitalized in a mental facility. I was previously taking Zoloft and Wellbutrin which stopped working for me and the increase in dosage led to increase in depression and anxiety. I have to say Effexor beats any anxiety medicines I have ever taken. This medicine makes me feel normal. The only down side is the side effect your body has if you miss a dosage. I began to feel light headed and very emotional if I miss more that 1 dose.

Effexor saved my life 2 years ago. I was extremely stressed, anxious and feeling as if suicide would be the only way out. This turned everything around. I have gotten two promotions at my job, my social circle has increased tenfold, and I always feel on top of my game. I have gained 20 lbs but probably because now I actually go out and do stuff. The withdrawals do suck at first if you forget a dose. I was scared to try it at first but I'm glad I did.

I had a lot more thoughts than usual. Thoughts weren't so bad. I still felt gloomy and stressed. But horrible withdrawal effects. Upset stomach, headache, nausea.

80% effective at curbing my day to day anxiety with absolutely no side effects that I am able to determine. However, I still have spikes in anxiety. My doctor recently increased me from 150mg to 225mg in an effort to help with the spikes.

I am so thankful for this medication. At first, I was terrified to take any medication since the only pill I've ever been prescribed is birth control. Being a military wife with a year old daughter and relocating and being away from my family, anxiety hit me hard! I would lay in bed thinking that I would NEVER feel normal again. I was prescribed Effexor XR 37.5mg for the first week or so, and I did not have any side effects from it and actually felt better within days! Now I am at 70mg and I feel great. No panic attacks, no anxiety! If you were like me a couple of months ago, sitting here wondering if you should ask your doctor about trying this medicine, GO FOR IT! You can and will feel normal again.

On 75 mgs once a day in the morning, and feel great! Before I suffered with panic attacks and anxiety endlessly, especially while driving and even being around strangers in a grocery store, now no anxiety at all, can now live a normal happy life. Effexor has given that to me, I probably will have to stay on it for the rest of my life and that's fine with me. Tried going off of it before for 6 years, and all my anxiety came back. Tried Celexa and that was awful major headaches with that one, also tried Wellbutrin, but I felt like I was on speed 24 hrs a day, made my anxiety go through the roof, recently in July went back to my favorite Effexor XR and feel awesome. Good luck to all of you! Anxiety is no fun.

I've been taking Effexor XR for over a half of a year now. PROS: The biggest notice with this medicine is that I have not had a migraine since! I've been getting migraines for over five years and the frequency is one migraine every two weeks; not fun at all. Since I have started the Effexor XR I have not gotten a migraine since then, which is very unusual! I also feel more social! CONS: I had to drop the dose to the minimum since I was a little bit more irritable at times. Also, I am unsure if the Effexor is helping me gain weight or if that's my fault for the lack of exercising. I started to get TMJ (grinding of the teeth) when I took Effexor with Amitriptyline at night. It stopped since I take Effexor in the morning and the other at night.

I started Effexor XR two weeks ago for generalized anxiety disorder. Apparently it takes at least 4 weeks to work but I have already noticed a difference. I have had very positive effects on my mood and anxiety problems. There are definitely side effects though. I have had some trouble sleeping and my orgasms are very delayed and are very hard to reach. I have noticed however, that my sex drive has gone through the roof (which isn't a bad thing). Currently taking 75mg daily. Considering increasing but I am worried about increasing dependency and side effects. Male 23 years old.

I take 150mg of this everyday for anxiety. I was previously on Paxil for a few years, which stopped working for me. It's pretty good at helping me control my anxiety, however, if I forget to take the pill by more than 4 hours from the previous day (exactly 8am day 1, past Noon day 2) I get the worst withdrawals: dizziness, nausea, diarrhea, fatigue, insomnia. Then when I remember to take it if I had forgotten, it takes a few hours to kick in and for the side effects to go away. I never experienced this with Paxil. If it weren't for this issue than I would give Effexor XR 9/10.

I have been taking Effexor XR for about 3 years now. While I still suffer panic attacks and suffer symptoms like rapid heart palpitations, poor blood circulation in the fingers, excessive sweating of the hands, and hyperventilation, I do find the medication limits these experiences. This medication hasn't solved all my problems, but it has been incredibly beneficial in helping me advance my career and has aided my social life.

After trying Zoloft and other medications, Effexor XR was the only medication that controlled my outbursts and hives I was getting from the daily stresses in my life. Without the medication, I wouldn't be able to function and live my life as I am now.

I starting taking Effexor XR two years ago for depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and OCD. This drug, in combination with therapy, has really decreased my symptoms. I feel what I think "normal" must feel like for people who don't have the above mentioned conditions. When starting the medication, I had some of the listed side effects (weird dreams, sweating, fatigue) when starting the medication, but they all subsided after about 4 weeks. I would recommend giving this drug a try, keeping in mind that every drug works a little different for every person. It may or may not be one that works for you.

I have been taking Effexor XR for almost two years and I love it. I take it for anxiety, stress, and depression. I have taken Wellbutrin and Paxil and found a little relief but nothing compared to Effexor. After 10 years of emotional eating I have started losing that weight, 40 lbs in the past year and I haven't dieted, I still eat the foods I love but now I stop when I'm no longer hungry and I feel no guilt when I eat a cookie or two or go out for an indulgent dinner. Another plus, I actually want sex now. For years my anxiety kept me from having any desire but now I can't get enough. YAY!

I was prescribed Effexor XR for the treatment of anxiety and slight depression. The bottom line is this, it made me more calm but at the expense of too many side effects. It wasn't worth it to me. It made me more calm almost clouded my mind. I was sleepy throughout the day and had no energy. But if I took my second dose too late in the day, I couldn't sleep at night. I also sweated profusely more often, typically within a couple of hours of taking the medicine. Perhaps the most profound side effect I experienced was the inability to achieve ejaculation. This was NEVER a problem in my life until I began taking Effexor. My doctor has now switched me to Wellbutrin. Hope it works.

I started taking this for the irritability that arrived with perimenopausal symptoms. It has worked miracles!

This drug has worked for me for the last year. It actually started working the first couple of days I used it and then I titrated up to a dose twice a day and it has enabled me to be on a more even mood throughout the day. Just be careful when the doctor mixes it with other anxiety medicines or depression medicines. You could be susceptible to serotonin overload, I mixed it with a high dose trazodone for sleep issues and found that it made my anxiety worse and more apparent to people, so I switched to Limbitrol which seems to work well with it and don't forget, if you stop these drugs don't do it cold turkey. I stopped trazodone and went into withdrawal symptoms that triggered a major seizure for me!

I am amazed at how this medication changed my life. I often compare myself to a duck in water, where the problems just glide right over me, which never used to be the case. Issues that may have cause depression or anxiety in the past are now handled without confusing emotions. The only reason I give it a 9 are the horrific side effects if I miss even one dose. Strange nightmares, shaking, confusion and even an odd ability to sleep for more than 10 hours straight. Does it deter me from continuing with this medication? Absolutely not.

This medication changed my life. I'm sorry I waited so long to admit I needed it. It's wonderful to be able to cope with all of the daily challenges of life and yet still feel happy to be alive. If you're feeling out of control, don't waste your life out of fear of asking for help. Side effects like loss of sexual drive are minor compared to the benefits.

Caused weight gain.

I have found that Effexor XR is the most effective drug for my anxiety disorder and depression. I have had basically no side effects from the medicine and it has helped control both issues. I have noticed withdrawals even if one dose is missed. I have been taking 150 mg daily for three years and overall am very pleased.