User Reviews for Effexor XR

Works well to stop my anxiety. I can participate in life again and I am doing things that I used to do. Started with 75 mg started to become more effective at 150 mg. Some side effects but they are getting better with time.

This medicine did not work for me.

This medication has worked well for me in terms of controlling my anxiety and fear of having a panic attack. However the side effects I have had to endure are not so pleasant. I'm always tired and can sleep all day long. As well, I have gained weight on this medication and trying to lose it is very hard. It's like my metabolism has stopped working. I've been on this medicine for about 3 years now and considering weening off to try something else.

Effexor Saved Me After Many Failed Medicines. Current Med Combo- Effexor 75 mg, Lamictal 200 mg, Abilify 5 mg It saved me from wasting anymore time locked up in my house 24/7 and avoiding conversations, knocks at the door, people, telephone calls, and anything else involving socializing. I FINALLY LEAVE MY HOUSE. WILLINGLY and REGULARLY. Daily. I NO LONGER FEAR APPLYING FOR JOBS. I NO LONGER FEAR THE POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A JOB because I would have to deal with people. I am willing and eager to go out with friends, family, acquaintances, meet new people. SIDE EFFECTS- Only Nightmares, which eventually become less and less and then go away after 2 months. Maybe a little unpleasant at first. Definitely bearable. It's not bad for everyone.

My doctor prescribed this for my anxiety due to perimenopause, 37 mg. I was always tired on it so he increased it to 75mg xr. I'm not as tired as I used to be and I no longer wake with anxiety and can sleep through the night. My energy level is not as high as it used to be before Effexor. My appetite has also increased. I've heard this can be due to a combination of the Effexor and menopause. If I skip a dose, I get headaches.

Effexor has been a wonderful and life changing medicine for me. I can also take it with my anticancer medicine Tamoxifen, which I could not do with Zoloft. It's great!

I have been on Effexor XR for about 3 months now (75mg), and it's done a great job of controlling my anxiety. For the first couple of days, my anxiety skyrocketed, but I supplemented with Ativan to help with that. then on the third day, I woke up and felt totally normal. It does make me a bit tired, but I also sleep better - and I do have very vivid dreams at times (not scary, just vivid). Also makes me a bit apathetic, but it's better than living in a constant state of anxiety. I'd had bad reactions to Lexapro and Zoloft, so I was happy to find something that worked. I hope to come off someday, but for now, it's giving me what I need.

I took Effexor XR after I gave up on Lexapro (it didn't work for me, waited for a couple months). I started at 75 mg and 10 days later to 150 mg. I have been at 150 for about 5 months. I feel that I am at a stable point so I don't want to change anything for a while. My doctor said to start weening off but I don't think I'm ready yet. I had gone through a gut wrenching episode in my life that lasted for about 4 intense months of sleepless nights, hot sweats, heart palpitations, heavy chest, lack of concentration, and sadness. I felt as if I was at a doctor every other day trying to figure out what was wrong. My anxieties were so bad that I felt like exploding. Thankfully I waited it out and Effexor has helped.

I have been on this medication for over 15 years. I can tell you that this is the absolute best medication for panic attacks, the problem is that I never had any panic attacks until I quit taking the pill after a year of use. I was prescribed this when I was 18 after being hospitalized as the result of several traumatic events. I started on 32 mg and eventually was bumped up to 150mg and then 225 mg. I weened off and survived the withdrawals and felt amazing seriously felt like the best moment of my life but about a year after I stopped taking it, the depression came back twice as bad.

I love it. It's so much better than the other 2 I tried that made me feel like a zombie and had side effects. Effexor XR has helped me and still does help me to not have the anxiety/panic attacks that I was experiencing before. It's the best by far. I highly recommend Effexor XR for anyone with bad anxiety & panic attacks. It's absolutely the best.

I'm 45 years old and have lived a pretty normal life except for my occasional heightened anxiety. Recently, my anxiety and panic attacks had escalated out of control. I was feeling out of touch with reality and having multiple panic attacks a day. Unfortunately for me, after 2 doses the Effexor caused mild hallucinations; light pixelating and things moving in fast motion. It was adding to my anxiety so I went off immediately and the hallucinations went away.

I am 18 years old and started Effexor 3 months ago for anxiety. It has given me my life back, I used to have a hard time even leaving the house, now I enjoy life. I haven't been this happy in a long time. I don't think I would ever quit taking it. The first week I had the shakes, felt nausea, had headaches and had no appetite. The side effects went away and now I don't have any at all. I am so grateful, its changed my life for the better.

Overall I love this pill, I have been on 75mg of Effexor for 8 years after being severely depressed and suicidal. I haven't had the same type of mood the whole time. The only downfall to this medication is the side effects, I have found that I have no libido and often very tired. Also if I miss one day I have very bad side effects like a really bad hangover. I am a little afraid of getting off the pill but I would like to try. Overall if you need help with your depression this pill is amazing.

I started Effexor XR for hot flashes. As a side effect, I found a marked decrease in my anxiety level. I have a step-daughter who has bipolar. When she last visited and again had a rage attack, I didn't experience my usual anxiety attack. This is a big help in trying to deal with such a hard person in my life.

Out of 20 others, 187.5mg of Effexor daily make me feel 97% as good as I felt 10 years ago. I felt great all the time then! 9 on the scale above.

I have taken this medication for over 4 years and my life has changed dramatically since then. I take 75mg doses 3 times a day and my days are so much better now compared to over 4 years ago when I would have panic attacks and anxiety attacks. I would recommend this to anyone who has depression or anxiety/social anxiety disorders. The only downfall is if you run out of your prescription the withdrawal symptoms can be intense after about 2 days. Make sure your refills are ready and not about to expire because it can cause you a lot of problems such as it has been in my case. Other than that it is a great medication to help you get back to your normal self again.

I started taking Effexor about a year ago. It has made an incredible difference to my life. I was extremely anxious, waking at night in a sweat (possible also the onset of menopause) and struggling to go back to sleep. I was also depressed and found myself often crying for no reason at all. I started very slowly, increasing dose every 2 months. I cannot recommend Effexor enough. I feel that it has turned my life around. I did not gain weight at all which was a big concern. I did feel quite lethargic at first and it took a while to get any sex drive back. I am still not back to my usual sex drive, and reaching orgasm is harder. I still feel my decision to stay on Effexor has been the right one. Hope this helps. Good luck.

I was prescribed Effexor XR for anxiety and it has worked wonderfully. I have NO panic attacks, my constant level of anxiety is gone. However, I think it has worsened my depression slightly. Everyone responds to this medicine differently I guess, and I am more than willing to deal with minor depression if it means my anxiety is gone. This medicine has been great.

I have found Effexor and therapy to be a fantastic combination. The Effexor alone has kept me from feeling like I'm going to climb the walls. I didn't lose any weight on Effexor. I actually gained some (in part due to my own lack of exercise). I weened off for about a year while I was pregnant. Withdrawals can be rough but not impossible. My advise is to ween VERY slowly. I went from 75 mg daily to 37.5 daily. Then to 37.5 every other day, then every two days, then every three days, etc. until I was taking it once a week then stopped.

Continual weight gain, sexual disfunction, lack of normal emotions, stomach problems.

I was on 150mg Effexor XR for about 4 years and it helped me with anxiety and panic attacks. I still had them, but not as often or as extreme. At the same time my doctor also prescribed 0.25mg Xanax for me to take as needed. Just knowing I had them available to help me almost instantly, was more of a panic and anxiety deterrent.

I have been on Effexor XR 75mg for almost 4 years now. It really has been the best thing for me. I tried almost everything and this has definitely been the best. On the downside if you begin taking Effexor just plan on taking it the rest of your life. Doctors fail to tell you about the withdrawals and horrible discontinuation syndrome. I am pregnant now and having an extremely hard time getting off.

I was switched to Effexor XR after 2 years of Paxil. It worked wonderful for about 3 years. I was on 75mg and started to have uncontrollable movement with my one arm. Talked to my doctor who said it was not the medicine. Well after another year I was having the problem in my legs and both arms and could no longer sit or walk without frequent jerking. My doctor finally realized that it was a rare side effect of the medication from long term use and switched me to another. I still have the jerking at least 2 to 3 times a week. If you notice this problem at all you need to talk to your doctor immediately.

I took Effexor for 10 years and found it highly effective controlling anxiety/panic attacks. After deciding to stop [with Doctor's approval], I reduced my dosage gradually, and am discontinuing it. Withdrawal has been rough - like the worst hangover - and I'm into the 5th day but getting better. However, my mood is still good compared to 10 years ago, and I would like to be medication-free. Effexor allowed me to control my anxiety/moods through some tough times and through it, I learned new ways to deal with such. I highly recommend it.

I have been taking Effexor XR for about 8 years after suffering a serious mental breakdown. This medicine has given me back my life. Having said that the UK government have recently told all doctors to prescribe the generic version. THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE, I began suffering terrible headaches, and anxiety again. After speaking to my Consultant Psychiatrist I am now back on Effexor with all the nasty symptoms gone. There really is no substitute for the real thing.