Desvenlafaxine and Dizziness: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Bri...
• April 5, 2021

Desvenlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "I have Bipolar Disorder I and severe depression, along with anxiety. I was on Prozac for many months, and it didn't help at all. I was so tired of feeling this way, and I said enough! I've been on several different antidepressants (Latuda, Seroquel, Geodon, Abilify, and Prozac), and now my doctor just switched me over to Pristiq. He put me on 25 mg while weaning me off of the Prozac. At first, Pristiq made me mentally foggy and dizzy. I've actually been reading good reviews for this medication and decided to give it a try. I know that it takes some time for meds to get used to your body, so you have to give it some time. As of right now, I'm not feeling suicidal, and I'm not crying at the drop of a hat anymore, which is awesome to me. I will be patient with this medication to see what else happens and if I notice any more improvements. I have a good feeling about this medication. So, if you're debating on whether or not you should take it, just take a risk and see what happens."

• Her...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 19, 2021

Desvenlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "I literally took this medication for 1 day at 25 mg. I've been on so many meds, had ECT treatments, the whole 9 yards. It started with nausea and dizziness within an hour. By hour 2, my joints hurt so bad and I was extremely fatigued. I dissociated badly throughout most of the day at work, I had to be snapped out of it. That night after work, my muscles and joints hurt so bad and I was still dissociating so badly. I felt so, so bad, and that came with a whole new set of emotions. I emailed my psychiatrist. She called me the next day, literally 10 minutes after my daily dose (in which I cried and cried because I had to take this pill again) and told me to stop taking it immediately. That my body was metabolizing it too fast, and I should not be having these kinds of side effects at all. So, now we're on to Trintellix. And if that doesn't do the trick, some nasal spray treatment. So defeating."

• 32 ...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 2, 2019

For Anxiety "I’ve been on Pristiq (50 mg) for 18 months, and it’s helped reduce my anxiety immensely. The first week was tough, feeling nauseous, tired, and dizzy, but that all went away. However, I’ve noticed that my weight loss plateaued and has hovered around the same weight since. This is besides a healthy diet and gym 3-4 times a week. I also have a minimal libido/sex drive and issues with maintaining an erection or “finishing.” However, the improvement in my mental health meant I didn’t care while I was single; now that I’m dating, it does get frustrating. I’ve also noticed jaw tension, as I saw another reviewer write. I also have some detachment from emotions in general, but not so severe that I feel like a robot. Missing a day can also be hell; I usually take my tablet in the morning, and if I forget, I feel dizzy and cannot focus by 2 pm. About to talk with my GP about coming off to see how I go without meds again."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 7, 2021

Desvenlafaxine for Depression "I have been on desvenlafaxine 25 mg for exactly 6 weeks for panic attacks, social/general anxiety, and depression. I had been using lorazepam 0.25 mg as needed for anxiety for several months before having a mental breakdown and deciding it was time to manage this daily anxiety instead of the up-and-down rollercoaster I was on with the lorazepam. I developed agoraphobia and could barely make myself get out of bed the first week. I was scared to be alone and, at age 46, found myself asking my mom to stay with me while my husband was at work. This went on for weeks. I did notice my depression improved after 2-3 weeks. I was disappointed that it had not improved my anxiety as much as I thought it should, but then that switch finally flipped for me on day 56. Side effects: headache, loss of appetite, tinnitus, fatigue, dizziness. Just tinnitus has stuck. Small price to pay for getting my life back. It’s no joke that it takes 6-8 weeks for relief. Take the pill. Every day. Feel better."

• Swe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 26, 2012

Desvenlafaxine for Depression "I'm 29, female, was on Celexa before. On 50 mg of medicine for the past 2 weeks. Killed my sex drive, stone cold-just gone! Palpitations like crazy. Extreme nausea and dizziness. Sweating through my clothes...underarms, chest, back, groin, everywhere! My whole body is very tense, and my TMJ is flaring like crazy. Feel like a sweaty zombie with palpitations and zero sex drive. Trying to stick with it."

• Dhr...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 27, 2016

Desvenlafaxine for Depression "What they didn't tell me is how dependent you get on it. It started off I could miss a few days and not feel anything. Then I would feel it if I missed one or two days, but I would just be a little more down. Now, if I miss a day I can't function, and if I miss two it gets really scary. It's only happened once or twice while I've been on it, but by the second or third day missed I am not myself. I'm anxious, my jaw hurts, I can't sleep, crying fits are common, vomiting and headaches are constant. During this time there are stages that are worse than others, but 'brain zaps' and dizziness are common. I've also seen and heard things, and overall it feels like you are high and is the most awful thing I've ever experienced. It's made the med not worth it."

• Rob...
• January 25, 2020

Desvenlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "First off, I hope most or all is somewhat well with everybody in here! Let's make this very short and to the point... I have been on Pristiq and the last few years the generic form of it for a total of around 7-8 years... I have been seeing countless doctors, of course, including my psych doctor, for these all of the sudden recent symptoms - 24/7 nausea, 24/7 dizziness, sore throat with a lump in it at times, just feelings of not being present in my own body, constantly thinking that I am going to pass away. It is so bad that I cannot play or spend quality time with my only grandson!!! Constant crying and doom. Had an endoscopy and a heart cath which turned out fine. Heavy blood work which is good... Doctors think possible tooth infection from rotted teeth, GI problem, or sleep apnea. Oh, and another huge symptom is really never being able to sleep! Could this medication be catching up to me???? And any thoughts for care on sore throat - all these for the past 4 months."

• aus...
• June 23, 2010

Desvenlafaxine for Depression "I suffer from episodic depression and anxiety attacks. Pristiq is the only medication for depression that I've tried that has virtually no side effects either getting on or getting off. When I begin taking it (I'm on my 2nd round with this medicine since it came out). I almost immediately (in 2 to 3 days) start feeling better, or at least 'normal.' It certainly doesn't make me feel happy or like dancing, but it does erase feelings that I wished I'd never been born. Which is wonderful! I do have occasional night sweating, especially if I take any other medication with the Pristiq, even something like Advil. Getting off the Pristiq last time was uneventful. Only some slight dizziness upon moving my head for about a week."

• Pur...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 23, 2020

For Anxiety "I missed 2 days of med. I am on 150 mg Pristiq, taken in the morning. Somehow, I forgot to take both Friday and Saturday. Today (Sunday) has been a complete nightmare, my withdrawal symptoms are dizzy, nauseous, can barely stand up, hot and cold sweats. I took today’s dose as soon as I woke up at 8 a.m. It’s now 6 p.m., and I still feel so bad. How long will this last??? If I take another dose before bed tonight, could it make me feel like myself sooner? I know not to double up when I missed a dose, but I am hoping if I took a dose this morning, then the next dose 12 or so hours later (so before bed this evening), I could speed up the process of feeling normal again?? I am desperate for some answers but don’t know where else to go."

• Che...
• April 22, 2016

For Anxiety "Doctor put me on Pristiq for anxiety. Took 3 weeks to get used to it. Horrible side effects. Excessive sweating, drowsiness (so I took it right before bed), headaches, sometimes felt like I was getting shocked in the brain, I was hungry all the time. After taking this medication for 4 months, I was still experiencing drowsiness and all those other side effects listed above. But my anxiety was gone. I stopped taking Pristiq due to insurance problems. I had to quit cold turkey. It was the worst 3 days ever. I felt like I drank a bottle of tequila the night before. My withdrawal symptoms felt like a hangover. Extremely tired, headache that wouldn't go away, severely dehydrated, stomach pains, feeling weak and like a noodle, emotional, dizzy spells, etc."

• Car...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 20, 2021

Desvenlafaxine for Depression "I am leaving this comment to increase awareness of the difficult withdrawal one can experience when trying to get off Pristiq. I have been trying to get off this drug for the past few months. The first step was reducing my dose from 100 mg to 50 mg, which I managed to do without too much difficulty. After achieving this, I started to skip one pill each week, then two, etc. This process was the most difficult. Skipping one pill was okay. But skipping two has led to a range of unpleasant symptoms, including brain zaps, paresthesia, hyperarousal, insomnia, headaches, dizziness, flu-like symptoms, auras, crying outbursts, and detachment. This really gets in the way of life. Yeah, I wouldn't have started on this drug if I had known about the horrible withdrawal process. I really, really wish the doctors would inform their patients of this."

• Anonymous
• March 4, 2010

Desvenlafaxine for Anxiety "I have been taking Pristiq for 2.5 weeks now. I was having very few side effects, lots of yawning initially, but this is improving. I have mild depression and anxiety and OCD (which only acts up when I am stressed). I have been feeling pretty good, but the last few days I have had blurred vision and dizziness, lots of ringing in the ears, and dry mouth. I am hoping this passes. My mood is pretty good, and I am sleeping well."

• coo...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 21, 2016

Desvenlafaxine for Depression "I know people react to medication differently, some have had great experiences, but most have seen the dark side of this medication. I've been on multiple medications, this is definitely the last one I will ever go on. My suicidal thoughts increased to almost daily, felt like self-harming myself all the time. Super irritable. I was only on the medication for 2 months, before, I was on Effexor for almost 2 years. Multiple medications before. I decided to wean off of it with the help of the pharmacist for a month. After officially being off of them, I have never felt something so horrible as these withdrawal symptoms. So dizzy, I couldn't get out of bed for 4 days, brain zaps, shaking uncontrollably, hot and cold flashes, etc. BE CAREFUL."

• srt...
• February 17, 2009

Desvenlafaxine for Depression "I have been on Pristiq for 6 days now. I am feeling better, but still have nausea and dizziness, but it's getting better. I have never been on any kind of medicine except antibiotics. I am also still tense, but hope that will go away soon. Reading all of the comments has helped."

• Anonymous
• March 6, 2010

Desvenlafaxine for Depression "I experienced 3 of the most common side effects of Pristiq. I experience nausea, loss of appetite, and dizziness. The nausea and loss of appetite were minimal, and I could get along with my day. However, the dizziness, in my opinion, is not a side effect to be taken lightly. I was so dizzy I could not concentrate or do well in class. I had to stop taking it because it was disrupting my schoolwork very badly."

• kat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 27, 2019

Desvenlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "Took the dose of 100 mg for about a year with Remeron and never noticed anything helpful about it. The only reason I stayed on it was because of the horrible withdrawals I had to deal with. This past week, I finally kicked it after taking 25 mg for about 3 months. Absolutely horrendous. Didn’t want to eat, I am dizzy, I’m shaky, have horrible constant vertigo/brain zaps, and got thrown into a depressive episode worse than I ever had before. I realize it was the withdrawals' fault. Do not suggest taking it unless you have experience with withdrawal."

• kat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 27, 2019

Desvenlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "Took the dose of 100 mg for about a year with Remeron and never noticed anything helpful about it. The only reason I stayed on it was because of the horrible withdrawals I had to deal with. This past week, I finally kicked it after taking 25 mg for about 3 months. Absolutely horrendous. Didn’t want to eat, I am dizzy, I’m shaky, have horrible constant vertigo/brain zaps, and got thrown into a depressive episode worse than I ever had before. I realize it was the withdrawals' fault. Do not suggest taking it unless you have experience with withdrawal."

• myb...
• July 24, 2009

Desvenlafaxine for Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "I have been taking this now for 30 days, and on the 13th day, I felt dizzy and sick to my stomach. I also did not feel emotionally well for a few days after. I lost weight the first week, and my appetite has been suppressed somewhat. I continue to lose a few pounds a week. The doctor thinks the side effects I have had will diminish, so I will be taking this for another month."

• rel...
• August 13, 2011

Desvenlafaxine for Anxiety "I've been using Pristiq for 6 months now. I have never used any form of medication for anxiety before, as I said to myself I never want to be on medication. So I spoke to family, friends, and then finally a psychologist to help me with my constant anxiety and negative mind chatter, but nothing helped, so I decided to see my doctor for a prescription for an anti-depressant/anti-anxiety type medication. He recommended Pristiq. The first few days I felt a little dizzy, some constipation, but that soon passed, and in about 2 weeks, I was feeling a lot calmer, more level-headed, and a lot more positive. It has helped me get through a tough time, and I would recommend it."

• Nat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 30, 2019

Desvenlafaxine for Depression "So I got a bit depressed after a work accident, it was exactly a year after I was having major panic attacks and got put on Effexor 75 mg. After 6 months, I was back to normal. 5 years later, and everything came back so severe I tried Effexor 150 mg and kept getting suicidal thoughts and severe dizziness every day for a year. Then my psychiatrist put me on Pristiq 100 mg, and after 5 months, I’m still the same, wondering if I should up the dose or try something else."

• Abs...
• August 25, 2016

Desvenlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "Pristiq. Well. It's still early days, but I'd like to share my experience already with this medication. (I'm only on 50 mg, no idea how in the world people are surviving on 100 mg). The first few days can be described basically as absolute hell on earth. The side effects kicked in almost immediately after waking up the morning after taking it (night dose). It honestly felt exactly like coming down hard off ecstasy. I had absolutely no ability to function for hours. Then the nausea, the dizziness, the headaches, the jaw clenching, out-of-body feeling, feelings of euphoria and depression all at once. In short, it was an absolute joy! But it does get better! And it really works a treat. I find myself laughing a lot more, anxiety is half as bad."

• Mea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 6, 2019

Desvenlafaxine for Depression "I have been on Pristiq for five months. I have gained 10 pounds. I was placed on this medicine for mild depression and hot flashes as I had entered menopause. At first, it helped, then, I noticed my hot flashes were coming back twice as strong, but truly what troubles me more was the significant weight gain. I tried to reduce the loan amount that I had been given and found that I had such dizziness that I almost wrecked my car. I knew it had to be the medication as I drive for a living in sales. I’m so disappointed because it helped so much at first. I hope you have better luck."

• sha...
• August 12, 2009

Desvenlafaxine for Depression "I have been on Pristiq for 10 days now. The first two and a half days, I felt sick, dizzy, and fuzzy. I have had no side effects since. Lost 2.5 lbs the first week, which is a plus. Was on Lexapro a few years ago and gained a lot of weight. I also suffer from panic attacks and am taking Xanax when needed. Going through divorce, 23-year marriage."

• diz...
• September 15, 2011

Desvenlafaxine for Anxiety "I started 50 mg of Pristiq only two days ago. My doctor didn't like the medicine combination that I was on before, and they seemed to not be working so well anymore. I was taking Cymbalta and Celexa. I stopped taking Cymbalta and took Pristiq and the Celexa the first day. I was very afraid of a horrid drop in my mood all day being without my Cymbalta. But my mood was great. I stopped taking the Celexa and only took the Pristiq. It's crazy, I feel good. Well, aside from the dizzy, dumb head feeling. I also get headaches here and there, but nothing too terrible. In the past, I have tried Effexor XR, Prozac, Lexapro, and Zoloft for my depression and anxiety. I am really impressed with Pristiq."

• Anonymous
• January 7, 2010

Desvenlafaxine for Depression "I have been on Pristiq (50 mg) for about four months to treat depression. I feel better and have more energy, but some side effects I've encountered concern me. When I missed a dose, it sounded like fireworks were going off in my head. I could hear 'zaps' and felt dizzy and nauseated. I didn't connect it to the medication, though, so I stayed in bed the next day, unmedicated, and the symptoms got worse. I was able to see the physician's assistant who prescribed Phenergan and Valium. I'm now a little worried about going off Pristiq. I never felt like this on Paxil or Effexor."