Fetzima for Depression User Reviews (Page 3)

• Kal...
• March 3, 2016

"Switched from Zoloft. After the initial first week and withdrawals from the Zoloft, I noticed that my irritability never went away and seemed to get worse. I was yelling at my kids for 3 days straight and realized this just isn't me. It's treated my depression, but the irritability and agitation, along with the other effects, just are not worth it. I have a hard time sleeping due to the dreams that I have that only started once I started taking it. Hallucinations started as well. It seems some days I have a hard time with what's real and what's not. Only when just relaxing, my mind seems to jump all over. Will be switching ASAP, this drug isn't for me. I would rather have the weight gain from the Zoloft. Expensive, even with insurance."

• Pau...
• November 25, 2016

"I too have experienced a lot of loss, especially with my divorce. I started up on the Fetzima recently, and I'm experiencing fairly persistent symptoms of nausea. I was at 40 mg, but I'm finding that I am having to titrate because I just can't take the effects of the nausea. I'm trying to stick it out, perhaps go down to 20 mg a day and see where I'm at at this point. I've also tried many medications, and I'm feeling extremely frustrated and somewhat hopeless. Have other people had similar experiences on this medication as far as getting over the hump of nausea? There just doesn't seem to be a lot of options."

• dep...
• April 9, 2015

"Didn't help my anxiety at all, although it does have serotonin in it. However, it did help me see reality a bit clearer and begin to feel good emotions again. Sadly, I had to get off of it because it caused an allergic reaction after four days, with hives and itching. It also made me feel foggy-brained. Shame after spending $87 on a month's worth and having to quit after four days."

• Sco...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 27, 2019

"Tried many antidepressants. SNRIs are far superior to all SSRIs for my MDD, but at the higher recommended dosages. Effexor XR at 225 mg had been the best, fairly better than Pristiq and much better than Wellbutrin. Won't take Cymbalta or any other hepatic side effect possibilities. Did try it for 6 weeks with no improvement. My insurance covers Fetzima 40 mg, not much help, 80 mg vast improvements, and 120 mg first 2 weeks no difference after that 15 to 20% improvement. Wellbutrin no help. Zoloft importance and no help after 4 weeks, so no go. My advice: try Effexor XR and don't give up on it until 4 weeks at 225 mg, especially if SSRIs aren't working. I had no known side effects at any listed dose and have been on antidepressants for 17 years."

• CGu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 1, 2014

"Only was able to take this for two days. Second day, I felt just awful. Similar to Wellbutrin. I don't think my body can handle norepinephrine increase. I also got painful urination that lasted days after I took my last pill... ouch, it hurt."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 25, 2019

"Where do I begin? I’ve exhausted almost all of my options for approved antidepressants in Canada, with my fair share of negative and positive experiences. Fetzima is the second worst I’ve ever taken, right above Moclobemide. After only a couple of days, I had the worst headache of my life, felt like my brain was in a hydraulic press, couldn’t even open my eyes. This lasted four more days until I stopped taking this medication. I experienced nausea, but not as bad as some other reviews state. I experienced the body tingling, although this wasn’t too bothersome. I experienced heart palpitations accompanied by chest pain. There is a disabling brain fog that comes with this medication, it certainly numbs your severe emotions, but leaves you with a miserable feeling of apathetic melancholy. I also experienced ear popping and severe sinus irritation, although I’m unsure if this was related to the medication. Not even close to being worth a try for me, but everyone is different."

• Red...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 27, 2018

"After about a week, I had extreme sweating, palpitations, and testicular pain that would get so bad I walked funny. Was a bit pissed off in general and anxious. Soaked the bed and nightclothes in sweat several times a night."

• Bat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 3, 2017

"Age 60 male. Several years with BPH being managed by Xatral, but TURP coming soon. Past year, my depression/PTSD being managed by Cipralex 20 mg. Unhappy with weight gain and anorgasmia, so I was just prescribed Fetzima. Weaned off the Cipralex, and yesterday was the first day of introduction of Fetzima (20 mg), but within hours, I developed urinary urgency and much reduced flow. Discomfort increased through the day, causing pain and extreme gas/stomach bloating. So, 24 hours later, I'm not taking Fetzima again until I talk to the doctor. It may just be coincidental, but I fear the side effect of urinary retention is a real problem with the Fetzima when exacerbated by a pre-existing BPH condition, so beware!"

• Jus...
• November 10, 2016

"I have suffered from hereditary clinical depression for several years. The death of my mother, two loved animals (horse and dog), a divorce that is endless and painful, have all added to my depression, and a new doctor prescribed Fetzima. Now I feel totally insane. My stomach hurts every time I eat; my heart pounds to the point that I wonder if I should go to an ER almost every day; I can't fall asleep, and when I do, I have stressful nightmares (never had bad dreams before); and every day I feel an anger and rage that makes no sense at all. I have to remind myself to take a deep breath and not act out this new mean personality on my dogs or my friends. No matter what my doctor's opinion, this poison stops tomorrow."

• Cla...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• June 11, 2023

"I have been using Fetzima since it first came out. Started with 80 mg, now on 120 mg. This really works for me. It has been the best of at least 10 other prescriptions. I had to go 4 days without because of manufacturing problems. I don't know what to do if a back-order situation happens again. My doctor and I are going to discuss what we should plan if something happens again. I love this product for me."

• The...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 12, 2021

"Was on 20 mg for about 6-8 weeks. It worked really well with my anxiety, but I stopped it because of the sexual side effects and insomnia. It’s been over a month, and I still feel the medicine’s effects on me (positive and negative), along with discontinuation symptoms (can’t sleep, nausea, headaches, shaking). It’s truly awful, and I don't know when I am going to be back to normal."

• sum...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 10, 2019

"Be careful before deciding to take Fetzima for depression, it is absolutely horrible. Caused me severe vomiting almost every day. The worst part was the way it messed with my brain chemistry, making me angry, confused, and having severe mood swings. It’s been almost 2 years since I’ve been off this medication and still look back on this medication as a real nightmare. It REALLY makes things worse. DON'T TAKE IT."

• bra...
• May 29, 2016

"Spent 3 days only on this. It made me so angry I just wanted to hurt someone, also, on day 2, my eyes started twitching off and on all day. Stopped taking this on day 4...guess what? 2 months later, my eyes still twitch daily!"

• Alw...
• August 23, 2017

"I tried Fetzima for a week, going from 20 mg to 40 mg. I had the worst headaches, chills, and GI problems. I like to exercise, and I was afraid I was going to pass out from being so lightheaded. I stopped taking it, but then changed my mind a month later and went back on. Again, the same side effects, even staying on the 20 mg. Today will be my last day. I can't live in the bathroom."

• RMH...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 27, 2019

"It's helping me get through a difficult patch in life. But I thought I had emotional feelings on Fetzima at first, now I feel like I have none, really, except for my cats. And I'm only taking 10 mg, which is opening up a 20 mg capsule and taking 1/2 the beads. This stuff should come in a smaller dose like this for chemically sensitive people. So it's OK, but long-term, I'll probably end up switching to something else."

• iwt...
• October 26, 2017

"After 5 days of 40 mg, I jumped to the 80 mg and almost immediately started having both pain in my testicles as well as very slow urination accompanied by pain as well. The pain would be significant enough to make it hard to sleep at times. This is in addition to the sexual dysfunction, shivers, gastrointestinal problems, and probably other 'insignificant' side effects. This medicine was garbage for me. After 24 hours off the medication, all side effects subsided, thank goodness. And on top of all these side effects, it did nothing for my depression."

• The...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 30, 2017

"Also wanted to add since I ran out of room on my last post that this medication has also caused me to have severe hot flashes. I'm going through menopause, but my hot flashes were not as bad until I started taking Fetzima. After I went off of it for 3 months, my hot flashes almost vanished, not as severe and not so many. Now I've been back on Fetzima again for 3 months and hello hot flashes. This medication is the worst!!"

• Ano...
• November 2, 2017

"I started taking this medication two days ago and have already had a severe reaction to it. I am having severe panic attacks, nausea, body pain, headaches, and I keep uncontrollably crying. It seems as if these are very common side effects, and I am basically a walking zombie. I have no emotion, no feeling, and can’t think straight. I wouldn’t recommend this medication to anyone."

• okf...
• August 11, 2016

"I took this medicine for a few days. The rage I had at all times was so intense it frightened me. It made me have thoughts of hurting others to the point I could not work for fear of hurting people I work with. I had to board my cats to keep from hurting them. I have been off this drug for a year, but now when I try other antidepressants, the rage seems to come back."

• sot...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 30, 2022

"Started Fetzima 2 years ago when work became overwhelming and I had to take a two-month break. It's the first drug that ever really worked for me, and it barely has any side effects. Made me enjoy things again and massively reduced the inner voice that made me think about every bad thing that ever happened to me in the past. No feeling like a zombie either. I had somewhat high blood pressure before, but it stayed under control most of the duration. Sadly, recently it increased, and my doctor is now making me switch to Zoloft. It's so sad I spent years trying all kinds of garbage that made me feel sick and never really worked. There is so little chance this new thing will have the same effect with so few side effects."

• Asd...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 13, 2017

"I've taken several different SSRIs and SNRIs. This medication is the worst I have ever taken. It makes me feel worse than I felt before I started taking anything at all - sweating, hot flashes, my mouth constantly tastes like I drank salt water, constipation, bloated, nausea, exhausted. You name it. EXTREME RAGE! Stay away from this med. It's a scary thing."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 28, 2021

"Due to tremors on low dose SSRIs, I’ve been on Fetzima… thinking maybe an SNRI would work better for me. The hot flashes and anger caused by this medication are intolerable. I’m done with this. Starting back on Prozac."

• Car...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 4, 2022

"Hands down, I have not been this happy in years - however, Fetzima gives me intolerable insomnia - we are talking up all night! I am truly devastated about it because I don’t want to take Ambien every night. I’m going to try to take it every other day and check with my doctor about what to do at the end of the month. I recommend taking a Genesight test before trying out different meds."

• hea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 17, 2014

"All I have to say is Wow! This is like taking Red Bull as an antidepressant. So far, so good. I just hope this feeling lasts and side effects do not kick in."

• Ado...
• July 31, 2014

"I started out on 40 mg, now I'm on 80 mg, so far so good!"