Effexor and Dizziness: What Users Say

• xyz...
• July 31, 2013

For Depression "I have taken Effexor on and off for nearly ten years for depression and anxiety brought on by a sudden traumatic situation. It took a week or so for the side effects to disappear when I first started. I felt so well that I weaned myself off it, which took at least a week with side effects. I have done this twice, thinking I was very well and able to cope when I take the medication. However, I have come to realize that I need to stay on it, and my husband now understands that it keeps me well, happy, and balanced. If I miss a tablet, I feel quite nauseous and a bit unbalanced, even though I only take 75mg once a day. I have come to realize that there are a lot of people out there, including many high-profile people, who need Effexor."

• Mis...
• September 21, 2013

For Depression "I am 46 years old and have taken Effexor since 2000. It helps me balance myself. It really works, and it calms me down and relaxes. But never miss it for a day or so, it will give you dizziness or nausea. I would like people out there to know that Effexor is the best antidepressant. It helps me focus on my life in every way. Thank you for saving my life, Effexor."

• Law...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 1, 2014

For Depression "I am a physically healthy (runner) 25-year-old male. I have never been mentally healthy, so I have tried antidepressants. I tried Prozac and Wellbutrin. Prozac didn't help or hurt, but it gave me dangerous mood swings. I was prescribed Effexor 2.5 months ago. It seemed like a perfect fit for me. I was wrong. I was on 75 mg each day. It actually made me sadder. I had no weight or sexual side effects but had vertigo. The worst was CRIPPLING insomnia while taking it, and now I am close to 0 mg, but I still get night sweats and 'brain zaps'. As I write this, I've had 13 hours of sleep in the past 5 days."

• Anonymous
• September 22, 2008

For Depression "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."

• Aym...
• May 13, 2014

For Major Depressive Disorder "I give this a 7 because it does work. BUT be very cautious of the side effects. I was on it for 2 years, first started on the regular dose, then switched to extended release as the medicine would 'wear off' throughout the day. While it helped tremendously with my depression and anxiety (it was almost non-existent) the side effects alone were debilitating. I gained 20 pounds, would fall asleep midday (we're talking I had to pry my eyes open to keep from passing out in the middle of a conversation), I was tired ALL DAY. I sweat PROFUSELY and the dizziness I experienced from missing a dose by only a few minutes, plus the heart palpitations were enough for me to stop."

• Gin...
• October 20, 2013

For Depression "I have been on Venlafaxine XR for 8 years (first Effexor XR then generic without problems). Started at 150, then plateaued after about a year, went up to 225 and plateaued again. I have been on 300mg dose for over 5 years. I like this prescription a lot. I haven't tried other antidepressants, I was started on this because it worked for other family members. I know it's a high dose and some people are shocked, but I find this offensive and more or less stigma about mental illness and meds. I started Adderall about 4 years ago and that combination has been incredible for my depression (and ADHD). My sex drive recovered 3 months into VFX. The only complaint is when I miss a dose, in which case I have a lot of complaints: migraines, dizzy, tremor, hypersomnia"

• Hap...
• February 25, 2015

For Major Depressive Disorder "I switched to Effexor after taking Prozac for years, and it just didn't seem to be working for me anymore. I'm so glad my doctor suggested I switch to Effexor. I've been taking it for about 2 years, and it seems to be working great for me. I very rarely have a down day. You must take it as directed and not miss dosages. I can't miss more than 1 day's dosage, or I will get nauseous and dizzy."

• The...
• October 23, 2014

For Depression "I started this medicine in nursing school. Very much so needed. I started seeing myself with less worry, and a more 'whatever' type of mentality. I figured that worked for me. However, my biggest problem has been the weight gain. Before I knew it, I gained at least 25 lbs. I'm a very active person and I watch what I eat, especially since I am a cardiac nurse. Also, make sure you NEVER miss a day of the medication. My side effects would be vertigo and shooting nerve pains in my head. I just upped my dosage to 150mg hoping it will increase my energy and help with weight loss. I was really bad off emotionally before, so besides everything above, I have my life back."

• Anonymous
• December 7, 2012

For Depression "I was on Effexor for a few months only and found it to be not particularly helpful. I had weight gain, extreme tiredness during the day and feeling 'blah'. I decided to go off them, and it took me longer to get off them than I had been taking them. The withdrawal was terrible. I had head spins that would last all day, couldn't focus, extreme dizziness if I turned too quickly, etc."

• Anonymous
• December 7, 2012

For Depression "I was on Effexor for a few months only and found it to be not particularly helpful. I had weight gain, extreme tiredness during the day and feeling 'blah'. I decided to go off them, and it took me longer to get off them than I had been taking them. The withdrawal was terrible. I had head spins that would last all day, couldn't focus, extreme dizziness if I turned too quickly, etc."

• Saz...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 27, 2018

For Depression "My experience with this drug was horrific. At 150 mg, I hit a new low, I was impulsive, severely anxious, and constantly in tears. I was so desperate to be off this med that I went cold turkey. Huge mistake. Developed discontinuation syndrome: fever, tremors, panic attacks, vertigo, hives, flu-like symptoms, night terrors, constant vomiting. Got to the point I couldn’t even keep down water. By day 6, I was hospitalized with severe dehydration and exhaustion. Was immediately hooked up to an IV to replace fluids and given anti-sickness meds. Doctors introduced a lower dose and I am now tapering. Down to 18 mg, so nearly there. Have to take it slowly as I’m extremely sensitive to this medication. Another 2 weeks and I will be free of it. Can't wait to have my life back!"

• Sta...
• April 1, 2021

For Major Depressive Disorder "Please research this drug extensively before beginning! 26-year-old female and have been suffering with severe depression since childhood. Have tried various types of medications for my depression over the years, and can honestly say, Effexor was by far and large the worst antidepressant I've ever taken. The side effects were horrible: severe headaches, nausea, dizziness, nightmares, waking up in pools of sweat, hit my lowest of lows, and had frequent suicidal thoughts. If I forgot to take my medicine within a couple of hours of my dosage time, I couldn't function with work, chores, etc. Tapering off this drug very slowly was an absolute miserable experience. I'm someone that tries to find some good in even bad experiences, however, I have not a single positive thing to say about this drug. I wouldn't even want my worst enemy to feel a minute of the side effects I did on this drug. If I could give a '0' rating for this drug, I would. Will never touch this medication another day of my life!"

• Dru...
• January 17, 2020

For Depression "I've been on Effexor for 3 or 4 months. So far, I've noticed things are more pleasurable, and I have a tiny bit more energy. Still have depressed days, though. As for the anxiety... still there, and hasn't improved much. Panic attacks aren't as frequent or intense, but I still get them. My anxiety is so bad it's to the point I can barely leave the house unless I really have to. If you're on this drug, you're going to want to stay on it and make sure you don't skip doses. I get major withdrawal symptoms like extreme dizziness and headaches. Make sure you wean off it. Overall, still depressed and definitely still anxious. The effects of relief are mild and sometimes hard to notice. I still rate it a 7 because if it has helped anything, it's the panic attacks, which are easily the worst mental experience you can go through aside from being tortured to death. It's very tormenting. But because Effexor hasn't relieved much else, I'd consider trying something new."

• App...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 4, 2023

For Depression "I was on 150 mg of Effexor for anxiety, depression, and ADHD for 8 months. It was great at first. I no longer woke up at dawn with anxiety attacks and could finally go to work, it also helped my anxiety when starting Ritalin. After a while, I started to feel very unmotivated and just numb, with no emotions. My sex drive went away, which before was super high, and I also couldn't orgasm, and if I did, it felt not as great. I stopped this medication because after missing just one dose, I had terrible vertigo to the point where I couldn't even stand without feeling like I was going to fall or throw up. I also got nausea and anxiety, along with tremendous fatigue and brain zaps, which I despise so much. Weaning off this medication now, and honestly, it's torture."

• Anonymous
• May 11, 2012

For Depression "I was on this medication for about 3 years for depression/anxiety. During the time I took this medication, it completely numbed any emotion that a normal person would get. About six months ago, I decided that I was ready to discontinue my use of this medication and slowly reduced my doses. Coming down from this was extremely difficult and painful. I would have the craziest/scariest dreams, intense night sweats, severe headaches, uncontrollable body shaking and muscle twitching, some nausea/vomiting, but the worst of all the side effects was when my heart would race so fast it felt like it was going to break out of my chest, and my heart would feel like it was skipping beats, and each time that happened, I would get an intense head rush."

• LGG...
• March 28, 2015

For Depression "I had been on Zoloft (50 mg/day) for depression for 8 years. Following a major chronic health condition, a medical specialist was concerned the Zoloft was no longer effective. Increasing to 100 mg/day was disastrous - head spins, dry, dry mouth, vertigo - so a psychiatrist recommended Effexor. Initial 75 mg/day, then 150 mg/day after a fortnight. Initially, I was unable to orgasm, but this lasted only about a month (same when I started Zoloft). Main concern is weird dreams most nights. The only thing I can tie this to is the Effexor. I have been researching online and it seems I'm not the only one. What a relief to discover - I was becoming quite concerned (and irritated). But hey, I feel so much better that I can live with it. I'm smiling again."

• LGG...
• March 28, 2015

For Depression "I had been on Zoloft (50 mg/day) for depression for 8 years. Following a major chronic health condition, a medical specialist was concerned the Zoloft was no longer effective. Increasing to 100 mg/day was disastrous - head spins, dry, dry mouth, vertigo - so a psychiatrist recommended Effexor. Initial 75 mg/day, then 150 mg/day after a fortnight. Initially, I was unable to orgasm, but this lasted only about a month (same when I started Zoloft). Main concern is weird dreams most nights. The only thing I can tie this to is the Effexor. I have been researching online and it seems I'm not the only one. What a relief to discover - I was becoming quite concerned (and irritated). But hey, I feel so much better that I can live with it. I'm smiling again."

• dow...
• August 1, 2008

For Depression "Changed to Effexor XR 75 mg about 2 months ago from Celexa 20 mg. 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 7, 2016

For Major Depressive Disorder "I had been off all meds for 10 years when I had a major relapse and knew it was time to medicate again. Effexor is hard to get on, lots of dizziness and exhaustion. Also, if I am late taking it, I feel awful. Headaches, anxiety, mood swings. Don't ever miss a dose! I can't stress this enough. Withdrawal hits hard and fast, even within 12 hours. Sweats, chills, headache, dreams, whole-body pain. HOWEVER, it does help me get through the day. I have suicidal depression and clinical anxiety, so for me, it is worth some struggle to stay with Effexor because it does give me relief. It calms my brain, allows me to get moving with my day, and not have the threat of my own self-destructive tendencies."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 11, 2015

For Depression "I was switched from Prozac to this (150 mg), and it is amazing! It really helped me, but I will say, DO NOT FORGET TO TAKE IT! My side effects of missing one day were these really weird dreams and a horrible headache, but if I was off of it for more than a day, I felt super dizzy."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 1, 2015

For Depression "I was given this medication after a major panic episode, and I noticed a good change a few weeks after taking it. It helps your mind wander and not focus on the bad things. It also just made me a generally happier person. However, I skipped a few days (I'm on the 75 mg), and the side effects were terrible. I got hot flashes, awful nightmares, I was so dizzy I could barely walk, I was disoriented and couldn't focus on anything, and I was absolutely exhausted. I started taking it normally again, but it makes me a little nervous to stop taking it permanently... Before taking this medication, I would definitely weigh 'do I want to be on this for a really long time?' or 'I can tough this out.'"

• And...
• July 7, 2017

For Depression "This medication worked for me for a few years for my anxiety, but eventually made me feel worse. When my new doctor recommended tapering me off, I had 2 weeks of pure hell. I was fortunate enough not to experience the brain zaps others experienced, but I had diarrhea, suicidal thoughts, terrible migraines, dizziness, couldn't eat, nausea, non-stop crying...the list goes on. I was a mess for 2 weeks straight and could barely work. I do not recommend starting this unless you plan to be on it for life. The withdrawal symptoms were not worth it, please try something else. This drug should not be on the market!!"

• nab...
• December 15, 2008

For Anxiety and Stress "I have been on Effexor for over a year, and my dosage has been 37.5 mg daily. The drug has worked wonders for me, but I have had some side effects of sweating, strange dreams, and dizziness when I forget to take it."

• Anonymous
• February 16, 2009

For Depression "I've been taking 75 mg of Effexor for a year and a half now and it 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) is that I have gained 40 lbs."

• luc...
• August 21, 2010

For Depression "I've never been so happy in my life. It's not a fake, life is strangely perfect happiness. It's not the 'I'm in my head, three feet away from everything and no one knows me' feeling I've gotten from previous antidepressants. I feel balanced and for the first time in my life (I'm 28, female), feel like I am actually coming from a well-grounded place. As others have said, when a dose is late or missed, the effects are pretty awful. The longer I've been on it, though, they are getting less intense. The first few times I was late, I became very quickly, extremely depressed, lethargic, dizzy, nauseous, and irritable. I was having shooting, lightning-like feelings in my brain that would cause me to stop dead in my tracks and look pretty crazy."