Effexor and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Dri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 16, 2022

For Depression "I wanted it to work so bad. I’m devastated. The Effexor made my mouth and tongue hurt so unbearably bad, severe dry mouth with a horrible taste. Felt intense pressure behind or under my ears, like just before it's trying to pop. I was severely short of breath along with this yawning urge which made me hyperventilate. My head was pounding like a jackhammer, my pupils and eyes felt huge even though they weren’t, and please forgive my lack of better words, but I felt “cracked out.” Hungry, but felt nauseous smelling food, I felt in a stupor and slept 15 hours and would have the most horrifying intense vivid dreams that were just about impossible to tell if they were real or not (not even exaggerating), making me feel very confused and overwhelmed. I stopped being able to cry or feel emotions. I am a very emotional person and watched my memorial video of my beloved cat I’m devastated over, and I felt nothing for her. That is not normal for me. Terrifying experience. Never will take again."

• Tin...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 22, 2015

For Major Depressive Disorder "I took Effexor for many years. I believe I was becoming resistant to it because it wasn't addressing my depression anymore. I tapered off as slowly as possible, and I can safely say it is the worst withdrawal I have ever had in my life. Nausea, dizziness, sickly feeling, huge brain zaps, lethargy, headaches. It was horrible. I am so glad to be off of it. My new medication, Wellbutrin and Lexapro, are much better at controlling my chronic major depression. I will never be off drugs, but I would never take this drug again."

• kma...
• January 4, 2012

For Depression "I have suffered from MDD, GAD, SAD, OCD, panic attacks, agoraphobia, and PTSD for the past 25 years. I have tried several other SSRIs and was recently switched to Effexor XR. I was prescribed 37.5 and was to build up to 150 mgs. The side effects were so severe I could not get past the initial dose. I took it for the past 6 weeks, and it abruptly quit working. I could not tolerate increasing to 75 mg. I will be switching to Celexa. The side effects include tachycardia, sweating, hypostatic, extreme blurry vision, nausea, headaches, insomnia, and weight gain of 5 lbs. I experienced 'spatial disorientation' where I would get waves of vertigo. I had great depression relief for about 3 weeks, but the side effects were too numerous to tolerate."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 11, 2019

For Depression "I have been on Effexor CE 37.5 mg for a month now. I was feeling better up until a few days ago, so I went and saw my doctor, so she upped my medication to 75 mg. So ever since she upped my dosage, I've been having severe headache, neck pain, nausea, feeling like my depression is getting worse, no motivation, crying spells throughout the day. So I'm going to give it a few more days, and if I'm still feeling the same, I'm asking to get tapered off of it. I just don't feel like myself, I just feel depressed all over again before I started it. I'm scared to get tapered off, though, because of the withdrawal symptoms I've been hearing."

• Cri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 14, 2021

For Depression "I love Effexor!!!! I have had bipolar depression, extreme depression, CPTSD, and a lot of anxiety for as long as I can remember. Within a few weeks (I had to start a low dose and gradually increase due to bad reactions to most bipolar drugs). So when I got to about 175 mg, I started to have no suicidal thoughts AT ALL!! I am so happy to have those thoughts out of my head. I still have some issues, but this drug gave me my life back - with no side effects except extreme fatigue until I got used to it. Now I have no tiredness at all. HOWEVER, HUGE DISCLAIMER. DO NOT STOP TAKING THIS DRUG EVEN FOR A DAY!!!!! You must wean off this. I actually thought it was the end of me when I couldn't get my meds for 2 days. I vomited the entire time, like I couldn't stop. Extreme sweating, hallucinations, not severe, but still scary. Nightmares and the most painful headache that would not stop. The vomiting was the worst. I wasn't able to hold anything down, and I mean extreme cramping of the stomach area. Please be careful."

• Map...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 1, 2020

"Awful experience. Only took it for 6 days after GP prescribed it for nerve pain. Massive continuous headaches, vision affected, couldn't focus my burning eyes. Constant nausea and dizziness. Sense of taste affected. Very difficult to think coherently. Made me miserable with pain and new symptoms. Avoid at all costs. It took weeks for the side effects to subside, vision improved, but not as good as before taking this medication."

• 51...
• October 8, 2015

For Depression "I was put on Effexor for depression and anxiety. (Was on Paxil for many years.) I told the nurse/practitioner I felt pretty good but always wondered if there was 'something better.' After starting on Effexor, I did have vivid dreams, and headachy, nausea, and dizziness, and was unable to have an intense orgasm (always fell short). The big problem came when I ran out of pills, and they wouldn't refill until I saw a nurse. So without my pills for 3 days... OMG! Terrible withdrawals... dripping with sweat, terrible headaches, insomnia, nausea, diarrhea, to feeling hopeless and extreme dizziness. Awful!!! Don't run out! I was terrified of going off the pill (switching to Wellbutrin). Day two on half a tab, and so far so good! :) Effexor may have its place... just not with me! :) You need to wean off them slowly!!!"

• Eri...
• November 22, 2016

For Depression "If you are thinking about taking this, do not do it. Ask your doctor for something else, anything else. Effexor is horrible. I was put on it due to depression and generalized anxiety. Within the first few weeks, I was emotionally numb, I wasn't sad anymore, but I couldn't feel happiness. Six months later, while still on this, I became suicidal and self-harming, my heart rate started increasing due to my anxiety to the point where I was hospitalized. After that, it was decided I was to come off it, now coming off it is even worse than being on it: shaking, dizziness, headaches, puking, sweating. I've only been off it a week, and already I can feel my mental health calming down. Avoid this drug. Please. For your own safety."

• Anonymous
• October 24, 2011

For Anxiety and Stress "I've been on this medication for almost a month. My doctor told me it could easily take a month to get used to it. I started out with headaches, extreme tiredness, and excessive sweating. The tiredness was gone after about 10 days. The sweating is the worst side effect, and I still suffer with it daily, though I am no longer dripping with sweat like I was when I began the medication. I get occasional headaches, but nothing more than a slight headache to remind me that I have one. I do feel better and am less stressed."

• Bme...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 13, 2015

For Depression "Was on Effexor for a little over a year and a half. I am a 25-year-old female, approximately 5'5'. When I began taking this medication, I was sitting around 165. I was prescribed 37.5 mg after switching doctors due to moving. Everything worked fine until I was on it for about 6 months, no side effects, no crazy reactions. After the 6-month period, I began feeling slower, less emotion, yet increased anger at little things a couple of times a month. Forgetting this pill was never an option as the nausea and headaches were out of control. I finally went back yesterday to be switched off it to something different and was prescribed Wellbutrin, so today is my first full day off, and my clarity is slightly back just beginning a day without it."

• Roc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 31, 2022

For Depression "Don’t be afraid to take this medication. Don’t read the bad reviews, do what is best for you. I suffer from GAD, depression, and panic attacks more so now than ever. This medication was one of my tools to help me feel me again. I have been on it for 10 weeks, and I’m now getting off of it because I feel it’s best for me. Only side effects: nausea and headaches. Before, I wouldn’t be able to step foot in a grocery store, public, but now I can without panicking or having anxiety. It doesn’t take it all away, but it’s something that will help."

• Pur...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 20, 2017

For Major Depressive Disorder "I have fibromyalgia, and the doctors also diagnosed major depressive disorder. After a few attempts, I was prescribed Effexor, but I was never warned of the side effects or the horrible withdrawal symptoms if you ever want to stop. Research it first, I wish I had. I could not get my prescription for 4 days once, and I felt like a drug addict, throwing up, sweating, headache, chest pains. It was severe. I think dying would have been a welcome option at one point. All because I had not realized I was out of refills. Anything that severe is not safe for your body. Now, I am stuck on a medication that has made me feel worse until I can slowly wean off that, it may take a year plus because it impacts your entire body when you cut back slightly."

• Anonymous
• October 8, 2011

For Anxiety and Stress "Effexor helped me to relax, although it was a trade-off. I had continuous headaches and heartburn. It started with nightly headaches. Then that turned into an everyday thing, I would have to take migraine medicine before bed. After I started doing that, I would wake up from heartburn! I never have heartburn. This medicine is definitely a trade-off."

• Ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 9, 2018

For Depression "Started taking Effexor for about 1 week now at 75 mg per day (37.5 mg in the morning and 37.5 mg after dinner) after a terrible experience with Cymbalta. The first few days, I had nausea and tiredness beyond belief and excessive yawning. The nausea has gotten better, but the tiredness continues and the yawning as well. Also, I am getting headaches every now and then, though they are not too bad. My mood has lifted a little, I believe. Also, I was on Wellbutrin XL for years, and though it helped a little bit in the beginning, then it stopped working. I am hoping this one works."

• Wor...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 24, 2016

For Depression "If you want to hallucinate, lose all recollection of time since the drug enters your system, shake and sweat like a heroin addict, live in complete disarray, never talk to anyone ever again because it makes you hallucinate your friends and family are all there with you, even though you live alone... Then this is the drug for you. I was on it for fibromyalgia and depression. It has been well after a year since I discontinued use against doctors' orders, and I still have headaches and electrical-type surges throughout my body. I took that useless drug for well over 3 years at its highest milligram and had to just flush them since the doctor refused to take me off of them. I had almost every single symptom listed on the manufacturer's website. I still cannot remember those years. Awful!"

• Anonymous
• December 11, 2011

For Anxiety and Stress "I've been on 150 mg for 1 year now for anxiety. I have previously taken Paxil as well for years, but it seemed to have stopped working for me. Although Effexor has helped with anxiety (not a 'cure'), if I miss 1 dose, I experience the worst side effects: dizziness, nausea, vertigo, diarrhea, headache. It has also significantly decreased my libido. I will be trying to come off of this and probably switch to something else because of this."

• she...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 27, 2016

For Depression "My doctor is bad and suggested this medicine. I've tried lots of different ones, nothing has helped in 10 years. She stated it would help my pain, hot flashes, and menopause. I came home, took a 37.5 mg at 8 pm, and by 11 pm, I was sick - my stomach hurt so bad I vomited, and I was hot/cold, my pupils were dilated, I could not control my emotions or my stomach, and I threw up again. I've been a nervous wreck for 36 hours. I woke up with a terrible right-side headache, muscle ache in my jaw or my right eye, feeling sick to my stomach. I only took 1 pill, it's the worst medication ever. I've been on lots of meds, but nothing has ever done this. I do not recommend this pill to anyone. I'm just trying to get it out of my system, please read all reviews before you try it."

• The...
• July 25, 2011

For Anxiety and Stress "I'm feeling pretty sick now. I'm extremely sensitive to medicines and am on only 1/2 of 37.5 mg pills. Correlation isn't causation, but my acid reflux (and assorted stomach problems) have come back full force with the start of these medicines. The backs of my eyes hurt, and I have a pounding headache right now with nausea. I have eating problems, and this seems to have exacerbated them. My body is in starvation mode, where I feel cold all the time, lethargic/tired. I don't feel hungry, and that's not good because my eating disorders dietician would like me to eat to pull my body back to normal functioning. The only good thing is that my depression started to lessen when I got started with them, but now, from suffering the side effects, I feel more depressed."

• Kiy...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 9, 2012

For Depression "I am 130 pounds and 19 years old. I took my first dose of Effexor 75 mg. So far, I have experienced nausea, headache, dilated pupils, and drowsiness."