Effexor and Tremors: What Users Say

• Kim...
• February 24, 2020

For Depression "WORST 48 hours of my entire life. The first day I took Effexor (dose 37.5 mg) with my 300 mg of Wellbutrin, and I got to work and couldn’t even walk in a straight line. I went home and figured maybe I just shocked my system and slept it off. The next day I took the same dosage. First came the spaced-out phase where I couldn’t remember where I was or what I was doing. The tremors? So violent that I couldn’t walk, talk, or hold things. My husband came home to find me in the fetal position on the floor, shaking violently. Let’s not forget hearing and seeing things that weren’t there. Another thing I noticed was that one second I was laughing, then the next crying. It was so scary, and I couldn’t stop it from happening. I stopped taking it. It’s been 2 days now and I still have tremors. I can’t eat. The only thing that will stop the tremors is 1 mg of Ativan. This drug ruined my life in 48 hours. I will never recommend it to anyone. Worst 2 days of my life, and it’s still going."

• 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"

• j1a...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 13, 2014

For Depression "Celexa stopped working, and I was put on Effexor. My panic attacks are worse than they have ever been, my depression is totally off the charts, and I physically shake all the time. The irritability is by far the worst part for me. I'm forever angry now on this medication. My friends and family have noticed a big difference in my personality. I'm definitely getting off this medication!"

• Anonymous
• November 7, 2011

For Depression "I'm a 24-year-old female with major depression and anxiety. I've been on nearly every antidepressant I can think of (Prozac, Cymbalta, Abilify, Lexapro... and even a few others) and Effexor has been the only one thus far to be effective. The others either made me an emotionless zombie or didn't do anything at all. The only side effects I've had were a bit of shakiness for the first week I started taking it, along with some dry mouth. These only lasted a week while my body got used to the medicine. I've had no changes in weight or appetite, which I know is a common concern with this class of drugs. If you've been through the ringer trying to find an antidepressant, I would recommend this to anyone. I also take Buspar daily."

• Anonymous
• July 18, 2012

For Anxiety and Stress "I was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder 10 years ago. I also struggled with panic attacks and depression. I could feel the positive effects of the medicine right away. Because of its immediate fix, I would recommend this to someone who has severe anxiety. The negative things I can say are that it is extremely hard to come off of. The withdrawal made me feel like I was crazy. I took myself off of it too quickly. I had hallucinations, tremors, and anxiety attacks. So make sure you use your doctor to wean off of it."

• 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!"

• Den...
• March 29, 2014

For Depression "I'm 48 and in menopause. I've suffered bouts of little depression through life, but since menopause, it hit me like a brick. I had a couple of panic attacks throughout the years, and I couldn't shake this gradual depression that was coming over me. I've always been able to talk myself through it, but this time, I just couldn't. My doctor prescribed Effexor. I took it for 2 days. On the third day, I was driving to work, and I suddenly felt like I couldn't breathe. I was shaking, my heart was racing, and I really thought I was going to die. I pulled over, thinking I was having a heart attack. I called 911, throwing up on the side of a freeway. By the time the ambulance came, my heart rate had skyrocketed! Worst experience of my life."

• Cre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 10, 2013

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I have been suffering from Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder for a few years now and have tried everything under the sun, but with the Effexor, I am feeling great. It does have some side effects, though, but they lasted for a few days and are now gone. They include the following: jitters, drowsiness, and a touch of nausea. Although with the sadness and anxiety under control, I now realize all the physical symptoms of PMDD. I'd rather have the physical symptoms over the emotions any day."

• 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."

• 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."

• Jef...
• October 11, 2018

For Major Depressive Disorder "The psychiatrist started me at 37.5 mg, going up to 150 mg. Was on that dose for 2 months with no positive effect, but a muscle ache, which my psych didn't think was the drug (but it turned out to be the drug causing it). He made me go up to a 375 mg dose over the next month (despite feeling worse with every increase), which made my muscle ache unbearable. Couldn't get out of bed due to pain, desperately wanted to sleep to get away from it. Tapered down, and by 75 mg had no muscle ache whatsoever but suffered horrible nausea, brain zaps, and shakiness from withdrawal that I am still feeling very strongly after being completely off the drug for 1 and a half weeks. My brain feels like mud. In the future, if I think a drug is causing bad side effects over 2 months in, I am going to go off it because of this terrible experience. My depression is significantly worse than it was before I started Effexor."

• Bec...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 25, 2021

For Depression "Hideous poison. Was on 225 mg for eight years. Sweating every night, neurological pain, twitching, shakes... withdrawal symptoms before I was even due my dose. Avoid at all costs. Am now on Remeron and I can sleep and function."

• Bec...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 25, 2021

For Depression "Hideous poison. Was on 225 mg for eight years. Sweating every night, neurological pain, twitching, shakes... withdrawal symptoms before I was even due my dose. Avoid at all costs. Am now on Remeron and I can sleep and function."

• Ano...
• October 28, 2018

For Depression "Had one dose of 37.5 mg and had nausea, shaking, chills, what felt like ice water through my veins. It's been 4 days and have yet to recover and have two panic attacks a day versus when I never had any before. I switched back to Zoloft yesterday, hopefully, I will be better in the weeks to come."

• Anonymous
• March 26, 2012

For Anxiety and Stress "I've suffered from anxiety my whole life. I've been on and off so many different medicines I can't even count. At first, Effexor seemed like a heaven send. Recently, though, I've realized that if I merely skip a day or more, the withdrawals are indescribable. I shake constantly. I throw up. I sweat. I get headaches."

• Sad...
• October 28, 2016

For Depression "I'm lucky enough to have shown side effects the first day! I started Venlafaxine at 6:00 am before work and experienced so much energy I barely knew what to do with it. This was nice considering I am always tired, but the energy came along with clenched jaw, dilated pupils, and no appetite whatsoever. When I got home to try to sleep at 10 pm, I was not able to. I had so much anxiety from thinking I heard things that weren't there. I was shaking from anxiety and being so abnormally cold. Woke up all night long and at one point was wet from sweat. Thanks to these early side effects and other stories, I only needed to take this drug one day to decide I need to stay away from it."

• swe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2012

For Depression "This medicine was WAY too strong for me. I'm 5'8" and 135 pounds, but the minimum dose knocked me out the first night I started taking it. I had twitchy, bizarre dreams, woke up the next morning feeling 'stoned', had a headache and stomachache, shaky hands, and the jitters all day, and my pupils were hugely dilated. This was all just after 1 dose of the timed-release tabs. Not a good choice for me."

• swe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2012

For Depression "This medicine was WAY too strong for me. I'm 5'8" and 135 pounds, but the minimum dose knocked me out the first night I started taking it. I had twitchy, bizarre dreams, woke up the next morning feeling 'stoned', had a headache and stomachache, shaky hands, and the jitters all day, and my pupils were hugely dilated. This was all just after 1 dose of the timed-release tabs. Not a good choice for me."

• Hay...
• November 28, 2016

For Depression "Please, please, please... If your doctor suggests this drug to you, do your research. I am 18 and just put full trust in my doctor when she told me to take it. Seven months later, and I wish I never, ever took it. I usually take my 150 mg dose when I wake up in the morning, and now I cannot even go until 11 p.m. at night if I forget to take it without having withdrawals. I experience nausea and feel uneasy on my feet, as well as shakiness. It is ridiculous, and I write this to stress that this is not a light topic. BE CAREFUL!!!!!"

• THE...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 10, 2016

For Depression "thought it was a miracle drug at first until I ceased feeling emotions, and I was only ever on a low dose of 75 mg. Been trying to wean off this drug for 3 months now, and I had brain zaps (feels like an electrical impulse going through my head), no appetite, diarrhea, headaches, dysphoria, aches and pains throughout my muscles and joints, dissociation (feels like I'm watching myself watch paint dry), tremors, and sweats. I feel hopeless and like this drug has taken my life from me for the past few months. I would NEVER recommend this to anyone ever."

• Hel...
• March 13, 2017

For Depression "Started Effexor 75 in October, started feeling fantastic besides dry mouth and a bit of nausea. Doctor upped it to 150 mg in November. I felt like a whole different person, I got my life back, but due to some side effects of the drug causing constipation and facial twitching in my lower lip and body jolts, the doctor tried to wean me off 150 mg, taking one pill every second day. It was too fast, too soon. Wow, just as well I didn't do it cold turkey. Brain zaps, crying, feeling lost in my own body. Scared, tremors. It has been almost two weeks with no Effexor, and I have got vertigo, felt like I was going to die. Today, I started taking 150 mg again, and I already feel a difference. This could be my drug: huge difference in mood, zapping gone, and dry mouth is back. I can live with that."

• Gem...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 11, 2017

For Depression "I've struggled with GAD since my late teens, which worsened following a tragic and untimely death in the family, which also led to PTSD. I tried numerous antidepressants, but most of them slowed me down, I didn't want this. So many years ago, maybe 12 years ago, I was prescribed Effexor. Since then, my dose has gone up and down, I'm now on 225 mg daily. I was able to come off them cold turkey for three pregnancies. I can only suggest early pregnancy hormones took over, as withdrawal effects were minimal. But in general, withdrawal effects are horrendous if I miss a day or two, as I've failed to collect them on time. I have an upset stomach, sweating, and tremors, nightmares, feelings of terror. Luckily, they work fast! I'm a fan, they help and make me feel normal."

• Jam...
• October 5, 2016

For Depression "What can I say about this drug? I've been off it a year and still don't feel right. When I was on it, it did not feel like it helped with my depression. But my main problems started when trying to stop taking this drug. It made me hallucinate, I thought people were trying to kill me, and I got weird electric shocks in my head (it got that bad I checked myself into a mental health unit, and they would not let me out for 2 weeks). I had to go back on the drug and come off it very slowly over about 3 months. I think now I have PTSD. Before taking this drug, I only ever had depression and anxiety, but now I'm a total wreck. I've lost my job, my girlfriend. I've still not gotten over the shaking. I was only on a low dose for a short period of time."

• Pet...
• February 21, 2017

For Depression "My doctor prescribed 37.5 mg to me. I took one at 3:00 p.m., and by 7:00 p.m., I was feeling dizzy and nauseous. I actually was able to fall asleep but woke up several times during the night with horrible nausea, shaking, anxiety, weird dreams, and a lot of gas! Thank goodness I had Zofran for nausea, or I would have thrown up. I also had to take an Ativan for the anxiety and Imodium for diarrhea. It's now 5:00 p.m. the next day, and I'm just now feeling better. I know others who use Effexor and love it, so it does work for some... just not for me. I called the doc, and she quickly switched me to something else."

• bro...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 5, 2017

For Depression "I am a female senior and started taking this drug about 8 months ago. So far, it works well for the depression at 150 mg. I missed taking the drug for 2 days, and as a result, I had terrible symptoms when I went to bed. My muscles felt like they were tensed and shaking, could not go to sleep but must have at some point, and had terrible dreams. Now I feel quite ill: stomach upset, gut upset, sweating, horrible. Had to take some Pepto-Bismol tabs to try to settle my stomach. Took my pill at lunch today, waiting to see if I start to feel better. Surely there must be a drug that can do the same job without the necessity to take it with food and won't send your body into a tizzy if you miss a dose or two."