Effexor XR for Depression User Reviews (Page 5)

• carilsa
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 18, 2019

"I was using Prozac, and my Dr changed me to Effexor XR, started with 75 mg and up to 150 mg, and it's been much better. I still have my moments of anxiety and sleeping, but with other medication helping me with both. Without Effexor, I get too emotional and super depressed."

• Brook...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 15, 2016

"I started experiencing depression and anxiety attacks at around 19 years old. At the time, I didn't quite realize what was wrong with me; I just knew something was horribly wrong. I have tried every medication known to man: Celexa, Prozac, Cymbalta, Pristiq, Viibryd, Wellbutrin... and nothing. The emptiness, emotional turmoil, and suffocation I felt were ruining my life. Then in 2011, I started Effexor. I feel alive again, and I never thought I would feel normal again. The one thing I will warn about is the dependency. If you miss one pill, you will think you are coming down with the flu. If you ever decide to stop, you will have to taper off. Adverse effects: constipation, weight loss, vivid dreams, insomnia, sexual dysfunction."

• Ashley...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 15, 2016

"I've been on this for almost three months at this point for my depression and anxiety. I started at 75 mg, raised to 150 mg, and then lowered back to 75 mg. While it doesn't at all touch my anxiety, I definitely feel a lot better depression-wise. My psychiatrist raised it to 150 mg in the hopes it would help my anxiety, but it didn't, so we lowered it and simply added 50 mg of Seroquel XR to help the anxiety. I honestly can't say I really have any side effects. Perhaps I have minor night sweats at times, but if there are any side effects, I don't really notice them, and I feel satisfied using this for my depression."

• Anonymous
• November 18, 2009

"I started taking Effexor XR 37.5mg capsules 2 months ago. I had a hard time for the first couple of days. I would wake up in the mornings feeling afraid and hot. But my loved ones convinced me to stick it out. I continued taking my medicine each day, at the same time each morning. And I wish I would have started taking it a long time ago! I can concentrate. I can focus on what my children are saying to me. Things that used to be overwhelming are no longer. I can go out in public and feel confident, not feel like the walls are closing in on me. Effexor XR changed my life for the better."

• jayde...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 19, 2017

"I've been on Effexor for about 2 years. It's changed my life completely. Before I went to rehab and before I was on it, I couldn't get out of bed for days at a time. It gives me energy and motivation! However, the withdrawal symptoms are horrific. If I miss a dose, I get severe headaches. I feel like there are fireworks going off in my head. Last year, I had to go to the ER because I couldn't breathe or stop shaking after 3 weeks of cutting it cold turkey (due to an insurance error). This is definitely not the drug for people who regularly miss doses or have problems with addiction pills. It's not for everyone, but works great for me."

• Jeod
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 28, 2016

"Used it during menopause for extreme emotional distress. That was 15 years ago. It was slowly increased from 33 mg to 225 mg due to ineffectiveness. I finally decided after reading up on it that it wasn't worth the side effects that I had if I ran out or if I wanted to get off. Well, I decided to get off. Please do not go on this drug if there is a chance you will ever want to go off of it. It took me 4 months to wean myself off. This past week was the first week I have been completely off. It has been an excruciatingly long 4 months. I took my time, but the withdrawal is bad. I cannot imagine withdrawal from other drugs being much worse. Feel sick to my stomach, joints ache beyond belief. Emotionally I am a mess, but I try, I try!"

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

"Day 4 of venlafaxine, 37.5 mg at 6:30 am and 6:30 pm. I have only just realized the importance of taking it at the same time if you are doing split doses. Previously I was taking it as I woke up (5 am) and before bed (10 pm). Not good - headaches turned into full-blown migraine. First dose, I was sick immediately and was sweating, trembling slightly. I felt I could feel the chemicals literally swooshing around my brain and body. It was very strange. I calmed myself down, told myself to go with it. The rest of the day - fine. Day two, realized I had to EAT with the venlafaxine to ensure I wasn't sick. I've never been a big eater, but half a banana with a venlafaxine plus milk in between bites was enough to line my stomach. Much better this time."

• Nifty
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 6, 2019

"I have been on this drug for about 3 years. This drug has its positives and negatives. After being on it for so long, I’m starting to think the negatives outweigh the positives. The side effects long-term are horrible: non-stop night sweats. If you miss a dose, you’ll know, because it feels like your whole body gets random electric shocks (especially in the arms or hands), little to no interest in sex, random sleep patterns. I’m sure I could list more."

• Paddy...
• June 2, 2015

"I started taking Effexor 4 years ago to take the edge off my anxiety because my job is stressful, and I have to shoulder a lot of responsibility. I am on a daily 75 mg dose. Overall, I have found it to be a great leveller, but the consequences of missing one dose are bad... missing 2 or 3 is pretty horrific, with head shocks, disorientation, and feeling miserable. Really miserable. It's good medication, but do not forget it if you are traveling."

• ashle...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 4, 2022

"I was actually onEffexor XR for Borderline Personality Disorder and did nothing except make me tired. When I cried at my doctors appt because I was so depressed (3-6mo in) they just said “jeez” and doubled my dose. This shut me up until I found a new doctor, but it seems like medical abuse to me. A total of 2 years on it with 0 benefit, at 150mg. waste of time. I will never get that 2 years back."

• Sharky
• April 19, 2018

"I have taken Effexor XR for almost 5 years. I was diagnosed with severe PTSD, depression, and anxiety. I take 150 mg in the morning. I don’t forget to take it because if I don’t take it in the morning, I start having withdrawal symptoms by 4 p.m. My lips get numb, and vertigo starts. The longer I wait, the worse it gets. I really had to discipline myself to take it routinely because forgetting enough times is hell, so generally, I never miss a dose. However, a few times a year it happens, and I remember. Overall, it’s the first drug I’ve stayed on because if I forget, it reminds me with the withdrawal symptoms. Generally, I feel very happy and able to deal with life. I’ve put my life back together after my trauma and feel empowered. I’ve set some great future goals and a timeline. There is nothing I can’t work at."

• KitKat
• February 23, 2020

"I have been on Celexa in the past and had done well on it until the last few months, so my therapist recommended that I be switched to something else. Effexor XR was suggested as part of my treatment plan. For the first two weeks, I was on 37.5 milligrams + 10 milligrams of Citalopram and seemed to do well on it. After that, I was supposed to double the dosage up to 75 milligrams. When I doubled the dosage, my body had horrible side effects: I missed a full week of work; I was not sleeping; I was sweating in my sleep; I was starting to argue with my fiance over stupid things; and it caused suicidal ideation. I ended up in the hospital, missed more work, back at the hospital again trying to seek more treatment, and had to see my therapist twice in one week demanding a new medication. I have been off of this medication for a week and have been on Paxil (a drug that is in the same family as Citalopram) and have been doing well - like much, much better."

• Three...
• July 25, 2019

"I took this for depression and felt buzzed out and full of energy for three days. Lost weight. Pupils were huge. Third night I bolted up right in bed my mind was racing and I was pacing the room, I was so scared I was losing my mind I begged an ambulance to come get me, had to lock my dogs in my bedroom as I was worried I might hurt them and I am a vegan!! Whatever that med is it is not for me I have never felt so out of control. Three days was enough it terrified me how it changed my mind like that."

• NameW...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 25, 2015

"I can explain this drug easily. It will take away your problems, BUT...your sleep won't be effective, you will have extreme memory problems, you won't experience vibrant emotion (it's always dull). Did I mention you will be tired literally all day within minutes of waking? You will basically be a living zombie where every action you take feels forced and fake. You will gain a ton of weight. I was a bodybuilder, 200 lb, 7.5% body fat year-round. Counted calories constantly. Still did on Effexor, counted them all the way up to 4k a day along with 4-6 beers and no weight lifting. I just didn't care. I'm 215 lbs at 28% body fat. If you don't know what that means, basically I traded a 6-pack for a keg. Went from a size 32 to a size 38. In 8 months."

• Son
• November 11, 2019

"Effexor is a powerful drug that is extremely destructive, I was slowly losing sanity after only couple of months of taking it. Unfortunately there is a choice from 1 to 10, not -10, that would be my rating. Effexor withdrawal, as bad as can be is more desirable than ever taking one more tablet. I noticed that they don't come with any instructions and warnings, if I read it, I would never take one. Lucky I guess I wasn't using them for long"

• Anony...
• October 2, 2013

"I took 225 mg of Effexor XR for about 6 years for MDD and was doing well until I started to notice a drop in its effectiveness. I then tried Lexapro (terrible) and Cymbalta. The latter worked well for about a year and a half, until, again, its effectiveness waned. My physician suggested that, since Effexor XR had worked in the past, I give it another shot. I've been back on 150 mg now for over a year and a half and am doing well on it. The medicine, along with talk therapy, has helped significantly. The side effects I experience are: increased sweating, dry mouth, and loss of libido. Also, missing a dose for more than a day is miserable, as it causes nausea, a 'disconnected head' feeling, and slight anxiety."

• Camma...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 16, 2017

"So I have OCD, depression, panic disorder, anxiety, possible ADD, and I have been on many different medications for the past ten years, and this medication has relieved my symptoms. Before taking this medication, I was taking Luvox 300 mg and Valium as needed. Before that, I was taking all sorts, up to five different ones at a time, including Seroquel, which put on weight. I now feel more cheerful, not depressed, less obsessive thoughts, less anxiety, and can concentrate better. I now feel I can do more in my life. I am also less moody. I am currently taking Effexor XR 150 mg."

• Anony...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 28, 2020

"I was on Effexor XR for a few months and ended up stopping it around 1 year ago because the only thing it did was barely keeping me alive, that's about it. I have C-PTSD, MDD and ASD. Feeling nauseous all the time, no emotions at all except vague sadness. Then I started taking it again a few months ago because I had another MDD episode. This time the side effects were even worst. I gained 15 pounds in 3 months, I spent my entire days in bed completely numb. I had nightmares and at some point it got so bad that I was sleeping 20 hours a day. I didn't have anxiety attacks in years and started to have them again. It's a pretty rough price to pay not to feel suicidal. A doctor switched me to Fetzima 2 weeks ago and I already feel so much better. Better than I've been in years in fact. I know Venlafaxine works for some people, but for me it was the worst antidepressant I've ever had in my life. The 2/10 is for keeping me alive for a few weeks, otherwise I'd give it 1/10"

• Osg
• January 6, 2017

"I used Effexor XR for depression and anxiety for almost two years. Effexor has terrible anxiety and nausea the first several days. I started at 37.5 mg with .5 Clonazepam in the morning and before night, then upped to 75 mg. Clonazepam was removed once my sleep was restored. Great drug, gave me life and energy. Side effects: lowered erection, sex drive, and orgasm. Kept me going well, gave much more energy compared to Lexapro. Getting off after 2 years was not a problem. I was slowly reducing the dose every 2-3 weeks."

• Raven...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 10, 2015

"This was indeed the scariest medication ever. I started it, and the first two weeks were too much. I had the normal beginning-taking-New-antidepressant side effects, but I'd have hallucinations in the dark. Things would move and sway and melt together. It began to make me numb over the five years I took this medicine. I couldn't 'feel' anything. All I wanted to do was sleep and sit there and zone out. I felt as though I was in limbo. They tried all doses, and absolutely nothing changed. Not only that, I would miss a day, and it was a nightmare. Eventually, I cut myself off of it in the way the doctor told me to. Scariest experience ever. Worst few weeks of my life. I still had nighttime hallucinations, I felt like I was falling off a skyscraper."

• Nothere
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 5, 2020

"I don’t have any symptoms of anxiety usually - but experienced what feeling anxious was like within the first few days of taking this medication Effexor XR. For me, this was a good sign early on, and trusted that the anxious feeling would subside within the coming days. The anxiousness went away quite quickly, however I began averaging around 13 hours of sleep a day. I persisted despite the extreme lethargy, taking this medication for 4 weeks. I feel like I wasted a month of my life on this medication, I didn’t feel hunger, however still needed food to stay awake, so didn’t enjoy eating as much but ate the same amount - if not more sugar to try and compensate for the tiredness. I was hoping for the opposite effect, so naturally I was disappointed. It completely got rid of my sex drive. I have since switched back to Lexapro which has helped slightly in the past, I am hoping to find the best combo for me in the future. Am seriously considering asking for Dexedrine at this point."

• Dancer
• June 9, 2017

"This drug is heaven. I feel no side effects whatsoever. Just 37.5 mg a day keeps my depression symptoms at bay. The only minor complaint is a lower sex drive, but that is a given side effect with antidepressants in general."

• Anon
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 28, 2018

"I was basically a zombie for over a year. I could not stand to be awake, I lost my job and couldn’t handle my college courses at school. I couldn’t leave my room most days and wanted to die most of the time because of it. Getting off the drug was a long, hard road because I was on such a high dose too. I would never wish upon anyone what I went through."

• MawMaw
• July 11, 2014

"I have been on Effexor XR 150 mg for 20 years, it certainly has helped with my suicidal thoughts and panic attacks. I also take 2 x 1 mg of Xanax. I started seeing a new primary care doctor yesterday, who thinks I should be taken off both since I have been on them for so long, but I have read some awful things about the withdrawal problems, and it makes me scared."

• Markey
• September 7, 2015

"I started with Prozac and could not sleep at all. With Effexor 150 mg, I could sleep standing up and was so sedated that I could not function. Withdrawal from 150 mg to 75 to 37.5 mg was OK, but after that withdrawal was hell with dizziness and nausea. Changing back to 75 mg, I still slept well, had a good sense of well-being, and could still function. With it 20 years now."