Effexor XR for Generalized Anxiety Disorder User Reviews (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• April 13, 2008

"This drug has been a miracle for me. I've never been a nervous or a high-strung kind of person until the last year. I thought I was going crazy and was afraid to tell anyone. I talked to my doctor, and he prescribed the Effexor XR. Started at 75 mg, and then went to 150 mg. I feel normal again now."

• Jenni...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 6, 2020

"I have suffered with GAD and panic disorder since age 6. Effexor XR has been a miracle for me since I began taking it 2 years ago. I was having such bad anxiety I could no longer function normally and had thoughts of not being here almost daily. I felt like I was going to die and had been to the emergency room with my entire body shaking uncontrollably and not having slept for 5 days in a row. Amazing medication is all I can say for me. I have been increased to 225 mg from 150 mg during a difficult time recently, and again it was wonderful."

• dshio...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 28, 2023

"Went from treatment-resistant to feeling absolutely amazing on Effexor. Wish doctors had tried this medication on me years ago. Took away a lot of pain I hadn't even noticed I was having, reduced my extreme, nonstop anxiety to almost completely calm, stopped the depression from PMDD, calmed my mood, very few side effects, absolutely recommend for panic and anxiety disorders and treatment-resistant depression. My focus on books/shows/tasks is much improved. I don't have memory issues as a side effect, I still dream and feel creative, and I feel calm. I am smiling and laughing genuinely. Downside: less motivation to do chores/tidy, nausea when starting it, have to take next dosage quickly or symptoms of withdrawal show up within hours past the next dosage time. Can definitely feel if I've skipped my dose by an hour or so, but very minor symptoms."

• Lee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 10, 2020

"I’ve had a real go with anxiety since I was 12. I thought everyone felt like me. I wish I would have known there was help back then, but at that age, you cannot explain it to someone. So, since 5 months ago, I started 37.5 mg Effexor XR and now I’m up to 75 mg. I find I don’t worry as much, and when I’m in a social situation, I’m not as stressed. I read horror stories about withdrawal that make me a bit nervous, but I’ve also been told by my doctor that Prozac helps with the withdrawal if you want to come off it. Apparently, it has a very long half-life. I will report back on how 75 mg is helping. Take care."

• Anonymous
• May 9, 2008

"I had developed severe anxiety and depression in my late teens/early 20s and like many before me, I have tried Wellbutrin, Paxil, Lexapro, etc. This is the only medicine that has shown significant improvement on both my depression and anxiety. I can be myself again. Don't be ashamed to talk to your doctor or family member. Get help as soon as possible."

• Linda...
• February 1, 2015

"My 1st anxiety attack was in 2000. I didn't know what was going on. Then I saw my doctor and said I had an anxiety attack. He placed me on Effexor XR 37.5 mg for 2 weeks, then 75 mg after that. I was on it for 14 years. Then I got off all medication, only took Xanax 1 mg when needed. I lost my job about 5 months ago and now having severe anxiety attacks even when I wake up. I get sweaty, chills, diarrhea, and rapid heartbeat. I went to see my doctor. He put me back on Effexor 37.5 mg and I'm on day 4, but still having attacks. I hope this gets into my system soon because it helped me before, and I know it will again. No one knows why I get them, but I've tried hypnosis, etc., and nothing helps. They keep on coming. Plus, going through menopause doesn't help."

• Rii
• May 15, 2017

"I started Effexor XR in Nov 2016. The first week (37.5 mg) was a bit of a roller coaster for me in terms of emotions. Every day around noon, I would start to feel a bit panicky and get hot/cold flashes. After about 5 days, the mood swings stopped. I had a brief period where I could feel there was a difference, and then it 'crashed'. I upped the dose, and the same pattern repeated every 3-4 weeks, where the meds would become effective, crash, increase the dose, and repeat. After roughly 6 months of this, I have finally made it to a dosage that didn't crash (187.5 mg). I am SO grateful for this - the benefits were well worth the wait. Doing things/talking to people no longer makes me feel completely exhausted. Have patience with this drug."

• Katos
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 9, 2015

"I've been on medication since 18 years old, and this is by far the best I've taken. And it really works! The side effects are uncomfortable, however, in the beginning. But once they are gone, I feel good. I started with 75 mg, it was not enough. Once I was on 150 mg, the magic operated. And now I have been on 225 mg for about 6 months. So far, so good. I recommend it. Best thing that happened to me in a while."

• GStella
• September 7, 2017

"It has changed my life. I've been on Effexor (75 mg) for almost 2 months, and it's hard to realize that your life was a mess before Effexor. It took away my physical pain and my anxiety. The first few weeks felt as if a veil was pulled out, and then I was able to feel me again and to see everything around me in a new light, a calmer light. And I realized I was not a choleric (bad-tempered or irritable) person but a pretty laid-back one."

• MzT
• January 25, 2014

"My body responded very negatively to this medicine, and I had to be pulled off of it. I had a lot of side effects with no relief for my generalized anxiety disorder it was prescribed for. Side effects: tremors, blurred vision, ringing in ears, constipation, irregular period, insomnia, nightmares, light-headedness, coldness in extremities, suicidal feelings, murderous feelings, cloudy head, weight gain, nausea, metallic-tasting dry mouth."

• DJano
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 14, 2019

"Almost 3 months on Effexor XR 75 mg, and the last 3 days I have been symptom-free of the debilitating GAD! I was on a small dose of Xanax for the past 30 years, and my GAD started to build up for about 6 months to the point of wanting to commit suicide. I've never gone through anything like this in my whole life. The side effects of Effexor for the first 6 weeks were brutal, but I'm so glad I hung in there. The medication did exactly what my Dr. said it would do. I no longer need to take any Xanax."

• tquick
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 8, 2015

"You have to get through the uptake before judging. I am taking 75 mg of XR, and it took 12 days for the nervousness, hot flashes, complete loss of appetite, and weird nerve sensations to subside. I now feel great and have a sense of calm and happiness that I did not have before with GAD and mild depression. I don't worry as much. I'd give this drug a ten (10) if it wasn't for the delayed ejaculation (I'm 47) during intercourse. Ativan helped get me through the uptake. Buspar (hot flashes, dizziness) and Mirtazapine (weight gain) did not work for me."

• AAano
• June 1, 2019

"Have tried other meds in the past. My anxiety went away, but I also felt like I just didn’t care about anything. Tried 37.5 mg dose of Effexor in the mornings, and after a few weeks, I was feeling pretty great. I felt much more stable, and the constant worry and mood swings faded away. But I could still feel happy, occasionally sad, and I felt more motivated than I had in a long time. After a year, I weaned myself off and still felt pretty good for about 6-8 months. Recently, I went back on as my anxiety was coming back, and this time it’s just 25 mg a day. My only noticeable side effect is my sex drive is pretty low. As I am feeling better, I’m also not self-medicating with (lots of) alcohol. I actually feel sick if I drink more than 3 drinks on these meds. This has worked for me and has definitely changed my life. It may not work for everyone, but after years of avoiding meds, the only thing I regret is not doing it sooner."

• Anonymous
• April 11, 2020

"The people saying they don’t get side effects maybe they just don’t notice, but there are side effects. I sweat more, sleep less, and have no sex drive, but those are all things I can live with in exchange for the positive effects I get. I started taking Effexor in high school because I was sleeping an average of 16 hours a day, likely had depression because I was anxious so much, and my quality of life was abysmal. I left the house like four or five times a week at the most as a 16-year-old. Once I started Effexor, I started to feel more energized, I didn’t need nearly as much sleep, and my depression has cleared away completely. I still have issues with anxiety attacks, but have recently lowered my Effexor dose and started taking Lexapro as well. This is a medication you cannot miss doses on because you will start to feel serious symptoms of withdrawal if doses are skipped, but it’s a great medication worth trying if you haven’t found what’s worked for you yet."

• Manel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 20, 2017

"Let me start by saying... Two years ago, I was prescribed 37.5 mg for 7 days, then was supposed to step up to 75 mg... I got both prescriptions, but after reading all the negative reviews, I got scared, never took one pill, and threw them all away. Until recently, when I needed to try and see if they work for my own peace of mind. I have generalized anxiety disorder and apparently was depressed as well, but didn't realize it until I started taking it. I take 37.5 mg at the same time at night, just before bed. No side effects. The doctor keeps trying to up it to 75 mg, but 37.5 mg works for me, so I won't fill the 75 mg script. It takes the 'edge' off. I suggest if you want to try it to start low and take it for a while, but only increase if it's not enough. Cheers!"

• Sheri...
• December 4, 2017

"I have been on Effexor for 9 weeks now, and I have to say it is working like a charm! I have not experienced any side effects other than a dry mouth and am a little slower to achieve an orgasm (the desire is still there, however). I am so glad I decided to take Effexor! I had been dealing with horrible anxiety for about a year and would constantly think about it throughout the day. I was affecting simple tasks and crippling me. I feel like my old self again! Not overthinking every damn thing! I had an allergic reaction to Zoloft, so I was very afraid to start a new med. So glad I did!"

• EDano
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 30, 2020

"Took Effexor XR for 3 years for Generalized Anxiety Disorder , started at 150mg and ended up on the lowest dose available after 3 years. Pros: was finally able to go places, work, make friends. It was hard to actually have a panic attack which was great. I was able to function! Combined with psychotherapy it got me to a good place mentally. Cons: weaning off Effexor was a month of real awfulness. Withdrawal was horrific, felt like I had tentacles inside my brain, migraines, extreme sensitivity to sound/light, even when changing dosages I would experience withdrawal and sleep paralysis. Emotionally it made me feel like a zombie, no longer feel anything above a ‘grey’ daily baseline, relationships suffered, I had zero libido or joy. The biggest thing - it’s permanently affected my memory. I struggle to remember things from those 3 years and on it I struggled a lot with brain fog, losing my train of thought and not being able to retain information. It makes me sad that I’ve lost memories of travel and milestones."

• Purpl...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 23, 2014

"Once the correct dosage was established, my anxiety and panic attacks steadily improved. I underwent prolonged treatment due to a nasty relapse after the first round, following the birth of my first child. In the last stretch, I was on this medicine for 8 years. Dosage peaked at 150 mg, and after a couple of years following complete symptoms remission, we started dropping the dose VERY gradually. I have been off it for 9 months now. I had only mild adjustment side effects when starting the medicine: headache and nausea - both transient. During treatment, I had very low libido and poor appetite. Over time, while initial symptoms positively disappeared, I became more irritable, but the doctor did not attribute this to the medicine but circumstance/nature."

• Lena
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 6, 2019

"I’ve been taking Effexor XR for about 8 weeks now and have noticed a pretty great improvement with my general anxiety, social anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. I still have days where I feel like I can’t leave the house or even take care of myself because I’m so focused on my anxiety, but those days come a lot less often and don’t feel so intense compared to how I felt on previous medications (Zoloft and Prozac). I feel like benzodiazepines are what work best for my severe symptoms like panic attacks, but the side effects (like increased anxiety and dependency) are enough to keep me trying SNRIs and other natural remedies to keep my panic attacks and obsessive thoughts at bay. Will definitely keep taking the Effexor as it seems to be helping."

• Kawaski...
• March 9, 2011

"Well, I've been on it for 2 days, and I noticed the difference the first day. I'm also taking 1/2 an Adderall for ADHD. The only side effect I have noticed is that I yawn a lot. I feel so much better in general. I didn't expect it to work so fast, however, I feel so much freaking better. I've apparently suffered from GAD my whole life, and I'm currently 37. Will it work for everyone? Who knows, but for me, it's been my knight in shining armor as far as feeling normal."

• Indyria
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 11, 2013

"I've been on Effexor XR going on 3 years. I started at 37.5 mg and am now on 150 mg. I find that the body builds a tolerance to it, and the dose needs to be increased. It does help my social anxiety almost completely, but I still get moments of general anxiety, not anything like they used to be premedication. The only side effect I get is hot flashes. Also, when you come down with a cold or flu, there's really nothing you can take except Tylenol for fever and pain due to drug interactions."

• DWC
• April 21, 2018

"I went from Dr. to Dr. for several years, but refused to take anything long term (afraid of getting 'hooked'). Finally, after about six years of suffering and down to 129 lbs, I went to see a psychiatrist. He put me on Paxil. It seemed to help a bit, but the anxiety always broke through. Finally, around 2001, my primary care physician put me on Effexor 75 mg. I had an initial side effect, but I just pushed through it. I am glad I did! I went from constant anxiety and barely able to eat to rarely, if ever, having anxiety and finally able to eat! In the years since (2018 now), the dose has been raised a couple of times, and once in a while I will have a setback. However, Effexor (I use the XR generic version) holds my very sensitive fight or flight reaction in check. I strongly recommend this medication. It may not work for everyone, but it made my life livable again!"

• Kelso
• January 30, 2020

"Well I’ve just recently started this medicine Effexor, I use to be a Heroin IV drug user for 7 years. I’ve been clean for 4 years. I’ve struggled with depression & anxiety my whole life. I just finished the Hep C treatment. Now I have random rapid heart palpitations. Also I just had a baby, a c-section, 2 blood transfusions, & gallbladder surgery so it was probably a combination of things that messed up my natural balance. I’m terrified and excited all at once about it. I hope it works for me. Seems like it just depends on the person really? Like any medicine really. But I’m terrified about the withdrawals. I’ve had my fair share of horrific withdrawals. it’s one of the main reasons I quit heroin & why I won’t go back. So it’s my first day on it & I did what someone else suggested & I took out all the granules (75mg caps) & only took 30 granules. So I will check back in in a week or 2. Don’t get discouraged by the bad reviews. Everyone’s different. Stay positive!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 1, 2020

"Switched from low dose Prozac that was causing too much fatigue. Effexor XR 75mg gave me more energy but made me feel crazy. I quit cold turkey (not recommended!) and have been off antidepressants for one year. I struggle with anxiety still. They say you need to try different drugs to see what works for you but I'm afraid to try another drug."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 29, 2016

"I have been on Effexor XR 150 mg for 3 months, it has helped me face social interaction at work and calmed my negative thoughts. I am the happiest I can ever remember, totally changed my outlook on life. Mild side effects of constipation, and I noticed I have gained about 7 lbs, but I also recently quit smoking, so I don't know how much to attribute to the med."