Effexor XR for Major Depressive Disorder User Reviews (Page 2)

• Sti...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 16, 2022

"Took it for about a week and started feeling great. But within a few days, my blood pressure increased, I started getting migraines, so I had to stop. The withdrawal was horrific. So dizzy I could barely walk. Headache 24/7. And the brain zaps were unbearable; they always came out of nowhere and left me feeling dazed and afraid for my sanity. Not worth trying it, in my opinion. When you try to get off of it, God help you. You’ll regret ever hearing the name. I can’t believe this medication is legal!"

• Zil...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 9, 2016

"Effexor has finally made me feel like myself again... Can't remember the last time I was me, it's been at least 7 or 8 years. Tried Lexapro, Wellbutrin, Zoloft with no relief and bad side effects. Celexa worked so-so. Effexor has given me my motivation and happiness back. Only side effects for me are night sweats and slight headache/dizziness if I forget a dose... worth it, in my opinion, to be me again! Don't forget counseling/therapy too... Didn't feel the most helpful most days (I cried every time I went), but I can tell my maladaptive thought patterns have changed."

• Bea...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 7, 2020

"I've been taking this medication for around five years. It has helped me a lot. I no longer have constant suicidal thoughts or feel as sad and as angry as I did before taking this medication. However, the withdrawal can be terrible. If I miss taking my medication by an hour, I begin to feel dizzy. As time progresses, it becomes a throbbing headache and a feeling of vertigo."

• ano...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 12, 2020

"Effexor XR is a miracle drug for me (I have MDD). In the first couple of days, I got super sleepy, since then, I feel great. I've been taking it for about 2 years. I have depression, severe anxiety, and panic attacks. Effexor XR makes me feel normal, and it keeps out all the unwanted thoughts. The only side effect I have is excessive yawning, lol! I'm 6 weeks postpartum, and the medication is still amazing in helping with that too."

• buc...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 7, 2018

"Okay, if you're reading this and scared to try this because of negative reviews of people who have taken it like twice, do not be swayed. I have taken Effexor for over 3 years now, and I genuinely don't think I could live without it. I used to stay up ALL night because of unending panic attacks and barely slept for months. I tried Ambien and stayed up through that (traumatic, let me tell you). My psychiatrist put me on this after a HORRIBLE time with Prozac, and it calms me so much. I can sleep now, and I no longer feel like the world is trying to kill me. Side note: I also take Wellbutrin XL 150 during the day. It also has helped so much with my depression."

• sad...
• June 11, 2019

"I am a 19-year-old female who has been dealing with severe depression and anxiety for years now, trying out several different medications (Sertraline, Abilify, Trintellix). I couldn't keep taking Trintellix due to extreme nausea, so my doctor suggested Effexor XR. That's the last time I listen to my doctor. I am currently in a 12-day process of weaning myself off of this medication, after taking it for a little over a month. I had an extreme loss of appetite, to the point where I felt sick after a small fries from McDonald's or even a piece of fruit. I have found myself to be very anxious about death/illness/accidents and find myself wanting to spend the least amount of time sober as possible. I have no motivation, and have a hard time staying focused at work. Not to mention, I have had so much trouble with climaxing that it is affecting my relationship. Although I am not nearly as sad as I used to be and don't cry nearly as often, I feel like a numb zombie and not like myself at all."

• 149...
• April 24, 2015

"It works wonderfully. I've tried many antidepressants, and they all left me feeling not sad. But I still felt lethargic and hopeless. Effexor gives me motivation and drive. Helps me get out of bed in the morning and off the couch during the day. And it started working within the first week. The ONLY drawback I've found is it really decreases my libido, and you CANNOT miss a dose. It will really ruin your day."

• hap...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 25, 2019

"I began taking Prozac in 2003 after several major losses in my life. It worked great up until 5 years ago, and so my doctor switched me to Effexor; I started out with 37 mg and worked up to 150 mg XR. This dosage works well. I have occasional 'breakthrough' depression, but it doesn't last real long. It's usually when I'm having a lot of additional stress. The only downside of both medications is that both of them made me unable to have orgasms. I hate that part of it, yet I'm much more balanced by taking it. I'm 65, so maybe that's kinda normal? But I still hate that part!"

• Fla...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 7, 2020

"I was taking this drug, Effexor, for 4 months. I gained 45 lbs that I cannot lose. Side effects are horrible, you feel like a zombie, no feelings at all. No fear, no love, no hate... nothing. You do not want anything-sex, love, food, nothing matters. In spite of not eating much, because this medication reduces appetite, I put on 45 lbs in 4 months, and my fiancé left me. From size S to XL. My depression did not get any better. Moreover, I became aggressive and broke my phone. After I stopped it, I had very bad withdrawals, chest pain, and panic attacks. I was referred to a cardiologist and had an echo stress test. I regret taking that crappy drug. I do not recommend taking it."

• Itr...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 6, 2023

"This drug worked for me for a long time. I was prescribed this med for MDD and Panic Disorder when I was 15 years old, and I used it until I was 28. I tried to come off of it, but the doctor who helped me titrate did it too quickly and I relapsed into depression again. If you've been on antidepressants for a long time, you should titrate off slowly over the process of a few years, and ALWAYS have a therapist to speak to. This drug helped me through college, through moving across the country twice, and helped me build a lasting relationship."

• tri...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 20, 2014

"Though I could only check the MDD box, I also suffered from anxiety attacks and social anxiety. There were also several other problems that Effexor XR seemed to control or help control. Depression is painful emotionally, mentally, and physically, without some kind of relief, I would have been institutionalized. For maximum effectiveness, counseling by a person trained in all aspects of the disorder is the only one I found to help bring me back to a realistic understanding of how to heal. Interestingly, I found several psychiatrists that attempted counseling and were totally inept in their efforts."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 22, 2022

"This medication is a nightmare. I started off on 37.5 mg, then up to 75 mg 1x daily. I started getting horrific brain zaps, it felt like I was getting an electric shock straight to the brain every time I blinked or moved. My doctor then tried 2x a day 75 mg, and same thing. By the time I was ready for my next dose, I was a mess with brain zaps. So he put me on 3 times a day, saying it was just me metabolizing them too quickly. They worked for a little, but pretty soon I went right back to experiencing severe depression and anxiety, and this drug definitely didn’t hold up for serious life changes and additional stress. My current psychiatrist is weaning me off of it and says she doesn't like this drug and has the same issue with many of her patients who came to her after starting it. The withdrawal is a nightmare. Brain zaps, flu-like symptoms, tremors, and wild mood swings with hysterics. I will never recommend this drug."

• Jim...
• April 19, 2020

"While Effexor has worked great for me over the last couple of years, it does have its downfalls, just like I’m sure anything else. I’ve tried at least five other variations of antidepressants, and this has worked best. I was on 150 mg for over a year, and a few months ago we increased to 225 mg, as the 150 mg didn’t seem like it was cutting it anymore. Well, make sure you don’t miss a dose, even by a couple of hours. It will mess up the rest of your day, personally, I’m nauseous and turn into an emotional wreck. My mental illness and this quarantine got in the way, and I unintentionally didn’t take it for two days. I’ve never felt this bad in my life. I’m beyond nauseous. My stomach is killing me, my head is killing me, I can’t sleep to distract myself from it. I don’t want to even think about what would happen if I waited any more time to take another dose. I’m sick to my stomach. (21, f)"

• Ale...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 23, 2015

"Out of all the serotonin-based drugs that literally have nothing to really do with true clinical depression, this is the better of the SSRI and SNRI class. Not anywhere as dangerous and toxic as Cymbalta, although this medication is something I want to warn everyone about: Effexor very quickly makes you its slave. Probably by purpose, it has a very short half-life, which makes even missing one dose produce horrendous withdrawal effects I would have to say are just as bad as abrupt benzodiazepine withdrawal (which is documented to be as bad as kicking heroin!). I will admit I do think it did help me, but I have to stress even the XR release only has a 24-hour half-life. So, 8 AM rolls around; you have no choice."

• Nic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 9, 2019

"By far the best antidepressant that I have taken, the only one that worked well overall for my anxiety (social, generalized) and depression. Zoloft lifted my mood and reduced my anxiety but had me up and down all the time until it made me feel extremely tired after 3 months. Cymbalta stabilized me but did very little for depression and social anxiety (worked well for generalized anxiety). Wellbutrin did almost nothing. With Effexor XR, I had no side effects at all. I take 225 mg Effexor XR along with 150 mg Lyrica and 20 mg Prozac."

• Bre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 4, 2018

"I switched to this from Prozac after trying many different SSRIs. Some didn't do anything, some helped quite a bit. Effexor XR, being an SNRI, made a world of difference compared to Prozac. At first, I did get some mild headaches and was a little jittery, but once I got used to it after a few weeks, the side effects abated. Just stick with it and don't let the side effects at first deter you."

• upa...
• January 26, 2016

"This is my second time on Effexor in the 7 months. I began taking 34.5 mg in June 2015, then it was upped to 75 mg after 2 weeks. The first week, the side effects were really bad, but they only lasted the one week, and then I felt great. Best thing I ever did, but then I started feeling better to the point I didn't even think about the medication and missed about 4 doses before I noticed. After missing that many, I just stopped taking it. About a month later, the depression was back and worse than ever. I just got put back on it, started last night, and the side effects are back, but I have to push through because I know they are temporary, and if I have to feel dizzy and nauseated for a week for the depression to lessen, it's worth it to me."

• Jim...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 22, 2024

"I was switched to venlafaxine after unsuccessfully trialing various SSRIs. Initially, I strongly disliked venlafaxine. The first couple of months were rough in terms of side effects, but my psychiatrist encouraged me to persist with it, and things rapidly improved soon thereafter. I found the 150 mg dose to be too low. It was better than any SSRI at 150 mg, but not sufficient to reach remission. My psych tried a few different doses, and we settled on 300 mg daily. What a difference compared to Zoloft, Prozac, and Lexapro. Strongly recommend trying the higher doses if 150-225 mg is insufficient for you. At 300 mg, it becomes a little activating, similar to a weak stimulant like caffeine. The side effects I've encountered are increased sweating, decreased appetite/weight loss, a mild tremor, and slightly increased blood pressure. None of the usual 'male' side effects I had previously experienced with SSRIs."

• sta...
• November 17, 2015

"Effexor worsened my depression. Made me feel exhausted all the time and impossible to be able to wake up in the mornings. I was unable to concentrate. My mood worsened, and my motivation to do anything lessened. My depression got worse every time they increased my dose."

• Unb...
• January 14, 2015

"I was started at a low 75 mg. This was a very dark time emotionally for me because I felt like I was taking candy, not medicine. As we slowly increased the dose, the heaviness of depression began to lift, but I also became VERY sleepy. Other early side effects were dizziness, insomnia, minor stupor, vivid dreams, stomach cramps, and worsened anxiety. All these are gone except anxiety. We added a sleep aid and Buspar to take as needed for anxiety and insomnia. But I had to up the venlafaxine XR to my doctor's max outpatient dose of 225 mg to get rid of the unmanageable depression. This dose combined with CBT (therapy) has greatly increased the quality of my life. But NEVER FORGET A PILL! Withdrawal is awful! Sobbing, 'shocks,' lethargy."

• Ste...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 29, 2016

"So after some horrendous blows from life (car accident where my hubs was driving, me in the passenger seat, mom behind me... T-boned and she was killed instantly, I had months of physical therapy, miscarriages, Dad had a massive stroke... just bad thing upon bad thing) I realized that these outside circumstances were absolutely stealing my life away. Now, even previous to these trials and tribulations, I've always been a fairly anxious person. I learned to cope with my 'issues' through prayer, yoga, books... things of that nature, but this last blow of the accident sent me someplace else. I finally realized I needed help. I'm only on day 2. I feel better but drowsy. I'm hoping this will at least stabilize me once again. (fingers crossed)"

• Pol...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 25, 2016

"I've been taking venlafaxine 150 mg XR for nearly 3 years, along with an antipsychotic to treat bipolar 2. Having tried all kinds of antidepressants, this is the one that's worked for me. The downside is the withdrawal symptoms should you miss a dose, but these go away as soon as you take it again. Dizzy spells/feeling drunk is the only way I can describe them. It has a short half-life of 7 hrs, which indicates that they have these symptoms. I've had no side effects and would recommend venlafaxine over other antidepressants, including citalopram and mirtazapine."

• lad...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 21, 2015

"I have been on Venlafaxine for 20 years, started on the tablet, then changed to the MR capsules. Nearly gave up on them as side effects were bad but stuck with them, and they were a huge help, especially the slow-release capsules. Now, however, my GP changed me back to the tablets as the capsules were too expensive for the practice to prescribe. I'm now on 75 mg twice a day, and I'm finding that for a couple of hours after taking, I'm on a high and everything is right with the world, but the hours between are really bad. Also, if you forget to take a tablet, the withdrawal symptoms are horrific: stomach cramps, vomiting, migraine headache, shakes, to name a few. No such problem with the slow-release capsules, so if your doctor prescribes Venlafaxine, ask for the MR."

• Bri...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 24, 2016

"You know, I wasn't sure what to rate this. In terms of effectiveness, definitely very much so. But in terms of the quality of life after taking this for a year and a half, I'm not sure it's worth it. It acted as a number for me. I don't remember many months of my life while taking this pill. The memory loss scares me sometimes. But I like to think I was just coasting softly through time. Maybe that's what I needed from this pill during that time of my life, however. Anyway - I don't take this anymore. I have been switched to lithium, which has been my slow but sure savior. Overall, Effexor XR is a strong medication for strong emotions, but you lose a part of who you are along with it."

• NMa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 9, 2021

"My goodness. On Effexor XR for 5 to 6 months, last 6 weeks tapering down. Went from 37.5 mg up to 225 mg, never did much for depression or anxiety, though it did good to rid of any and all NSSI/SI. My main complaint isn't the drug itself, it's stopping it. 6-week taper, feeling fine save for some headache/nausea-until I got to 75 mg. Then: always dizzy, more depressed, feeling physically paralyzed. It got worse at 37.5 mg, brain zaps causing such bad vertigo that I avoided leaving my apartment. Stopping it entirely, depression was worse than it had been in months, felt too sick to eat, moving my head slightly was enough to cause a migraine. I had so little energy that I-no joke-called my pharmacy to tell them the Adderall they gave me was defective. I was cocky because I never get any bad side effects from meds. Stopping this med is dangerous: I almost went to the ER twice, once because I was worried I couldn't keep myself safe, then because the brain zaps and vertigo were so bad I thought I was going to collapse. Weigh your options before STARTING, not after."