Effexor XR and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Hol...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 19, 2017

For Depression "I have been tapering off Effexor for the past few weeks. I was originally prescribed 150 mg per day, and the dose was too much for me. I was brought down to 112.5 and stayed on that dose for almost 2 years. My mood was greatly improved, and my anxiety was nearly non-existent. The downside was that I was always tired and taking naps constantly-most of my weekends were spent sleeping. I'd drink a few cups of coffee in the morning, and I could barely keep my eyes open. I became a napper and would nap for 2-4 hours at a shot. I became extremely lazy and gained about 25 pounds due to a complete lack of energy. The side effects of missing a dose were extreme nausea and horrible headaches."

• Anonymous
• October 20, 2012

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I have been taking Effexor XR for about 3 weeks now for depression and generalized anxiety disorder. For the first three days, I felt a little dizzy but continued with the medication, and the dizziness went away once my body got used to it. I get a dry mouth and have lost interest in sex and cannot reach orgasm. I do feel a lot more focused at work and can think more clearly. I do find if I don't take the medication right on time around 9 a.m. every morning, I get a headache and agitated, so I try to take it at the same time every day. Despite the dry mouth and loss of sex drive, I will continue with it for another month or two and see what happens when I see my doc again."

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

For Major Depressive Disorder "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!"

• ron...
• October 22, 2019

For Depression "This drug ruined my life. I stopped taking it months ago, and I still suffer constant headaches, weakness, body aches. I can't do anything. I feel like I don't have enough power for taking a bath and brushing my teeth."

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

For Major Depressive Disorder "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."

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

For Major Depressive Disorder "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."

• jim...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 18, 2019

For Anxiety "Stopped after the first capsule. I had nausea, headache, dizzy, disoriented, rise in blood pressure to 170/93, blurred vision, extreme fatigue, difficulty breathing, tightness in chest, caused onset of IBS. I couldn’t get out of bed for 36 hours."

• Blu...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 22, 2019

For Anxiety "After starting Effexor (went up to 200 mg) for my anxiety/panic attacks, I felt great. No more anxiety or panic attacks at all, and it was amazing. After having suffered so much, I thought the side effects were worth it at first. Then I gained 15 pounds. If I didn’t take it exactly at the same time every day, I would get dizziness and headaches and often had headaches even if I properly took it. I had constipation, so I had to take meds for that. Then after a while, the stomach pains started and only got worse until I had to start taking meds for that too. So after 8 years, I felt it wasn’t working as well as before for the anxiety, and I was fed up with the side effects, so I decided to change meds. Getting off of it was hard (lots of side effects), and it had to be done VERY slowly (took months). Now I have been off it for 4 years, and my stomach is still destroyed (heartburn & reflux), and I still need to take meds for my stomach!"

• SNL...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 27, 2019

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I am taking Effexor 37.5 mg and have been on it for 5 days now. This is for severe anxiety and major depression. I noticed a change the very first day, with the anxiety level going way down. I have had a consistent headache for the full 5 days and throat/neck pain. No appetite and just feeling overall yucky and sick. I am going to hang in there to see how it goes. My Dr. also prescribed Trazodone to take at night for insomnia, and I have been sleeping better. I take the Effexor in the morning. So for now, I will stick it out and hope the side effects will go away."

• You...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 26, 2023

For Anxiety "I have never taken any medication like this in 40+ years and was really nervous. The reviews I kept reading didn’t help, and I almost didn’t fill the prescription. I decided to give it a go and am so glad I did. Initial side effects: weird eye twitches and perhaps some fatigue. Ongoing side effects: none. One of the things that scared me was all the talk about withdrawal if you had to miss doses or stop. As it happens, my pharmacy ran out, so I had to go two days without and experience it for myself. I was okay the first day, but on day 2, there was dizziness, a foggy head, headache, nausea…but I still worked and lived life. Nothing debilitating. I was glad to get it back though, and it took 24 hours to feel back to my new normal. If you’re considering this, it’s for a reason. No shame, just do it!"

• JD3...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 8, 2015

For Depression "Taking Effexor in the beginning was hard to get used to, but after 6 months I felt great. Downside is I have headaches and sweat a lot. If I miss more than 4 days, then I have withdrawal symptoms. I'm taking 150 mg a day, and despite the side effects, I wouldn't change a thing. Oh yeah, I have also lost weight while taking Effexor."

• KAP...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 14, 2019

For Anxiety "Doctor wanted to take me off Xanax and try Effexor. It was the XR 37.5 dose. I took one dose, and that was the worst experience I ever had-just about landed in the emergency room. Awful headache, severe dizziness, and nausea. I tried walking to the bathroom, and I didn't know where my feet were landing, and my heart was racing. Thank goodness I only took one dose of this. Obviously, everyone cannot tolerate it. Xanax it is for me (0.5 mg once or twice daily). Never ever had any side effects from that."

• Ele...
• March 4, 2019

For Depression "I've been taking this for about half a year now. It's been working great for me. My depression is a bit better, I get fewer suicidal thoughts, and my social anxiety is reduced. However, I still do feel anxious (in non-social situations) most of the time, but at least I haven't had a panic attack in quite a while. I'm taking 75 mg every morning. The first week on it, I had severe headaches and felt really dizzy, but it lasted only a week, so that was fine. As for side effects, like any medication for anxiety and depression, my sex drive became nonexistent. One other thing - it causes you to have wild dreams, but to me, this is more of an advantage."

• hid...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 13, 2020

For Depression "My brain zaps are not brief or jolting. They are the worst headache of my life, lasting hours, waking me from sleep, unable to speak or move, any eye movement increases the pain tenfold. Today, I had so much pain I was nauseous. Once, it was so bad I couldn't speak. Taking Effexor XR 150 mg qd. Setting up an appointment with a psychiatrist who specializes in transcranial magnetic therapy, ketamine, and other advanced therapies to get off this stuff. Female, age 55, on Effexor 1.5 years for depression, social anxiety."

• PPD...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 15, 2020

For Postpartum Depression "My doctor told me Effexor is supposed to help with anxiety and depression. It didn’t help with my anxiety. I first started experiencing side effects when I was a little late taking my dose. Turns out that the side effects are actually withdrawal! It feels like I’m being electrocuted briefly, then I immediately get vertigo and a sharp headache until my next “zap,” which can occur every couple of minutes! The only thing that helps is taking more of this drug! I’m trying to come off of it slowly, but it will take at least 3 weeks, and the withdrawal symptoms just keep getting worse and more frequent! Right now I experience the zaps every 45 seconds all day long, and I’m only in my first week of trying to come off of it! I would never recommend anyone take this medication, rather, ask your doctor for an alternative as the side effects are making my anxiety worse since I literally feel like I’m getting “zapped” constantly, and it is a scary feeling!"

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

For Major Depressive Disorder "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."

• Suz...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 12, 2019

For Anxiety "My panic attacks started in 2012. I started taking Zoloft 50 mg, which was working well until 2018 when my panic attacks came back, and the worst was that my hands started shaking, which I think can be side effects of Zoloft. Since June 2018, my psychiatrist prescribed me Effexor XR. I started 37.5 mg for 1 week and then 75 mg and increased it to 112.5 mg since August 2018. I am very happy, and I feel that it is working. Side effects were a little nausea (if I take it with food, it is much less), sometimes I have headaches, and in summer I was sweating a lot, and sometimes I feel tachycardia. I believe tolerating the side effects is much easier than having panic attacks. The only problem that I have is my hands are still shaking, especially when I am doing delicate things."

• KE1...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 16, 2016

For Depression "I was on Effexor for almost 4 weeks to treat dissociation/derealization that was caused by too high of dosages of Zoloft and Celexa. I went from 12.5 mg twice a day to 37.5 mg twice a day over 3 weeks. I had horrible headaches and blurry vision the entire time. By the third week, the dissociation was MOSTLY gone, but then I was having random panic episodes where I thought I was losing my mind and just didn't want to live anymore. The psychiatrist thought the extended release would ease that symptom, and it made it worse. I went from not wanting to live with dissociation to not wanting to live at all. I've been tapering off over the past few days, and I was awakened at 5 am this morning with HORRIBLE anxiety and suicidal thoughts, and my husband tried calming me down, but I barely felt like I knew or recognized him. Both my psychologist and the head of psychiatry at the Mayo Clinic agreed I need to stop taking it immediately (take 1/2 of 25 mg if I experience 'brain zaps' or any horrible side effects), but this medication is NOT for me, and they're thinking no SSRI or SNRI chemically reacts well with me after trying 3 and having worse side effects than what I was taking it for. I haven't been out to eat with my husband in 4 months. Everything in the world now looks different, and I still have anxiety and blurry vision. As this medication leaves my system in the next few days, I pray my mind will get back to the way it was 4 months ago. Thank you, and I hope everyone going through anything horrible with Effexor finds relief soon."

• Mik...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 8, 2015

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I took Effexor XR 37.5 mg for 1 month against general anxiety and major depressive episode after big setbacks in business and job. The first week, I had to force myself to take it with daily telephone encouragement from the doctor (GP). Headaches, nausea, sweating, and anxiety about taking the new drug itself. After 3 weeks, I did feel a bit better but had strong headaches and felt very tired still all day. I decided to reduce and phase it out over 2 weeks by taking out the little balls from the pill. To my surprise, this was much easier to stop than Paxil, which I had discontinued for 8 months (after long-term use). Now, without Effexor since 4 weeks; no more headaches or anxiety, feel more alive and productive without these 'numbing' drugs."

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

For Major Depressive Disorder "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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 31, 2019

For Major Depressive Disorder "Completely lost myself, I complained that it made me not feel right. My wife told me I needed to give it long enough to work, she was sure it was just my body getting used to it. I was completely shut down, was numb, no emotion, didn’t care about anything but myself and was completely in my own head, left my family. Had zero emotion, none at all. Alienated myself from family. I have always had an addictive personality, but I started drinking again and smoking (pot and cigarettes). Had horrible insomnia, compulsive lies about even simple things. Blew through money. Tons of anxiety, my blood pressure went through the roof, cholesterol climbed like crazy, headaches, nausea, and restlessness. Restless legs were horrible. Vivid dreams. Bouts of anger and rage. Brain snaps and blurry vision. Worst med of my life. I was spiraling out of control. Withdrawal was horrendous but so worth it."

• Don...
• December 13, 2017

For Depression "This medication worked well while I was taking it. Under the supervision of my doctor, I have been slowly getting off of this medication. This has been the worst experience for me. Dizzy, headache, nausea, brain fog. I wish I would have never chosen to take this medication. I urge anyone looking to start this medication to talk with your doctor and try something else first. If you ever want to stop taking this medication, it is a terribly uncomfortable process."

• Jaz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 28, 2021

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "Being anxious is not being depressed. I was on Lexapro for anxiety after a traumatic event. I have suffered from migraines for years. The doc switched me to Effexor ER 75 mg a few days ago. I am already noticing a difference in my mood and haven't had a headache (a miracle for me). Still have a long break-in period ahead, but I am hopeful. Will keep you posted."

• Sho...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 3, 2016

For Anxiety "My experience was a waking nightmare. I was started on a low dose to treat anxiety. It didn't help at all. My doctor kept slowly increasing my dose while I suffered from extreme anxiety with no relief. I had weight gain, night sweats, oddly long menstrual cycles, cramps, the urge to drink alcohol. I went to another doctor that said the dose needed to be at least 225 to treat anxiety, I was on 125, so he increased the dosage. This made the side effects much worse and the weight gain. I didn't care about anything, I wasn't myself. I decided after 20 lb gain to stop and got tapered off. I became extremely ill, it was like having the flu every day for weeks. I've been completely off for a few weeks now. I have headaches still and extreme anger, like rage."

• Laa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 28, 2019

"I went on this two months ago, and the first few days I experienced all of the worst side effects: dry mouth, extreme nausea, lost all of my appetite, I was dry retching, had headaches, and vivid dreams. I wanted to quit and spoke to my GP twice. I am on a 75 mg dose and was taking it at night but swapped to the morning. I now honestly feel like the person I was meant to be. This tablet has worked wonders for me. All side effects have gone (I did lose a lot of weight in this period, and I didn’t have weight to lose), and everyone around me has noticed a difference in me, and I genuinely feel happier. I do believe I may just naturally lack serotonin."