Effexor XR and Tiredness: What Users Say

• Mit...
• August 9, 2014

For Anxiety "Have suffered from bouts of severe anxiety over the last few years that would leave me bedridden, suicidal, unable to work or eat. Tried Zoloft, Celexa, Lexapro, Cymbalta, Luvox, and honestly thought nothing would ever work for me. All made me worse. My psych doctor wanted to try Effexor XR, but I was worried about withdrawing from it - after trying everything else, I finally agreed. It has taken a month to feel a difference. I'm enjoying things again, not chewed up by horrible anxiety. I'm actually HAPPY?! The first month on it was so challenging - very low, anxious, exhausted, nauseous. But now no side effects. I feel like a light has gone on. I am getting my life back. I could sob with relief. I truly believed I'd never get better, but here I am."

• THI...
• July 27, 2017

For Anxiety "First off, I want to say I never take the time to write reviews, however, I do end up myself reading everyone else's, so I hope this helps someone! I'm a 22-year-old female, and for about 4 years, I suffered from anxiety. First, it started off as panic anxiety, then with the failure of trying medications like Prozac, Zoloft, and Lexapro, my head was just so much worse. I could feel the chemical imbalance, I began getting daily depression and anxiety to the point I'd worry 24/7. It ruined relationships and made me seem crazy. I finally got on Effexor last month. It CHANGED MY LIFE. I feel NORMAL again. Happy, no anxiety, and energetic. The only side effects were yawning, vivid dreams, and at first, jaw pain. I highly suggest this for those with panic/daily anxiety/depression mix! My fears are gone."

• NLD...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 2, 2014

For Depression "I've tried many different SSRIs for depression (Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Prozac) and nothing worked. I was apprehensive to take Effexor because of online reviews, but I'm so glad I did! The only side effect I've had is tiredness the first few weeks, but that has since subsided. I not only feel more energy, but I actually can feel happiness. On the other medicines, I just felt numbness and a lack of emotion, but Effexor has made me feel like me again! This has been my miracle after years of mild to severe depression."

• ree...
• January 25, 2015

For Depression "I started taking Effexor 3 weeks ago after finding no success with Wellbutrin or Zoloft. It causes some initial bad side effects (nausea, dizziness, tiredness), but I can't emphasize enough how wonderful I feel now! I thought I would never find a solution. Most effective medication I've encountered thus far!"

• Mja...
• June 22, 2019

For Anxiety "I was absolutely hysterical. I got so anxious and depressed, I wanted to end my life. I put off taking medication for so long. I was hesitant to take Effexor due to the reviews. Now that I’ve been on it for almost a month, I already feel better. It changed my life, I’m not anxious, and I’m able to go out and do things. I do get dry mouth, insomnia, tiredness, and my appetite decreased."

• Unc...
• September 24, 2020

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I was prescribed Effexor 37.5 mg for GAD and depression. I also have OCD. Side effects were as follows: 1st day: fuzzy, lethargic, unable to focus, stomach issues. 2nd day: same as the first day with loss of appetite. 3rd day: same as the second day. 4th/5th day: same as previous days, except slightly raised anxiety and notably raised depression. 6th day: felt better, slept better, appetite still down. 7th day: noticeably less anxiety and depression, no libido, which in my case is good because I have a tendency to have lots of unprotected sex with random women. 8th day: appetite is still not right, but I feel better than I did before I took the meds, and definitely better than I did in the first 5 days of taking it. For some, it takes longer, but if you are a person with bad anxiety, any physical ailments seem worse than they really are. I'd say the first 7 days on 37.5 mg are tough, but it eventually got better. By day 9, I am feeling okay, no anxiety, and more of a baselined depression."

• Lov...
• February 9, 2017

For Depression "Effexor changed my life. I was suffering from bad depression for over two years due to something that happened in my life. I couldn't get the thoughts out of my mind. So daily, I would feel sad and depressed. I started with Wellbutrin, which I liked for depression and energy, but it made my anxiety, which I also have, worse. Anyways, back to Effexor. The first 2 weeks taking Effexor were kinda horrible. I felt weird, tired, and I was thinking of stopping this medication. But I stuck with it. I have to say I feel normal again, and my depression is gone. Even if I think of my past, I don't get sad anymore. So thank you Effexor."

• Anonymous
• July 29, 2011

For Anxiety "I started taking Effexor about a year ago. It has made an incredible difference to my life. I was extremely anxious, waking at night in a sweat (possibly also the onset of menopause) and struggling to go back to sleep. I was also depressed and found myself often crying for no reason at all. I started very slowly, increasing the dose every 2 months. I cannot recommend Effexor enough. I feel that it has turned my life around. I did not gain weight at all, which was a big concern. I did feel quite lethargic at first, and it took a while to get any sex drive back. I am still not back to my usual sex drive, and reaching orgasm is harder. I still feel my decision to stay on Effexor has been the right one. Hope this helps. Good luck."

• Cat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 7, 2019

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I started 75 mg Effexor about three months ago for GAD and major depression. It has done wonders for me. The first month, I did yawn a lot and seemed to be experiencing the emotional blunting that they described. At one point, I was scared that I had lost all empathy, but I realized that being overzealous about others' opinions and worries was destroying me. I am a lot more carefree, and I haven't cried for no reason in over three months. The low dose is working, and I am much happier overall. I do sleep a lot, almost 9 hours a night, and I am slow to rise. But my day carries on well after that. I would consider this a success."

• anx...
• May 9, 2016

For Anxiety "I've had anxiety/panic attacks and depression for over 20 years now. My anxiety was so bad I had to be homeschooled. I've taken Prozac, Paxil, and neither worked and had bad mood swings on Paxil. My doctor suggested something newer, it was Effexor. He said he has had good results with it. So I tried it, heck I would've tried anything to make my anxiety go away. I was on Effexor (75mg) for 10 years, and it worked for me. No side effects except being tired at first. No more anxiety/panic attacks or depression but maybe a very few short episodes. I was happy and enjoying things I was held back from for so many years. Effexor changed my life, literally. If I did miss a dose, I felt tired, depressed, and the 'zaps.'"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 3, 2012

For Anxiety "I have been on Effexor XR for about 3 months now (75mg), and it's done a great job of controlling my anxiety. For the first couple of days, my anxiety skyrocketed, but I supplemented with Ativan to help with that. Then on the third day, I woke up and felt totally normal. It does make me a bit tired, but I also sleep better - and I do have very vivid dreams at times (not scary, just vivid). It also makes me a bit apathetic, but it's better than living in a constant state of anxiety. I'd had bad reactions to Lexapro and Zoloft, so I was happy to find something that worked. I hope to come off someday, but for now, it's giving me what I need."

• thp...
• April 26, 2008

For Anxiety "I started taking 75 mg Effexor XR four weeks ago. I used to be extremely manic, impulsive, restless, aggressive, destructive, and all-round volatile. I'm back to being a bubbly, happy, normal twenty-year-old girl. I sleep soundly every night for 8-10 hours and wake to the alarm the first time it goes off (both are firsts in my life). I can concentrate in school, and I have hardly any anxiety. I do tire easily, and I have lost about 20 lbs (I was a normal weight to begin with)."

• Mon...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 5, 2013

For Anxiety "My doctor prescribed this for my anxiety due to perimenopause, 37 mg. I was always tired on it so he increased it to 75mg XR. I'm not as tired as I used to be and I no longer wake with anxiety and can sleep through the night. My energy level is not as high as it used to be before Effexor. My appetite has also increased. I've heard this can be due to a combination of the Effexor and menopause. If I skip a dose, I get headaches."

• ssh...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 3, 2019

For Depression "Started weaning off Effexor 150mg 1 year ago. Got to 37.5mg with hardly any side effects. Then weaning off 37.5mg was terrible. Headache/head pounding, nausea, vertigo, diarrhea, extreme tiredness, random crying spells, very emotional, etc. Did a lot of research and trusted that it’d get easier with time. 4 wks later, finally feeling physically well again... Then it got bad. Sense of constant dread, horrible anxiety, heart racing, emotional as hell, trouble sleeping, extremely depressed, and felt like a zombie. Missing work, sleeping all day, no motivation to do anything. Went back to doc and she put me back on the 37.5mg. Extremely disappointed not to get off this medication. Been 3 days since getting back on it, starting to feel somewhat normal again, just want my life back. Wish I’d received more info when I was first prescribed it - had no idea it would be such a nightmare to try to get off of it. This experience has shaken up my whole world. BEWARE."

• Cor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 1, 2021

For Anxiety "I was prescribed Effexor XR for anxiety. After taking 75 mg for two weeks, the nightmare begins. Insomnia, night sweats, horrific dreams and visions. I couldn't think or concentrate, I couldn't work or drive, my head was spinning, I couldn't talk properly. The headache was so bad it landed me in the hospital. I was so tired and couldn't stop yawning. I actually thought I was going insane on this drug. Loss of appetite followed by drastic weight loss, diarrhea. I persisted another week, then that's when the electric shocks started through my body. They were horrendous and left me thinking there was something wrong with me neurologically. Against the doctor's advice, I went cold turkey off of this drug. The withdrawal was horrific, but I was determined to get this stuff out of my body. Even seven months off the drug, I still get some of the shocks and feel this drug has permanently damaged me. I would do your research well before considering this drug. I'd never touch it again. Worst experience of my life."

• Mar...
• October 24, 2013

For Depression "I entered the beginning stages of menopause, and my mood changed dramatically. I was getting very concerned as I had never felt so sad and hopeless. I could not stop crying, and things that normally I would not let bother me were becoming huge issues. I did not recognize myself. I am known as a glass-half-full kind of person, so the change was dramatic. I was put on 35mg of Effexor, and wow - what a difference. Surprise, surprise, my hot flashes stopped (I have since read it helps with that), my mood back to normal, and strangely my joints don't hurt so much, and I have more energy. The few negatives are I yawn a lot, and though I still enjoy sex, I cannot have an orgasm. I consider both minor due to feeling so much better."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 8, 2013

For Anxiety "This medication has worked well for me in terms of controlling my anxiety and fear of having a panic attack. However, the side effects I have had to endure are not so pleasant. I'm always tired and can sleep all day long. Also, I have gained weight on this medication, and trying to lose it is very hard. It's like my metabolism has stopped working. I've been on this medicine for about 3 years now and considering weaning off to try something else."

• Sof...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 30, 2015

For Depression "I take the drug in the morning when I wake up. The first thing is eating, then 75 mg with a bottle of water, and I make sure during the day to drink plenty of water because this drug affects your renal and hepatic system. Every three months, or according to your MD, you should do routine labs. Remember, the drug won't take effect fast; it is going to be two weeks to check out how you are tolerating the dose. During these first two weeks, you may feel somnolence, dizziness, tiredness, and an urge to sleep. That's normal, but you can also feel like you can't control your life, not being focused, and unhappy. That can also occur in the starting period, as it did for me. The maximum effect of the drug/dose will take effect in three months. Monitor your suicidal thoughts with any anti-depression medication."

• Map...
• July 10, 2014

For Anxiety "I went on Effexor for panic disorder/social anxiety caused by OCD. It was debilitating, and the symptoms really affected my ability to go through life. I had been on other meds, which did not do much, so I was genuinely surprised and happy when the Effexor made a noticeable difference in the frequency and severity of my panic attacks. I have a few moments of panic now and then, but nothing as bad as it was. OCD is still there but does not cause me too much distress or interrupt my life as much as it used to (and Effexor is not meant to treat OCD anyway). The side effect that got me the most was tiredness, so I was put on Wellbutrin to balance that out, and it seems to be working for me. The other side effects are entirely bearable."

• Anonymous
• April 12, 2012

For Anxiety "Overall I love this pill, I have been on 75mg of Effexor for 8 years after being severely depressed and suicidal. I haven't had the same type of mood the whole time. The only downfall to this medication is the side effects, I have found that I have no libido and often very tired. Also, if I miss one day, I have very bad side effects like a really bad hangover. I am a little afraid of getting off the pill but I would like to try. Overall, if you need help with your depression, this pill is amazing."

• OCD...
• May 31, 2009

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Effexor is the only antidepressant that has helped my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and I have tried quite a few. It is the only one that has had very few side effects as long as you take it regularly. It has greatly helped me deal with my OCD and has greatly improved my overall mood and outlook on life. I take it in conjunction with Pimozide which has eliminated the intrusive unwanted thoughts and also Dextrostat which helped eliminate the tiredness associated with taking the previous medications. These 3 medications have given me a new lease on life. Prior to this mix of medicines, I must have tried a couple dozen that either didn't work for me or had too many side effects."

• 46a...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2012

For Social Anxiety Disorder "I have been on Effexor XR for 2 days now for anxiety, panic, and agoraphobia. So far, not too bad. Not too many side effects. I am tired and a bit fuzzy, but I hope this medicine is as good as everyone has said. I just want my life back."

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

For Depression "I was actually on Effexor XR for Borderline Personality Disorder and did nothing except make me tired. When I cried at my doctor's appointment because I was so depressed (3-6 months 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 150 mg. waste of time. I will never get that 2 years back."

• Cha...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 21, 2019

For Depression "These pills are horrible. The lights are so much brighter now. I always feel sick to my stomach. I have no motivation to do anything. I wake up 5-6 times a night having cold sweats. I always feel exhausted. My hands and feet are constantly sweating. Do not take this drug. The withdrawals are atrocious."

• Kaw...
• March 9, 2011

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "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."