Venlafaxine for Anxiety and Stress User Reviews (Page 4)

• Tom...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 8, 2023

"I take 75mg every day and it works tremendously. My anxiety, panic attacks, and depression were through the roof. I would recommend it. But you have to take it every day religiously, you can't forget, lol. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone, but I also smoke marijuana throughout the day. Not a lot though, and I'm in a good mood, and the anxiety, stress, and panic attacks are totally gone. People might disagree, but marijuana really is a miracle drug."

• Anonymous
• September 2, 2009

Venlafaxine "This medication changed my life. I'm sorry I waited so long to admit I needed it. It's wonderful to be able to cope with all of the daily challenges of life and yet still feel happy to be alive. If you're feeling out of control, don't waste your life out of fear of asking for help. Side effects like loss of sexual drive are minor compared to the benefits."

• myt...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 7, 2016

"Switched from citalopram to 75 mg and then onto 225 mg venlafaxine. Worked great, to be honest. Got me out and more social. That was until I started getting hives and horrid allergic reactions. Swelling eyes/mouth and breathing problems. I denied it to myself initially that it was the pills because I thought they were working so great, and I didn't want to give them up. Had to face reality though eventually. Pushed my luck, and I got stung. Awoke one morning unable to breathe + swelling badly. I ended up having to go to the hospital... so I had to give them up. Didn't think withdrawal would be tough, to be honest. I thought that I had done this many a time on other ADs and done fine. Oh boy, was I wrong. The vertigo and brain zaps are by far the worst!"

• Cla...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 4, 2021

"Help, I've been taking venlafaxine 75 mg slow-release for 8 days. Today I was on citalopram 40 mg for 15 years. Someone please tell me I'm not going mad! The last few days, I wake up with an internal shake feeling right through me, like a bad panic attack, and I feel really weird. Can't really describe, it's like I'm having an out-of-body experience. I can see and feel everything, but it feels like I'm looking down on myself - weird, I know. And so lightheaded, very panicky, and feeling so scared and fearful, and generally unwell off this med. Will this pass? Should I stop? Please help x."

• Dru...
• November 26, 2011

Venlafaxine "It works well. I did gain weight with it since it does affect the regions of the brain associated with this, but I simply try to stay fit by exercising (which helps my condition as well) and eat healthy foods. Be religious in taking your daily dose, though! The side effects are quite debilitating. This includes being completely useless for anything, sleeping, really weird dreams, and the vertigo described (quite accurately) here as an electrical zapping sensation. Any time you move your head or eyes, it feels like a bzzzzt. Also heed the warning of interaction with alcohol. ONE very occasional glass of wine or beer, but that's it! Mixing this medicine and any alcohol beyond the occasional drink and you'll get seriously messed up."

• Anonymous
• November 26, 2009

Venlafaxine "I have been taking Effexor XR for almost two years, and I love it. I take it for anxiety, stress, and depression. I have taken Wellbutrin and Paxil and found a little relief, but nothing compared to Effexor. After 10 years of emotional eating, I have started losing that weight-40 lbs in the past year-and I haven't dieted. I still eat the foods I love, but now I stop when I'm no longer hungry, and I feel no guilt when I eat a cookie or two or go out for an indulgent dinner. Another plus: I actually want sex now. For years, my anxiety kept me from having any desire, but now I can't get enough. YAY!"

• Gem...
• November 21, 2019

"I have taken venlafaxine for just over a week for stress and anxiety. To start with, I felt better, I had a clearer mind. However, I was exhausted. After a few days, I started feeling very sick and getting awful headaches. I realized as soon as I was taking this tablet, within 20 minutes, I was feeling sick. My head was pounding, as well as blurred vision. This got worse. I decided to stop taking them, as I had only been on 75 mg for a week. After two days, I was off my feet, with flu-like symptoms, brain zaps, and numbness in my lips, wrists, and fingertips. I couldn’t stop eating even though I felt sick. I am on the third day of this come down and still no better. I am off work and unable to do much at all. I am now a lot worse off than I was before taking this drug, as my anxiety has returned and I have found my depression has crept back too. I would not recommend venlafaxine to anyone, it is a strong and scary drug to be on."

• MLa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 11, 2019

"Started Effexor XR last night. Took my dose as directed with food around 8:30 pm. I woke up around 3 am extremely nauseous and was up sick until 5 am. But other than that, everything has been fine. I noticed I felt a little calmer today, but who knows if that is because of the medication yet. Will update later."

• Anonymous
• March 20, 2010

Venlafaxine "I have used a few different antidepressants over the years, but when I started getting panic attacks, my doctor put me on Effexor. It works well for me. Missing a dose is the worst thing, though. If I wake up in the morning feeling hung over, dizzy, and useless, I know that I forgot my pill the day before. It takes several hours after taking it to begin to feel better. I recently switched to taking it at night because then, if I miss a dose, the horrible side effects will come at night and I can just take a pill and go to bed, but I am finding that if I don't take a sleep aid, I am up after 3 hours (like right now) and end up having to take a nap the next day. I am thinking that I better go back to taking them in the morning."

• Pol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 20, 2022

"Was on Lexapro for 2 years at a dose of 15 mg. It helped my anxiety but did nothing for my depression, and I was extremely lethargic and felt like a zombie. I did a straight swap onto venlafaxine and already feel much better in my mood, mind is clearer, energy better, anxiety is fine, and I can think clearly. I am currently on 75 mg, and I have no side effects whatsoever. I'm surprised, as I read so many bad things about side effects. For me, I've had nothing but positive... even the straight switch from Lexapro to venlafaxine caused no side effects... so don't let all these bad reviews you read put you off. I nearly did, but wanted to see for myself, and so far it's the best thing I did was switch onto it from Lexapro, especially for my depression and energy levels."

• Ken...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 8, 2022

"I can confidently say this medicine truly works wonders! I am a 31-year-old female and struggled with depression and anxiety since I was a child. I was put on a number of different antidepressants before that. I found the side effects to be extremely uncomfortable and either didn’t stick with the medicine or felt numb. After being put on venlafaxine 6 months postpartum, I can honestly say I feel so good. My anxiety has completely diminished. The strongest benefit, though, is the ability to think clearly, manage stress, and still sleep wonders. I take two 37.5 mg every morning with breakfast and find it is the perfect dose and time of day. The first 10 days adjusting to the medicine, I felt a little bit brain zappy and minor headaches/fatigue, but that quickly subsided, and now 3 months in, I feel awesome. I do suggest taking this every day, or you will feel groggy or foggy if you miss a dose. I too was weary of some of the 1-star reviews, but I can honestly say I give this medicine 5 stars!"

• Anonymous
• March 26, 2012

Venlafaxine "I've suffered from anxiety my whole life. I've been on and off so many different medicines I can't even count. At first, Effexor seemed like a heaven send. Recently, though, I've realized that if I merely skip a day or more, the withdrawals are indescribable. I shake constantly. I throw up. I sweat. I get headaches."

• Anonymous
• December 2, 2009

Venlafaxine "I started taking Effexor XR two years ago for depression, generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and OCD. This drug, in combination with therapy, has really decreased my symptoms. I feel what I think 'normal' must feel like for people who don't have the above-mentioned conditions. When starting the medication, I had some of the listed side effects (weird dreams, sweating, fatigue), but they all subsided after about 4 weeks. I would recommend giving this drug a try, keeping in mind that every drug works a little differently for every person. It may or may not be one that works for you."

• the...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 2, 2023

"Was on this for 8 years with great success. It works! Decided to get off it and that was a bad idea! Went back on, and it's working again. Great stuff for anxiety and depression. Try it and don't give up!"

• lif...
• August 21, 2011

Venlafaxine "I started Effexor at my lowest dose, 37.5 mg, and then was bumped up to 75 XR and now 75 XR twice a day. I can honestly say it's been life-changing. Not only did my anxiety go away, but I sleep better and I can function. I used to wake up at 11-12:30 pm in the morning/afternoon, now I can wake up at 7 am without a problem. I am really happy with this medication. Before, I was hazardous, suffering from anxiety after a terrible accident. I couldn't even drive, now I can. And also, it helped tremendously, along with Adderall, for my GPA. Went from a 2.4 to a 3.6 GPA and dean's list! My life changed."

• JJG...
• January 5, 2016

"I've been taking this for about 5 years, and it has helped with stress and depression, though more so for stress. I started taking Wellbutrin about 8 months ago as well due to depression getting worse, and the combination has helped tremendously. I have had 'brain zaps' when I haven't taken my morning dose by about noon the following day, and have been out for a few days, so they were even worse, but I feel the benefits outweigh that. While one side effect can be constipation, venlafaxine has actually helped, as I used to have the opposite problem. Overall, I think both meds are great."

• Xbe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 26, 2020

"This was very effective for me with regard to treating major depressive disorder. I have MDD, PTSD, GAD, and OCD. However, when the dosage increased to 75 mg ER daily, I started experiencing more negatives. I had very strange and vivid dreams, tremors, and began to always be in fight or flight. Overstimulated and sensitive. Unpleasant orgasms. My appetite decreased, and I became more anxious overall."

• Anonymous
• October 18, 2009

Venlafaxine "I have been on Effexor XR for approximately 7 years now. I was started off at 75 mg and have since been raised to 225 mg over the years. I have had good results on this medication. One downfall is the terrible withdrawals that I experience if I miss a dose. These effects happen within the first couple of hours of not taking it. Terrible headache, foggy feeling, and extreme eye sensitivity. Within a day of a skipped dose, I become agitated, argumentative, and defiant. I do not look forward to switching from this medicine to a different one, which my doctor has suggested, due to the withdrawal symptoms."

• Ker...
• September 20, 2015

"I've been on this medication for a while now, it was originally just for my chronic migraines, but it never ended up working for my migraines. However, I've had a history of anxiety, and Effexor seemed to solve my anxiety problems, so my doctors have kept me on it all this time. I've noticed if I go even a little over 24 hours since I've taken my last dosage, my anxiety comes back worse than ever, and I constantly throw up due to withdrawal... and that's only a day of not taking it!!"

• Ben...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 9, 2021

"I started it for anxiety attacks that were really bad from everything going on. I decided to not do any research into it and just go in. It did help my anxiety, but as I continued to take it, my depression kept increasing. It went to crippling depression and suicidal thoughts almost continually. I know they say it usually only happens at first. I was almost at a year with it getting worse. I would much rather have run-of-the-mill anxiety and regular depression over that, thank you."

• jme...
• July 31, 2010

Venlafaxine "I've been on Effexor for about two years. Previously, I was taking Lexapro and went off it for a short period of time. I returned to my doctor, and he prescribed Effexor, 75 mg/day. I experienced improvement with my anxiety, depression, and panic attacks. Like everyone else, I feel it (dizzy, hungover-like symptoms) when I miss a daily dose. I experience constipation and don't sleep as deeply or through the night like I used to. These side effects are on the list for this medicine - so, no surprises here. I give this a rating of 9 because it is very helpful to relieve the symptoms of my depression, anxiety, and panic attacks. And, it helps to control my moods so I can better manage my emotions."

• Anonymous
• February 13, 2012

Venlafaxine "My doctor put me on Effexor because I didn't like Lexapro. It made me gain weight and feel numb and apathetic. It did help with my mood, which is the main reason I went on, BUT I put on 10 lbs in 6 mos despite diet and exercise. I am anxious now because I am getting married and need to lose this weight. Despite a trainer, Weight Watchers, and intense workouts, the scale doesn't budge. It has to be the Effexor. It has never been so hard for me to lose weight. I have always been trim and lucky in that department. Trying to get off it now."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 6, 2016

"It was the worst experience ever. I took it and couldn't sleep all night. I cried for hours and even called the emergency hotline. I had muscle stiffness, excessive yawning, nausea, and twitching. So far the worst medication I've ever taken."

• Cal...
• May 6, 2017

"Started Venlafaxine 37.5mg - 150mg over a 6-week period for anxiety and PMDD but had to stop. Previous to this, I was on Mirtazapine 15mg to help with sleep and appetite, but it did nothing for my 'feelings.' VENLAFAXINE - PROs - Slightly more confident, didn't blush, more energy, less body pain. CONs - INSOMNIA, no appetite at all, started losing weight, muted feelings, had no empathy anymore, like a I don't give a shit attitude, NO LIBIDO and couldn't orgasm! I decided to quit this garbage and return to the mild Mirtazapine for good. Some of the weeks I was on venlafaxine, I actually also took the Mirt (the combo known as Californian rocket fuel) so I could get some sleep, although doctors did not allow me to do this! Effects after stopping Venlafaxine - 3 days."

• Hel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 18, 2016

"I have been prescribed Effexor for over 6 years. Initially, it worked great. Now they have made me go on a generic version, venlafaxine HCl ER. The manufacturer is TEVA. And I have had major anxiety, hives, headaches, can't sleep, night sweats, just to name a few. I have heard from others they cannot take the generic form. However, when I requested the name brand, my insurance wouldn't cover it. In going to fill my prescription, it was going to cost $963 to fill. I was shocked. What is a person to do? Is there any help for those of us who can't take the generic format? And how do we find out what is actually in this to know what we are allergic to? Any help is appreciated..."