Venlafaxine for Autism User Reviews

• Dan
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 11, 2023

Effexor (venlafaxine) "I have autism, which is very exhausting keeping up with everyday life. I usually prefer my own company and a dark room. My autism affects my emotions, anxiety, and panic on a day-to-day basis. Effexor has begun to make me more extraverted, focused better at work, calmed my anxiety, and stopped my panic attacks. It's hard starting any type of drug when you are very sensitive to life in general, so be prepared to have everything intensify for approximately 4 weeks: sleep disturbances, fast heart rate, anxious, tense, panicky. If you don't see an improvement by the 4-5 week mark, make sure you report back to your doctor. Remember to start low and slow to minimize the side effects. I hope you find this information helpful, don't forget there are other options out there if Effexor is not for you. I also have done well on Paxil previously."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 8, 2019

Effexor (venlafaxine) "I have took this about 3 weeks ago started on 75mg felt nausea bad the first day than the second was easy headache a little nausea panic but as a week went on symptoms went away and I felt a lot better. The reasons why I don't put up a full 10 cause if you take it late, after the 24 hour period since your last dose, you start to experience withdraw. It is different for everyone But I was fine, I'm autistic, suffer from acute anxiety, PTSD, panic depression bad, it saves my life so far am scared of horror stories but as an autistic adult I look at it as an opportunity"

• Jujus...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 11, 2012

Effexor (venlafaxine) "My son was given this medicine by a developmental pediatrician when he was 8 yrs old. He became more vocal. More at ease around people. He is now 22 yrs old and is still on this medicine, he has Aspergers."

• High...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 24, 2019

Effexor XR (venlafaxine) "I'm 22 with autism and I take 20mg of effexor xr and I've been taking it for 2 years! And this medication has helped me a lot, it makes me socialize with people more! And be more at ease in a social situation! And I've had no bad side effects at all! I highly recommend this medicine"

• Anonymous
• December 1, 2010

Effexor (venlafaxine) "This is a great medicine for those it helps. It really changed my life around. It has helped me so much to be more comfortable with having Asperger Syndrome and to deal with all the associated issues (OCD, depression, etc). It's literally saved my life. I do recommend trying this medicine as if it works for you, it's worth trying."

• Angela
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 3, 2022

Effexor XR (venlafaxine) "Effexor saved my life. I developed obsessive compulsive disorder at 15. Severe panic attacks guilt disorder and it would take me hours of the day with rituals. Effexor stopped all that. I could leave the house with just a look. I'm 43 now and still on it"

• LateD...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 9, 2023

"Female, 29, currently on Pregabalin 50mg x 3 (continuation on lower dose) and Venlafaxine 75mg in the AM I have a long history of mental health difficulties—anxiety, depression, insomnia, agoraphobia, PTSD, OCD tendencies etc. I got a new (read: BETTER) Doctor and it turns out I'm Autistic, possibly ADHD, and massively depressed. I was put on a low dose of this because I'd tried every SSRI and associated med ever suggested, so he wanted to try an SSNI that would either work or really be awful depending on brain chemistry. I was already suicidal and not living or leaving my house so I agreed. I didn't think such a low dose would do anything. I've always started low but been on high doses before I felt a tiny improvement. This is different. I've always needed mood trackers to tell if a med is working but not with this. It's amazing. I'm myself. I'm not oppressed by life anymore. I can breathe. I have energy. I enjoy things. I can think. I could cry with relief"

• Tja
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 10, 2022

Effexor XR (venlafaxine) "My daughter is 17 and has Autsim, Profound MR, Mood Disorder and Premenstrual Issues and organic brain anomaly. Both the neurologist and psychiatrist. Our psychiatrist put her on this med at 37.5 by the end of 1 week she was flat faced and sleeping 12 hours a night, psychiatrist said it needed time. Her joy was gone, second week she became more interactive but much more angry, MD said it needed more time by the 3rd week she was now overly excitable, irritable, acting out and began to speak in other people's voices. Called psychiatrist numerous times, who finally called back four days later after she started using other people's voices and psych said she needed a higher dose and more patience. I told her I didn't believe that and wanted her off. We took her off that day but she has still not recovered from it. It has also affected how she has responded to her other meds and thrown everything off. We have found a new doctor, but do not trust or wait on this med if it makes things worse"

• ZPF
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 22, 2022

"My experience on this medication from what I know of if this helps I been on every antidepressant from SSRI’s to Cymbalta etc. I have autism and I’m an adult who has acute anxiety, panic attacks and severe agoraphobia. In 2019 after years of depression and anxiety the positives I noticed I can say yes, besides all the bad side effects going on, after day 3 it saved my life. Venlafaxine has made me more social, made me love life and I was not afraid to just go out and communicate. It lessened my social anxiety as well I could go up to anyone and just talk. I could understand social cues way better and I lost massive weight. The only downfall is in 2021 I went up in dose I learned that the hard way you find the dose that suits you stick to it. It might have worked excellent for me but it doesn’t always work for everyone’s experience is different, I’m going to switch back to this medication by Monday! 1 day of bad nausea and some panic day 2 I’ll be better be strong everyone! Smile"

• Hetty
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 4, 2021

"I have autism and PTSD this works well for me on 375mg venlafaxine as well as 3.5mg risperidone twice daily and 30mg mirtazapine at night I have tried other medication like fluoxetine and sertraline but they have not worked"

• James
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 13, 2022

"I have autism, I did not know this when I was first prescribed Venlafaxine. The diagnosis came 10 months after I started taking it. I had been suffering from extreme anxiety and depression. Each time I complained to my doctor I was feeling worse, he kept increasing the dose, reaching 225 mg. I became so ill, muscular problems, eye pain, dizziness, migraines, paranoia and delusions. I felt I’d lost my mind and the suicidal thoughts got worse as the dose increased. I was so close to taking my life. I stopped taking them against my doctors wishes, as I linked the drug to my physical and mental health changes. I stopped having suicidal thoughts within 24 hours (I have never had such strong suicidal thoughts in my life before, just a deep unhappiness with my life) the brain zaps, body shakes and dizziness have been horrendous. I’m a week off the drug now, no suicidal thoughts, muscular issues improving, thinking clearer, still getting brain zaps and dizziness, it’s improving each day."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 2, 2015

"I have Asperger Syndrome, also Major Depression, Dysthymia and General Anxiety. Venlafaxine did nothing to help any of symptoms and had the side effects of completely removing my sense of hunger, nausea and eventually night sweats and nightmares. I think this drug will only help autistic symptoms they're also symptoms of co-morbid depression and/or anxiety. I imagine the social symptoms are made worse by depression/anxiety and in that case you may find it will help you. It's a strong antidepressant, but comes with strong side effects."

• Lilith
• July 12, 2023

"The first thing I want to say is that this drug really helped with my Aspergers quite a lot. I felt like I became a different personality (to some extent) that had zero social anxiety and was kind of brave and sometimes flirty, which is not my personality at all, but I loved it. I have also tried Lexapro and a Tricyclic Tofranil, and unfortunately, these drugs didn't give me that special feeling that changed my personality for the better. Venlafaxine felt very different. It also helped with my depression. I felt extremely calm and maybe with a little flattened emotions, but I also liked it more than the artificial joy from Lexapro, which wasn't helpful for me personally. Sometimes, I felt something like a very calm euphoria. The only side effect that bothered me long-term was extreme tiredness, but it went away after upping to 225 (noradrenaline). Unfortunately, I built up a tolerance after a year."

• Indiii
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 15, 2022

"I was put on Effexor 6 months ago for autism, BPD and ADHD which it supposedly helps too (I disagree as I’ve been more inattentive and forgetful as ever). I would have meltdowns occurring very frequently before I took venlafaxine as well as severe anxiety and intrusive thoughts. Venlafaxine has completely numbed my anxiousness and taken my meltdowns from a 10 ~ nearly killing myself during every episode to a 2 ~ only sometimes getting distressed and it being very quickly dissolved. I really don't like tablets, even the thought of taking them makes me feel sick plus I’m forgetful and miss consecutive days in a row. Maybe this is why my side affects are so bad as I’m constantly on and off them, but trying to get used to this drug feels awful. I was physically sick, constant nausea, profusely sweating, muscle spasms, couldn’t keep my eyes still, couldn’t get comfy, bad headache and dizziness, but I’m not constantly on edge like I usually am. Can’t decide if I love it or not"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 22, 2024

Effexor (venlafaxine) "I am autistic. Effexor has helped in reducing my hypersensitivity and migraines."

• Irish
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 10, 2022

"I was put on them, then after 10 mins I went crazy started shaking, vomiting and my memory going blank. Confusion.. trouble breathing"