Venlafaxine for Depression User Reviews (Page 5)

• hol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 29, 2019

"After being admitted to the hospital following a panic attack and suicide attempt, I was prescribed Effexor because I had tried four different SSRIs and none worked, so the doctor thought I should try an SNRI. My first dose was 30 mg, and half an hour after taking it, I started to feel really weird-terrible headache, blurred vision, anxious/uneasy, jittery, and kept spacing out. The next day, they moved me up to 75 mg, and the headache went away, but the other symptoms remained. The next few days were awful. It gave me horrible social anxiety (which I don't normally have), and I couldn't get any work done because my eyes wouldn't focus and I would stare off into the distance for minutes at a time, sort of dissociating. Also made me SUPER lazy. It made me just want to sit on my couch and stare into space."

• Mar...
• October 24, 2013

"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."

• And...
• March 13, 2012

"I have been on Effexor for 15 years, 150mg per day, except for a 1-year period ending about 6 months ago. It is very effective for me. It made me tired when I first started it, but it was worth sticking through that. For my time not taking it, I was on Zoloft which didn't work as well. Effexor has kept me from depression, but it does other things for me. First, it reduces my inattentiveness to near nothing. Therefore, I am very productive at whatever I do. Second, it greatly reduces anxiety. Stress does not cripple me any longer while on this medication. Going off the medication has a weird withdrawal symptom that isn't painful, it's just odd. Do not go off the medication without a doctor assisting."

• Wan...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 2, 2019

"Effexor ruined my life. After 3 years, I am in complete agony. Pain all over, and it stopped working. I tried to switch to another drug, and the withdrawals are much worse than heroin. My body is crunching all over. Haven't slept in months. Can't use my brain. Stay away from this!!! I can't work, I am on my own and will be homeless soon! The withdrawals are unbearable! Doctors' tapering is wrong!"

• Eri...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 8, 2015

"One of the best responses I have had to any antidepressant medication. At 150mg and I have suffered with depression for over 20 years. Within a week, I noticed a drastic improvement in my mood. Has far surpassed Prozac, Lexapro, and Cymbalta. Definitely recommend trying to someone suffering from depression, MDD, etc."

• Ale...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 1, 2019

"I’ve been on Effexor for about a year. I take 75 mg ER a day for depression associated with bipolar disorder and anxiety/panic attacks, which were at such a high level that it led to pseudo seizures. I have had amazing results. I had my first winter without a major depressive episode, and the episodes that I have now are nowhere near as intense. My anxiety is at all-time lows as well, and I am able to hold a job for the first time. This is all in conjunction with cognitive behavioral therapy and lifestyle changes. But the withdrawal symptoms from missing a dose are HORRIBLE! You get brain zaps, which are similar to vertigo, and flu-like symptoms such as aches/pains and upset stomach. This is in addition to your depression and anxiety levels skyrocketing. When I first started the med, I had some nausea and dry mouth for a couple of weeks, but it passed quickly. Overall, I have had amazing results."

• pea...
• May 23, 2016

"I suffered depression and anxiety at a very difficult time in my life 5 years ago and have been on Effexor 75 mg since then. It took the edge off highly stressful situations and helped me to cope in a calm and positive way. :) Life has been good since then, even though family problems have endured (thankfully to a lesser extent). The side effect of nausea was to be expected during the first few weeks, but after that, no problems at all. Effexor has been a wonder for me. :) :) :)"

• Anonymous
• September 22, 2008

"I was on Effexor XR for 8 years and I recently went off. I gave the drug 8 out of 10 because overall my anxiety and depression were greatly improved. I didn't have any sexual side effects and only felt dizzy when I did not take the medication at exactly the same time every night. I did lose a lot of my energy and was prescribed Wellbutrin to help out with that. However, the withdrawal, as others have mentioned, is terrible. My doctor prescribed a low dose of Prozac (20mg) to ease the withdrawal, and it really helped. If you are going off Effexor, do it with Prozac. I tried without it twice before, and it was such a horrible experience that I went right back on."

• Bra...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 5, 2014

"This medicine literally saved my life. I took 75mg and the first day I took it, I noticed a difference in my mood. I woke up in the morning and actually felt like getting out of bed. I smiled and enjoyed being around people and was in a pleasant mood. I was getting my life back! The only side effect I noticed was that I was pretty nauseous the first week and lost my appetite. But, it wasn't bad at all! I stopped taking the medicine suddenly when I found out I was pregnant and the only side effect I noticed when I stopped was being dizzy for about a week. But that could've been because I was pregnant too. Unfortunately, I had a miscarriage, and started taking Effexor again. Looking forward to being happy again."

• Gin...
• October 20, 2013

"I have been on Venlafaxine XR for 8 years (first Effexor XR then generic without problems). Started at 150, then plateaued after about a year, went up to 225 and plateaued again. I have been on 300mg dose for over 5 years. I like this prescription a lot. I haven't tried other antidepressants, I was started on this because it worked for other family members. I know it's a high dose and some people are shocked, but I find this offensive and more or less stigma about mental illness and meds. I started Adderall about 4 years ago and that combination has been incredible for my depression (and ADHD). My sex drive recovered 3 months into VFX. The only complaint is when I miss a dose, in which case I have a lot of complaints: migraines, dizzy, tremor, hypersomnia"

• kra...
• August 19, 2013

"I am a 23-year-old male suffering from extreme MDD and GAD. I have been taking 150 mg of Effexor XR and 15 mg of Remeron for two months. I have tried Celexa, Lexapro, Wellbutrin XL, Zoloft, Paxil, and Prozac, and this is by far the best medication! I have been lifted from the darkness and have had no side effects, including sexual dysfunction. Yay!"

• Not...
• September 28, 2015

"After a suicide attempt that landed me in the hospital's psych ward for three weeks, I was put on Effexor XR and Lamotrigine as a mood stabilizer. This combo has changed my life. It took a few months to get the dosage right (yes, MONTHS), but I'm coming up on two years since I've been hospitalized with little to no problems. I'm 21 and finishing my post-secondary education, hold a part-time job, live on my own, and have loving and supportive relationships. I never thought it would get better until Effexor came around."

• her...
• September 8, 2007

"My girlfriend has been on Effexor XR for almost seven years now. We just found out two weeks ago she is pregnant. The doctor told her to lower doses from the 300mg she has been on to 150mg, then three days later drop to 75mg, then three days to 37.5mg, then you're done. The doctor said that there might not even be any withdrawals if it is done this way. I wouldn't wish these bad withdrawals on anyone."

• Reg...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 2, 2015

"Effexor has been the most effective antidepressant for me. I've tried 5 SSRIs. Effexor doesn't make me lazy or spaced out. I feel it helps my cognitive functioning, as well as focus, motivation, and memory. I will go off Effexor for periods of time, plenty of time for my brain/body to reset, but I keep finding it better to be on Effexor. It's helped me to not be so negative, irritable, and just miserable overall. I can feel its slight pain-killing effects as well. It keeps me doing things instead of laying in bed ruminating negative thoughts. Side effects for me are constipation and lower libido. Miralax fixes the first one. As for the second one, before Effexor, I wasn't socializing at all anyways, so I can handle that side effect."

• Jax...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 13, 2022

"I've tried several different meds for my lifelong depression. None worked. They made me sleep mostly. Effexor has been a miracle for me. Four days after I began taking it, I began to feel hopeful. After one week, I noticed I didn't want to give up anymore. I felt at peace. I'm so grateful for this medication. It's changed my life. Too bad I didn't have it 35 years ago when I was diagnosed. Thank you, Effexor."

• Isa...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 21, 2018

"I had suffered for years with anxiety/depression back in the '80s and '90s. Back then, there was very little medication to help. In the late '90s, my doctor put me on Prozac, which helped profoundly until it stopped working after 10 years. Then Effexor XR was introduced, this medication was a godsend, and I still take it daily for the last 18 years. Now, I'm able to concentrate when I read and enjoy a happy and fulfilled life!"

• The...
• October 23, 2014

"I started this medicine in nursing school. Very much so needed. I started seeing myself with less worry, and a more 'whatever' type of mentality. I figured that worked for me. However, my biggest problem has been the weight gain. Before I knew it, I gained at least 25 lbs. I'm a very active person and I watch what I eat, especially since I am a cardiac nurse. Also, make sure you NEVER miss a day of the medication. My side effects would be vertigo and shooting nerve pains in my head. I just upped my dosage to 150mg hoping it will increase my energy and help with weight loss. I was really bad off emotionally before, so besides everything above, I have my life back."

• jan...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 26, 2013

"Been on this for over 10 years. I take 2 different doses every morning - 75 mg and 37.5 mg (which was added about 3 years ago). While no drug is perfect, it has saved my life - both figuratively and literally. I've had great success with this medicine. Be forewarned though about missing a day: loopy feeling, lightheaded or a weird feeling in your head (not pain), like a short buzzer effect. Over the years, if I missed a day, I actually did not feel comfortable driving. If you miss 2 days you'll experience heart palpitations and will definitely feel bad. These are the reasons why this medicine should never be suddenly stopped. The dose should gradually be lowered. Conversely, the medicine should be started on a low dose, working up as needed."

• Aus...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 10, 2016

"Awesome! Changed my life for the better completely. Side effects are minimal, but my mood has stabilized like never before. I wish I was medically compliant earlier. This stuff has changed my life for the better!"

• Tay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 3, 2016

"I've been taking Effexor for 5 months now, and I can say it definitely has worked for me. It can take time to actually start working, though, so give it some time. The only downfall is if I forget to take it for a day, I start getting dizzy, brain zaps, and headaches. I am now waiting to refill it, and haven't taken it for about a week, and the symptoms are still occurring. Even with that said, I would recommend this medicine for depression/anxiety. I no longer cry all the time for no reason. Definitely has changed my life (:"

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

"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."

• Ste...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 25, 2020

"I was put on a starting dose of 75 mg Effexor XR and worked my way up to a dose of 150 mg. I couldn't sleep, and my mind was racing. I wasn't myself at all. Back on 75 mg now, and I feel better than that, but still depressed. Switching meds soon, I hope."

• Ano...
• September 20, 2019

"I was on apparently the lowest dose of 37.5 mg for anxiety, and I had the worst experience of my life. I had severe gut pains every day and felt hypoglycemic all the time. I thought my liver was going to give out, it hurt so much. I was not myself. I was more anxious and depressed on the meds than I was off them. I couldn’t take it anymore and took myself off. Quitting cold turkey probably wasn't the best idea, but make sure you go to your doctor to get tapered off properly first to avoid major withdrawal symptoms. I do not recommend this medication, it’s not worth the risk."

• Sbr...
• November 7, 2013

"I have been on this med for only 4 days after being on multiple other meds for general anxiety disorder for several years now. And I can already feel the difference in myself. Not exactly where I want to be yet but definitely positive results so far. It does make my pupils seriously dilated and at night when it's dark my vision seems like I'm on a merry-go-round if I move my eyes too quickly. Other than that, I feel much better than just a few days ago! Hopefully, this med will work for me. I hate switching meds because of the time I have to wait to start a new one sends me in a downward spiral of panic attacks and irritability. So far, since being on Effexor XR, I've not had even one episode!! And I was having them every single day!"

• jdo...
• June 24, 2013

"Effexor might have saved my life because at the time I was given it, I had damn near given up hope. Paxil and Zoloft did nothing. Depakote attacked my liver. Lexapro made me numb. Then Effexor was given to me. Two weeks after taking it, I felt better. Four weeks later, I was back doing things again. Within a year, I had all my interests and hobbies back. Cons: 1. Withdrawal is terrible. When I miss a dose, I feel it. Neck pain. Headache. 2. I've found that I had to increase the dose after two years of usage. Seventy-five mg three times a day holds me. 3. Not really a con, but when more stress than usual, I relapse for a few days with depression, but it goes back to normal if you increase the dose for a while."