Venlafaxine for Hot Flashes User Reviews (Page 4)

• Pug...
• May 11, 2016

"The generic medication does not help my hot flashes. I'm taking 37.5 mg twice daily. The brand worked so much better, but the price went up dramatically. I really don't want to up the dosage, but these hot flashes are happening too often now. So, it's higher dose or live through the hot flashes. Hot flashes will not win."

• Tro...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 6, 2024

"I struggled terribly with hot flashes and night sweats when I first started menopause at 51 years old. My doctor put me on HRT, but my breasts were so sore and swollen it was unbearable. He then suggested I try Venlafaxine 37.5mg. It has been life-changing for me. No more hot flashes, no night sweats, and I am a happier person altogether. My husband calls it my 'happy pill'. I am now 60 years old and still taking the same dose every day. I don't think I ever want to stop taking this drug. My doctor says it's perfectly safe to take it long term."

• Men...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 21, 2019

"I started venlafaxine last summer for hot flashes. By day 2, I thought I had found a wonder drug. Flashes greatly reduced and sleep improved. One year later, it completely stopped working. Doctor said to increase to 2 pills daily. I have even gone up to 3, and I still have flashes. But now the weight gain is insane. I can diet, work out, do everything I normally would, but the pounds keep increasing. I don't know what is worse: hot flashes and no sleep or weight gain that doesn't seem to want to stop? I am up 25 lbs on a small frame. Wasn't this heavy even when I was pregnant? Need help to find something else as I am about to quit cold turkey just to see if the weight reduces."

• Mel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 17, 2019

"I took my first 37.5 mg venlafaxine yesterday. My hot flashes vanished... I took a low dose of HRT to manage hot flashes but had to stop last year due to breast cancer. The hot flashes returned. The venlafaxine made me super nauseous. I appreciate these reviews because several people seem to have had nausea with the first dose or so. Thanks for sharing info. I will stick with it for a few more days and see how it goes."

• Dia...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 22, 2019

"I was having major irritability issues and lots of menopausal side effects. I’ve been menopausal for 5 years. The hot flushes weren’t a big issue, though. Doc gave me venlafaxine, saying it takes effect in 46 days. The first 46 days, however, my mood had GREATLY improved, but now, after the initial 46-day period, my hot flushes are coming regularly now, not just at night. Almost constant. I’m wondering if I’d be better off without it."

• San...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 28, 2019

"I have been taking Efexor XR 75 mg daily at night for a week. I previously was being woken at least every 2 hours with severe night sweats. After 2 days, I noticed a big improvement, and the last 2 nights, no sweats at all! However, I am feeling lethargic, and I have to make an effort to get up and move. I hope this feeling passes, as I am normally very active. I take the capsule about 8 pm. I also noticed dry mouth and nausea, but these symptoms are improving."

• Mar...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 2, 2020

"I was diagnosed with hormone-positive, HER2-negative breast cancer 2 1/2 years ago. I had terrible hot flushes, so I was prescribed venlafaxine. I was on 37.5 mg, and it helped a little, but my doctor told me to go on 75 mg. Big mistake. She told me it would upset my stomach but to stay on it. It will get better. I survived 6 months, but stomach issues never went away, I had a terrible constant headache right in the area of my prefrontal cortex or sinuses, I am not sure. I feel faint and dizzy like I am an 'airhead.' I get sweats, I am tired and weak all of the time. Yawn constantly. I never suffered from depression before, but I felt depressed after taking this, and I had memory issues. I am trying to wean myself off now, but my head bothers me. I hope I can recover from the dizziness and 'airhead' feeling. How long do these side effects last after you are off this drug?"

• Dea...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 2, 2019

"I was placed on 37.5 mg for hot flashes, and it worked for a while. Then they returned, so my Dr. changed my dose to 75 mg. I am still having a few hot flashes (not anywhere near as many as I was), but I have gained weight and cannot lose even with a strict diet. I have talked to a friend who also gained weight on this drug. I am not sure if it is worth the extra weight gain."

• Sle...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 31, 2018

"Intense hot flashes were occurring every few minutes all day and night. Now at 37.5 mg, I am sleeping through the night for the first time in years. No side effects. Much happier and productive. Still get warm occasionally, but can live with it now."

• Suz...
• May 10, 2019

"My OB/GYN Dr. prescribed Effexor 37.5 mg once daily for hot flashes. I took the medication for two months and didn’t have good results and actually had sleep issues and restless leg syndrome as side effects. I called my MD, and she told me it was okay to stop the medication without tapering. This was bad advice, if you have been taking Effexor and want to stop, you NEED to taper. I had headaches, nausea, fatigue, dizziness, and weird dreams. I’m on day 4 of being off the Effexor. Not sure how long the discontinuation syndrome will last. I just called my Dr. and left a message. I would suggest no matter how short a period of time and dosage that anyone should NOT 'cold turkey', you need to follow a tapering program. I’ll never take this medication again."

• Smu...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 16, 2019

"I have hot flashes, and I have been on venlafaxine for 3 weeks now, and I have had NO relief. As a matter of fact, I almost feel like the hot flashes have gotten worse during the day. I feel like I am in a constant hot flash syndrome! I am trying to decide if I should stop this medication and just try to deal with the hot flashes."

• Lup...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 9, 2017

"My experience? I've been on many meds since age 16. Then, at age 48, they gave me Effexor. It was the end of the life I knew. I constantly hallucinated. I yelled at my husband almost daily, and when I could no longer feel the loving bond between my son and me and just wanted to scream at him until he cried, I stopped it cold turkey, and I was on ONLY 37.5 mg! I will NEVER take this medication again, and for me, it brought out my mother in me, and that's when I knew there was a HUGE PROBLEM with this medication in my body because to act like the very person who abused me showed me that I needed to get off of it or turn my son into me - broken and afraid."

• suz...
• March 11, 2010

Venlafaxine "I was prescribed Effexor for fibromyalgia. Not only did it not help the fibromyalgia, but it restarted the menopausal hot flashes that had been under control. In doing research for fibromyalgia, I discovered that it can cause hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms to be more intense in women with fibromyalgia."

• Kar...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 28, 2020

"What a hideous drug. Do not take this for hot flushes EVER. I’d much prefer hot flushes than this wretched feeling of......well, depression! I’ve gained a lot of weight and have not felt settled in life, which was not the case for me before. I had a better time experiencing menopause while having chemotherapy and wish I’d never started on this. I’ve weaned myself off with help from a doctor. It’s only taken a few weeks. I’ve taken 3 extra days off work after the weekend so I could relax and sleep if need be. I’m doing well and won’t be taking them ever again. If it wasn’t for my doctor's kindness one day when I stopped cold turkey, I might not have made it at all."

• tee...
• April 23, 2017

"After reading all the comments, I thought I'd ask a question. I just started taking venlafaxine yesterday. Last night, I noticed my tummy was upset. I got up this morning with a mild headache. Is this normal?"

• Dre...
• October 5, 2019

"Had been taking venlafaxine for about 3 years to treat hot flashes. I decided to stop taking it. Oh my God, didn’t know I needed to wean myself off this. The withdrawals are horrible, you get flu-like symptoms: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, body aches, you name it. I called my doctor and explained to a nurse, she had to check with the doctor. This was a Thursday, and I didn’t hear back until Monday, and was told to go back on it, taking one a day for 7 days, then 6 the next week, and so on and so on. I had been off it for 6 days and was terrified to go back on it. I made the decision to stay off, and it’s been 10 days. Symptoms a little better but still wake up feeling yucky. Popsicles and applesauce are my best friends. So ladies, don’t go cold turkey like me - talk to your doctor first before you stop taking this, even though my doctor did mention to me 3 months ago I could stop taking it after a conversation we had about my flashes. But no mention of slowly going off of this."

• Joy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 4, 2019

"I have been on Effexor 150 mg for 1 month with no help at all for my hot flashes, in fact, I am in a constant state of a hot flash all day! Miserable. I am glad so many of you have found help with this drug, but it's not for me. I had a total hysterectomy 25 years ago and have struggled with HRT for many years."

• Jul...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 26, 2019

"Recently off Effexor XR 150 milligrams, as I just got tired of taking something that didn't work. I went into menopause in 2009 and started Effexor XR for hot flashes (HF) as that seemed my only menopause symptom. Doc said to stay on it and give it a good 10-year try. That seemed excessive to me, but I thought I would go ahead and try it. Well, I continued to have HF but hoped things would change. They never did. The doc had me on 150 mg until I finally told him several weeks ago, no more... that I gave it 10 years to work, and that's my limit! So, he gradually reduced me to 75 mg and then to 37 mg, and then, this week, I finally stopped. I still have HF, and NOW I have terrible night sweats! I never had been bothered much by them before, but every night now, I wake up drenched. Could it be the Effexor working its way out of my system? I pray so. Anyone else have a similar tale? End of story... Effexor did nothing for me."

• Kar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 9, 2020

"After 10 years on HRT, I decided to try an alternative - Elaxine SR. I started on 37.5 mg for 3-4 weeks, flushes did not abate, so was upped to 78. Not much difference after a month. Going off as got side effects of vertigo, nausea, and occasional vomiting. I don't recommend."

• Sra...
• December 5, 2019

"I was given this medicine to help with the side effects of tamoxifen I take for cancer caused by early menopause. But since being on venlafaxine, I have had dreams that really scared me. I woke up crying. Crazy. I'm not one to react badly to a new med, but I feel I may help other people who have had breast cancer. I have never taken a pill that gave me a reaction like this. I was taking 37.5 mg 2x daily. I just don't recommend it. I'm afraid to sleep because of the dreams."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 24, 2018

"DON’T MISS a DOSE! Severe nausea, shakes, and vomiting! Yes, it does help with hot flashes, but the sweating, shivering, headaches, and stomach issues when you miss a dose by even a few hours is terrible!"

• Bea...
• October 31, 2019

"Terrible. I have been off venlafaxine going on 4 weeks and am still nauseated. Head has loud ringing-type noises and occasional brain zaps. Helped with hot flashes, but not worth feeling like I do now."

• Mir...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 28, 2019

"My doctor prescribed me Effexor because I was taking hormone patches for menopause and wanted me to go off them. She prescribed Effexor because she said even though it was an antidepressant, it would help with the sweating. I took one, and an hour later I started to get severe chest pains. Later on that day, the pain got worse, and my fingers were tingling. I called the emergency services and was brought to the hospital by ambulance. I was hospitalized for three days while tests were carried out. All my results were good, and the doctors concluded that I had a severe allergic reaction to this medication and could never take it again. I had only taken one tablet."

• bea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 18, 2019

"My doctor prescribed venlafaxine for severe day and night hot flashes. It almost eliminated the hot flashes completely, which was great, however, I constantly felt bloated, have gained a lot of weight, have become lazy/lethargic, I've become forgetful, and I feel like my muscles have become weak. I couldn't take the weight gain side effect (my doctor said it shouldn't cause weight gain??) and the general overall feeling of blah, so I stopped taking it. The hot flashes started back up almost immediately. Going back to the doctor to hopefully get something that won't cause weight gain."

• Din...
• February 14, 2020

"Beware! This drug is dangerous! My doctor prescribed venlafaxine for severe hot flashes. I took it for a couple of years. It helped somewhat and lessened the anxiety that preceded every hot flash episode, but all I wanted to do was eat and sleep 12 hours a day. Big weight gain. And vivid, crazy dreams. The worst was trying to get off the drug, even though I did it very gradually over a 3-month period. It was a nightmare. It took a full year to stop having withdrawal symptoms. I was miserable, angry, agitated, and I lost friends. My brain has never been the same since. This drug should be taken off the market. I've had nasty hot flashes for 15 years. So far, the only thing that worked was HRT, but you can't stay on that forever. Also, evening primrose oil capsules work really well, without side effects."