Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder User Reviews (Page 5)

• Han...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 27, 2016

Venlafaxine "I have been on Effexor now for almost 6 months. I take a combined dose of 75 mg and 150 mg at once (225 mg). I started at 150 and was given the 75 mg a few days later to help with my anxiety. The meds do make me 'numb' to emotions, and they do help with my depression and anxiety. I have good and bad days. Sometimes my meds will make me sick to my stomach, I often feel dizzy and feel brain zaps and 'electrical' zaps down my arms and fingers. It often takes away my appetite, and I have lost weight. I often struggle with constipation too. And sometimes, it makes the voices, depression, and anxiety worse. Compared to other meds in the past, Effexor is better. On good days, I feel better and turn from a realistic viewpoint in the world to a more positive one."

• Dia...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 26, 2021

Venlafaxine "I was on Effexor XR for 3 years and have done wonderfully on it. I plateaued out, so I went off of it with no issues. Tried many other meds over the next year and a half, but nothing worked. Just recently went back on Effexor XR and am doing well with it. Not had any issues as far as side effects."

• Jim...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 22, 2024

Venlafaxine "I was switched to venlafaxine after unsuccessfully trialing various SSRIs. Initially, I strongly disliked venlafaxine. The first couple of months were rough in terms of side effects, but my psychiatrist encouraged me to persist with it, and things rapidly improved soon thereafter. I found the 150 mg dose to be too low. It was better than any SSRI at 150 mg, but not sufficient to reach remission. My psych tried a few different doses, and we settled on 300 mg daily. What a difference compared to Zoloft, Prozac, and Lexapro. Strongly recommend trying the higher doses if 150-225 mg is insufficient for you. At 300 mg, it becomes a little activating, similar to a weak stimulant like caffeine. The side effects I've encountered are increased sweating, decreased appetite/weight loss, a mild tremor, and slightly increased blood pressure. None of the usual 'male' side effects I had previously experienced with SSRIs."

• Ven...
• January 13, 2017

Venlafaxine "This med was given to me to replace Lexapro and Klonopin. I took the med as directed and had the worst week of my life. The vivid dreams caused me to believe my sister and friends were sneaking around trying to take my house, or shooting me and burning it down. It was so real to me. The tremors were uncontrollable, I didn't know what day it was. I was living a nightmare. I'm 55, with two adult children. I couldn't drive, walk, or work, it made me a zombie. I wouldn't give this med to my worst enemy. Every side effect I had."

• Pet...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 18, 2023

Venlafaxine "So far, so good. I’ll repeat here what a number of people have written because it is so important: Do not rely on reviews to make a decision regarding taking any drug. The only good way to discover if a medication is for you is to try it. Just start at the lowest dosage possible and for this drug, it is 37.5 mg. Starting off taking it every other day is also a good way to test the waters. For me, I am just coming out of three years of hell, and finally, there is hope. The only side effect for me so far is an increase in dreaming and the occasional unpleasant but tolerable nightmares. However, I have used various methods to lift the depression and do not believe the Effexor alone is responsible for the improvement. To maximize chances of success, don’t expect this, or any other drug, to take care of everything by itself."

• Aft...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 22, 2017

Venlafaxine "I've been on 75 mg of venlafaxine for 6 or 7 years. It is good for me. Before Effexor, my emotions felt like being hit by a truck. After Effexor, it gives me a moment to THINK about things, rather than just disintegrating into a puddle on the floor. I still have feelings, but they're not as overwhelming, and I don't feel like I HAVE to react to them. Side effects: sweating and tiredness. I take a lot of naps! Missing a dose: about an hour or two after my time to take my pill, if I forget to, I'd get tingly and dizzy. Withdrawal: I recently tried to stop taking Effexor cold turkey. I lasted 6 days. Intense anger, bursting into tears, a static feeling in my head, like a TV set on no channel, and a tingly feeling in my lips."

• Dan...
• August 19, 2015

Venlafaxine "Increase dose more slowly than the doctor says. I was convinced I was actually in hell for a week after increasing my dose for one single day. It helps my situation, but it ruins my memory, kills motivation, kills desire or will to do anything. A cool and crisp morning loses that good feeling, and your sleep sucks, causing you to be tired all day. I would recommend taking a dose only on days you feel awful. Maybe 15 mg. I regret taking this every day. The withdrawal is worse than alcohol, tobacco, and other SSRIs combined."

• Eye...
• August 17, 2018

Venlafaxine "Stay away! Run! For the years I was on this, I was told by this new psychiatrist that I had schizophrenia, when my other psychiatrist had diagnosed me with major depression, which is what I have. I was just going through a lot, but Effexor made me hear voices and gave me the worst side effects. I couldn't even walk, and I was so scared. It was the most traumatic experience in my life. I am still trying to get back to normal, I feel very disconnected."

• Eli...
• November 25, 2014

Venlafaxine "When I first took Effexor, I was in the first few days a bit jittery, but then I felt like I hadn't felt in years or ever. It was such a godsend. Then, with doctor's advice after approx 12 months, I went off it. I went on it two more times, but my dose was higher and higher-no real help to me. Then, the third time, I went off my head on it. The anxiety was woeful, so severe. I phoned up the helpline for mental health and got the usual spiel-give it time, yes, it can cause that, speak with your doctor, and so on. I read how this can happen, then whamo, it works. But I had already been on it before and never had such side effects. It was horrible and scary. My personal experience is two opposites: good and horrible."

• Rea...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 21, 2016

Venlafaxine "I was prescribed Effexor after a really bad anxiety attack about 3 years ago. At first, it was really great. Less suicidal thoughts, my anxiety wasn't as bad, but I wasn't eating. I had absolutely no appetite whatsoever; I starved myself until I lost 20 lbs, and they increased my dosage from 37.5 to 150 mg. It's years later, and I now suffer from an eating disorder that I didn't have before. The side effects: dizziness, bad coordination, insomnia, headaches, lightheadedness, and especially the fatigue, all impacted my life to the point where I dropped out of high school. The withdrawals, which occur after 24 hours of not taking the pill, make you feel inhuman. I was better before."

• Daa...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 25, 2016

"After a very dark time in my life, I dropped my male pride and sought help from my physician and was diagnosed with MDD and GAD. I was prescribed Effexor XR 75 mg, and being my first experience with antidepressants, I was very leery. For about two weeks, the side effects were more than noticeable: sweating, dizziness, constipation, nausea, brain zaps, etc. About the same time (two weeks), the relief set in, and the side effects began to lift. Everyone is different, but Effexor has been a lifesaver, and to say my life has turned around would be a huge understatement. From despair to feeling 'normal' and enjoying life, maybe for the first time ever. For me, the only lasting side effect seems to be dry mouth after nearly a year. Small price to pay."

• Sea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 8, 2019

"This is the best antidepressant that worked for me! I have been on many others and nothing seemed to work. Don’t expect it to work straight away, these tablets need at least six weeks for the full benefits. I take 75 mg in the morning and 75 mg at night. Make sure you take it at the same time, day and night. Not much more to say, but wow, I can feel my life going back in the right direction. Hope this helped."

• Ots...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 9, 2019

Venlafaxine "I have major depressive disorder, panic disorder, and ASD. It didn't do anything for my anxiety, it did minimal for my depression, but it did drastically decrease my irritability, which is good. The reason I can only give Effexor XR a 1, though, is because of the horrible withdrawal symptoms I had coming off of it. And no, I was not abusing it, I was taking it as prescribed. I have been on other drugs, such as Adderall and Xanax, which are known to cause bad withdrawal symptoms, but neither of those drugs caused a withdrawal anywhere near as severe as Effexor XR did to me."

• sad...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 2, 2016

Venlafaxine "Never knew how powerful this drug is until I tried to replace it with Cymbalta. Within 2 days of switching, my anxiety was sky-high, and my depression was so severe that I literally was suicidal. Went back on it, and these symptoms subsided quickly. By no means is this the perfect drug, but it seems to be a bit better than others. I wish it would control anxiety better. I have to take lorazepam to control anxiety fully."

• Ire...
• May 11, 2022

"I suffered for many years with a debilitating morning depression - waking with a terrible dread and anxiety which was entirely outside my control. Through the day, it would subside, and I would go to bed happy and content, my usual self. But every morning, back to this awful mood upon waking. After some research, I saw that venlafaxine had shown promise with this morning presentation of major depressive disorder, and also with middle-aged women (I was 56). My internist agreed to try me on it, and like magic, after a few weeks, my morning depression disappeared! I take only 75 mg daily, but that’s enough to keep my problem at bay, and I have very minimal side effects. It has been such a huge, huge relief! I love this medication! It has changed my life. Never, ever believed so completely in the efficacy of antidepressants (of which I had tried several) until taking venlafaxine. Can’t recommend enough."

• mik...
• September 3, 2021

Venlafaxine "I was truly in a deep, dark hole when my doctor put me on this. At first, I filled the prescription but refused to take it due to all the negative side effects of getting off the drug. However, I was feeling so bad I didn’t care and decided to take it anyway. Almost immediately… well, at least that day, I started to feel relief. Effexor actually works. My depression improved significantly, and I was able to get on with life. I stayed on it for a full year. There were side effects, however, they were minimal. I did notice I tensed up a lot and clenched my teeth. Yes, getting off of this stuff sucks to get off of. This is temporary! I would recommend taking a week off of work. Discontinuing this drug is not the end of the world. It is indeed uncomfortable. Hopefully, I never go down that dark road again with depression. I would not hesitate to use this drug again if I needed it. It was a lifesaver."

• JOd...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 15, 2023

Venlafaxine "I have been taken off Zoloft and put on Effexor for major depression. Oh my God, do the side effects go away? I feel so dizzy that my head spins all day, and I'm so sleepy all day. This is terrible. It's only been one week so far. Why does it have to be like this to get rid of depression? These pills make me so sedated that you would sleep your entire life away, and you feel dizzy all day. I'm not sure if I'm going to stick this out or not. It has been a terrible six days!"

• Cos...
• December 7, 2015

Venlafaxine "I stopped taking this medicine briefly, for around 5 days, due to the 'speed effect' and had to go right back on it, due to brain zaps! I was (and still am) only taking 75 mg daily (once in the am). I take 1 mg of Xanax daily, but if I take it AFTER the Effexor, it won't work. I decided to switch it around and take it BEFORE the antidepressant, and it works a LITTLE better, but not much. I used to take it early in the afternoon and was up all night. Now, as long as I take it before 1 pm, I sleep fine. I've been taking it since January of 2014 and have noticed me being much calmer, still anxious at times, but much better than before prescribed to me! It DOES cause weight loss, drowsiness, and fatigue if I take it while lying down."

• Mic...
• October 21, 2019

"Effexor knocked out a major depressive state with anxiety, twice. The first episode it cured had lasted almost 3 years. I tried a lot of other antidepressants with no luck until I was prescribed Effexor. I took the XR at a high dosage. After a few years, I gradually tapered off it. A few years later, the depression reoccurred. Effexor knocked that out as well. I now stay on Effexor XR (actually the generic version) at a high dosage even though it’s been 12 years since the last depressive episode, on the advice of both my therapist and psychiatrist as the two depressive episodes were strong and pervasive. I’ve realized that my depressive episodes stem from the traumatic murder of my close brother, two years after watching my father die of painful cancer, both events I repressed. It turns out Effexor is indicated for post-traumatic stress disorder, which may be why it worked for me. Everyone is different. Effexor is strong and is not for everyone. For me, it gave me a new lease on life."

• Oat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 22, 2021

"The 1st month on venlafaxine was a bizarre experience. I would wake up sweating, a fast heart rate, dry mouth, etc. I felt like I had taken a combination of ecstasy and weed, my pupils were massive, and I was completely out of it! It made socializing and work very difficult. I would also get bursts of intense energy followed by utter exhaustion. HOWEVER, after 2 months the side effects settled, and I've got to say I've never felt better. I've been on 150 mg for 5 months now, my anxiety seems to have calmed, and I haven't had a serious low mood. I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and I can process stress and my emotions rationally. For the 1st time, I feel optimistic about my future. The side effects now are very mild, and I get a headache if I miss a dose, but I cannot stress enough how worth it it's been to push through. It's easy to be put off at first, things are already hard enough, but I feel so relieved that I gave it a proper shot. Love and hugs to everyone struggling x."

• dgd...
• May 5, 2016

Venlafaxine "It took 3 years to figure out that it was the Effexor that was causing my constipation. I was given more prescriptions to counteract, but that just didn't work, it actually moved me to beyond the other end of the spectrum. After forgetting a dose and experiencing withdrawal symptoms, I immediately wanted to get off, but because I really didn't have any other options, I just continued on. I have tried many other different medications to help cope with depression and anxiety, Effexor seemed to work on the brain, but what it did to my guts is far worse. Multiple imaging, ER visits, unnecessary surgery, and even a trip to the Mayo Clinic to figure out why I couldn't poop. To me, Effexor is poison."

• Som...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 29, 2018

Venlafaxine "This has worked really well for me. I'd recommend it, but I think with any of these types of drugs, everybody is different. There's some trial and error involved. Took about 2 years and a trip to a psych ward before I found the right medication. I take this, buspirone, and Remeron, and it works for me. My only advice is if you take Effexor, don't ever run out of it. I went 5 days without it, and it's a pretty freaky withdrawal."

• Tas...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 17, 2015

Venlafaxine "Effexor works reasonably well for me. I'm on 150 mg, and for the most part, it controls my depression. I do find it better to take this med in the morning, firstly because I think it lessens the depression for me when I take it at that time. Also, it stops the side effect of dizziness for me. If I miss the meds, I know about it, as the dizziness does not go away otherwise. That's really the only side effect that I find that's negative about this med."

• Adr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 3, 2016

"My psychiatrist prescribed this medication (venlafaxine) because my other medication was not working. The first couple of days I had major hot flashes. I kept sweating for no apparent reason. I felt more anxious and depressed than usual. It lasted about 2-3 weeks with those kinds of side effects, also, I couldn't sleep, so I started taking melatonin. This is my third month on venlafaxine, and I'm good and stable. I sleep 7-8 hours, I feel more energized, but yet in order to sleep, I must take my melatonin still, which kind of upsets me. But I feel much better now. I recommend this to people who have major depression or major anxiety. My anxiety used to reach the level of me throwing up every time before going into work or school, which now I don't."

• Anonymous
• October 5, 2017

Venlafaxine "I have been battling with major depression/anxiety since I was 12. I’ve been admitted to a mental institution twice. I’m now 18 years old, I’ve literally been on every med you can name. I was put on a type of B/P med to calm me down. It has, but I’ve still been so utterly depressed I can’t even function correctly. I saw my doctor yesterday, and he put me on Effexor 37.5 mg once a day. I took it around 4:00 pm (I couldn’t wait, things have to get better), and now here I am lying on the couch at 5:09 am, I’ve been up since 11, with a little bit of nausea. Cannot go back to sleep... BUT I already feel better, the heaviness and sad dwelling feeling is gone. It hasn’t even been 24 hours, and I can breathe again... Taking it in the morning instead."