Venlafaxine and Depression: What Users Say (Page 4)

• sou...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 8, 2019

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "This medication has saved my life. I’ve been on it for a few years, and I think maybe it might have a slight effect on my immediate short-term memory, but that also just might be me normally, lol. I could not function without Effexor medication, not only has it saved my life, it has given me a life. I am 26, and in the past few years, I’ve become more social and tolerable to be around. I am so thankful I stuck with it. If I miss a dose, I get a wicked headache and the depression and panic ensue so intensely, but I rarely miss a dose. If you cut yourself off of it, you will withdrawal, and it is painful. Only downfalls. I am so happy to feel normal!"

• Syd...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 3, 2021

Venlafaxine for Anxiety "Took Effexor XR for anxiety and depression. This was not the drug for me, even though trying for months. My anxiety and depression worsened and brought in suicidal thoughts. I couldn’t eat or sleep without taking something to help, I would get brain zaps. It 100% made me so much worse and turned me into a different person. If going on this, make sure you keep a diary of how you feel each day, use family for support to help if you can. If it doesn’t feel right, speak to your doctor. I would hate for anyone to suffer as much as I did because the doctor kept saying, “it’s meant to get worse before it gets better.” Seek second opinions if it doesn’t feel right. I will never touch that again."

• Anonymous
• May 5, 2018

Venlafaxine for Panic Disorder "I was diagnosed with Panic Disorder after some life-changing traumatic events. The panic was daily and crippling. It happened often, every day for no rhythm or reason. With Effexor, 37.5 mg worked great for a couple of months. Flash forward now, 8 months later, I'm on 150 mg now, experiencing no anxiety, BUT instead, depression, excessive weight gain, horrible night sweats, lack of motivation, and feeling withdrawn. I used to be a very outgoing person, but now all I do is work, eat, and sleep. I'm currently seeking other alternatives to get off this medication. Just isn't working out for me. Wish me luck."

• Anonymous
• May 5, 2018

Venlafaxine for Panic Disorder "I was diagnosed with Panic Disorder after some life-changing traumatic events. The panic was daily and crippling. It happened often, every day for no rhythm or reason. With Effexor, 37.5 mg worked great for a couple of months. Flash forward now, 8 months later, I'm on 150 mg now, experiencing no anxiety, BUT instead, depression, excessive weight gain, horrible night sweats, lack of motivation, and feeling withdrawn. I used to be a very outgoing person, but now all I do is work, eat, and sleep. I'm currently seeking other alternatives to get off this medication. Just isn't working out for me. Wish me luck."

• Eri...
• November 22, 2016

Venlafaxine for Depression "If you are thinking about taking this, do not do it. Ask your doctor for something else, anything else. Effexor is horrible. I was put on it due to depression and generalized anxiety. Within the first few weeks, I was emotionally numb, I wasn't sad anymore, but I couldn't feel happiness. Six months later, while still on this, I became suicidal and self-harming, my heart rate started increasing due to my anxiety to the point where I was hospitalized. After that, it was decided I was to come off it, now coming off it is even worse than being on it: shaking, dizziness, headaches, puking, sweating. I've only been off it a week, and already I can feel my mental health calming down. Avoid this drug. Please. For your own safety."

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

For Major Depressive Disorder "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."

• NMa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 9, 2021

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "My goodness. On Effexor XR for 5 to 6 months, last 6 weeks tapering down. Went from 37.5 mg up to 225 mg, never did much for depression or anxiety, though it did good to rid of any and all NSSI/SI. My main complaint isn't the drug itself, it's stopping it. 6-week taper, feeling fine save for some headache/nausea-until I got to 75 mg. Then: always dizzy, more depressed, feeling physically paralyzed. It got worse at 37.5 mg, brain zaps causing such bad vertigo that I avoided leaving my apartment. Stopping it entirely, depression was worse than it had been in months, felt too sick to eat, moving my head slightly was enough to cause a migraine. I had so little energy that I-no joke-called my pharmacy to tell them the Adderall they gave me was defective. I was cocky because I never get any bad side effects from meds. Stopping this med is dangerous: I almost went to the ER twice, once because I was worried I couldn't keep myself safe, then because the brain zaps and vertigo were so bad I thought I was going to collapse. Weigh your options before STARTING, not after."

• Kyl...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 25, 2016

Venlafaxine for Depression "Didn't find it a whole lot different from SSRIs other than a couple of weeks of jitters. Starts off with a contented, floaty feeling, and then after a month, subsides to having a minor, yet meaningful effect in helping me recover from recurrent depressive episodes. It helps, but only marginally. The withdrawal effects I've experienced going cold turkey off it numerous times are strange. A couple of months of severe flu-like symptoms, and I'll cry very easily over anything even remotely sad. Also causes me to start rapid-cycling between euphoria, mixed, and extreme depression. Also lasts a couple of months. Going off of it abruptly is quite terrifying. I recommend titrating off it."

• Dre...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 22, 2017

Venlafaxine for Depression "I was having moderate anxiety and dealing with a lot of stress in my life. I began seeing a psychiatrist and was started on Effexor. Around my 3rd month of being on Effexor, I was increasingly paranoid and tired. My doctor's response was to increase the dose. I began to become very nervous and started pacing and having trouble sleeping. He put me on trazodone for sleep, which made me feel incredibly tired the next day. His response to the sleepiness was to increase my dose again. I started to have severe depression then and became incredibly moody and volatile. I no longer had a fuse for my anger and became very withdrawn from everyone. This, of course, sent me on a downward spiral, ending with me being hospitalized."

• Amb...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 8, 2021

Venlafaxine for Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I've had anxiety since I was 12 and have tried half a dozen different medications, all with a degree of success, but I always built up a tolerance to them, and they would stop working. Effexor was the only medication that continued to work at 225 mg for 16 years until I decided I'd had enough of taking pills and got off them in a week with hardly any side effects at all. I did notice when trying to find the right dosage for me at 150 mg, I felt my mind become numb. I had no empathy, emotions, and felt like a zombie, but increasing the dose took me out of the fog, and I could function like a normal human being. I still have anxiety today and don't go out as much as I used to, but I'm happy with that."

• Ano...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 25, 2015

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "Don't take it. Your emotions become dull and feel fake. Even your laughter feels fake. Your sleep becomes horrible. You overeat because you don't care anymore. The first week you feel like you're on meth. It feels great. Then it wears away and you become a dull and empty mess with memory problems and no motivation to do anything, including getting off of the medicine. It's easier just to take it. I'm in my second week of withdrawal. I would just take 8-10 beads when I would get dizzy, and it would go away. ez-pz. My depression did come back even worse. Maybe it's my mind's way of telling me I'm not doing anything to make my life better. Maybe I should change my life instead of taking a pill, especially this pill."

• Fee...
• March 19, 2023

For Hot Flashes "I was prescribed this medicine for hot flashes. I have never been on an antidepressant before. I’ve been standing on my feet working as a hairdresser for 32 years. I have aches and pains, which I’ve always been trying to be on top of, but one of the first things I noticed when taking this medicine was that my physical pain went away. My hot flashes probably went to half as intense, and the terrible drop of mood in my head went completely away. I’m only on day four. My first two days were difficult, I have to be honest, I felt sedated and depressed, but once I got one good night's sleep, it was like a whole new planet I was living on. It’s raining, and I had enough gumption to get dressed and go take an hour-long walk out in the rain, and I was damn near skipping. I’m only on 37.5 mg, and so far, so good!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 14, 2020

For Anxiety "I never understood why antidepressants were linked to suicidality until I tried Effexor. I had been on Lexapro for 8 years for anxiety, but got fed up with the apathy and loss of libido, and it just wasn't working well. Switched to Effexor XR, was on 75mg for a total of 6 months. I slowly became more and more depressed, agitated, and began to have suicidal thoughts daily - I've never had any of these problems before - I was taking these drugs for anxiety after all, not depression. I was extremely numb emotionally and lacked any semblance of empathy, compassion, or affection as a result. In a way, this medication numbed me to the idea of death, whereby suicide seemed okay. Tapering off and feeling back to normal. Horrible, horrible drug, for me at least..."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 14, 2020

For Anxiety "I never understood why antidepressants were linked to suicidality until I tried Effexor. I had been on Lexapro for 8 years for anxiety, but got fed up with the apathy and loss of libido, and it just wasn't working well. Switched to Effexor XR, was on 75mg for a total of 6 months. I slowly became more and more depressed, agitated, and began to have suicidal thoughts daily - I've never had any of these problems before - I was taking these drugs for anxiety after all, not depression. I was extremely numb emotionally and lacked any semblance of empathy, compassion, or affection as a result. In a way, this medication numbed me to the idea of death, whereby suicide seemed okay. Tapering off and feeling back to normal. Horrible, horrible drug, for me at least..."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 14, 2020

For Anxiety "I never understood why antidepressants were linked to suicidality until I tried Effexor. I had been on Lexapro for 8 years for anxiety, but got fed up with the apathy and loss of libido, and it just wasn't working well. Switched to Effexor XR, was on 75mg for a total of 6 months. I slowly became more and more depressed, agitated, and began to have suicidal thoughts daily - I've never had any of these problems before - I was taking these drugs for anxiety after all, not depression. I was extremely numb emotionally and lacked any semblance of empathy, compassion, or affection as a result. In a way, this medication numbed me to the idea of death, whereby suicide seemed okay. Tapering off and feeling back to normal. Horrible, horrible drug, for me at least..."

• Jrh...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 7, 2017

Venlafaxine for Depression "I was given this medicine for anxiety and depression. After a month of taking the 37.5 mg, this medicine has increased my symptoms of anxiety and depression substantially. Also, since I have started taking this medication, I have developed some new symptoms such as mania and hallucinations. The pain attacks associated with this medicine are horrifying as well. The most disturbing thing about the drug, to me, is the extremely lifelike and vivid dreams that make you believe you've been up all night, but in reality, you've been asleep. This makes waking up very difficult because it's hard to tell if you're awake or not. This is an extremely powerful drug, I would discuss other options with your doctor before trying Effexor XR."

• App...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 4, 2023

Venlafaxine for Depression "I was on 150 mg of Effexor for anxiety, depression, and ADHD for 8 months. It was great at first. I no longer woke up at dawn with anxiety attacks and could finally go to work, it also helped my anxiety when starting Ritalin. After a while, I started to feel very unmotivated and just numb, with no emotions. My sex drive went away, which before was super high, and I also couldn't orgasm, and if I did, it felt not as great. I stopped this medication because after missing just one dose, I had terrible vertigo to the point where I couldn't even stand without feeling like I was going to fall or throw up. I also got nausea and anxiety, along with tremendous fatigue and brain zaps, which I despise so much. Weaning off this medication now, and honestly, it's torture."

• I...
• February 4, 2015

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I have been taking Effexor for 8 years. Started at 100 mg, raised over the years, now taking 300 mg. Anxiety is at roof level, panic attacks are more frequent, literally feel my brain sparking. I'm tearful, short-wicked, don't sleep much, appetite is 50/50. No motivation, I have had the same doctor for 13 years."

• Nor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 18, 2016

Venlafaxine for Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I tried Effexor for 4 weeks, and it really made my life a living hell. I got more and more anxiety, and after 4 weeks, I just couldn't take it further because of the side effects. But the worst part was the week after I stopped taking Effexor. It was an insane depression."

• Anonymous
• September 21, 2018

Venlafaxine for Depression "I've been taking Effexor for 12 days now, my doctor told me to take it at night because it may cause drowsiness, but I have had the opposite effect. At night, I can't sleep, and I'm very fidgety and anxious. I know this is a side effect, I'm not 100% sure if it's caused by the drug, but I never had this issue before. I may start taking it in the morning if it persists. All in all, I feel okay, though, through the day. Although I missed a dose yesterday and had to take it almost 20 hours later, and I felt instantly a feeling of dread and sadness wash over me, as if I had been holding it in unknowingly for 4 days."

• too...
• October 18, 2013

For Bulimia "Thanks to venlafaxine, my depression got better, and I'm less stressed out about food, portion control, and eating with others in general. Also, my suicidal thoughts have 'disappeared' so far. However, my desire to purge has not stopped. I'm still suffering from bulimia with anorexic tendencies. I also experienced side effects such as dizziness and a lack of emotion."

• Cal...
• May 6, 2012

Venlafaxine for Depression "I'm 22, male, with major depression, and have been taking Effexor XR for over a year. It has partially helped, I still suffer from anxiety, lack of motivation, mood swings, and it seems like it's changing my personality. The withdrawal symptoms are the worst. I missed 2 days of my dose and am feeling sick."

• Anonymous
• July 4, 2019

For Major Depressive Disorder "This is by far the worst drug I’ve ever taken. My physiatrist never discussed the side effects with me and kept upping the dosage. I’ve been on 375 mg for a while now, and my depression has been way too severe. Having taken it for a little over a year, I just realized the horrible side effects and worsening of my depression and anxiety have been because of this medication. I have most of the side effects associated with this medication, and they’re quite extreme. I can’t even begin to name them since it’s too long and too horrible, and I’m already in a horrible state atm. This medication has ruined my life more than you could possibly imagine, and I just found out that it has horrendous withdrawal symptoms to the point that people can’t get off of it. I know it has worked for some people, but stop, please read the side effects first and pay attention before it completely destroys you. I wish I was exaggerating."

• Que...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 4, 2020

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "The most awful drug I have ever been on, currently weaning myself off slowly as the withdrawals are the worst! This medication gave me horrendous night terrors, sweating, depression got worse, and weight gain to mention but a few! If I knew then what I know now, I would have NEVER taken them! Stay away!!"

• Jen...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 10, 2020

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "I took Effexor for a year. Got up to a 325 mg dose. My depression and anxiety got worse. Three suicide attempts in a year. Constant suicidal thoughts. Wasn't until I accidentally ran out of the Effexor that I felt some relief from depression and realized this med was making me worse! Needless to say, I fired my doc and am currently trying nortriptyline."