Venlafaxine and Dizziness: What Users Say (Page 5)

• Bea...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 7, 2020

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "I've been taking this medication for around five years. It has helped me a lot. I no longer have constant suicidal thoughts or feel as sad and as angry as I did before taking this medication. However, the withdrawal can be terrible. If I miss taking my medication by an hour, I begin to feel dizzy. As time progresses, it becomes a throbbing headache and a feeling of vertigo."

• Dan...
• September 12, 2011

Venlafaxine for Depression "I was only on venlafaxine for a few weeks, and it didn't help much. Then I read all these reviews about the weight gain, blurred vision, and terrible side effects. So I decided to stop taking the medicine since I had the lowest dose possible and had only been taking it for a short, short time. The withdrawals are almost unbearable. I cry for no reason. I can't sleep, I vomit every day, and I can't judge distance with my eyes. I feel like my eyes are just floating in my head. Every time I stand up, I get severely dizzy and feel like I can't move."

• PTS...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 13, 2014

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I have CPTSD. Currently taking the 'California Rocket Fuel' combo of Effexor and Remeron. (Also taking prazosin, propranolol, lorazepam, and Saphris.) I found that the Effexor helped with my anxiety, flashbacks, and depression a little bit. I noticed headaches at first and an increase in blood pressure. I cannot miss my dose or I get bad withdrawal symptoms (headaches, flu-like symptoms, diarrhea, brain zaps, dizziness, weakness, and fatigue), which only subside 6 to 12 hours after I take the missed dose."

• Sta...
• April 1, 2021

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "Please research this drug extensively before beginning! 26-year-old female and have been suffering with severe depression since childhood. Have tried various types of medications for my depression over the years, and can honestly say, Effexor was by far and large the worst antidepressant I've ever taken. The side effects were horrible: severe headaches, nausea, dizziness, nightmares, waking up in pools of sweat, hit my lowest of lows, and had frequent suicidal thoughts. If I forgot to take my medicine within a couple of hours of my dosage time, I couldn't function with work, chores, etc. Tapering off this drug very slowly was an absolute miserable experience. I'm someone that tries to find some good in even bad experiences, however, I have not a single positive thing to say about this drug. I wouldn't even want my worst enemy to feel a minute of the side effects I did on this drug. If I could give a '0' rating for this drug, I would. Will never touch this medication another day of my life!"

• Hel...
• March 13, 2017

Venlafaxine for Depression "Started Effexor 75 in October, started feeling fantastic besides dry mouth and a bit of nausea. Doctor upped it to 150 mg in November. I felt like a whole different person, I got my life back, but due to some side effects of the drug causing constipation and facial twitching in my lower lip and body jolts, the doctor tried to wean me off 150 mg, taking one pill every second day. It was too fast, too soon. Wow, just as well I didn't do it cold turkey. Brain zaps, crying, feeling lost in my own body. Scared, tremors. It has been almost two weeks with no Effexor, and I have got vertigo, felt like I was going to die. Today, I started taking 150 mg again, and I already feel a difference. This could be my drug: huge difference in mood, zapping gone, and dry mouth is back. I can live with that."

• Nat...
• February 26, 2016

Venlafaxine for Anxiety "Been on Effexor XR for approximately 12 years! I regret taking it. Am on 225 mg per day, doctor wants me to taper down to 150 per day! It's a damn nightmare. I'm on day 2 of being on 150 mg, and the withdrawal symptoms are horrible. I feel dizzy, nauseous, feel like my head is hot, feel very tense, very moody, and short-fused. I could go on."

• Meg...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 25, 2017

Venlafaxine for Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I started taking Effexor about 3 days ago. So far, it's been pretty crazy. I'm sweaty all the time, nauseous yet starving, and cannot stay asleep for the life of me. However, it is really helping with my anxiety. I suffer from dermatillomania, which causes me to pick my skin. I have noticed that I've been picking a lot less in just 3 days! My scabs are clearing up, and I'm not 'catching' myself picking nearly as often. I also feel calm and relaxed. The side effects seriously suck though. As I type this, my phone is about to slip out of my hands from sweat. I'm a 95 lb, 21-year-old, and I don't think I've ever sweated so much in my life. It's also been making me dizzy. It's worth it to me though. If it will help me stop picking, I'll do anything."

• Ele...
• March 4, 2019

Venlafaxine for Depression "I've been taking this for about half a year now. It's been working great for me. My depression is a bit better, I get fewer suicidal thoughts, and my social anxiety is reduced. However, I still do feel anxious (in non-social situations) most of the time, but at least I haven't had a panic attack in quite a while. I'm taking 75 mg every morning. The first week on it, I had severe headaches and felt really dizzy, but it lasted only a week, so that was fine. As for side effects, like any medication for anxiety and depression, my sex drive became nonexistent. One other thing - it causes you to have wild dreams, but to me, this is more of an advantage."

• Tin...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 22, 2015

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "I took Effexor for many years. I believe I was becoming resistant to it because it wasn't addressing my depression anymore. I tapered off as slowly as possible, and I can safely say it is the worst withdrawal I have ever had in my life. Nausea, dizziness, sickly feeling, huge brain zaps, lethargy, headaches. It was horrible. I am so glad to be off of it. My new medication, Wellbutrin and Lexapro, are much better at controlling my chronic major depression. I will never be off drugs, but I would never take this drug again."

• Sar...
• June 26, 2017

Venlafaxine for Depression "So this drug really helped with my depression, but it also has some bad side effects. Please, please, please never skip a dose of this stuff. You will feel like absolute trash. As long as I take it every 24 hours, it works perfectly for both my anxiety and depression, but if I miss a dose, the side effects are awful. My whole body feels like white noise, my limbs buzz, I'm dizzy and nauseous, and can barely concentrate. Also, I don't know everyone else's experience with the medicine, but I used to be on the 150 mg dose, and let me tell you, I couldn't orgasm no matter how much I wanted to, and it sucked. I know it was the medicine's fault, 'cause when I lowered my dose to 75 mg, I could orgasm again. The medicine ridiculously lowers my libido."

• Jam...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 13, 2022

For Autism "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 doctor's 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."

• KAP...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 14, 2019

Venlafaxine for Anxiety "Doctor wanted to take me off Xanax and try Effexor. It was the XR 37.5 dose. I took one dose, and that was the worst experience I ever had-just about landed in the emergency room. Awful headache, severe dizziness, and nausea. I tried walking to the bathroom, and I didn't know where my feet were landing, and my heart was racing. Thank goodness I only took one dose of this. Obviously, everyone cannot tolerate it. Xanax it is for me (0.5 mg once or twice daily). Never ever had any side effects from that."

• Anonymous
• September 10, 2010

Venlafaxine for Depression "I am into day 4 of taking Effexor. I have been extremely nauseous, dizzy, and sweaty. I can barely eat and have lost water weight. Mood is great otherwise. I am told the nausea goes away."

• Sno...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 27, 2019

Venlafaxine for Depression "Only took 37.5 mg Effexor for 6 days, zero appetite, constant bloated sick stomach, lost 7 lbs and feel like a zombie. I’m completely emotionally numb/dead. I’ve been shaky, dizzy, thick-headed, and very fatigued. I admit I’m not depressed and crying, but I feel so sick that I can’t handle it. Sips of water make me feel nauseous. I need to know if I can just stop cold turkey since it was only 37.5 mg for 6 days. What do I do? Doctor thinks quitting cold turkey is okay, but so many horror stories online, I’m scared."

• Gaz...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 26, 2015

For Anxiety "29-year-old male - Quite a bubbly person, really, but suffers from bad periods of anxiety and depression with a lot of self-confidence issues. I have tried all types of SSRIs: fluoxetine, citalopram, escitalopram, propranolol (beta-blocker), and none of them seemed to work or do anything about the anxiety. Suffered from dizziness, lack of motivation, breathing problems, twitches, and emotional problems. Within a week of taking venlafaxine, I felt brilliant with hardly any side effects. A little bit sweaty during the day and a slight headache at first, but they really do make an impact. I have heard a lot about coming off them, but I will take each day as it comes and stay on these for as long as advised. Definitely rate these tablets."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 27, 2019

For Hot Flashes "I was prescribed venlafaxine for the hot flushes I was having after having a hysterectomy due to estrogen-positive breast cancer at the age of 34. I also was on tamoxifen, which made the hot flashes even worse. It worked for a while, but please do your research. The first two weeks were horrible, with nausea and dizziness. Also, no one told me how bad it was to come off of the drug. I experienced the worst vertigo and nausea. I would have never taken it if I’d known."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 27, 2019

For Hot Flashes "I was prescribed venlafaxine for the hot flushes I was having after having a hysterectomy due to estrogen-positive breast cancer at the age of 34. I also was on tamoxifen, which made the hot flashes even worse. It worked for a while, but please do your research. The first two weeks were horrible, with nausea and dizziness. Also, no one told me how bad it was to come off of the drug. I experienced the worst vertigo and nausea. I would have never taken it if I’d known."

• Don...
• December 13, 2017

Venlafaxine for Depression "This medication worked well while I was taking it. Under the supervision of my doctor, I have been slowly getting off of this medication. This has been the worst experience for me. Dizzy, headache, nausea, brain fog. I wish I would have never chosen to take this medication. I urge anyone looking to start this medication to talk with your doctor and try something else first. If you ever want to stop taking this medication, it is a terribly uncomfortable process."

• Nin...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 24, 2012

Venlafaxine for Depression "This medicine did boost my mood, but the side effects were awful. I gained 20 lbs. and became forgetful. I began to experience dizziness while on this medicine, and when I missed a dose, the dizziness got worse, so I figured Effexor reduced rather than caused it. The dizziness progressed to vertigo. I couldn't even drive. The doc tried everything to figure out what was making me dizzy: ENT, audiologist, physical therapy, brain MRI. Nothing showed up. I decided to quit the medicine on my own. I had the most horrible withdrawals - extreme irritability, worse vertigo (I was even dizzy in my dreams!). But after a few weeks, all symptoms disappeared! I'm on Wellbutrin now, lost the 20 lbs, and I feel fantastic!"

• Nin...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 24, 2012

Venlafaxine for Depression "This medicine did boost my mood, but the side effects were awful. I gained 20 lbs. and became forgetful. I began to experience dizziness while on this medicine, and when I missed a dose, the dizziness got worse, so I figured Effexor reduced rather than caused it. The dizziness progressed to vertigo. I couldn't even drive. The doc tried everything to figure out what was making me dizzy: ENT, audiologist, physical therapy, brain MRI. Nothing showed up. I decided to quit the medicine on my own. I had the most horrible withdrawals - extreme irritability, worse vertigo (I was even dizzy in my dreams!). But after a few weeks, all symptoms disappeared! I'm on Wellbutrin now, lost the 20 lbs, and I feel fantastic!"

• Gui...
• May 20, 2015

Venlafaxine for Panic Disorder "After very unsuccessful attempts with Lexapro and Prozac, I started on Effexor XR 2 months ago. Really suffered a lot to have my system adapted to it in the first 5 days. After that, I had 2 wonderful weeks. It has helped me a lot with panic attacks I used to have (especially dizziness and balancing issues), but I have started suffering with huge stomach pains. I think those are related to Effexor."

• JRa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 26, 2018

Venlafaxine for Anxiety "I tried Effexor XR 75 mg twice per day some time ago, in 2016 - but didn't like it, so I stopped after a couple of weeks or so. I don't recall any side effects. Lately, I have just been having bad thoughts, sleeplessness, and anxiety, including vertigo and dreamlike states to almost passing out, as well as attacks of sudden depression. I started again on 75 mg once per day, and I feel much more level and like I can deal with things. Still finding my place on it, getting my concentration and focus back, hopefully before my next assignment is due ... sigh, but I am having a positive outcome thus far."

• nrd...
• December 30, 2011

Venlafaxine for Anxiety and Stress "Someone here said: dizziness and 'brain jolts' = YES! This is what happens if I miss a dose. Add to the dizziness, nausea, and irritation. I want to go OFF this medication - and feel trapped. I have gone to 37.5 mg, but my doc has suggested I go to a psychiatrist to get recommendations on how to go off this medicine without the horrific side effects."

• ind...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 22, 2019

Venlafaxine for Social Anxiety Disorder "I was started on 37.5, then moved up to 75 mg, then 150 mg. I always had brain zaps when it was just about time to take my next dose. I also got hives when I started this drug, which I thought were bug bites. I got really red-faced and flushed and got dizzy and nauseous on a continued basis. This drug may work for others, but not for me. I have anxiety all the time. Now I am going off of it. I was on it for 1.5 years. It has been living hell. Very bad brain zaps, non-stop crying, dizziness, very unfocused. I have had to take off three months from work because of this drug. I am feeling so sick right now. Best of luck to those who take this. They have banned the non-Extended Release in Canada, so they need to take this off the market here too. It also made my heart rate go to 190 bpm and I had to go to the ER and was given two IV treatments to slow it down. Don't take this with clarithromycin or Biaxin, it can cause heart issues."

• Anonymous
• August 5, 2016

Venlafaxine for Depression "Please everyone make sure you are emailing Pfizer. They need to be making increments of 5 mg so that people can wean themselves off easier. They are aware of the withdrawal from Effexor yet have not made smaller increments, so people have to figure out ways to do it themselves. I was on 150 mg for 4 years. I attempted to go off by decreasing by 37.5 mg every 2 weeks. I was suicidal, exhausted, dizzy, and felt like my brain was being electrocuted. Within 2 days of taking my previous dose, the symptoms went away. My next attempt to get off was much slower. I decreased by 5 mg every month. I had to take my pills out of the capsule, shave a little off the pill, and put it back in the capsule. To get any kind of accuracy, you have to buy a scale."