Venlafaxine and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Hol...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 19, 2017

Venlafaxine for Depression "I have been tapering off Effexor for the past few weeks. I was originally prescribed 150 mg per day, and the dose was too much for me. I was brought down to 112.5 and stayed on that dose for almost 2 years. My mood was greatly improved, and my anxiety was nearly non-existent. The downside was that I was always tired and taking naps constantly-most of my weekends were spent sleeping. I'd drink a few cups of coffee in the morning, and I could barely keep my eyes open. I became a napper and would nap for 2-4 hours at a shot. I became extremely lazy and gained about 25 pounds due to a complete lack of energy. The side effects of missing a dose were extreme nausea and horrible headaches."

• Anonymous
• March 26, 2012

Venlafaxine for Anxiety and Stress "I've suffered from anxiety my whole life. I've been on and off so many different medicines I can't even count. At first, Effexor seemed like a heaven send. Recently, though, I've realized that if I merely skip a day or more, the withdrawals are indescribable. I shake constantly. I throw up. I sweat. I get headaches."

• Kiy...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 9, 2012

Venlafaxine for Depression "I am 130 pounds and 19 years old. I took my first dose of Effexor 75 mg. So far, I have experienced nausea, headache, dilated pupils, and drowsiness."

• DFV...
• July 28, 2020

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "I have many labels: depression, anxiety, tinnitus, chronic pain, insomnia, dissociation, anorexia ... 16 years ago. I was a single mother and broke. All meds led to weight gain, taking forever to lose. I realized 'you can't medicate a crappy life away.' I moved to the ocean, reconnected with nature, and found a trauma psychologist. EMDR and exposure therapy helped me manage symptoms. I was pharmaceutical-free until a minor relapse and was prescribed Effexor (105 mg/day). In 2 months, I stopped being active, social, had headaches, dry mouth, constipation, and gained 20 pounds! I went off cold turkey. Within a few days, I felt like myself again (minus weight gain depression). Now, a week off Effexor, sleep better, eat less, and returned to beach walks to increase dopamine. I hope that it's not going to take long to lose the weight. I'm more depressed and have lower self-esteem when I lose touch with my body. This was my experience."

• Kay...
• February 18, 2016

For Hot Flashes "I'm 28 and had a hysterectomy in August of 2015. I was put on Effexor 75 mg in September, and my hot flashes went away after taking the first dose. I have gone some days and missed a dose here and there and have felt the withdrawal side effects from doing so: nausea, headaches, flu-like symptoms. Recently, I have been getting hot flashes more frequently, so I'm thinking of upping my dosage to 150 mg. Any advice?"

• JD3...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 8, 2015

Venlafaxine for Depression "Taking Effexor in the beginning was hard to get used to, but after 6 months I felt great. Downside is I have headaches and sweat a lot. If I miss more than 4 days, then I have withdrawal symptoms. I'm taking 150 mg a day, and despite the side effects, I wouldn't change a thing. Oh yeah, I have also lost weight while taking Effexor."

• Anonymous
• July 8, 2011

Venlafaxine for Depression "I was on Effexor XR for about 4 years (started at age 18, weaned off at 22). Over the years, my dosage fluctuated between 37.5 and 300 mgs. It helped immensely throughout the first year. I was still feeling lethargic and such, but no longer had suicidal thoughts. The only side effects I had were ones that appeared when I'd miss a dose: night sweats, weird dreams, headaches. Annoying, but basically harmless. After three years of being on this medicine, I realized it was no longer doing things for me that I couldn't do myself. I was supposed to be taking 37.5 mgs daily, but weaned myself off of it over a course of several months (check with your doctor first). I had little to no withdrawal symptoms and no major signs of returning depression."

• swe...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 5, 2012

Venlafaxine for Depression "This medicine was WAY too strong for me. I'm 5'8" and 135 pounds, but the minimum dose knocked me out the first night I started taking it. I had twitchy, bizarre dreams, woke up the next morning feeling 'stoned', had a headache and stomachache, shaky hands, and the jitters all day, and my pupils were hugely dilated. This was all just after 1 dose of the timed-release tabs. Not a good choice for me."

• And...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 25, 2019

Venlafaxine for Anxiety "I started taking Effexor 75 mg for my anxiety at 22 years old when Lexapro and Prozac were no longer working for me. I immediately felt relief after I started taking it. I am very bad at taking it at the same time every day/remembering to take it every single day and have experienced some of the most horrendous withdrawal symptoms. I start to notice it about 6-7 hours after a missed dose. I’ll start to feel off balance, headache, fatigue, flu-like feeling, vomiting, etc. This drug is amazing if you remember to take it, but it is definitely something you need to be on long-term. Highly addictive and horrible withdrawal symptoms."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 7, 2016

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "I had been off all meds for 10 years when I had a major relapse and knew it was time to medicate again. Effexor is hard to get on, lots of dizziness and exhaustion. Also, if I am late taking it, I feel awful. Headaches, anxiety, mood swings. Don't ever miss a dose! I can't stress this enough. Withdrawal hits hard and fast, even within 12 hours. Sweats, chills, headache, dreams, whole-body pain. HOWEVER, it does help me get through the day. I have suicidal depression and clinical anxiety, so for me, it is worth some struggle to stay with Effexor because it does give me relief. It calms my brain, allows me to get moving with my day, and not have the threat of my own self-destructive tendencies."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 7, 2016

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "I had been off all meds for 10 years when I had a major relapse and knew it was time to medicate again. Effexor is hard to get on, lots of dizziness and exhaustion. Also, if I am late taking it, I feel awful. Headaches, anxiety, mood swings. Don't ever miss a dose! I can't stress this enough. Withdrawal hits hard and fast, even within 12 hours. Sweats, chills, headache, dreams, whole-body pain. HOWEVER, it does help me get through the day. I have suicidal depression and clinical anxiety, so for me, it is worth some struggle to stay with Effexor because it does give me relief. It calms my brain, allows me to get moving with my day, and not have the threat of my own self-destructive tendencies."

• bee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 13, 2021

For Fibromyalgia "I've had undiagnosed chronic pain for decades. I asked my psychiatrist if she would prescribe this for pain, and I started Effexor a week ago. It has already changed my life. I have about 80% to 95% relief of my symptoms. It is a huge difference. I used to not be able to walk normally getting out of bed and felt awful most of the time and had nearly daily headaches. All of that gone in a week. I have slept better and don't notice any bad side effects. Generally, I'm especially sensitive to medications, but this has been a very positive week. Hoping it continues to work!"

• Mer...
• April 24, 2017

For Anxiety and Stress "Male, 32 y. I was suffering from stomach complex pains, terrible headaches, and depression. 16 months ago, I was prescribed Venlafaxine up to 225 mg/day and Trimipramine for sleeping. It was very complicated, with ups and downs, but I finally got to a normal life. Since then, I have gained ~10 kg, but I think it's not bad for me since I was underweight before. My doctor suggested I decrease it gradually and cut it off. I was on 75 mg until yesterday, and today I didn't take it. In the afternoon, I was very irritated and anxious, but it could be the short-term withdrawal. I will update you if I can stay off medication. I wish you all strength and happiness."

• Gre...
• August 10, 2019

Venlafaxine for Depression "It ruined my life. Was on it for 13 years and tapered off it in March 2018. Every day intense cognitive problems, intense headaches, and stomach problems. Even if I missed a dose, I felt incredibly sick. I am disabled because of it. I'm 29."

• Luc...
• August 4, 2016

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "In 1997, I was involved in a MV wreck, which cost me 6 years of no memory of my life, not able to return to my Director's position with a major railroad company. I have been on Effexor XR 225 mg (now Venlafaxine XR 225 mg) since then. This has been the worst journey of my life. I am now 71 years of age and will be on it for the rest of my life. I suffered severe head trauma in 1997, two breakdowns, and memory loss. If I don't take this medicine, I am in a great deal of head pain, vertigo, and many other symptoms. I decided not to try to get off of it anymore."

• Kls...
• March 14, 2019

Venlafaxine for Depression "Please do not take this drug. I’ve had depression and anxiety for years. I’ve gone to many doctors and therapists, and nothing has worked. About a year ago, I was prescribed the generic venlafaxine. I exhausted all non-drug options first and finally caved in. I decided to give up this drug recently and go back to trying more natural remedies. Going off has been a nightmare, and I was only on a 75 mg dose. I tried to taper off like everyone says, but that wasn’t working. I’m on day 6 of diarrhea and stomach pains. The first day, I couldn’t move, I had such a headache, and my whole body hurt. No drug should do this to a person. I read reviews just like mine and thought my doctor knew best. They don’t. You know what’s best. Don’t ignore your instincts. This drug does more harm than good and should not be on the market. Shame on the FDA for allowing the continued sale of this drug."

• Mol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 11, 2019

For Anxiety "I'm sharing my experience on venlafaxine because I felt it warranted a positive review. I've been taking Lexapro for six years for premenopausal anxiety. It worked great until recently, my anxiety returned. My doc prescribed venlafaxine 75 mg. I read reviews on this drug and was petrified of starting it, but I did, and I'm glad I did. The only side effects were tingling in my legs with a slight headache on the first day, nothing else since. Huge improvement in anxiety and mood. It's been a lifesaver."

• Anonymous
• July 12, 2009

Venlafaxine for Depression "I've been on Effexor XR for about 9 years now (150 mg once a day). I originally started taking it for A.D.D. and mild depression. It has worked incredibly for me. I went from no attention span to extremely focused. I also went through some events that increased my depression, and by upping the dosage, I was fine. The only side effects I've had are extreme withdrawal symptoms if I miss a dose (severe headaches and jitters) and a decreased sex drive. I would strongly recommend this drug."

• N2H...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 7, 2018

Venlafaxine for Depression "I dreaded taking Effexor. It put me into a darker mood, outlook was foggy, nausea, headache, loss of libido, incapacitating loss of motivation, and extreme/intolerable drowsiness. I was in an important meeting with engineers, and I couldn't keep my eyes open no matter how desperately hard I tried. For me, there was no upside to the medication. It was an entirely negative experience. Had to discontinue and will never take it again. Yikes!"

• Kay...
• July 31, 2017

For Hot Flashes "Took 75 mg approximately 2 years. Began to have hair loss and decided to stop the medication. Titrated dose over 2-week period. Severe withdrawal symptoms but determined to come off the medication. Had extreme headaches, walked on tiptoes almost 2 weeks because my brain felt like it was bouncing against my skull with every step I took. Got better with time, but now 6 months without the medication and I am having headaches and phantom smells. Smelling cigarette smoke, and we are a smoke-free family. The smell wakes me sometimes, and yesterday during church service I was smelling smoke. It seems more noticeable when the air conditioning is running. The doctor wanted to have a head MRI done, but insurance denied. Anyone else experience this? Wish I had never swallowed the first capsule."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 8, 2020

For Anxiety and Stress "DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG, venlafaxine! I went on this medicine due to a temporary life event that caused a great deal of stress. Started at 75 mg and eventually moved up to 150 mg. I was not warned about any side effects or withdrawal. I had been on the med for almost a year and forgot to take it one day. By lunch, I was vomiting and felt horrible. It took about a day or two for me to start to feel better. I NEVER skipped again and was terrified of trying to come off of this medicine. I only stayed on it longer because I was afraid of the withdrawal. I finally worked with my doctor to try to come off of it. He was great and did what he could to make it tolerable. I still had to pull apart the capsules and take out a few of the balls each day. I felt awful: brain zaps, nausea, confusion, dizziness, memory issues, and headaches. If I had known how incredibly life-altering this drug is, I never would’ve started it. I have been 100% off of this drug for about 2 weeks now, and I still don’t feel close to normal."

• jim...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 18, 2019

Venlafaxine for Anxiety "Stopped after the first capsule. I had nausea, headache, dizzy, disoriented, rise in blood pressure to 170/93, blurred vision, extreme fatigue, difficulty breathing, tightness in chest, caused onset of IBS. I couldn’t get out of bed for 36 hours."

• Dru...
• January 17, 2020

Venlafaxine for Depression "I've been on Effexor for 3 or 4 months. So far, I've noticed things are more pleasurable, and I have a tiny bit more energy. Still have depressed days, though. As for the anxiety... still there, and hasn't improved much. Panic attacks aren't as frequent or intense, but I still get them. My anxiety is so bad it's to the point I can barely leave the house unless I really have to. If you're on this drug, you're going to want to stay on it and make sure you don't skip doses. I get major withdrawal symptoms like extreme dizziness and headaches. Make sure you wean off it. Overall, still depressed and definitely still anxious. The effects of relief are mild and sometimes hard to notice. I still rate it a 7 because if it has helped anything, it's the panic attacks, which are easily the worst mental experience you can go through aside from being tortured to death. It's very tormenting. But because Effexor hasn't relieved much else, I'd consider trying something new."

• Anonymous
• November 9, 2009

Venlafaxine for Depression "I've been on tons of antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications throughout the years. When I started taking Effexor XR, I was thrilled, I felt so much better... minus all of the side effects. The side effects are just awful. I sweat constantly, I have awful headaches, no sex drive, and I gained 15 pounds. And now the medication has stopped working, sort of... I don't feel sad or happy... I just kind of feel here. I've tried to get off of Effexor, but I get those brain zaps/vertigo feelings and vomit, so I stop and keep taking it. I guess it helps some people, but if I can ever get off of it, I will be going back to another medication."

• Mik...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 8, 2015

Venlafaxine for Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I took Effexor XR 37.5 mg for 1 month against general anxiety and major depressive episode after big setbacks in business and job. The first week, I had to force myself to take it with daily telephone encouragement from the doctor (GP). Headaches, nausea, sweating, and anxiety about taking the new drug itself. After 3 weeks, I did feel a bit better but had strong headaches and felt very tired still all day. I decided to reduce and phase it out over 2 weeks by taking out the little balls from the pill. To my surprise, this was much easier to stop than Paxil, which I had discontinued for 8 months (after long-term use). Now, without Effexor since 4 weeks; no more headaches or anxiety, feel more alive and productive without these 'numbing' drugs."