Venlafaxine and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 5)

• 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."

• Anonymous
• October 24, 2011

Venlafaxine for Anxiety and Stress "I've been on this medication for almost a month. My doctor told me it could easily take a month to get used to it. I started out with headaches, extreme tiredness, and excessive sweating. The tiredness was gone after about 10 days. The sweating is the worst side effect, and I still suffer with it daily, though I am no longer dripping with sweat like I was when I began the medication. I get occasional headaches, but nothing more than a slight headache to remind me that I have one. I do feel better and am less stressed."

• Gem...
• November 21, 2019

For Anxiety and Stress "I have taken venlafaxine for just over a week for stress and anxiety. To start with, I felt better, I had a clearer mind. However, I was exhausted. After a few days, I started feeling very sick and getting awful headaches. I realized as soon as I was taking this tablet, within 20 minutes, I was feeling sick. My head was pounding, as well as blurred vision. This got worse. I decided to stop taking them, as I had only been on 75 mg for a week. After two days, I was off my feet, with flu-like symptoms, brain zaps, and numbness in my lips, wrists, and fingertips. I couldn’t stop eating even though I felt sick. I am on the third day of this come down and still no better. I am off work and unable to do much at all. I am now a lot worse off than I was before taking this drug, as my anxiety has returned and I have found my depression has crept back too. I would not recommend venlafaxine to anyone, it is a strong and scary drug to be on."

• Anonymous
• July 31, 2009

Venlafaxine for Depression "I was on Zoloft for 8 years, and my doctor first tried to wean me off that and put me on Effexor. It was miserable. I am sure some of it was related to the withdrawal from Zoloft, but I was eventually able to transition to Lexapro without the same problems. This medicine made me extremely nauseous. I had a horrible headache and was so depressed my family cried from being around me."

• Nik...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 1, 2015

Venlafaxine for Depression "So I had been on 75 mg in the past for about a year and hadn't fazed me to stop taking. Anyway, years later, I found myself extremely depressed to the point I had thought all past experiences of being depressed were nothing in comparison. I went on 75 mg to begin with, then 150 mg, which worked great for me until I too wanted to stop taking after a while because I felt I was at a different point in my life. Just missing one day of this drug gives you hell, I had bad headaches and a zapping feeling like I wasn't completely sane. So after much research and deciding to tackle this a different way, I have been taking 150 mg every second day and 75 mg every other opposite day. I've had barely any side effects, I can't wait to finally be Effexor free!!"

• hid...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 13, 2020

Venlafaxine for Depression "My brain zaps are not brief or jolting. They are the worst headache of my life, lasting hours, waking me from sleep, unable to speak or move, any eye movement increases the pain tenfold. Today, I had so much pain I was nauseous. Once, it was so bad I couldn't speak. Taking Effexor XR 150 mg qd. Setting up an appointment with a psychiatrist who specializes in transcranial magnetic therapy, ketamine, and other advanced therapies to get off this stuff. Female, age 55, on Effexor 1.5 years for depression, social anxiety."

• tea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 23, 2021

For Anxiety and Stress "Lasted 4 days on this, far worse than any depression, anxiety, or stress. Extremely confused, no attention span, couldn't concentrate, lost all motivation, and even with the tiredness and life sucked out of me, I never slept once during the 4 days. Time practically disappeared and felt like a robot. Decided to stop yesterday and feel far worse than I did taking it. Headaches and even more anxious than before and sweating a lot, feel like I'm going crazy during this withdrawal, and it was only 37.5 mg. Research into the medication before starting this because the withdrawal is even worse than the side effects on the medication."

• liv...
• May 3, 2010

Venlafaxine for Depression "I have depression, anxiety, and major back and neck pain, as well as many other problems. I was looking for an antidepressant that works, as well as something to help with my frequent sleep paralysis. Fortunately, I found one that works. Effexor XR helps tremendously with the nighttime attacks. Unfortunately, when starting (lowest dose), I had major headaches and nausea for the first two days. I also sweat a lot in general and made symptoms of sweating much worse, as well as feeling hot all the time. The benefits of stopping the sleep paralysis outweigh any other side effects. So for me, I'm sticking to it since I finally can sleep better. I hear getting off of it is awful, so do so carefully! When I stopped for two days, it was just like I started: nausea and major headaches, weird."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 12, 2012

Venlafaxine for Depression "I've been taking Effexor XR for about two months now. I was in the hospital after a suicide attempt when the psychiatrist there put me on it. At first, I had the worst side effects. I was super tired, couldn't concentrate on anything, and got dizzy all the time. After about two weeks, those went away. I have moderate anxiety, and it's helped a lot with that. I still get nervous a lot, but I haven't had an anxiety attack since I started taking Effexor. For my depression, though, it hasn't helped at all. I still find it hard to get out of bed and can't sleep at night. Also, I missed a dose once, and it was not good at all. I was miserable. I was tired, had the worst headache, and I was about ready to jump in front of a train."

• Suz...
• May 10, 2019

For Hot Flashes "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."

• del...
• March 3, 2018

For Irritable Bowel Syndrome "I was put on this medication for anxiety, ironically related to IBS-D symptoms and the pain of each flare (excruciating sometimes). The first week and a half or two weeks was hell. I was constantly tired during the day and out of it and then couldn't sleep at night. I would have awful pounding headaches and just felt like I was dying. This apparently is common when first starting the drug. Power through it. By the middle of week 2, I was starting to feel better, and now I feel nothing. If you miss a dose by more than about 4 hours (if you sleep in, for example, since I take it in the morning), you start to get a headache, but usually, it goes away once you take the medication. You're not supposed to take NSAIDs with this medication, so if you get pain, take Tylenol (acetaminophen) and try some caffeine too (this helped me the most). It has significantly improved my IBS and also helped my anxiety."

• Kaz...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 15, 2020

For Depression "I was diagnosed with depression and was prescribed venlafaxine and found that I had so many side effects: bad headaches, nausea, suicidal thoughts, self-harming, and the list goes on. It made my depression worse. I wouldn’t recommend this drug to anyone."

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

For Hot Flashes "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?"

• Lyl...
• June 1, 2016

Venlafaxine for Depression "Took first dose of 75 mg before bed. Fell asleep at 10:30 and slept well, actually. Woke up at 5:30 with eyes wide open as if I just had 10 espressos. It's now 6:30 and I don't have to be out of bed until 7. Can't sleep anymore. Feeling jittery with jaw clenching and teeth chattering when I open my mouth a little. Hands are sweating. I feel a little emotionally numb. Slight ringing in ears and slight headache with slight nausea. I feel peaceful but dull. Not sure if I will take again."

• 51...
• October 8, 2015

Venlafaxine for Depression "I was put on Effexor for depression and anxiety. (Was on Paxil for many years.) I told the nurse/practitioner I felt pretty good but always wondered if there was 'something better.' After starting on Effexor, I did have vivid dreams, and headachy, nausea, and dizziness, and was unable to have an intense orgasm (always fell short). The big problem came when I ran out of pills, and they wouldn't refill until I saw a nurse. So without my pills for 3 days... OMG! Terrible withdrawals... dripping with sweat, terrible headaches, insomnia, nausea, diarrhea, to feeling hopeless and extreme dizziness. Awful!!! Don't run out! I was terrified of going off the pill (switching to Wellbutrin). Day two on half a tab, and so far so good! :) Effexor may have its place... just not with me! :) You need to wean off them slowly!!!"

• PPD...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 15, 2020

Venlafaxine for Postpartum Depression "My doctor told me Effexor is supposed to help with anxiety and depression. It didn’t help with my anxiety. I first started experiencing side effects when I was a little late taking my dose. Turns out that the side effects are actually withdrawal! It feels like I’m being electrocuted briefly, then I immediately get vertigo and a sharp headache until my next “zap,” which can occur every couple of minutes! The only thing that helps is taking more of this drug! I’m trying to come off of it slowly, but it will take at least 3 weeks, and the withdrawal symptoms just keep getting worse and more frequent! Right now I experience the zaps every 45 seconds all day long, and I’m only in my first week of trying to come off of it! I would never recommend anyone take this medication, rather, ask your doctor for an alternative as the side effects are making my anxiety worse since I literally feel like I’m getting “zapped” constantly, and it is a scary feeling!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 31, 2019

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "Completely lost myself, I complained that it made me not feel right. My wife told me I needed to give it long enough to work, she was sure it was just my body getting used to it. I was completely shut down, was numb, no emotion, didn’t care about anything but myself and was completely in my own head, left my family. Had zero emotion, none at all. Alienated myself from family. I have always had an addictive personality, but I started drinking again and smoking (pot and cigarettes). Had horrible insomnia, compulsive lies about even simple things. Blew through money. Tons of anxiety, my blood pressure went through the roof, cholesterol climbed like crazy, headaches, nausea, and restlessness. Restless legs were horrible. Vivid dreams. Bouts of anger and rage. Brain snaps and blurry vision. Worst med of my life. I was spiraling out of control. Withdrawal was horrendous but so worth it."

• Fre...
• February 24, 2020

For Anxiety "When I was first prescribed venlafaxine 75 mg, it zombified me, and I spent the next 2 months feeling hungover, headaches, dizziness, and wanting to sleep ALL day. During the 3rd month, I started to feel a little better. At my next check-up, my doctor upped the dose to 150 mg. Again, I spent about a month and a half feeling tired, dizziness, headaches. Now, 9 months later, I still have days where I feel emotionally exhausted, and I’ve noticed when I haven’t slept well the night before, I get the “whooshing” sound in my head, and can ‘hear’ my eyes move when I look somewhere a little too quick (so relieved to read others have experienced this too, haha). Other than those, I am honestly feeling so much better. The worst side effect for me to deal with is a nil sex drive. Yes, there are a lot of horror stories out there regarding this medication, but one person's bad experience shouldn’t discount it for you."

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

For Hot Flashes "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!"

• Sti...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 16, 2022

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "Took it for about a week and started feeling great. But within a few days, my blood pressure increased, I started getting migraines, so I had to stop. The withdrawal was horrific. So dizzy I could barely walk. Headache 24/7. And the brain zaps were unbearable; they always came out of nowhere and left me feeling dazed and afraid for my sanity. Not worth trying it, in my opinion. When you try to get off of it, God help you. You’ll regret ever hearing the name. I can’t believe this medication is legal!"

• Ale...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 17, 2018

For Anxiety "I bought the medication, and I was terrified to start. After 3 months, I eventually started taking it, and the side effects were not good: sweating and nausea, headache, bad taste in my mouth. I stopped after 2 days. I was rethinking because I needed to do something for my anxiety and the bad thoughts after my sister and mother passed away. I started again, today is my 4th pill, and I feel much, much better. I don’t feel much interest in drinking or eating. Still a bit of nausea, but tolerable. It is a feeling of well-being in my whole body. I found some peace. I am not sleepy or tired or nervous. I feel balanced. I am on 37.5 mg. I hope my review helps. Probably everybody reacts differently, but for me, this medication is heaven."

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

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "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."

• Laa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 28, 2019

Venlafaxine "I went on this two months ago, and the first few days I experienced all of the worst side effects: dry mouth, extreme nausea, lost all of my appetite, I was dry retching, had headaches, and vivid dreams. I wanted to quit and spoke to my GP twice. I am on a 75 mg dose and was taking it at night but swapped to the morning. I now honestly feel like the person I was meant to be. This tablet has worked wonders for me. All side effects have gone (I did lose a lot of weight in this period, and I didn’t have weight to lose), and everyone around me has noticed a difference in me, and I genuinely feel happier. I do believe I may just naturally lack serotonin."

• Low...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 19, 2018

Venlafaxine for Depression "I took my first and last Effexor pill. I've been up for 24+ hours, and that's not me at all. I've had a severe headache, as well as blurred vision. My doctor will know about this."

• Anonymous
• October 8, 2011

Venlafaxine for Anxiety and Stress "Effexor helped me to relax, although it was a trade-off. I had continuous headaches and heartburn. It started with nightly headaches. Then that turned into an everyday thing, I would have to take migraine medicine before bed. After I started doing that, I would wake up from heartburn! I never have heartburn. This medicine is definitely a trade-off."