Venlafaxine and Headaches: What Users Say

• don...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 3, 2021

Venlafaxine for Generalized Anxiety Disorder "After trying Lexapro and Zoloft for depression and anxiety, I decided to give Effexor a try. Effexor was so much easier to start for me, with very few side effects (mild headache, some shakiness, some mild chest tightness). I started at 37.5 mg then bumped up to 75 mg. Once I went to 75 mg, something just clicked and so much fogginess went away. My anxiety improved and my mood is much more stable. This is definitely a much better drug for my chemistry. That being said, don’t be afraid to try it, and don’t take the negative reviews to heart, people are much more likely to leave negative reviews for bad experiences. Best of luck!"

• Luc...
• January 6, 2021

For Anxiety and Stress "Venlafaxine changed my life, after only taking it for 2 months. The side effects were horrible at first. I had headaches and would shake or tremble when anxious, and I got extremely itchy. When you suffer from depression, GAD, PTSD, and OCD, it's a small price to pay because I started to see a change in my mood and my anxiety. For the first time in my life, my anxiety was almost gone, I could go out in public and engage in conversation for the first time in my life. I started on 75mg and I am still on it 6 months after. Lexapro made me a slow zombie and did nothing for my anxiety, it only helps for depression. A lot of reviews have negative feedback, but if you are in a bad place, push through the side effects because it's worth it, they do go away. This is the only antidepressant that doesn't make me a zombie during the day, I feel more awake. Stay strong."

• Wil...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 2, 2020

For Anxiety and Stress "I've been taking venlafaxine (Effexor XR) for over 7 years and I'm giving it a rave review! It's the best medication I've ever used for my anxiety disorders and I've tried almost all the SSRIs. As added bonuses, it also relieved my depression, and the only side effect I had was a mild headache for the first few days after I started it. I can't say how happy I am with this medication! It's turned my life around."

• jen...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 29, 2012

Venlafaxine for Anxiety "I am 18 years old and started Effexor 3 months ago for anxiety. It has given me my life back. I used to have a hard time even leaving the house, now I enjoy life. I haven't been this happy in a long time. I don't think I would ever quit taking it. The first week, I had the shakes, felt nausea, had headaches, and had no appetite. The side effects went away and now I don't have any at all. I am so grateful, it's changed my life for the better."

• las...
• June 2, 2009

Venlafaxine for Depression "I am 24 years old, female, 5'1, 130 lbs. Treated for major depression and anxiety. I have aversions to junk food (I am normally health-conscious unless I am really depressed), weight loss (12 lbs), dry mouth, lighter mood, easier to focus, more motivated, mountains turn into anthills, lower sex drive, sometimes get headaches. For me, the pros overwrite the cons - I went off of this for 6 months with no problems. No addiction or sickness. I am back on it, and boy am I glad to feel happy again."

• Can...
• April 1, 2016

Venlafaxine for Anxiety "I don't normally review anything, but this time I thought I should, especially considering most people only tell you the negative experiences of a drug. I really didn't know my anxiety was bad until now. I know I had bad 'nerves', is what I call it, and I'm normally on edge and get paranoid about almost everything, especially my relationships. I got so used to being anxious that it became normal to the point that I forgot what the other side felt like. Strange but true statement. Effexor has allowed me to handle just about anything thrown at me. Yes, I get a little anxious but overall I'm okay. I did have bad gas and a headache, but it got better, totally worth a try."

• Mon...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 5, 2013

Venlafaxine for Anxiety "My doctor prescribed this for my anxiety due to perimenopause, 37 mg. I was always tired on it so he increased it to 75mg XR. I'm not as tired as I used to be and I no longer wake with anxiety and can sleep through the night. My energy level is not as high as it used to be before Effexor. My appetite has also increased. I've heard this can be due to a combination of the Effexor and menopause. If I skip a dose, I get headaches."

• Add...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 25, 2021

Venlafaxine for Generalized Anxiety Disorder "After years of suffering from anxiety and panic attacks, I finally decided to start medication. I started with Lexapro, and it made me feel terrible, with horribly low libido. I then tried Buspar with the same side effects. Effexor XR was my next try. I’m writing this because I was nervous about taking this medication after reading reviews. This medication has saved my life. I can finally do things that anxiety stopped me from doing. My panic attacks have decreased to hardly any. I had social anxiety, and I feel like I can have a normal conversation without stuttering due to being anxious. The only “con” I have of this medication is if I skip it one day, I have horrible flu-like symptoms and extreme headaches. However, I don’t plan to skip it regularly, so as long as you take it as prescribed, this shouldn’t be a problem. I 10/10 recommend this medication!"

• Anonymous
• July 29, 2014

Venlafaxine for Depression "I took Effexor for three years due to depression. I loved the fact that I was no longer depressed, but I was tired all the time. I could sleep for 10 hours, get up, and two hours later I was ready to sleep again. If I missed taking a dose, I would get a horrible headache. The only reason I stopped taking Effexor was due to being tired all the time. Getting off of the medication was awful. I have never been so sick in my life. If you are going to take this medicine the rest of your life, I highly recommend it. It did wonders for my depression."

• FIN...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 28, 2016

For Hot Flashes "My doctor prescribed this, along with other meds, for hot flashes due to perimenopause. I read up, at the time did not find anything too alarming. What I SHOULD have been researching was the WITHDRAWAL process for this drug. If I'd read that first, I would have asked for a different treatment route. First, it didn't help the hot flashes. So, last week, after starting at 37.5 and being upped to 75, 6 months ago, my doctor advised me to quit. COLD TURKEY. No tapering, he didn't appear alarmed, no big deal. My last dose was on a Wednesday morning. Friday morning, I awoke with a KILLER throbbing headache, dizziness, nausea. I tried to manage with OTC medications like Excedrin and Benadryl. After vomiting and experiencing visual delays, meclizine helped. Pupils were, and still are, PINPOINT."

• GAD...
• March 22, 2019

Venlafaxine for Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I’m a 32 y/o female with GAD diagnosed 2 yr ago & ADHD. My doc felt it was more important to treat my severe GAD before ADHD. After trying Zoloft for 6 months, I stopped it. NO libido. Lexapro, same thing!! Plus I was super tired. First two days on Effexor XR were amazing. (Placebo effect?) Then days 3-10 were filled with a little more anxiety than normal. Had vivid weird dreams, would wake up once in the middle of the night to pee then it would be harder than normal to fall asleep. Also, jaw popping like I was grinding the heck out of my teeth for a few nights. Day 11-now, it's wonderful. I don't feel panic attacks or anxiety anymore. I feel normal and relaxed. No more headaches, muscle tension, or sleeping problems. I'm not short-tempered with my kids. I don't worry as much! I'm just chill. Oh, and I can still pour some tears watching my chick flicks. With the sex side effect 'O'... I can still do it, just takes a tad longer. I can live with that!! I can also drink beer with this."

• Cha...
• December 22, 2019

Venlafaxine for Panic Disorder "I am a chemist and worked at a Pharma company when my panic attacks got really bad. My doctor put me on Effexor. The 75mg dose was way too much and I ended up in the ER. I decided to open the capsule and count the pellets. 1 pellet was about 1 mg. I was so desperate to get better (I had tried Xanax, Lexapro, and 1 other SSRI and I had severe reactions to them). I started taking 10 pellets a day and noticed an improvement immediately. I did have a headache in the back of my head at times and also had vivid dreams, but it was working. I only needed 10 mg a day for about a year and weaned off very slowly. Eight years later I developed POTS, and my anxiety, brain fog, panic attacks were terrible. Again I got on 10 mg of Effexor and needed to work up to the 37.5 mg pill. I have no panic or anxiety and can drive on the freeways again. It took 2 years to work up to the 37.5 mg. If you start on a smaller dose, these meds should work."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 8, 2019

Venlafaxine for Autism "I took this about 3 weeks ago. I started on 75 mg. I felt nausea the first day. Then the second day was easier, just a headache and a little nausea and panic. But as the week went on, the symptoms went away and I felt a lot better. The reason why I don't give it a full 10 is that if you take it late, after the 24-hour period since your last dose, you start to experience withdrawal. It is different for everyone, but I was fine. I'm autistic, suffer from acute anxiety, PTSD, and severe depression. It has saved my life so far. I am scared of horror stories, but as an autistic adult, I look at it as an opportunity."

• jdo...
• June 24, 2013

Venlafaxine for Depression "Effexor might have saved my life because at the time I was given it, I had damn near given up hope. Paxil and Zoloft did nothing. Depakote attacked my liver. Lexapro made me numb. Then Effexor was given to me. Two weeks after taking it, I felt better. Four weeks later, I was back doing things again. Within a year, I had all my interests and hobbies back. Cons: 1. Withdrawal is terrible. When I miss a dose, I feel it. Neck pain. Headache. 2. I've found that I had to increase the dose after two years of usage. Seventy-five mg three times a day holds me. 3. Not really a con, but when more stress than usual, I relapse for a few days with depression, but it goes back to normal if you increase the dose for a while."

• Hap...
• November 1, 2011

Venlafaxine for Anxiety and Stress "On 75 mg once a day in the morning, and I feel great! Before, I suffered from panic attacks and anxiety endlessly, especially while driving and even being around strangers in a grocery store. Now, I have no anxiety at all and can live a normal, happy life. Effexor has given that to me. I probably will have to stay on it for the rest of my life, and that's fine with me. I tried going off of it before for 6 years, and all my anxiety came back. I tried Celexa, and that was awful-major headaches with that one. I also tried Wellbutrin, but I felt like I was on speed 24 hours a day, which made my anxiety go through the roof. Recently, in July, I went back to my favorite Effexor XR and feel awesome. Good luck to all of you! Anxiety is no fun."

• mil...
• June 7, 2017

For Hot Flashes "I was having about 10 to 12 hot flashes a day. At night, it was unbearable. My OB-GYN told me about the medication and started me on 37.5 mg per day. In three days, I was not having any hot flashes at all, it was great! Four months later, my hot flashes began again, so he upped my dose to 75 milligrams. This worked for the hot flashes yet again. The only issue is, I went out of town for the weekend and forgot to take my meds with me. I missed 3 days on the medication, and the withdrawal symptoms hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt jittery, had a severe headache, I felt drained, and my body felt flu-like. Don't miss doses!!!"

• Dar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 5, 2013

Venlafaxine for Depression "I've been on 75 mg for two months now, started at a baby dose of 37.5 about 3 months ago. I can honestly say I woke up feeling the difference and the burst of energy. Only complaints are if you forget to take a dose, you're not in for a good day until you take your next dose. I vomit and have a terrible headache, and also with the medication I found that I had a couple of bad lows while getting used to it. But as long as you keep up with your dose and don't mess around with taking it, you should be very satisfied with the result."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 26, 2014

Venlafaxine for Depression "People either love Effexor or hate it. I am on the side of adoration. I am 18 years old and have been taking Effexor for 4 years, and the change I experienced was amazing. I have a long family history of depression and a generalized anxiety disorder, and it doesn't help when you're trying to go through puberty and are constantly being told that everybody your age is going through the same thing. The side effects are not pleasant, I used to get headaches, my blood pressure increased (but with exercise, it can be managed), and I would get lightheaded and faint more often. Even with these, I still am happy and am grateful for Effexor."

• BTa...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 27, 2019

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Effexor is a miracle drug. Never had ritualistic OCD, but as far as intrusive and obsessive thoughts go, I was in a bad spot before I was prescribed. I take 187.5 mg daily, and will forever. It takes about 10-12 weeks to get it completely into your system. But worth it. Side effects for me include an occasional headache, cured with ibuprofen. Effexor is a game changer."

• Ban...
• October 25, 2019

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "I started this medication, Effexor, in combination with therapy for major depressive disorder, anxiety, and borderline personality disorder. I worked up to 150 mg from 37.5 mg. It has helped me immensely. I’m less irritable, I have energy again, I stopped sleeping 14 hours a day, my anxiety is better, and I feel happier than I have in a long time. I have forgotten to take it for a day and didn’t notice any symptoms at that point. I had a bit of a headache and maybe some nausea at first and with the dosage increase, but it was mild and went away after a day or so."

• My...
• August 23, 2015

Venlafaxine for Depression "I just started about two weeks ago. I completely see a difference in myself for the better. My children are even noticing the difference in my reactions to basic things. I won't say I don't feel anything, but this is a period in my life... feeling nothing is what I need. I am able to react to situations with logic. Instead of being on the emotional roller coaster all the time! I was suicidal two weeks ago. I took my kids zip-lining yesterday. I needed this. I'll deal with the withdrawals later, this medication saved my life. I work out 4 days a week, so no energy loss. I don't feel a change in my appetite yet. I did have headaches yesterday briefly. Dreams... falling dream a few times. No weight gain so far. Sex. I don't have a desire yet."

• Ano...
• January 27, 2010

Venlafaxine for Anxiety "I have been taking Effexor XR for about 8 years after suffering a serious mental breakdown. This medicine has given me back my life. Having said that, the UK government has recently told all doctors to prescribe the generic version. THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE, I began suffering terrible headaches and anxiety again. After speaking to my consultant psychiatrist, I am now back on Effexor with all the nasty symptoms gone. There really is no substitute for the real thing."

• Nat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 26, 2013

Venlafaxine for Depression "I've been on many antidepressants. I experienced a few side effects from this one. The major one I experienced was headaches. However, within less than one week, the side effects were gone. I also experienced night sweats in the first few weeks. This has stopped me from crying a lot, which is good."

• fir...
• February 8, 2017

Venlafaxine for Anxiety "I've been on Effexor for 2 weeks now. I feel a lot less anxious and generally happier. I've noticed some side effects, which I was expecting. So I thought I'd share my experience: sweaty hands, blurred vision, nightmares, stomach ache/headache, loss of appetite, weight loss, trouble sleeping, major increase of the effects of alcohol. Those are just some of them."

• Tay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 3, 2016

Venlafaxine for Depression "I've been taking Effexor for 5 months now, and I can say it definitely has worked for me. It can take time to actually start working, though, so give it some time. The only downfall is if I forget to take it for a day, I start getting dizzy, brain zaps, and headaches. I am now waiting to refill it, and haven't taken it for about a week, and the symptoms are still occurring. Even with that said, I would recommend this medicine for depression/anxiety. I no longer cry all the time for no reason. Definitely has changed my life (:"