Venlafaxine and Insomnia: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Han...
• November 2, 2016

Venlafaxine for Social Anxiety Disorder "The first two months of Effexor XR 37 mg were great, I felt good. But that apparently is just the startup. The first couple of days of taking it, I felt an awesome euphoria and a high like I was on cocaine. I was a little restless, had a hard time getting to sleep, and had diarrhea. The doctor bumped me up to 75 mg one week ago. The first day was awesome, I felt like I was on cocaine again. After that first day, I felt nothing other than an overbearing fact that I wanted to get off of this. I feel like complete trash. I feel emotionless but really down. I don't know if I can make it another week on this medication. I've been on four medications, and none of them have helped so far. This was my last hope for medication."

• I...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 24, 2017

Venlafaxine for Postpartum Depression "At 3 months postpartum, I started experiencing slight symptoms of PPD. I handled it and worked myself through it, thought I had it under control until I found myself uncontrollably crying, panic attacks, insomnia, excessive anger, lots of feelings of self-worthlessness. My doctor first prescribed me Zoloft at 5 months postpartum, for 3 weeks, I had no luck. She then switched me to Effexor XR 37.5 mg, as they say, the 'light bulb' came back on after 2 weeks. I have had very bad anxiety since I was 14, I am now currently taking Effexor XR 75 mg daily and am at 7 months postpartum. Depression, the horrible self-feelings I experienced were not anything I have ever felt prior to this experience. Effexor changed my life!"

• Mrs...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 22, 2019

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I have been on 75 mg of Venlafaxine for two years now for PTSD, anxiety, depression, and chronic hot flashes. Additionally, I live with a family member with high-functioning autism. My doctor was frank, the symptoms for your body and brain to get used to the drug can be pretty terrible. I had heart palpitations, couldn't sleep, felt sick, and experienced brain fog. It lasted about two weeks. After that, I started to feel good. I have been able to sleep better because of the reduction of hot flashes and am better able to manage my days. It's not a cure-all. I still see a psychologist regularly and have to allow plenty of quiet time to recover from social activities, but this is the best I've been in years."

• Emm...
• January 27, 2018

Venlafaxine for Depression "Effexor was the worst antidepressant I've ever taken. It seemed to help at first, but only for a short time. The side effects were crazy. Brain zaps, waking up screaming for no reason, feeling hot all the time to the point of not wanting to go anywhere. Random muscle twitches, not being able to shut my brain off to fall asleep... My point is, not every medicine is for everyone. This one is too tough to quit cold turkey, but once I got off of it, I felt better."

• Sal...
• January 16, 2016

Venlafaxine for Depression "Was very depressed and couldn't sleep. Started on 37.5 mg twice a day, then doubled. My mood has improved a little, but not my sleep. No interest in sex. Can't eat - have lost two stones. Don't know what to do for the best! Not suicidal anymore, at least."

• Dan...
• August 19, 2015

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "Increase dose more slowly than the doctor says. I was convinced I was actually in hell for a week after increasing my dose for one single day. It helps my situation, but it ruins my memory, kills motivation, kills desire or will to do anything. A cool and crisp morning loses that good feeling, and your sleep sucks, causing you to be tired all day. I would recommend taking a dose only on days you feel awful. Maybe 15 mg. I regret taking this every day. The withdrawal is worse than alcohol, tobacco, and other SSRIs combined."

• 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."

• car...
• January 1, 2016

For Panic Disorder "Effexor was a miracle drug for me. Before taking it, I had horrid panic attacks and acute distress. I was at my wits' end. I felt hopeless and tormented by recurring panic attacks and terrified thoughts and feelings. I tried everything for anxiety, even Klonopin, having nothing worked. After taking Effexor for 2 weeks, my anxiety decreased by about 60%. I felt happier and more in control of my life. I went from a terrified worrywart to a content person. I highly recommend it. It is the best anxiety drug I ever had. The benefits definitely outweigh the side effects. The ones I experience are constipation, insomnia, and muscle convulsions, but it is worth it if you are suffering a lot from anxiety."

• Swi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 27, 2017

For Social Anxiety Disorder "Been on it now for 3 months at 150 mg, never had a lot of side effects. (- a bit of sleeping problems the first month) Social anxiety 8 out of 10 - has gotten much, much better. Depression, well, 7 out of 10. All over 8-10."

• 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!!!"

• 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."

• Rac...
• October 31, 2015

Venlafaxine for Depression "I was prescribed Effexor on Monday, and I have had the worst experience with it. It's now Saturday, and I can't sleep for more than like 2 hours at a time. I can't eat, and I feel so foggy. Worst experience ever."

• Cin...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 17, 2016

Venlafaxine for Depression "Terrible med for me, like it was for a lot of people. I used it for 6 weeks (enough time to get into my system). It caused panic attacks, which was not fun. I would have several each day. I was taking this med for anxiety and depression. I cried every single day, and several times a day on this med, and I did not sleep a full night's sleep for the entire duration. I felt way more sad and felt like I was in a zombie-like state daily. I read reviews of this drug and prayed that I would soon start to feel better and wouldn't be one of those that this drug did not work for. Alas, I was one of those. I stopped taking Effexor cold turkey 5 days ago. Best thing I ever did. I experienced some withdrawal symptoms, like severe brain zaps."

• JB7...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 22, 2019

Venlafaxine for Anxiety "On a 150 mg dose for social anxiety and depression. I take the 75 mg tablets twice a day. It works better on my depression and is somewhat effective for my social anxiety. Still too early to tell if it will work. Mild tiredness and trouble sleeping at night are the only side effects that I notice, with occasional nausea if I don't eat small meals every 4-6 hours. The only time that I got scared was when I started Effexor and stopped the Prozac. I had a major panic attack for two days, but after that, it subsided. So I'm back on my Effexor. At least now, I notice some improvements in my mood compared to taking Prozac, which didn't work for me."

• gra...
• October 20, 2019

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "Didn't help the depression but caused hypomania, anxiety, and insomnia. Other drugs were added to combat these side effects. Some of the other drugs interacted with the Effexor and caused several mild episodes of serotonin syndrome. After two decades on this drug and all the auxiliary drugs to treat the side effects, I am completely messed up physically and neurologically. Slowly tapering off the drugs one at a time and hoping to find a real person underneath."

• 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."

• Swe...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 24, 2018

Venlafaxine for Depression "I was prescribed Effexor 75 mg two years back, and subsequently, I decided to taper off once in a while. It helps a lot to be focused, but the side effects for me were sleepless nights and nausea. I am going back on it again. I felt that without it, I am spiraling down the dark tunnel."

• Nad...
• July 25, 2016

For Anxiety "After many months spent being given ten different types of antidepressants, which none agreed with me, my Dr suggested Venlafaxine 37.5 twice a day, but I personally found it too much (turned me into a zombie). So we agreed on one 37.5 dosage daily. Slowly but surely, it has given me my life back, no major side effects other than insomnia. Darkness is all I could see before venlafaxine. 10/10 highly recommended."

• You...
• October 6, 2017

Venlafaxine for Depression "Worked quickly (or it was in my head), lots of yawning. By week 4, very drowsy in the morning on my 90-minute drive to work, so started taking it after I got to work, which is better for society in general. Sometimes restless sleep. Having said that, I had a lot of negative thoughts about my life that I don't notice or dwell on now, so I am really good with these minor side effects. I'm much happier, less irritable, and family recognized it easily. I'm genuinely happy with it, and thankfully no nasty side effects (thus far)."

• 375...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 20, 2017

For Anxiety and Stress "I have only been on it a couple of days, but the side effects are terrible. I am prone to insomnia, and this exacerbates it terribly. Even with 10 mg of Ambien at bedtime, I am only getting 3.5 hours of sleep. I am also having muscle shakes, mostly at night. I'm having daytime muscle twitching that causes me to be very uncoordinated and drop things. Last night, while I was trying to sleep, I saw strange geometric patterns, and when I would get close to actually falling asleep, I would see a bright flash of light and hear a booming noise, which would wake me back up again. Considering all of that, I am able to function pretty well in the daytime. Also: constipation..."

• Ash...
• August 1, 2011

Venlafaxine for Anxiety and Stress "I started Effexor XR two weeks ago for generalized anxiety disorder. Apparently, it takes at least 4 weeks to work, but I have already noticed a difference. I have had very positive effects on my mood and anxiety problems. There are definitely side effects, though. I have had some trouble sleeping, and my orgasms are very delayed and are very hard to reach. I have noticed, however, that my sex drive has gone through the roof (which isn't a bad thing). Currently taking 75 mg daily. Considering increasing, but I am worried about increasing dependency and side effects. Male, 23 years old."

• Anonymous
• February 8, 2012

Venlafaxine for Anxiety and Stress "I have been taking Effexor 150 mg for about 5 months now. When starting this medication, I had a lot of side effects including insomnia, nausea, and severely dry mouth and very low sex drive. That went away after a couple of weeks, but my anxiety hasn't been controlled as well as I'd like. I've had a couple of panic attacks and a lot of general anxiety (some situational and some not). I would probably like to consider switching to some other medication, but I am scared to because of the horror stories of withdrawal symptoms. I was previously taking Celexa for 10 years, which never worked the same once I restarted it after having a baby."

• lot...
• November 3, 2010

Venlafaxine for Depression "I was on Effexor XR for almost a year. I started out on 75 mg a day, and it slowly progressed to 300 mg per day. I was 16 and weighed 105 pounds, while my 300 lb grandfather was only on 75 mg. While it helped with the depression (no suicidal thoughts, not sleeping all day, etc.), it aggravated my moods. I had manic episodes that I would not remember, hallucinations, trouble sleeping, and when I did get depressed, it was very severe. The worst part was the withdrawal. It made me feel like I had the flu and had been hit by a train. I ended up weaning myself off of it, with the help of 25 mg of Benadryl twice a day (it cut down on the nausea). I am now about to start Cymbalta, and I hope that it is a better experience."

• Vel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 9, 2021

For Migraine "Please be very careful before you take this drug. I had severe side effects from the lowest doses, and it got worse and worse! Burning, itching, heart palpitations, anxiety, insomnia, and my headaches got even worse! I had to come off it as fast as I could. I know it works wonders for some people, but not for me! I never write reviews, but I felt like I should share! Good luck to everyone."

• Med...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 9, 2022

For Depression "Been on Venlafaxine for 8 weeks now, and it has been a real game-changer for me. Weaned off maximum dose Mirtazapine over 2 weeks, then started venlafaxine at a dose of 37.5 mg twice/day. My dose increased to 75 mg extended release after 2 weeks and then upped to 150 mg XR after a further 2 weeks. Within a week of starting venlafaxine, my depression and anxiety symptoms began to lessen, and by 1 month, I was feeling 50% normal. After a further month at 150 mg, I am on my way to feeling completely normal again for the first time in years. I had/have no major side effects, just some insomnia over the first 2 weeks and now some constipation, but this has cured my IBS. No sexual side effects or weight-related changes. My appetite is much more stable now that my anxiety and depression have lifted. Highly recommend venlafaxine to anyone who is struggling on other medication, but remember not every person suits a particular drug, so your experience may differ."