Venlafaxine and Sexual Dysfunction: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Anonymous
• April 11, 2020

Venlafaxine for Generalized Anxiety Disorder "The people saying they don’t get side effects maybe they just don’t notice, but there are side effects. I sweat more, sleep less, and have no sex drive, but those are all things I can live with in exchange for the positive effects I get. I started taking Effexor in high school because I was sleeping an average of 16 hours a day, likely had depression because I was anxious so much, and my quality of life was abysmal. I left the house like four or five times a week at the most as a 16-year-old. Once I started Effexor, I started to feel more energized, I didn’t need nearly as much sleep, and my depression has cleared away completely. I still have issues with anxiety attacks, but have recently lowered my Effexor dose and started taking Lexapro as well. This is a medication you cannot miss doses on because you will start to feel serious symptoms of withdrawal if doses are skipped, but it’s a great medication worth trying if you haven’t found what’s worked for you yet."

• You...
• May 20, 2015

For Fibromyalgia "I have cPTSD, serious depression, anxiety, and I also suffer from fibromyalgia. I will never get off of Effexor because it works, and the withdrawal symptoms scare me to death. I would only suggest Effexor as a last resort and only for someone with long-term issues because of the withdrawal problems. Effexor is a lifetime commitment, but it works, so that's okay with me. I did try other medications, and honestly, the one thing I have learned to test if an antidepressant is going to work is if, after a week of taking it, there is sexual dysfunction or not. I wish it helped me more with the fibro, but it is so worth it for the anti-anxiety. I can buy 90 days of generic at Costco for under $40, and that is cheaper than my insurance copays."

• B12...
• December 27, 2016

Venlafaxine for Anxiety "Was on this med for 5 years. Worked fine but not great. Stopped the panic attacks and gave me relief from everyday nervousness that I was experiencing. Took months for the side effects to diminish when I first started taking it. What did not leave - insomnia, night sweats, lack of sex drive, and poor orgasms (or no orgasms at all)."

• Anonymous
• August 8, 2011

Venlafaxine for Generalized Anxiety Disorder "It really does work. Made me feel mentally sharp again. I was previously always anxious, but Effexor completely stopped my anxiety. Unfortunately for me, it came with severe sexual side effects: loss of sex drive, unable to climax, impotence. Male - taking 75 mg daily. Off to try Wellbutrin instead."

• Anonymous
• May 17, 2011

Venlafaxine for Anxiety "Continual weight gain, sexual dysfunction, lack of normal emotions, stomach problems."

• 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."

• mr...
• May 27, 2016

Venlafaxine for Depression "This medication has worked amazingly well for me, but the side effects are no joke. My mood is better, I'm less anxious, less angry, and more sociable. It works. It's great, but there are serious drawbacks. My libido and sexual performance are down. I get tired more easily. If I go outside on a hot day, my clothes are quickly drenched in sweat. Physical activity exhausts my muscles more quickly. My mouth is so dry I need to constantly sip water. And finally, if I miss a dose, I get the sensation of electric shocks in my brain. I personally find the benefits outweigh the side effects. Worth a try when more tolerable meds fail."

• mr...
• May 27, 2016

Venlafaxine for Depression "This medication has worked amazingly well for me, but the side effects are no joke. My mood is better, I'm less anxious, less angry, and more sociable. It works. It's great, but there are serious drawbacks. My libido and sexual performance are down. I get tired more easily. If I go outside on a hot day, my clothes are quickly drenched in sweat. Physical activity exhausts my muscles more quickly. My mouth is so dry I need to constantly sip water. And finally, if I miss a dose, I get the sensation of electric shocks in my brain. I personally find the benefits outweigh the side effects. Worth a try when more tolerable meds fail."

• 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!"

• Anonymous
• March 14, 2012

For Anxiety and Stress "I started taking the generic venlafaxine XR about one month ago for anxiety attacks and feelings of being overwhelmed. It started working within a few days. I have had a positive experience, although my sex drive is depleted, and I'm having much more difficulty reaching orgasm (I'm female). I am now waking 3-4 times a night, and although I can go right back to sleep, I feel tired every morning. I already take 1 mg Klonopin at night and 350 mg of Soma as I have degenerative neck disease. I am still waking up. I hope my doctor can give me some pointers on sleeping through the night, but other than that (oh, and increased sweating at night), I do feel great. We'll see how the sweating goes and the sleep disturbance."

• Anonymous
• March 14, 2012

For Anxiety and Stress "I started taking the generic venlafaxine XR about one month ago for anxiety attacks and feelings of being overwhelmed. It started working within a few days. I have had a positive experience, although my sex drive is depleted, and I'm having much more difficulty reaching orgasm (I'm female). I am now waking 3-4 times a night, and although I can go right back to sleep, I feel tired every morning. I already take 1 mg Klonopin at night and 350 mg of Soma as I have degenerative neck disease. I am still waking up. I hope my doctor can give me some pointers on sleeping through the night, but other than that (oh, and increased sweating at night), I do feel great. We'll see how the sweating goes and the sleep disturbance."

• R0c...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• August 28, 2019

For Social Anxiety Disorder "I have been on this med, venlafaxine, for over 10 years. The first week, everything that I was taking the drug to cure was heightened x10. I couldn't look my father in the eyes, and I was for the most part barricaded up in my room. I toughed through it and was giving it a month for my body to accept it. Boy, am I glad I did. I have a very colorful personality, so it didn't turn me into a zombie by any means, but put me back down to earth. I could focus outward rather than inward when around people. For the first time, I could be myself for once. The withdrawals are terrible, so if you choose to take this drug, make sure you are strict on the time and frequency. When off these, I would get these brain rushes every 5 minutes, greatly increased emotions, and I always wanted to eat. My sex drive and ejaculation are nearly nonexistent when on the drug, though, but the positive effects make the side effects very minimal for me."

• Rui...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 9, 2018

Venlafaxine for Depression "I took Effexor 150 mg. I had the usual sexual side effects associated with antidepressants. Tapered off under my doctor's guidance. My sex drive never returned, and that was almost 13 years ago. It basically turned me asexual or chemically castrated me."

• she...
• July 16, 2010

Venlafaxine for Depression "I began taking Effexor after coming off of Paxil. I did not like the weight gain and sexual side effects from the Paxil. The Effexor does not do either of those to me, even though I have heard some people complain about it. It has also vastly improved my mood and depression. I have been using it combined with Depakote for the past few months, and I feel much better than I have in years. My current dose is 150 mg a day."

• 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."

• JC3...
• June 13, 2013

Venlafaxine for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "If I didn't have side effects from Effexor, I would still be on it right now. I'm currently in the stages of slowly tapering off of it, with instruction from my doctor. I went from 75 mg to 150 mg. Now, I am taking a 75, 37.5 for a week, tapering it off every week from there. You need to be extremely disciplined about taking this medicine every day, and at the same time every day. With my schedule, I was never able to take it at the same time every day. I would get what are called 'brain zaps,' which is the feeling like everything rushed to your head for a split second. I also had sexual side effects on Effexor, though it was more noticeable on lower doses. I've been on Zoloft, Luvox, Prozac, and Effexor. On to Cymbalta now."

• Edw...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 26, 2016

Venlafaxine for Depression "I experienced a very low libido, very few erections, and dry orgasms."

• sam...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 20, 2020

For Bipolar Disorder "I'm a 21-year-old female, and I've been suffering from an undiagnosed bipolar spectrum disorder for several years. I finally got diagnosed about 6 months ago, and I started 200 mg Lamictal, which changed my life almost instantly. However, my depressive episodes were still fairly debilitating, although less intense than before. I started 150 mg Venlafaxine in addition to the Lamictal, and it took about 7 weeks to fully kick in, and so began the happiest time of my life. These drugs saved my life, and the Venlafaxine, especially, made me happy again. The only side effects I had were decreased appetite and lowered sex drive. I didn't mind the decreased appetite, but the low sex drive sucked. I recently doubled my dose to 300 mg because some life stuff happened that was bringing out my depression. It's been 1 week, and it’s made my sex drive fly through the roof. I really hope this isn't a temporary side effect because it feels amazing after years of not having a sex drive from the depressive episodes."

• Max...
• September 2, 2017

Venlafaxine for Social Anxiety Disorder "Worked great for social anxiety and anxiety, the downsides for me are loss of appetite and sexual dysfunction. Had no luck ejaculating when I'm on it. Other side effects disappear around 2 weeks."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 10 years or more
• October 18, 2020

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "Been on Effexor for many years. It does what it's supposed to. Forget a sex life."

• Loz...
• November 9, 2019

Venlafaxine for Depression "This medication has helped my depression heaps. I'm on 225 mg Effexor XR, however, I am worried that when I eventually stop the medication, the withdrawals will be insane. Effexor has helped settle my depression, and the only issue I have is that my sex drive is at an all-time low because of it."

• tjw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 17, 2017

Venlafaxine for Depression "I took it for 2 weeks. Started 75mg first week and went up to 150mg the second. Several days after I increased the dosage, I lost all sex potency and sex drive completely. I'm a 25-year-old man, and I was not able to orgasm at all. After I stopped, I have VERY SEVERE withdrawal symptoms. I had to lose work for several days and was very close to being sent to a hospital. At NO POINT did my doctor warn me of any of these symptoms. It's very important to understand that this drug CAN cause permanent damage and that it is highly addictive even after a short time. I'd rather take a bullet to my head than take this pill ever again."

• tjw...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 17, 2017

Venlafaxine for Depression "I took it for 2 weeks. Started 75mg first week and went up to 150mg the second. Several days after I increased the dosage, I lost all sex potency and sex drive completely. I'm a 25-year-old man, and I was not able to orgasm at all. After I stopped, I have VERY SEVERE withdrawal symptoms. I had to lose work for several days and was very close to being sent to a hospital. At NO POINT did my doctor warn me of any of these symptoms. It's very important to understand that this drug CAN cause permanent damage and that it is highly addictive even after a short time. I'd rather take a bullet to my head than take this pill ever again."

• 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."

• Sim...
• April 22, 2021

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "I have been on Effexor ER for three years now for anxiety and PTSD, and it truly saved my life. I have had anxiety and depression since I opened my eyes. I got very good at managing my problem until I had a hysterectomy after a cancer diagnosis. I can honestly say I would have ended my life if this hadn’t worked so well for me. I have genuinely way less anxiety, but only on lower doses. On higher ones, I start to have bad side effects. Pros: I feel stable and happy for the first time ever. I don’t have social anxiety to the point where I won’t leave my house anymore. I don’t have terrible nightmares. I lost 40 lbs while on it as my appetite is low. Cons: withdrawal is terrible. Take your doses or you will FEEL it. My libido has suffered. I also tend to have trouble reaching orgasm. I take an herbal supplement called “In the Mood” that helps me with that (I am female). I have been on almost every med known to woman in my 39 years. This one worked well for me."