Venlafaxine and Sexual Dysfunction: What Users Say (Page 4)

• Joe...
• April 19, 2017

For Post Traumatic Stress Disorder "Been on venlafaxine for 3 months now. I suffer from complex PTSD and BPD. Love it so far! Much more effective than SSRIs. Started on 75 mg a day, taking 2 tablets. Felt better with regard to my anxiety in just a few days. Side effects were insomnia to begin with, shaky hands, random sweats, and constipation, oh, and of course, lack of libido (I now take Viagra as needed). My doctor then changed my dose to 150 mg extended release, this is much better with regard to side effects-no more sweating or shaky hands and can sleep much better. So yeah, the side effects are horrible to begin with, but stick with it! I have yet to miss a dose, but I've heard it's pretty hell, so I try to take my medication everywhere I go. Overall, great medication!"

• PSS...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 30, 2018

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "Effexor has destroyed my life. It's given me PSSD (Post-SSRI Sexual Dysfunction). It basically chemically castrated me. I experienced the sexual side effects while on the med. Stopped meds under Dr. advice. Sex drive never returned, and it's been 13 years. This is purely the worst drug that has the potential to destroy a person's life forever. STAY AWAY. DON'T RISK THE POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS THAT WILL LAST FOREVER WITH NO CURE."

• Cal...
• May 6, 2017

For Anxiety and Stress "Started Venlafaxine 37.5mg - 150mg over a 6-week period for anxiety and PMDD but had to stop. Previous to this, I was on Mirtazapine 15mg to help with sleep and appetite, but it did nothing for my 'feelings.' VENLAFAXINE - PROs - Slightly more confident, didn't blush, more energy, less body pain. CONs - INSOMNIA, no appetite at all, started losing weight, muted feelings, had no empathy anymore, like a I don't give a shit attitude, NO LIBIDO and couldn't orgasm! I decided to quit this garbage and return to the mild Mirtazapine for good. Some of the weeks I was on venlafaxine, I actually also took the Mirt (the combo known as Californian rocket fuel) so I could get some sleep, although doctors did not allow me to do this! Effects after stopping Venlafaxine - 3 days."

• tay...
• May 4, 2009

Venlafaxine for Generalized Anxiety Disorder "Was in college when I treated. At high doses (approximately 225 mg), I was lethargic, cloudy-headed, and angry. The drug caused SSRI-induced sexual dysfunction. It aggravated stress levels. But for my mom, this medication has given her life back to her, 'curing' depression, lowering anxiety, and inspiring creativity."

• 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."

• Din...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 18, 2021

For Depression "Didn't feel much negative side effects from getting on it. But I do remember feeling feelings of happiness already within the first week. Feelings of joy that I had forgotten existed. Venlafaxine did affect my sex life though by not being able to reach orgasm for several years. That seemed to be the worst side effect for me, plus the always-present possibility to forget to take it and therefore go dizzy and unwell within a few hours. After 10 years on approximately 225 mg, I have now stopped, and it took me by surprise just how sick I became! I stepped out of venlafaxine too fast due to my own impatience, and wow, the sickness! Totally dizzy, all sorts of malfunctions, throwing up, very picky with the small amount of food I could bear to even look at, freezing, sweating, emotionally all over the place. After the first 6 days, it has begun to get a whole lot better, and I am happy to get this far! I believe the medicine helped me when I needed it, but now I am excited to see if I am able to do without in the long run."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 12, 2017

For Anxiety and Stress "I started this medication 2 weeks ago to help with anxiety, cognitive issues, and hypochondria. I'm currently on 75 mg. The first day I began to feel calmer, but within the next few days, more anxiety symptoms switched to depression. I went from having OCD thoughts and medical worries to wanting to sleep any chance I can get. There's also a complete loss of libido. I've also started having constipation problems."

• Sna...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 19, 2019

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "After trying at least 7 different antidepressants without good results, I just decided to stay on the Effexor XR, lol. I know the discontinuation symptoms would probably kill me trying to wean off of it at this point. I have been taking Effexor XR 300 mg since 12/2014, it keeps me functioning for the most part, although I still have lows associated with MDD. Taking this high of a dose for so long, of course, I have some side effects, such as teeth grinding, abnormal lip and mouth movements, and frequent hand tremors. It does affect libido, but not as bad as some, like Celexa, where you have to have 500 lbs of pressure applied just to try and catch a feel. I know to never miss a dose of medication because you will start having ill effects since it has such a short half-life. Oh, and it has increased my B/P, which continually runs 140/90, although the Dr.'s don't think the medicine caused it."

• 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."

• 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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 14, 2020

For Anxiety "I never understood why antidepressants were linked to suicidality until I tried Effexor. I had been on Lexapro for 8 years for anxiety, but got fed up with the apathy and loss of libido, and it just wasn't working well. Switched to Effexor XR, was on 75mg for a total of 6 months. I slowly became more and more depressed, agitated, and began to have suicidal thoughts daily - I've never had any of these problems before - I was taking these drugs for anxiety after all, not depression. I was extremely numb emotionally and lacked any semblance of empathy, compassion, or affection as a result. In a way, this medication numbed me to the idea of death, whereby suicide seemed okay. Tapering off and feeling back to normal. Horrible, horrible drug, for me at least..."

• 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."

• 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."

• Gay...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 12, 2019

For Hot Flashes "My hot flashes and night sweats were gone within 24 hrs. I had been having 3-4 an hour, day and night. I still get a little warm off and on and sweat, but totally doable. If you miss one, the brain “flashes” start in about 24 hrs. Don’t miss one. I do 75 mg a day. No libido, but no reason to think it’s the meds, but I should research that."

• 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."

• Ema...
• January 7, 2019

Venlafaxine for Depression "I started taking Effexor about 2 years ago now. At first, I started at the lowest dose and found it did nearly nothing for me. However, over time as we slowly increased it, I found my depression did majorly decrease. I had been unable to get out of bed, had suicidal thoughts, and no interest in relationships before beginning the drug. After about 6 months, I found I was managing my depression much better. However, it is still a daily fight. I also found I have a huge drop in sex drive due to the medication."

• Dav...
• July 26, 2016

Venlafaxine for Depression "I have been using Effexor XR for about 9 months now and have been off it for about 3 weeks. I am still experiencing sexual dysfunction. I understand this to be post-SSRI sexual dysfunction, which can last a few months, to a few years, to permanently. I wanted to let people know of this risk of taking an SSRI."

• con...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 15, 2018

For Hot Flashes "Now that I have been on this pill (half of) 37.5 mg dose for almost two weeks, I have figured it out. If you have a low tolerance to drugs/alcohol, DO NOT take this drug. I had to go off. It made me very sick at first, got past that. Then my hot flashes disappeared - yay, but I could not sleep because it made my mouth so dry, I coughed all night. And libido was completely numb. AND I continued to be a little foggy. This is not for me. Slight headache going off. Be very concerned when taking this drug."

• 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."

• Aly...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 11, 2023

Venlafaxine for Panic Disorder "Second time trying Effexor (after trying every other SSRI-type med) and taking it for 2 years now. Have increased over time to 225 mg. For depression, anxiety, and panic disorder. It helped with panic attacks the most. Anxiety is also better. Depression is mildly better. I am now wanting to taper down as some side effects have become more noticeable in the last 6 months: no sex drive, can’t reach orgasm, excessive sweating (especially face and hands), tiredness, and lack of motivation to do things, emotional flatness. Will try to taper down by 75 mg to start. Last time I went off Effexor, I tapered down really slowly and that helped with the withdrawal symptoms a lot. Fingers crossed I can get through it again, and things improve after discontinuing. I’m hopeful."

• Joh...
• January 1, 2016

For Depression "I wanted to offer my support and experience with venlafaxine. I have never taken antidepressants. After an accident that altered my lifestyle and enjoyment of life, I talked to my doctor. I did not want to risk going on pain meds (I know myself well enough that I fear possible addiction), and he suggested an antidepressant. I started at 75 for 2 weeks and increased to 150 after. Initially, I had a weird experience of wanting to smile for no reason. I didn't like this as it almost seemed like mental gymnastics to reconcile this induced sense of excessive happiness and smiling at nothing. This has mostly subsided now after 1 month on 150. The only other big side effect is sexual. Other men may understand where I am coming from. My libido is actually slightly higher (may be because I am no longer depressed), and I have no problem at all with arousal. However, actually climaxing is a big effort. When it does finally happen though, it's more intense. Other than that, no side effects. On the major plus side, no more sleeping in and calling in sick to work. I have a renewed zest for life. It's amazing to look forward to waking up and starting my day! I start up conversations with strangers at the coffee shop and have made new friends. If a negative thought enters my mind, it just seems to dissolve as quickly as it came. I am truly thrilled with this antidepressant and recommend."

• Ken...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 13, 2018

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I'm 79 years old. For years, I've been shy and not very outgoing. Also, I've had anger issues and have suffered low-level depression. For years, I've been taking various doses of Zoloft and Wellbutrin and a combination of the two. They've kept me less depressed and quieter. Finally, I weaned myself off them. But depression and anger started acting up again. So my doctor, this time, recommended Venlafaxine. He's taken me through three dose levels, and I'm now at 150 mg. The results are, at least to me, rather amazing. I'm socializing more-and-I'm wanting to socialize more. Furthermore, people appear to want to socialize with me more. Also, the anger outbursts appear to be far less frequent and far less obtrusive when they do materialize (meaning, for instance, I'm not so abusive to those rude drivers who tend to thoroughly tick me off). And-like others before me-I've removed one star because of the reduced libido."

• ken...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 27, 2017

Venlafaxine for Anxiety "It was efficient to have no anxiety. Except 2 weeks before my final exams, I 'froze' = I had anxiety attacks. The big side effect was that it was extremely difficult to reach an orgasm/ejaculation + I lost more than 50% of sex pleasure. Not good for couple life. Also, I sweat A LOT during the night + big traumatizing nightmares if you forget your pills + I think I did sleep apnea + sleep paralysis. All those things at 75 mg. Another bad effect was that I became overconfident/maniac. Also, better to use Effexor than generics. The real brand seemed better for me."

• Rob...
• May 27, 2019

For Hot Flashes "I’ve been on venlafaxine 37.5 mg for nearly 6 weeks. My hot flushes are substantially less than when unmedicated, but not completely gone like on HRT, which I had to stop recently for medical reasons. I started on an evening dose, switched to morning due to poor sleep, switched back to evening due to several mild flushes overnight, and now switching back to mid-morning due to wakefulness and lack of dream sleep on the evening dose. I had at least a dozen side effects initially, and many of these have continued, including alertness and difficulty sleeping, blurred vision, inability to orgasm, calf cramps some nights, and brittle fingernails. Looking forward with trepidation to my hysterectomy so I can go back on HRT and stop this medication."