Venlafaxine and Tiredness: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Map...
• July 10, 2014

Venlafaxine for Anxiety "I went on Effexor for panic disorder/social anxiety caused by OCD. It was debilitating, and the symptoms really affected my ability to go through life. I had been on other meds, which did not do much, so I was genuinely surprised and happy when the Effexor made a noticeable difference in the frequency and severity of my panic attacks. I have a few moments of panic now and then, but nothing as bad as it was. OCD is still there but does not cause me too much distress or interrupt my life as much as it used to (and Effexor is not meant to treat OCD anyway). The side effect that got me the most was tiredness, so I was put on Wellbutrin to balance that out, and it seems to be working for me. The other side effects are entirely bearable."

• Ann...
• November 2, 2019

For Anxiety "I've been taking 75 mg venlafaxine slow release once a day for 5 1/2 weeks and would recommend it! Day 1 I took it at 8 pm, woke up at 1 am with horrible nausea and vomiting, was really shaky and sweaty. Day 2 freezing but had sweaty palms, clenched jaw, couldn't focus, felt exhausted and had a headache. Day 3-7 felt stoned, slept a lot, no appetite. Day 8 felt really high, had huge pupils and sweaty palms. Day 9 appetite started to come back, but was shaky and exhausted in the evening. Day 10-14 spotting and tired. Day 16 exhausted, couldn't focus, had night sweats. Day 16-23 spotting and felt very dopey. Day 26 felt good. Day 27 a period started (I'm on the pill). Day 28 felt OK. Day 29 forgot to take the meds, took the missed pill in the morning, no adverse side effects. Day 30-31 tired, but OK. Day 32-38 felt like my normal self, without the anxiety and constant rumination! Stick with it for 6 weeks, it takes a while for your body to get used to it."

• Anonymous
• December 7, 2012

Venlafaxine for Depression "I was on Effexor for a few months only and found it to be not particularly helpful. I had weight gain, extreme tiredness during the day and feeling 'blah'. I decided to go off them, and it took me longer to get off them than I had been taking them. The withdrawal was terrible. I had head spins that would last all day, couldn't focus, extreme dizziness if I turned too quickly, etc."

• Anonymous
• April 12, 2012

Venlafaxine for Anxiety "Overall I love this pill, I have been on 75mg of Effexor for 8 years after being severely depressed and suicidal. I haven't had the same type of mood the whole time. The only downfall to this medication is the side effects, I have found that I have no libido and often very tired. Also, if I miss one day, I have very bad side effects like a really bad hangover. I am a little afraid of getting off the pill but I would like to try. Overall, if you need help with your depression, this pill is amazing."

• OCD...
• May 31, 2009

Venlafaxine for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "Effexor is the only antidepressant that has helped my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and I have tried quite a few. It is the only one that has had very few side effects as long as you take it regularly. It has greatly helped me deal with my OCD and has greatly improved my overall mood and outlook on life. I take it in conjunction with Pimozide which has eliminated the intrusive unwanted thoughts and also Dextrostat which helped eliminate the tiredness associated with taking the previous medications. These 3 medications have given me a new lease on life. Prior to this mix of medicines, I must have tried a couple dozen that either didn't work for me or had too many side effects."

• 46a...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2012

Venlafaxine for Social Anxiety Disorder "I have been on Effexor XR for 2 days now for anxiety, panic, and agoraphobia. So far, not too bad. Not too many side effects. I am tired and a bit fuzzy, but I hope this medicine is as good as everyone has said. I just want my life back."

• ash...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 4, 2022

Venlafaxine for Depression "I was actually on Effexor XR for Borderline Personality Disorder and did nothing except make me tired. When I cried at my doctor's appointment because I was so depressed (3-6 months in), they just said “jeez” and doubled my dose. This shut me up until I found a new doctor, but it seems like medical abuse to me. A total of 2 years on it with 0 benefit, at 150 mg. waste of time. I will never get that 2 years back."

• Saz...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 27, 2018

Venlafaxine for Depression "My experience with this drug was horrific. At 150 mg, I hit a new low, I was impulsive, severely anxious, and constantly in tears. I was so desperate to be off this med that I went cold turkey. Huge mistake. Developed discontinuation syndrome: fever, tremors, panic attacks, vertigo, hives, flu-like symptoms, night terrors, constant vomiting. Got to the point I couldn’t even keep down water. By day 6, I was hospitalized with severe dehydration and exhaustion. Was immediately hooked up to an IV to replace fluids and given anti-sickness meds. Doctors introduced a lower dose and I am now tapering. Down to 18 mg, so nearly there. Have to take it slowly as I’m extremely sensitive to this medication. Another 2 weeks and I will be free of it. Can't wait to have my life back!"

• Anx...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 6, 2016

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I have been taking SSRIs on and off since I was 28 for acute and chronic anxiety, often exacerbated by hormone changes. They have never leveled me and often give adverse side effects but have given me time out. Since turning 40 (I'm nearly 41!), I have been suffering terribly with stress-induced/hormone-induced anxiety and had 6 months on sertraline (the last of SSRIs I wish to ever try!). My lovely new doctor suggested venlafaxine. Now this is not a drug to mess with. I was on 150mg of sertraline, so the doctor felt I could happily transfer over to 1 week of 75mg venlafaxine in the morning and then the same plus 75mg in the evening after the first week. Woooo, I was tired. Couldn't stop oversleeping, but after 4 weeks, I feel the best I ever remember!"

• Cha...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 21, 2019

Venlafaxine for Depression "These pills are horrible. The lights are so much brighter now. I always feel sick to my stomach. I have no motivation to do anything. I wake up 5-6 times a night having cold sweats. I always feel exhausted. My hands and feet are constantly sweating. Do not take this drug. The withdrawals are atrocious."

• Kaw...
• March 9, 2011

Venlafaxine for Generalized Anxiety Disorder "Well, I've been on it for 2 days, and I noticed the difference the first day. I'm also taking 1/2 an Adderall for ADHD. The only side effect I have noticed is that I yawn a lot. I feel so much better in general. I didn't expect it to work so fast, however, I feel so much freaking better. I've apparently suffered from GAD my whole life, and I'm currently 37. Will it work for everyone? Who knows, but for me, it's been my knight in shining armor as far as feeling normal."

• moe...
• February 11, 2018

For Hot Flashes "A new primary care physician suggested Effexor to treat my hot flashes. I was so sleep deprived and miserable but didn't want the risk of HRT. The very first day I took it, my flashes practically vanished. After a week, I just get a little warm maybe once or twice a day. The first day or two taking Effexor, I experienced a little nausea and tiredness, but it has since stopped. I take the 37.5 mg dose once a day. My only regret is that this wasn't offered sooner."

• Unk...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 8, 2019

Venlafaxine for Depression "I had the worst depression and anxiety. I was taking Zoloft, and it quit working. I am now taking Effexor, and my anxiety completely went away! I was having to take Xanax throughout the day for my anxiety before I took Effexor. I now no longer have to take Xanax. I had no side effects from Effexor, and my depression is completely gone and my anxiety. The only thing it did not help is that I have no energy. I feel tired and fatigued and have no motivation to do anything. I also have had no problem sleeping at night."

• Nad...
• September 1, 2014

For Anxiety "I've had generalized anxiety disorder for 1 year now. Tried self-medicating for 6 months. No help. Went on Lexapro, and it was horrible. Waking up with worse anxiety than ever. Quit after 3 weeks. Now that I'm on venlafaxine for 3 weeks, feeling much, much better. A few side effects the first week, but stick with it. They go away. Mostly felt tired and loss of appetite. This medicine is working."

• Hap...
• October 11, 2009

Venlafaxine for Depression "I've been on Effexor XR 75 mg once a day since December 1999. I originally started taking it for depression. It has worked superbly for me. It removed the frequent crying spells and feelings of worthlessness, disinterest, etc. The only side effects I had were yawning at first and vivid dreams (which can still occur). During the fall, around September/October, I find I double my dose to 150 mg once a day. If I miss my dose, I get weird vertigo-like symptoms. I can heartily recommend this medication to those with 'milder' forms of depression with some anxiety. I don't care if I have to take it for the rest of my life! I'm a 'normal' human being now!"

• Hol...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 19, 2017

Venlafaxine for Depression "I have been tapering off Effexor for the past few weeks. I was originally prescribed 150 mg per day, and the dose was too much for me. I was brought down to 112.5 and stayed on that dose for almost 2 years. My mood was greatly improved, and my anxiety was nearly non-existent. The downside was that I was always tired and taking naps constantly-most of my weekends were spent sleeping. I'd drink a few cups of coffee in the morning, and I could barely keep my eyes open. I became a napper and would nap for 2-4 hours at a shot. I became extremely lazy and gained about 25 pounds due to a complete lack of energy. The side effects of missing a dose were extreme nausea and horrible headaches."

• Lan...
• December 7, 2014

Venlafaxine for Depression "I am a 21-year-old female. I was on Prozac for ten years (40 mg at the end) before switching to Effexor (37.5 mg at first, 262.5 mg now) because I was having issues with anxiety. I was okay for a while, then I became extremely depressed and suicidal. My doctor increased my dose, and although it did take away the misery and suicidal thoughts, I wouldn't describe myself as happy. I feel constantly tired, sleeping up to 16 hours a day. I can't work, and social situations exhaust me. It took me a while to realize Effexor might be responsible for some of these symptoms. I am talking to a psychiatrist about changing my medication, but I'm very worried about the infamous withdrawal from Effexor."

• Ree...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 10, 2017

For Anxiety and Stress "4 weeks on 37.5 mg, and my irritability and anxiety are so much better. My horror week before periods is no more. The PMDS was well treated, as was the mild underlying anxiety felt during the rest of the month. Side effects for me were headaches for the first week, visual change (2 weeks), and feeling tired (lasted a few days). None of which would make me stop, given positive benefits."

• Rog...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 13, 2016

Venlafaxine for Depression "Male, 6'2", 150 lb. I take 75 mg of Effexor XR in the AM and 15 mg of Remeron in the PM for suicidal depression and generalized anxiety. Some days I take higher doses of 112.5 mg and 30 mg. The combination has worked wonders for my condition. I started on Remeron initially and titrated to 45 mg/day, but did not feel it was working for my depression, although it did help with sleep and appetite. I tried gabapentin for a while and was able to quit Remeron entirely for some time (wanted to give my receptors a break). Gabapentin was great for anxiety but made me more suicidal. I quit gabapentin and went back on just 15 mg of Remeron, this time also adding the Effexor. I have been very happy with the results. It seems to be the first medication that really works for me. I had significant side effects when starting Effexor, but they subsided completely after about a week-feeling high much like MDMA, and I had diarrhea and some insomnia. When I increased from 37.5 to 75 mg, the only con I noticed was lower energy level (and some yawning). I started drinking some coffee to help with that. This is a very serious medication to be taking, as I know it can be very hard to withdraw from; however, I am committed to sticking with it. Eventually, I may increase my dose up to 150 mg. Effexor makes me feel very mellow. I am less concerned about what people think of me. I am quite confident with the ladies. My sex life has been better than ever on this med combination. I have wondered if my sense of humor is dulled, however. I am also somewhat lazy, but this may change when I go up to a higher dose. Risk-taking behaviors should be watched when increasing the dose, as I broke my ankle playing sports. Overall, I give this medication 9/10 and am very happy that I got the script. I recommend taking it with Remeron to better manage the nighttime and to counteract the side effects. They have a wonderful synergy. My only concern is that they may eventually stop working, and I may eventually have to stop taking them and suffer the infamous withdrawals."

• oxa...
• March 14, 2008

Venlafaxine for Depression "When I first started Effexor XR, it seemed to really help for a while. After a while, we had to increase the dosage to its maximum and had to add the max 80 mg of Prozac to keep me 'normal.' After about a year, I started having real problems with exhaustion and fatigue. It took a lot of testing and doctors, and finally, two separate sleep studies to find that my deep sleep had been disrupted significantly -- essentially, I was getting NO restorative sleep, even when I slept for 8-12 hours!"

• Nic...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 13, 2016

Venlafaxine for Depression "I have been on Effexor for about 6-7 years now. I started taking 75 mg, which needed to be increased to 4 x 75 mg per day as I was in complete terror. This drug saved my life. I would not be here if not for this drug. I tried amitriptyline, citalopram, and propranolol for many years previously, but they did not give me the relief I needed. The first 2 weeks of taking this drug while off work, I saw the room flip upside down a few times, making me fall down in the shower, etc. It was a really scary time, but once in my system, I got great relief almost immediately. My side effects now are just sweating and tiredness, but I am on 2 x 75 mg/day & feel really content. I got down to 75 mg/day but felt anxious, so I upped to 2/day. Great drug if it suits you!!!!"

• 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."

• dow...
• August 1, 2008

Venlafaxine for Depression "Changed to Effexor XR 75 mg about 2 months ago from Celexa 20 mg. Having some dizziness and tiredness, maybe not feeling quite myself, so experimentation with the dosage is probably in order. Otherwise, no problems. Serious diarrhea side effect from Celexa stopped immediately upon changing treatment. But I am disturbed by some of the comments on this site about withdrawal from this medication. I have had no problem drinking in moderation while on this drug."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 7, 2016

Venlafaxine for Major Depressive Disorder "I had been off all meds for 10 years when I had a major relapse and knew it was time to medicate again. Effexor is hard to get on, lots of dizziness and exhaustion. Also, if I am late taking it, I feel awful. Headaches, anxiety, mood swings. Don't ever miss a dose! I can't stress this enough. Withdrawal hits hard and fast, even within 12 hours. Sweats, chills, headache, dreams, whole-body pain. HOWEVER, it does help me get through the day. I have suicidal depression and clinical anxiety, so for me, it is worth some struggle to stay with Effexor because it does give me relief. It calms my brain, allows me to get moving with my day, and not have the threat of my own self-destructive tendencies."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 1, 2015

Venlafaxine for Depression "I was given this medication after a major panic episode, and I noticed a good change a few weeks after taking it. It helps your mind wander and not focus on the bad things. It also just made me a generally happier person. However, I skipped a few days (I'm on the 75 mg), and the side effects were terrible. I got hot flashes, awful nightmares, I was so dizzy I could barely walk, I was disoriented and couldn't focus on anything, and I was absolutely exhausted. I started taking it normally again, but it makes me a little nervous to stop taking it permanently... Before taking this medication, I would definitely weigh 'do I want to be on this for a really long time?' or 'I can tough this out.'"