Desvenlafaxine User Reviews & Ratings (Page 3)

• Happy...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 19, 2024

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "This medicine has helped my joint pain, lessened my PTSD triggers, reduced anxiety, given me energy and mental clarity. Most critically, I no longer feel depressed. Pristiq was identified as one of the better antidepressants for my body in terms of metabolization with the least likely to cause side effects (identified through genetic testing). Also worth noting, a genetic mutation was identified. I am now taking a supplement to assist with the folic acid conversion process."

• OilPa...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 17, 2019

For Anxiety "I've been on Pristiq for anxiety for over half a decade and honestly I think it's great. Sure it's a bit of a crutch. But I've managed to achieve my university degree, meet, marry and bare children with the love of my life all while under the influence of Pristiq. I was actually prescribed Pristiq due to my anxiety and it has worked a treat. It's worth noting that I am on 200mg a day and every time I get my script filled the doc has to call up poisons control. But it's all good in the hood for me. Just have it with my coffee in the morning and try and get on with my life. I've achieved a lot while on Pristiq and I'm sure it has given me additional confidence and makes me more sexual, lasting and sensual. It's been win win win for me."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 18, 2021

For Weight Loss (Obesity/Overweight) "Was prescribed 50mg for depression, I am currently on week 5 and have lost 20 lbs without intentionally restricting whatsoever. My appetite is gone and my energy is increased. Very few minor depressive episodes also. I have been on over 15 antidepressants and none have ever worked this well."

• doova
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 19, 2019

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "Was put on Pristiq 50mg about 6 months ago for depression, bad sleep anxiety, which was caused by OCD and ruminating thoughts about not sleeping, which was the root cause of my depression. This constant rumination was horrible, and I was convinced that it was unfixable, and that my life would be ruined by it. It was a horrible and hopeless feeling. After being on the 50mg for a month, I noticed improvement, and then I got put on the 100mg dose, and have had continuous improvement since being on the 100mg, and am now almost 100% better. Depression will tell you that there is no hope, it's awful. I remember thinking 'there is no way this medication will work,' but you must stay patient and you will be amazed how the depression goes away and the nasty thoughts just go away."

• Retro...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 11, 2014

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "Started 12 weeks ago on 50mg, stuck it out for 7 weeks - not much change and decided to step up to 100mg. 5 weeks later, I can say a change has arrived in the last 10 days and I am over the moon. I have refused medication all my life - this was a massive decision for me. I wish now I'd done it years ago. Critical voice gone, anxiety close to gone, depression lifting, motivation returning - hope and dreams coming back. I now laugh, play jokes, and manage stress 'normally'. I have to take care to get enough sleep - some days I am still really exhausted, but that is lifting. The side effects were as expected: dry mouth, need to eat regularly, headaches, and perhaps a little sleep issues - but compared to life before, they are well worth it."

• Finally...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 26, 2017

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "I have been on 100mg of Pristiq for three years for depression and anxiety. Without question, it has changed my life incredibly. I waited 47 years to have the courage to take an antidepressant and wish with all my heart I had met this medication in my 20s. I started on 50mg but after two months reluctantly headed up to 100... my reservations were for nothing... this medication has worked beautifully for me. I did have side effects in the first few weeks: beating heart, very thirsty, and slight headaches, but they passed quickly, and I have been amazed by its strength ever since. I have had some serious life crises to deal with in the past three years, and often feared the medication would not be able to 'hold' me... it always has. I have an amazing therapist who I saw for the first two years, but no longer need that support; the medication is enough. I used to have so many concerns about taking any such medications - was frequently turned away from them by what I'd read as horror stories online... I wanted to let you know... it's not for all of us... some of us do have great reviews... maybe not enough of us drop back to pass them on because we got busy with our new lives where wellness is the new normal. I never worry about coming off them; I don't care if I have to take them forever... as long as I feel this good, I'm not ending my relationship with them..."

• EJK
• November 13, 2018

For Anxiety "I researched this medication for a year before deciding to try it because I was so nervous about side effects. I have had terrible side effects from other medications that were recommended for anxiety, including Lexapro, propranolol, Ativan, and buspirone, and they didn't noticeably decrease the anxiety (never mind the actual nightmare of coming off Ativan). I decided to try adding Pristiq, which was on my 'recommended' list from genetic testing. The side effects I have experienced are EXTREMELY minor and my anxiety began to abate within only a week. It got better every week I was on it, and I've now been taking it for nearly six months. The difference is night and day. I experienced insomnia for about the first two weeks I was on it. I also experienced constipation. I feel like I sleep better with it. I take 50 mg a day. I know Pristiq is not for everybody and I was very nervous about taking it, but I'm so glad I tried it. I plan to keep taking it as long as it works."

• megan...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 10, 2023

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "Pristiq saved my life. I was suffering from suicidal thoughts, severe anxiety, and depression for 5 months after getting covid. I tried lexapro, which was awful for me. After that I was against taking any other antidepressant, but my mental health continued to decline. I reached out to my provider, who ran a genome test to narrow in on which medications would be best for my body to metabolize. It showed pristiq and wellbutrin, so we picked one. Pristiq was the choice and after bumping it up from 25mg to 50mg, I made a complete recovery with my mental health. I have been on it for 9 months and am now going to start to taper off. If my mental health starts to decline again, I will 100% being using Pristiq again. Hope this helps someone!"

• Bpaint
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 16, 2023

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) "Listen guys, it has been a serious battle dealing with depression and panic disorder. I almost lost everything over the course of 8 years. Struggling to go outside, keep friends, make friends, keep a job, work a job... everything... even going into stores. But this medicine at 50mg for only about 2 months now has completely changed that. I mean, seriously guys, it's no joke. First day I was on a cloud, felt at peace. Second day and over the next week it leveled out and I felt in control for the first time in years. The only side effects for me were dry mouth and insomnia, both went away during the first week. This medicine really does work, please don't be scared. We got this!"

• Candles
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 27, 2017

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "Psychotropic medications are appropriate for the small percentage of us who would literally die by our own hands if we didn't take them. For that reason, their relative levels of effectiveness are often viewed by us through a completely different lens (realistically) than by those who take them for less serious reasons. Even bouts of major depression don't constitute a definite reason for taking pharmaceuticals. If it keeps you alive & lets you to work towards having something better BEYOND just 'existing', it's working. Try to reevaluate the manner in which YOU are evaluating the medication's effectiveness based upon what it is TRULY intended to do. As with everything in life, maintaining realistic goals & expectations is key to happiness."

• Kay
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 19, 2020

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "Had a DNA test to recommend what type of anti-depressant I should be taking....I had been on Venlafaxine for years after refusing others. Pristiq was recommended by this test for me to take. I did notice a number of positive changes taking Pristiq......Generic "Desvenlafax." I am more alert, Have somewhat more interest in life. No longer think about dying. It doesn't control my anxiety so therefore I take a mild dose of klonopin when needed. It did not give me energy but helps making me get up and around. I take 50 mg's a day. I do sleep 10 to 12 hours a day....sometimes not waking up during that time but I know that's the depression.I do take Amitriptyline for pain from Spinal Disk Degeneration pain."

• dvaldez
• December 10, 2009

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "For those coming off antidepressants such as Wellbutrin, Lexapro, and Zoloft. The venlafaxine formulation in Effexor and Pristiq work in entirely different ways than the medicine you used to take. If you cut cold from your old drug, you will also have withdrawal symptoms despite having started on a new antidepressant. If you are coming off something you've been taking longer than 5 months, ask your doctor to wean you off with smaller and smaller doses first. Lexapro, Zoloft, Celexa, and Prozac are SSRIs. Wellbutrin (bupropion also marketed as Zyban) is an NDRI. Effexor, Pristiq, like Cymbalta, are all SNRIs. They all go after different receptors in your brain, and some of them change how your brain works."

• amybi...
• July 26, 2014

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "I've been taking 50 mg Pristiq in combination with 300 mg Wellbutrin for two weeks, and it's the best I've tried. This week I've been able to handle family and work issues with a sense of hope and able to focus rather than anxiety/worrying, and that's awesome. I had been taking Prozac and Wellbutrin for years but felt it wasn't working. I tried everything but other meds didn't work or had bad side effects. This made me queasy at first, but my Dr. had said that would get better, and it did. I take it at night because in the morning, it makes me tired. So don't give up! There is hope. Hang in there."

• Anonymous
• March 1, 2009

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "I will start by saying that I suffer from major depression. I have tried just about everything in the book and was starting to just about feel like giving up hope (on medications, that is!) and was completely exhausted. My doctor just recently put me on Pristiq, and almost immediately I noticed a difference and have had no side effects whatsoever. I have been excited about life and happy to get out of bed every day now. It has been a drastic change, and I am so thankful. I'm not sure how this medicine might affect others, but for me, it has worked wonders."

• Anonymous
• August 28, 2008

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "I have been on Pristiq for about 2 months. I've tried probably 10-12 other antidepressants with lots of side effects that made me want to quit them. I feel better emotionally today. I have no side effects and I am able to complete tasks in a reasonable amount of time, without feeling overwhelmed. I have no anxiety issues and I am finally enjoying my life. I only wish the insurance industry would cover this medication."

• Ga girl
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 27, 2014

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "Been off and on antidepressants for 20 years. Been on 100 mg of Zoloft for about 5 years now and was having some adverse effects - gained a lot of weight for starters. Started Pristiq about 3 weeks ago. I feel a lot clearer in the mind - guess I didn't realize the fog I was in on the Zoloft. I'm not hungry - lost seven pounds in the first two weeks. Had some headaches while switching over. Sleep hasn't been a problem - but I have found that I need to take the meds at the same time in the mornings or I have headaches. So far, so good. Hopefully it will continue long term. I will probably be on meds the rest of my life - I've come to terms with that. Hoping this will be the last one I'm on!"

• raul
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 23, 2024

For Anxiety "34-week update. Had to come back and share my update. It’s been amazing. I’m putting myself in situations that would previously provoke panic and anxiety and haven’t had a panic attack in 7 months. I’m speaking in conferences of 200+ people, able to give presentations on the fly, social anxiety completely non-existent. For those of you reading this worried about side effects, just go for it and don’t look back. I was once there reading all the comments on this site. My marriage is way better, got promoted at work. Life is good. Believe me when I tell you, there is light at the end of the tunnel. I did have H. pylori. Search the connection between it and psychological issues. No longer stressed out all the time. I did gain 30 lbs, but I think it’s because I no longer have health anxiety. I honestly thought anxiety was going to kill me eventually. Spent a lot of money with different doctors because I couldn’t accept that it was all rooted in anxiety disorder."

• katy
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 10, 2023

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Major Depressive Disorder "I had my first episode of Major Depressive Disorders for 4 months. I have been on so many SSRIs and other groups of antidepressants like Sertraline, Fluoxetine, Wellbutrin, Vortioxetine, and I couldn't tolerate the side effects (Insomnia, anxiety, heart racing). It was affecting my quality of life. I couldn't work, my relationship with my husband started having more problems, and I had brain fog and couldn't concentrate. Pristiq brought me back again. I felt better after the first two weeks. I have the energy to live in this beautiful world again. My anhedonia is much better. I sleep well and eat well. My relationship with my husband is great and our sex life is fantastic, no libido, no decrease in sex drive. I had minor side effects for the first two days: headache, fatigue. For everyone who reads negative reviews about Pristiq, all of us - we are different, and our bodies react to medication differently. Never give up; try until you find the right one."

• Amand...
• December 3, 2014

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "Finally I see hope. After being diagnosed with severe depression (took me 4 years to seek treatment), I tried 5 different medications (plus therapy). They all failed miserably and I lost the hope I didn't even know I had, then tried suicide twice. Finally I was prescribed Pristiq and let me just say... what a difference! It got easier to wake up and get through the day, my self-esteem got better, my anxiety doesn't come as often, and I can even make plans for the future. For the first time I see change is possible. Just don't ever forget to take your pills, you can't really function without them. I got no side effects except for increased hunger/libido, and a bit of difficulty falling asleep. I'm taking 150mg now."

• Anonj
• April 11, 2016

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "Absolutely no side effects. I lost weight on this medication; however, if you do not want to lose weight, talk to your psychiatrist, and they can prescribe medications that can help you gain weight if you are underweight. This medication worked perfectly on my depression, and I have not relapsed since I was weaned off it. No sexual side effects; it actually helped my sex life. I am so happy I tried it."

• Jay
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 11, 2019

For Anxiety "Before I began this medication, I had terrible anxiety. I was barely functioning. I am currently on day 13 and I really started to notice a difference on day 10. They say it takes months for symptoms of depression to improve but this works pretty quickly for anxiety. The side effects I am experiencing are constipation and brain fog. Hopefully that lets up, but I am feeling much better without being constantly anxious. My anxiety has gone from a 10 down to a 2 on a 1-10 scale."

• Kevin
• January 23, 2014

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "Went to the doctor complaining of anxiety. Was waking up and not falling back asleep or even worse, could not fall asleep. Was also having anxiety attacks. The last time this happened, I was prescribed Effexor, which was a nightmare, and Celexa, which did nothing for me. Ended up quitting my job and with time off, I returned to normal. Quitting my job this time is not an option, so the doctor put me on Pristiq. Noticed a positive effect within 7 days, and I have been on it for a month now. This drug has worked absolute wonders for me. I have had no side effects at all (and no sexual impotency)."

• Jo Girl
• November 22, 2013

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "Have been taking Pristiq for just over a month -- relief from anxiety and depression after 3 days and able to concentrate and focus again to full capacity -- no side effects and sleeping well. I was on Effexor on and off for 10 years, with not a lot of relief from anxiety symptoms. Have lost some weight as well, and am starting to feel very positive."

• MAB
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 17, 2020

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "Initially Pristiq kept me on an even keel. Then it didn’t seem to make a difference. I don’t feel interested in anything. I have gained 20 lbs in six months. I told my doctor and she said to stop taking it. Easier said than done. It made me extremely sick. Headache and nervousness were unbearable"

• Pristiq...
• March 21, 2009

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) for Depression "I've been on Pristiq for 8 weeks and believe me, I have never felt better in my life. It works, no side effects. I'm a happy person now. The only thing I wouldn't do is to take Pristiq at night time. I take it at 8:00 am, so I don't have sleeping problems. Try it this way. This medicine is wonderful. GOOD LUCK EVERYBODY."