Effexor XR for Anxiety User Reviews (Page 5)

• Pops
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 25, 2015

"Not perfect but pretty close. Switched from Paxil(no emotions)-> Wellbutrin(aka severe anorexia)->Effexor. Basically all medications were pretty decent at anxiety coverage. I found Paxil to be the best without thinking of anything but anxiety attacks. Wellbutrin to be the least effective. Effexor was somewhere in the middle while still letting me enjoy life with an occasional anxiety attack. Since I've been on Effexor I've had maybe 3-4 small anxiety attacks in the span of 2-3 years."

• Rose
• March 1, 2018

"I have been on this drug for 2 weeks and am already in love with it. I feel like it’s balancing out something in my brain that has been broken a long time. I feel like if I’m not constantly struggling and fighting to lose weight the pounds just pile on. When I stop exercising while sick I gain everything back. I also have depression and anxiety. Most pills make me feel like a zombie. So since starting this drug I have lost almost ten pounds in 2 weeks. And I haven’t even tried! I am less hungry, like if I’m not hungry food doesn’t even look good. I was on vacation for one of the weeks I’ve been on Effexor and didn’t eat the healthiest, but did eat less. I haven’t exercised either, except for a few days here and there. I know it takes longer to see the real effects of the drug, but I’m already less anxious and the weight is just falling off. No bad side effects except a little constipation and a slight head ache the first week."

• Anonymous
• June 11, 2009

"I am 26 years old and I have been on Effexor for anxiety. When first starting the medication I had severe nausea for about 2 weeks but I stuck with it. Thankfully the nausea went away and now I feel so much better. I feel smarter, more grounded and able to make appropriate decisions. Before going on Effexor it was like I was always working hyper vigilantly to ensure nothing bad happened. Now I am able to relax and go with the flow. The only draw back is the severe withdrawal symptoms of dizziness and "brain jolts." I notice these beginning even if I am just a hour late taking my pill."

• allis...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 11, 2016

"I tried Effexor XR after most of the SSRIs I recently tried gave me diarrhea for more than just the initial adjustment period. I tend to be more on the anxious side of life and the SSRIs seemed to treat that better than Effexor, but I cant be in the bathroom all day. 75mg/day works well for me currently. I was on 150mg for a year which worked well, but then suddenly my anxiety and obsessive thinking was coming back.The doc upped dose to 225 and I got way worse, so we lowered it and boom. way better. "less is more" worked for me this time. Effexor XR also has less side effects for me regarding fatigue, hunger, weight gain and sexual side effects. as a woman this is a huge perk. mental health- the struggle is real! Good luck!"

• Andrea...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 25, 2019

"I started taking Effexor 75mg for my anxiety at 22yrs old when lexapro and Prozac were no longer working for me. I immediately felt relief after I started taking it. I am very bad at taking it at the same time everyday/remembering to take it every single day and have experienced some of the most horrendous withdrawal symptoms. I start to notice it about 6-7 hours after a missed dose. I’ll start to feel off balance, headache, fatigue, flu-like feeling, vomiting, etc. This drug is amazing if you remember to take it but it is definitely something you need to be on long-term. Highly addictive & horrible withdrawal symptoms."

• Jeremy
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 24, 2019

"Was on 150mg for the past 3 years. I tried to get off them earlier last year to no avail for the withdrawals from this drug seem to be incredibly dangerous and life halting. For 2 months now I have been going down in dosage from 75mg to 37.50mg and now 0 mg. Throbbing shocks in my head, convulsions, bad stomach pains, nausea, mentally destroyed - random crying and rage from anything that catches my emotional attention (dropping a pencil etc). I do not recommend this drug. It may have helped me get through some hard times but in my honest opinion I feel this should be illegal. I have had to take time off from work for I cannot function appropriately."

• Depre...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 15, 2016

"This medication has helped me out a lot with depression and ruminative thoghts. It has made me feel less anxious and much happier. I get depressed less and less. I have been on this med for 6 months now and it has helped give me the energy to be happy. Give it a shot! Only negative side effect for me has been night sweats. Missing a dose hasn't cause any problems for me."

• Maple...
• July 10, 2014

"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."

• kevin
• April 13, 2015

"You have to keep taking this medicine forever. The withdrawl is awful after a day. However, once you find your dose everything is fine. I don't recommend this medicine because its like a marriage with a messy long divorce. Its better to stay on it once youre on it. I am on 150 mg and it works for me. Don't try and go off"

• Giord...
• September 15, 2010

"I took Effexor for 10 years and found it highly effective controlling anxiety/panic attacks. After deciding to stop [with Doctor's approval], I reduced my dosage gradually, and am discontinuing it. Withdrawal has been rough - like the worst hangover - and I'm into the 5th day but getting better. However, my mood is still good compared to 10 years ago, and I would like to be medication-free. Effexor allowed me to control my anxiety/moods through some tough times and through it, I learned new ways to deal with such. I highly recommend it."

• NikNak
• June 2, 2017

"This changed my life. For 20 years I have been prescribed so many things and they all seemed to make me feel crazy. After having my son it got worse and I never wanted to leave the house. I have tried exercise, natural therapies, everything but I swear the chemicals are just not right in my head. I always felt lost, like every small thing mattered too much. I started on 75mg before sitting on 150mg for a year and a half. I have been so much happier and chilled out. Not worrying all the time. I have sleep apnea too so I am not sure if it's made my sleep worse as it's already pretty bad. My mind never stops. I felt myself losing control of my life lately due to huge stress at work and small kids. 225mg has evened me out and feel good :)"

• adam
• July 24, 2014

"I'm 19 and have suffered with anxiety for three years or so. Previously had been on Prozac and Lexapro which were both hellish. Began taking Effexor XR two months ago and started feeling better two weeks through but out of no where the medication not only ceased to work but actually made my anxiety a lot worse. Have horrible agitation, depression, irritability and insomnia. Pity I could really do with an antidepressant than works!"

• Anonymous
• April 12, 2012

"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."

• jenny...
• August 4, 2011

"I have taken this medication for over 4 years and my life has changed dramatically since then. I take 75mg doses 3 times a day and my days are so much better now compared to over 4 years ago when I would have panic attacks and anxiety attacks. I would recommend this to anyone who has depression or anxiety/social anxiety disorders. The only downfall is if you run out of your prescription the withdrawal symptoms can be intense after about 2 days. Make sure your refills are ready and not about to expire because it can cause you a lot of problems such as it has been in my case. Other than that it is a great medication to help you get back to your normal self again."

• Cerii...
• January 26, 2017

"I believe this medication saved my life. I did feel extremely sleepy at first while my dosage was being raised but that went away quickly. I have a new feeling of wanting to get up and do things that wasn't there before. I also feel a sense of calm and peacefulness. The only side effects so far that were troublesome is constipation and sometimes it's hard to concentrate if someone is speaking."

• jim
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 18, 2019

"Stopped after first capsule. I had Nausea, headache, dizzy, disoriented, rise in blood pressure to 170/93, blurred vision, extreme fatigue, difficulty breathing, tightness in chest, caused onset of IBS. I couldn’t get out of bed for 36 hours."

• lily...
• September 11, 2016

"Started effexor after citalopram stopped working for anxiety and depression, been taking it for 3 years, was up to 150mg, tapered down to 37.5mg, slowly over 6 months, mainly because of weight gain, and feeling more calm, No problems in reducing, but am reluctant to go lower in case of a relapse, has anyone lost weight after reducing the dose, or do you have to come off completely ? I rate effexor, except for weight gain, and sweating, the only med that has made me function normally,"

• feeling...
• December 7, 2016

"Just an FYI. Not all anxiety medications work for everyone. This one works amazingly for me but works horribly for a good friend of mine. She took a test to determine what medication was best for her and was able to find the best match. If you are on a medication that isn't working don't give up hope, ask to do the test and try something until you find one that works for you. If your doctor isn't accommodating look for another one. Cheers."

• Eagles
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 5, 2017

"On Effexor for 14 years. 150 milligrams daily of the IR not the XR so I was taking 75mg 2 times per day. In retrospect, the medicine worked for me for about a year and the other 13 were just maintenance years. I also found since titrating from 150mg down to 9.75 mg that I feel human again. Effexor solved zero problems for me and it simply numbed me to feeling strong emotion. I also dropped 36 pounds since coming off of this medicine and feel a heck of a lot better. I have been titrating since July of 2015 and my last titration to zero will be in 2 weeks. As stated before, this stuff doesn't solve problems, it just numbs human emotion. Me, like many other folks need to learn how to accept our emotions. The answer isn't always a drug"

• Billy
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 19, 2019

"Effexor was awesome for my anxiety and panic, but being a male , I had a very hard time in the bedroom. Could not finish. Unfortunately I had to go back to Pristiq for this reason. I've been on Pristiq for a long time and it's works quite good, when you compare it to Effexor XR, the Pristiq just doesn't feel as good as . But it is a lot milder in its side effects in the bedroom. Anyway I read that a lot of people are having a horrendous time getting off Effexor. My doctor advised me to straight swap Effexor 75mg for 50mg Pristiq next day and it worked great. I felt a bit sick in the stomach for a day, but that was it. Just allow yourself a day or two free days, just to be on the safe side. I've also done the same for 150mg Effexor to 100mg Pristiq. I've always tolerated Pristiq quite well. That's also how my doctor advised me to transition from Pristiq to Effexor as well. Just straight swap next day, also worked fine. Hope this helps."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 3, 2021

"10 days in on 37.5 and already feel decreased anxiety. Sleep issues still and some day time fatigue but I know this will pass with time. Worried about stopping them one day from all the reviews but I'm looking forward to taking a year to feel good."

• Jaded
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 23, 2013

"Had horrible side effects, did not sleep for 2 weeks. Developed tics. Felt like I was living a nightmare. Had to be hospitalized. They took me off Effexor. And I started Zoloft. Zoloft worked fantastic . Took Zoloft for a year. Been off meds for 9 years with no problems."

• Anonymous
• April 13, 2009

"This medication has helped me out very much. I used to get anxiety attacks often about school or work, a couple times a week but now I rarely get them at all. I also used to just "blow up" in arguments with my wife but now I feel in control of my actions and speech."

• Anony...
• January 27, 2010

"I have been taking Effexor XR for about 8 years after suffering a serious mental breakdown. This medicine has given me back my life. Having said that the UK government have recently told all doctors to prescribe the generic version. THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE, I began suffering terrible headaches, and anxiety again. After speaking to my Consultant Psychiatrist I am now back on Effexor with all the nasty symptoms gone. There really is no substitute for the real thing."

• Anonymous
• January 1, 2011

"I was switched to Effexor XR after 2 years of Paxil. It worked wonderful for about 3 years. I was on 75mg and started to have uncontrollable movement with my one arm. Talked to my doctor who said it was not the medicine. Well after another year I was having the problem in my legs and both arms and could no longer sit or walk without frequent jerking. My doctor finally realized that it was a rare side effect of the medication from long term use and switched me to another. I still have the jerking at least 2 to 3 times a week. If you notice this problem at all you need to talk to your doctor immediately."