At first the side effects were awful. Then it started working for my depression anxiety & panic attacks. Worked well for about 5 years then wasn’t working as well. Tried to get off of it and on a number of other SNRI’s & SSRI ‘s, can’t get off & it’s not that effective. Tried antipsychotics, mirtzapine & Wellbutrin, nothing is working & Effexor is just barely keeping me going, having depression & anxiety again, just not as bad. This is the hardest to get off of and makes it even worse when you feel bad & don’t have a lot of options.
I started this medication because of migraines, depression, and OCD. It helped almost immediately. I have been on it over 15 years. At this point, I am afraid to go off it. I am being treated for high blood pressure and glaucoma, which I understand are possible side effects of long-term use. I will take the trade off as I might not be here without it.
My doc put me on this med for anxiety. I was on it for 5 years. While it did help with the anxiety, it flat-lined my libido, and my personality. He had me on 300 mg/day!!—175 mg in the morning and 175 mg at dinner. My neurologist said I could take both doses in the morning. I had no idea how horrible that advice would be. Taking this med destroyed my marriage. As the divorce was winding down, I decided to stop taking it. It took six months....one capsule every day, then 1 capsule every other day. Then one capsule every third day. At the time (2011), I found a blog site where people recounted their experiences. Brain zaps, crying jags, paranoia, and more. I never had brain zaps but I did have what I call "squishy head" - when I turned my head to the right or left, my brain felt like it was sloshing in my skull trying to catch up with the motion of my head. It was heartbreaking. After 3 months of gradually coming off, but not being able to break with the drug completely, I used one of the suggestions on the blog site...break open a capsule and count the beads (approx 90). Take 60 granules a day for a while. I did this for 15-30 days. Then it was 45 granules for approximately 30 days. It was a $hit show. I was tired of counting the little beads. I would open a capsule, lick the end of my fingertip and dip it into the granules. That is how I took it until I just quit cold turkey. I did okay for a few days. Then, a sudden calm came over me while sitting in my parent's kitchen. My shotgun and pellet rifle were leaning against the wall. Had it not been for the fact I didn't have any ammo and I didn't know where to buy any, I may not be here today. For the next year, I experienced a very strange sensation. Any time I had to put some energy into a thought, it literally felt as though something/someone was pushing my head down into my shoulders. Very disconcerting. I also experienced "amnesia" for several years. A girlfriend asked me to make her some cushion covers for her pool area. (I have used a sewing machine since I was a child). When my friend placed her sewing machine in front of me, it might as well have been the engine of a car. I had NO clue how to fill the bobbin or thread it!!! I had a garage full of power tools as I did home improvements on our house for 5 years. When I volunteered for HFH, I couldn't remember how to use the skill saw, power drills, etc. IMHO, this drug should be taken off the market!
The generic form of Effexor was prescribed to me for major depressive disorder, PTSD, and anxiety. I was on it for about 3 years and it worked quite well. The issue was, I gained about 100 pounds and it took about 6 months to get off of it. I had the worst withdrawal symptoms of any antidepressant I’ve ever taken. FOR 6 MONTHS. it was horrible and because of that, I will never ever take it again.
Imagine being in a toxic relationship with a medication. It makes you feel good, but god forbid you forget about it for one day and you are destroyed by it. I wish i was being dramatic. This was a life saving drug for me, its helping me overcome agoraphobia. Its made my window of tolerance finally open up. Im going out again! But on the other hand if i forget to take my dose at the right time, and forget to take it for the guts of two hours of the right time, it will make my anxiety 1000 times worse and make me have debilitating nausea, diarrhea, headaches, shakiness, brain zaps etc for the next few days. Im not sure if it was worth it going on this medication. I feel like a drug addict, i feel lied to by my doctor and i feel finally more free of anxiety (on the days i dont run out of medication or forget to take it at the right time).
Prescribed for vestibular migraines. Was on it from April 2018 until August 2022. Past history- I detoxed off benzos in 2010 also quit drinking. Diagnosed in April 2018 with vm. I thought the reviews about withdrawals were exaggerated mainly because a benzo detox is horrendous. I was wrong. I wish I trusted the reviews. It made me severly depressed apathetic. Lost my job due to covid layoffs. I went through my savings because I had no feelings. Coming off it was hell. Electric shocks, severe anxiety. My memory is still horrendous. I get over whelmed easily. I have been sober 13.5 years and I can honestly say taking venlafaxine was the worse decision I ever made. I wish the Nuerologist recommended magnesium glycinate and other vitamins before trying this. She immediately prescribed venlafaxine claiming it is the only med proven to pull me out of chronic vm. I still had migraines on the med. I just wasn't walking on a boat anymore. This prescription should only be used for people with severe depression and agoraphobia. It changed my brain chemistry. I no longer laugh and I lost my creative side. I no longer can day dream. I was a functioning migrainer before I took this med. I may not have been functioning like someone without migraines but I was definitely functioning more than I was on it and off it. I also gained 75 pounds had edema in my legs. It was fast the moment I was upped to 150mg is when I gained alot of weight. It also caused restless legs. Fatigue. And sweat would pour out of my scalp. Weird thing is my temp ran very low previous to taking venlafaxine. For migrainers I would try something else. It isn't worth it.
Been taking this for 2 years for OCD and Depression and noticed great results. Felt like the first drug to work after trying what feels like everything. I did have to bump up the dose a few times because my depression would come back but my OCD was almost entirely resolved which gave my life back. For that this drug has been amazing. One thing to note is you CANNOT miss a dose with this. It will mess you up for a few days mood wise, brains zaps, and feel all around crazy. I heard weening off is awful too. But if used consistently it works!
So I had doctors last week and described my depression anxiety headache's I’ve been having that wakes me up out my sleep scared to leave the house standing in stores or places would make me freak out so my doctor thought this medication would be best since it works for a lot of what I described so I said ok that’s fine I’ll try it only 37.5 msg for 14 days then 75 msg after the 14 days are up he did explain how it works and also said I can stop it at anytime so Thursday I started it when I got home I felt fine next day I wake up take it took my kids to school I was fine on the way back home I got like a cold shock going on in my Legs so I said WTH so I got home and started doing research on the medication and now I will never know if it was meant for me or now because I stopped it and contacted my doctor now we are figuring out another solution for me just thankful i didn’t let it affect my body to where I got the withdrawal from this medication.
I was put on 75mg to start, then wanted off of it, and was put on 37.5mg, and weaning myself. I currently take it once then skip 2 days, then repeat until gone. Side effects for me are blurry vision, brain shocks, dizziness,and nauseous. I'll never take this ever again!
Taken it for Vestibular Migraine complicated by PPPD. Started with 75mg and increased to 150mg. Conditioned resolved gradually after 8-12 weeks. Side effects go away after 2 weeks from increasing the dose. Took it for one year and then reduced gradually over another 12 months by opening the capsule and removing pellets slowly using precise scales. Did not experience any withdrawal symptoms. If you suffer from this condition, do not hesitate to start treatment immediately. Unless you want to suffer for years.
Effexor truly changed my life. I have been on 150 mg for almost 3 years! My anxiety has been very manageable and controllable ever since. The only side effects I notice is a very high amount of sweating while I sleep, and my alcohol tolerance is very obviously lower.
Literally saved my life, it does cause me to have high blood pressure. But I’ve been on this medication for two years and it’s life changing for the good!
I had taken Effexor in the morning and about 12 hours later when i came home from work something happened and i was sent into almost like psychosis for the next 12 hours and then i was fine for the most part, reason it happened im guessing is drug interactions
Took one 37.5 mg last night. Could not sleep at all. Never have I felt so sick in my life. Tremors, dry mouth, massive migraine. It's horrible! Will NEVER take this again
since I took the medicine my pain has gotten worse. I have pain I never had before. I will discontinue the medication tonight.
It was gud. It heps me be less scared.
I was on Effexor for a month and accidentally missed a dose one night. Just from missing one dose, it gave me withdrawal symptoms that lead me into the Emergency Room 2 nights in a row. It was the worst experience of my life.
Just be aware if it doesn’t work for you, have fun getting off of it. Terrible side effects. It shouldn’t be legal. Let this be your warning. I wish someone had warned me.
I was on Citalopram for 12 years but it stopped working My Doctor changed me on to Effexor No side effects what so ever now on 225 mg and back at work Thank you Effexor it saved my life
It is an excellent medication. It has uplifted my mood and made me happy.