Effexor XR for Major Depressive Disorder User Reviews (Page 4)

• Tascha
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 17, 2015

"Effexor works reasonably well for me. I'm on 150mg and for the most part it controls my depression. I do find it better to take this med in the morning. Firstly because I think it lessens the depression for me when I take it at that time. Also it stops the side effect of dizziness for me. If I miss the meds I know about it. As the dizziness does not go away otherwise. That's really the only side effect that I find that's negative about this med."

• suici...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 7, 2015

"Was switched to this after the generic version by ranbaxy was discontinued. Developed symptoms of tolerance straightaway. It causes my brain to scream out in pain all the time and I keep getting unwanted thoughts. I also developed muscular aches and pains all over and other drugs just kept causing my muscles to contract and be unable to relax. I tried stopping many times but kept returning cuz of the nausea and vomiting and all the other symptoms above. I have been off it for about three months and have been back on it for three days. Already I hear my brain screaming out in pain and the unwanted thoughts return. The muscle aches seem to occur only in conjunction with another drug. I am taking it only because of the grief I feel in my heart"

• Catty
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 25, 2020

"I started taking Effexor at 50mg and my dosage has slowly been increased into 300mg. It has helped a little, in conjunction with managing my PMDD, sleeping pills, and DBT. The side effects are awful. When I first started taking it, I got so nauseous I had to lay in bed all day and couldn't do anything. I started taking it at night to combat this, but then that gave me insomnia. The anorgasmia is awful. I still have the same libido as before, but reaching orgasm is near impossible thanks to this medication. The withdrawal is bad too, which is awful for me because I often forget to take it and will often leave it at home."

• Karis...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 18, 2018

"I’ve been on Effexor XR for for about 7 months now. At first it made me feel off (I’ve been sober for 6 years so I haven’t taken more than an ibuprofen). It made me super tired, a little nervous, I wouldn’t be hungry and I yawned constantly, but all that improved within a week or so. I was on cloud 9 for a while and felt clear, happy and somewhat euphoric. Then my depression came back hard. I was on 75mg for the first couple months and now 112.5mg. My night sweats are pretty bad, my rage hasn’t improved (I also have bpd, ptsd and anxiety disorder), I’ve been constipated this whole time and I just don’t think it’s helping me anymore. Missing a dose feels like detoxing from street drugs. Effexor worked great at first and I never thought I’d switch, but I’m starting Prozac and titrations off. It hasn’t been too bad so far."

• Case
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 13, 2023

"Until yesterday I was taking Trintellix 20mg for MDD, PTSD and Anxiety. Unfortunately, this is a tier 3 medication and $220 on my new insurance. So, I was prescribed Effexor 75mg to start for 5 days then bumped up to 150mg thereafter. I started this med yesterday and after the first dose I actually feel amazing. I know, its only been one dose, but I honestly can say I just feel different, a good different. I have tried Wellbutrin and Lexapro before with no luck. I'm actually excited to continue this medication because for the first time in a long time I feel content. I'll add another review in a few weeks."

• Addy
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 29, 2019

"I have been diagnosed with MDD, GAD, and OCD. I'm currently 36 years old and am healthy otherwise. Effexor XR worked well for the MDD + GAD but I did not get relief from OCD (which may have intensified). However, this medicine caused me to have memory/thinking issues, and, I would forget to take the medicine 1-4 times/month (which caused withdrawal symptoms to begin within ~4-6 hrs of forgetting). I had to quit effexor so I could do my job, but the withdrawal symptoms are horrendous. I've been tapering down (from 150 mg/day) for 4 months and every step down is terrible for ~7-14 days. I can't work, or even walk around my house because I have body (and brain?) tremors/jumps, intense nausea, difficulty maintaining balance while walking, and intense muscle aches/pains in my neck and back. If the withdrawals/forgetfulness were less severe I'd take this medicine forever because it really helped with depression and anxiety."

• hiano
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 17, 2021

"When I first tried Effexor, it was after a huge panic attack. Lexapro didn’t make a difference in the way I felt. I started on 37.5mg I was better, but still had a few panic attacks. 75mg cured my anxiety, but I felt extremely suicidal for the first time in a while. I’m now on 150 mg of Effexor, and my Social Anxiety Disorder is gone. I haven’t felt this happy in years. I no longer cry every time I hear my alarm go off in fear for the day and whats coming next. But I will admit that missing more than one day of medication will give you brain zaps and dizzy spells. This hasn’t happened since a lower dosage."

• Austr...
• October 28, 2015

"Don ever remember feeling 100% on effexor Bad withdrawal symptoms. I went from 150mg of effexor to 10mg of cipramil and feel alot better. There is no way il everl be taking effexor and wouldnt recommend it to anyone, to many side effects."

• Deppr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 18, 2017

"I started Effexor after not being able to take Paxil due to headaches, and felt like trash after a week on Paxil, sexual side effects from Paxil as well. On Effexor 37.5 mg I feel better, less depressed, don't have alot of energy, but have less depressive thoughts after a week my dose was upped to 75 mg. After a week on 37.5 mg I noticed it was almost impossible to orgasm. On 75 mg it is impossible for me to orgasm. This is making me want to stop it, and try to find something else that may not effect me in this way. I don't have an issue with getting an erection and performing, it's just I can't orgasm. I have even tried generic viagra "sildenafil" which does improve the erection but still can't orgasm."

• Misery
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 13, 2021

"Started on Venlafaxine 1x 35mg /day for a month with zero effect combined with Propranolol 3x 10mg /day. Depression and anxiety worsened so got bumped up to 1x 75mg /day with 3-5x 10mg Propranolol for a month with zero response and symptoms continued to deteriorate. Then given Mirtazapine 1x15mg /day, Venlafaxine and Diazepam with zero effect. Most recently now on Venlafaxine 75mg x2 /day, Mirtazapine 15mg x2 /day with CBT still nothing and rapidly giving up hope Previously tried high doses of Citalopram, Sertraline and Mirtazapine all with zero effect and no side effect, even GP admitted I'm broken."

• Small...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 5, 2024

"I had tried the regular Effexor and was terribly nauseated, so bad I couldn't get out of bed. I then was switched to the sustained release, but along with severe nausea, I felt as if I had the worst bladder infection of my life so I stopped. Because I took this for just over a month, I have no idea how it works for depression. It certainly didn't help me."

• Meows
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 26, 2023

"I have been taking effexor for years, in doses ranging from 150mg up to 225mg. It works very well for GAD and depression, however the side effects with dose changes suck (dizziness, nausea, brain zaps, headaches) but usually only persist for about a week. Cannot forget a dose or the side effects come back. Overall though it has done well to manage my symptoms."

• Exper...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 25, 2017

"I am sure Effexor has helped many people over the years. I was one of the first patients to take Prozac I was given ever increasing doses as my depression increased. At first, I was HEALED! I wound up in hospital with psychotic break, due to SSRI's. Effexor was given to me a few years later ( Doctors still did not correlate medication as possible issue ) and again I got more depressed. At this point I was taking a bi-polar med Lithium. The Dr. abruptly stopped Effexor from a high dose., and I do not remember the next month. I was on the payphone in a psych- ward talking to my Mom and came back. The nurses said I do not want to know what happened. I take my meds everyday, at the same time, see my Dr. every 3 months, and am well."

• PPOd
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 22, 2018

"I have been taking lamotragine but find it ineffective for depression. I was misdiagnosed as bipolar. I am considering taking venlaflazine again which worked to treat the depression for 12 years. I am a little wary though, realising now that all medications have bad side effects that at the time we tolerate. The down sides of venlaflaxine were irritability and unable to really relax. Tooth grinding, I lost and cracked 2 teeth and an inability to think or talk about my problems, armoured and ignoring them. Is it better to live calmly with some depression than none?"

• Linds...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 5, 2016

"My doctor put me on 37.5 mg regular (generic brand) for about 2 weeks and I was so tired and still depressed. So she upped my dosage to 75 mg XR. And after 2 days my anxiety was out of control and depressed so I had be watched 24/7. So I finally got off it after I switched backed to 37.5 before going cold turkey. I didn't have any withdrawal symptoms. Good luck to anyone on this medication."

• Sour...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 8, 2020

"Helped some, but never achieved remission from my depression, while taking venlafaxine for about 9 months. Full remission with duloxetine within 90 days and continued efficacy for over 15 years. No significant side effects from either drug although venlafaxine increased my blood pressure and pulse more."

• Lauren
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 1, 2022

"I had tried a few SSRIs to no avail. They made me feel like I was a zombie. Tried venlafaxine and had good results for a few months. After that though, it felt like it stopped working. I missed a couple of doses and noticed no difference whether I was off the meds or on them. I, fortunately, did not experience any of the withdrawal symptoms that others report. It simply didn't work for me long-term."

• Kelen...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 30, 2015

"I have been on EffexorXR 300mg since August of last year. I must say it has been a bumpy ride at best. I gave it an 8 because although it has been fairly effective for my suicidal outlook on life, it has not really done a whole lot for my depression. I still have overlap symptoms meaning that all my symptoms of depression are still there I just don't feel like I want to die. As for side effects, in the first few weeks all I was was tired, but after the initial few weeks it subsided. After that I really am no help because I went through the tribulation of finding a good anti-anxiety medication. I really do think I am alive now because of the EffexorXR. No improvement in qol because I still deal day to day with depression, but not suicidal."

• becca
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 28, 2018

"I'm on the Effexor 50mg dose. You can get a bead form or a tablet form. Well when I'm on the bead form it acts like I haven't taken it at all - I get dizzy, feel sick, often vomit but when I'm on the tablet form I'm fine."

• stevie
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 21, 2022

"I tried this med after years of trying (with no success) various other antidepressants. I had hope. Unfortunately, like everything else, it didn't help and actually made me worse. The starting dose of 37.5mg made me feel quite nauseated but it wasn't bad. It lasted for about 2 weeks. It was a bit better when I ate something with the pill, though due to chronic anxiety, I haven't eaten in the day for years. The real problem though, was that my pre-existing constant dread / fear / anxiety was AMPLIFIED terribly every 2-3 days. I couldn't even leave the house and had no ability to enjoy anything due to the anxiety. Once I went up to a dose of 75mg, the extra anxiety went back down, but the existing anxiety remained, and my emotional blunting has NEVER been so severe! This started my time of sleeping most of the day, which I still do, 2 years later, even though I haven't taken these meds since late 2020. They say coming off Effexor is really hard, but I found it fine. No difference."

• Tisa
• July 12, 2015

"I am not only trying to help my depression but I'm trying to find something to help my ADHD symptoms. ... my psychiatrist said this would help as a non stimulant because I am really sketchy about trying adderall or something similar. Well my experience with Venlafaxine was that I developed twitches! Involuntary twitching is incredibly annoying. ... so back to fluoxetine. I did feel more focused... but the twitching is not tolerable enough for me"

• 1970
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 4, 2023

"I changed from fluoxetine to Effexor XR, gradually increasing up to 225mg. I'm not sure if the increased anxiety was from fluoxetine withdrawal, but it gradually got better and I found Effexor XR to be a much better drug. The only side effect I experience is high blood pressure. So now I am reducing. I am currently on 187mg, in my fourth week. After 6 weeks, the pharmacist advised me to go down to 150mg. I'm not sure, but I haven't experienced many withdrawals yet, but they could come. My blood pressure is slightly lower, but it may not be the drug; only time will tell once I am reduced."

• gcarv...
• September 11, 2018

"It helped a little bit with my depression but the response was not enough. My doctor added other antidepressants and a mood stabilizer but the efficacy remained at the same level. My first days on it were not easy, and I noticed a significant weight again right on the next day. It was crazy to see how much weight gain you can have on antidepressants SO QUICKLY. After 6 months, my body fat went from 4% to 18%."

• Anna
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 9, 2024

"For me, it is very sedating. I cannot breathe very well. Unfortunately, I haven't found an alternative because Seroxat left me after 5 years, and Cipralex (escitalopram) left me after 9 years. On the other hand, it is weak for depression; I had to add a second antidepressant beside it. I am taking 150 mg Venlafaxine."

• Tom
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 24, 2024

"Works well for depression, but be aware that once you start this medicine you MAY not be able to come off of it. Because of the utterly horrific withdrawal effects. I can attest to these personally, and that is why since 2007, I am still on this medicine to this day and probably will be on it for the rest of my life. It can cause anger, hostility, lack of sympathy for others, loss of regret/guilt. I experienced all of these side effects, unfortunately. It also raises your blood pressure. I had to start taking high blood pressure medicine quickly after I got on this Effexor XR back in 2007. If you are worried about possible dependency for life, then you may want to consider another option instead of Effexor. It grabs ahold of you very quickly. Within a couple of weeks."