User Reviews for Venlafaxine (Effexor)

I just started have nasuae and sweating but it makes me have a good nights rest as for the wieght gain that everyone talks about I dont know it made me lose wieght i was over wieght Im very scared of having withdrawls after i dont need it.

I took Effexor for about a year for depression/anxiety. I worked ok, but I had the strangest sensations visually. If I turned on a bright light first thing in the morning, I would see streaks of light. I had terrible vivid mixed up dreams that left me tired in the morning. I developed double vision and the eye Dr. couldn't find a real cause. I stopped Effexor and went on Celexa and my vision corrected itself. Not sure if Effexor caused it, but won't take a chance again.

I have taken this medication for depression and ptsd for almost 3 years. It has not helped at all with the depression, or mood swings. Now that I am going off it I am absolutely crazy, I can't stop twitching. It feels like I am being electrocuted it has been one week with out the medication and I cant function like a normal person at all I cant even drive.

Dr. prescribed 150mg day (2 tab of 75mg). Within 30 min of taking, I was incredibly nauseous, couldn't eat, dizzy and had violent diarrhea. Went to bed and didn't sleep ALL night. Nauseous all night and wanted to throw up 3 times but maintained myself. Cold, clammy, weak, shaky, spacey. In the morning, eyes dilated, nauseous, tired, basically felt like doo-doo. This all in a matter of 12 hours! Looking at the long-term side effects of this drug, it is sooo not worth it! I wish I would have researched this before agreeing with my Dr. I will deal with anxiety naturally... exercising more and eating better. Oh, and the thought of gaining 30-60 pounds! What the?? No way! That would give more more stress and anxiety. Read More Read Less

Horrible GI and urinary tract side effects. I am thrilled to be off this drug!

this medication has been helpful with some menopause symptoms i've been experiencing.

I took this after BLM for hot flashes. 35.7mg wasn't working so was upped to 75mg.That is when problems started. I was not depressed before but taking this med was depressed while taking. Could care less if I got out of bed. First left arm tremors, then major ragedy Ann uncontrollable shaking that moved to rt side. Anytime I moved around I would start shaking so bad! The withdraw of this med has been way beyond hell. And I was only on it for 2 months. Explosive headaches, buzzing & convulsion like shaking. BAD BAD drug I will never take another pill without researching it myself. Doctor should have warned me & he is still saying he has never had a patient react this wayRead More Read Less

This drug worked for me. However, the withdrawal of going off of it was HORRIBLE! I was suicidal, cutting myself worse, couldn't sleep at night, slept all day, was like a zombie, lethargic, and went to my dr 19 times in 2 months during the withdrawal. I would have never started it if I knew how bad getting off of it would be.

I have taken Effexor for a few years and have had some of the side effects- sweating, no sexual interest, weight gain. I am now trying to get off of it and the withdrawl symptoms are TERRIBLE! I feel so nautious and aggitated. Not too mention anger issues, not sleeping & dizziness. I hope it doesn't last too long. I'm miserable.

I have taken this medication for my depression for several months, and have not seen any changes.

switched from another antidepressant that wasn't working for me anymore. started at the 75 mg dose. the first week was fine, then i started getting nauseous, felt better after about 2 weeks. doc upped my dosage to 150mg, then to 225mg. i hated the 225mg dosage, i couldn't sleep at all, tossed and turned all night, even with sleeping pills. went back to taking the 150mg dose after 2 weeks of very little sleep.

Effexor worked to relieve the anxiety I was experiencing. HOWEVER, when I decided to stop taking the medication, I experienced many negative physical issues including passing out and being taken to the hospital, low blood pressure and a seizure like episode. Had I known how difficult it would be to stop the medication, I never would have started it.

I've been taking 150mg for a few years now. I started with 37.5mg and after a life trauma, my doctor increased the dosage to 300mg. I have tried many times to reduce the dosage but my doctor insists that I take a medium dose. He pisses me off because he has never suggested counseling. The biggest side effect I wish to share are the frightful, colorful, detailed nightmares. If I miss one dose, my dreams are so very realistic. People I have known and know now are part of my dream. Situations with these people where I feel that things were unresolved or I cause negativity in our lives are animated so clearly in these dreams. Sometimes I purposely don't take this medicine to see what I will dream next because I remember everything. Read More Read Less

It brought me up from depression a year ago after some months of trying with other drugs by my doctor. She said results are not the same for all patients; that's why, I guess, doctors sometimes have to experience with different drugs until they find the appropriate one for the specific patient.I hope this message may be useful for many in the world afflicted by deppresion or bipolar disorder.

I took Effexor XR for 4 years and I gained 60 lbs. NO FUN!!! Side effects for me were: extreme tiredness...no energy, yet I had little to no anxiety. So, if you struggle with weight like I do, STAY AWAY! It really helps with stress-management but the weight gain for me was a bigger stressor. Also, the withdrawal symptoms for this med are WORSE than what made me "need" it in the first place!!! I am SOO glad to be finally off this med. Proceed with caution if you plan on taking this!!!

I have been on this med for 6 years. I started on 150 mg, moved to 225 mg, and then back to 150 mg. 225 worked best for me but insurance insisted on 150. I don't really have any side effects other than possible sex drive diminishment. If I miss it for just one day I begin to feel the negative physical effects immediately, which seem to be withdrawal symptoms. It works pretty well for me. An internist prescribed it, but a psychiatrist would like to ween me off of it, which I refuse to do.

When I was on this medication I had extreme nausea and my teeth would clench up. It made me really really sick. I would not go on this medicine and it makes you very confused!!

My doctor prescribed this med for me 8 years ago for depression. I started with 75mg and now take 225mg daily. It is very effective in regards to controlling my depression, but there are negatives too. I have gained over 50 pounds while taking Effexor and my sex drive is nearly nonexistent. I forget things often and my family notices this. I cannot remember the last time I cried. It is great to feel like I can cope with life, but I do not like the extra weight.

ive been taking this medican a long time maybe i should try something else because imtired all the time

I had tried almost every medicine I could to try to stop the pain in my body. I asked my doctor to change my depression medicine. An added benefit of this medication for me was that it greatly diminished the pain enough so that I could move around again without stopping continous times along the way to my destination.