User Reviews for Effexor XR oral

Menopause took my sometimes edgy personality beyond the edge, and kept it hostage. Any upset became fly off the handle blind anger. This med stopped the derailment, totally and completely. And immediately. I still get angry, but it doesn't overtake me anymore. I wish I could recapture the first two weeks on 39.5 mg; absolute contentment. Doubling that did not much of anything; doubling it again (today) has been nice, but I still deal with being me. I was afraid of meds like this; felt if I couldn't do it myself, I was weak and worthless. Lemme tell ya, this med has made me ME again, to where I can interact with the world again instead of evading because I fear yet another inappropriate outburst. I do like yakking with people; I am no longer sullen, which prevented that. On the job, instead of finding fault with everything and anything, I've recaptured the joy in my ability to do what I do. One idiot I work with, instead of being a source of bristling irritation, is just an idiot, period. I still get angry and experience frustration; I'm still me. But I don't find myself wanting to grab a baseball bat and knock some sense into people's heads anymore. This med did not work for my biological daughter. Can't judge meds like this that way. But she did say it was nasty to get off of. Weird positive side effect I've noticed: when first taking, and at each dosage increase, my breathing is easier (I have asthma). All in all, the positive of this med (no longer itching to jump out of my skin and whack somebody) is well worth it. I watch the ceiling at night with each dose increase; when I do sleep, dreams are clearly remembered. I am well pleased with this medication. Me, who resisted messing with my psyche to the max for years. If you're sitting on the fence, I'd say go ahead and jump in. The water's fine.Read More Read Less

I was constantly filled with anxiety. I cried over everything. No one said the "right" thing; I was hurt by everyone's words or actions. I was tired and thought I would die if put in a new situation or attend an event alone. Panic would consume me. After a few days on this medication, I felt like "me" again! A friend asked what I was doing, I looked 10 yrs younger!

I am not sure if I am experiencing a side effect from this drug yet but I do seem to have a couple of the symptoms. I have the numbness and tingling in my hands at night which have woken me up. I have noticed a change in my eyesight which I have corrective lenses for but now I need stronger ones. The last is the intense dreams that seem to have increased. I started on this drug as a preventative measure for depression after losing my precious companion our dog suddenly. I work and could not afford to have the deep sadness interfere with my ability to funtion on a day to day basis. I am concerned with the reviews that indicate there is a withdrawl period since my doctor told me there was none.Read More Read Less

Oh boy if you are skinny and want to balloon up take this drug I went cold turkey off this stuff and it was pure Hell One strange this is that I am lex anxious than when taking it. My pharmacist told me it puts weight on. I gained 50 lbs As soon as I quit i started to lose it. This stuff is really scary and i would take something that is not so difficult to get off of

This medicine took away my migraine associated vertigo almost 100%. The vertigo used to be so debilitating that I was spinning 24 hours a day, and now it's completely gone except occasionally during my menstrual cycle. My migraine headaches are also less severe and less frequent. I came off of it for two weeks before I delivered my third baby, but I took it throughout pregnancy with her and she was/is fine. The withdrawal was horrible for me and the vertigo came back, so I went back on it and am still on it while nursing. I was never a big fan of the antidepressant idea but this drug has completely given me my life back from migraine vertigo.Read More Read Less

This worked wonders for me. It brought me back to my normal self. The sweating is ridiculous!! He started me on 75 mg which but cut it to 37.5 mg but the sweating did not stop, and that was not strong enough. I just break out in sweat all day! It's not worth that to me.

I have been on this for nearly 5 years now. Does anyone else notice any weight gain when taking this drug? I haven't changed eating habits that much really and my weight has ballooned since taking this med. Anyone relate?

At first it seemed to work but even after several increases in strength it only seems to work somewhat, at least sex drive and weight gain better than last drug

I have had less headaches, anxiety, and mood swings while on this drug. However, I cannot seem to find a time to take it that it doesn't interfere with my sleep.

It has been very helpful...I have been on it for 1.5 years and only side effect is massive dizziness if i miss a dose.

Feeling of complete calm verses coming out of my skin due to begining menopause. My family loves me again.

A nurse pract. put me on this for depression without taking a family history(my father and sisiter are bi-polar) and sent me into my first flying manic within two weeks! It landed me in a one year manic before I knew what it was, before I got help. I left my husband, had affairs with woman and men until I finally got to a Pdoc and got on drugs for Bi polar. I am finally stable now, two years later with my life very different and a family ruined. I tried to go off the effexor and crashed and tried to commit suiside. So I love and hate this drug!Read More Read Less

it keeps me awake at night and it is not helping my depression

I was brought out of a severe depression that lasted for the better part of two years. I even noticed a marked difference in the brightness and hue of colours in the trees and other outdoor things. I have been given a new lease on life!

Fixed the depression, gave me cataracts.

This is the only medication I have tried that actually helped my anxiety as well as my depression. It also had very few side effects as opposed to the others I have tried.

I was diagnosed with severe depression by my family doctor. She prescribed me 150mg of this drug. Initially it helped with my depression, but after a month I was still experiencing sleep problems. Then my memory and concentration significantly decreased. I experienced poor coordination, lethargy, and "shakiness." I fell back into a depression just based off of my symptoms.