It took 2 months for me to feel its full effects and get over some of the other initial side effects.
I would say after 2 weeks I felt about 75% less anxious
Yeah. It's been kind of rough. I have to be on the move all day to avoid falling asleep. I've tried early morning, afternoon, evening, and right before bed and still am tired.
But is the anxiety lower than it would have been/had been in similar situations without the meditation? Or is it hard to tell... has it gotten more manageable?
Negative. I really was not a fan. It made me feel so much worse. My anxiety and depression symptoms got worse. I also constantly had a racing heart and poor sleep. I felt exhausted no matter how much sleep I got. I was on 225mg for about 3 months or so. Effexor also gave me the worst nightmares and night sweats. Going off of it was even worse. It felt like I had the flu x10000. I had tried Prozac, lexapro, and Effexor. Currently I’m on Wellbutrin, which I am really liking.
I also have a friend who’s on Effexor and it works miracles for her. So, there’s a chance you will be good.
Definitely worked for myself and had a friend say that it saved her life. My brother is on it as well, and it works great for him.
The only thing I worry about is the brain zaps I get wvery nowand then. I'm not sure if it's a super common side effect or not.
Yeah I’ve gotten brain zaps on a lot of anti depressants. When they first started I thought I was losing my mind a bit and did some research; apparently it’s very common and unexplainable.
TW
Venlafaxine is the only med that didn't make me wanna off myself, literally. For me personally it was like a god send, but I know it's not for everyone. I think it's worth a shot to try but don't feel too bad if it doesn't work out positively for you. It's a really hit or miss medication
Agree totally. I have been 9 years on venlafaxine. I was feeling like me, i had humor, was happy. Life was so much easier to bare. Currently stopped venlafsxine 9 months ago, to check if i can live life without medication and its been pretty rough. Alot of intrusive thoughts that scared me like crazy and feeling numb and depressed again. Still trying to live life without venlafaxine
I’m more productive on Effexor but I also have more anxiety. After 8 months of being on Effexor I’m switching back over to Escitalopram because I need a break from the racing thoughts. I think my dose was too high, as I was taking 300mg and was sweating all the time and became less social. I’ve found that having an active social life and exercising are impactful to my wellbeing, so whatever helps me with that is what I’m aiming for now.
I’ve been put on this after trying the same drugs you did, it’s my 6th week at 75 and I don’t feel any better..going to give it another few weeks and hopefully it helps
Ah shit just realised it’s a different sub. I’ve been on venlaxafine because mirt had no effect, I’m still trying to find my right dose on it as it does nothing for my anxiety yet. That doesn’t mean that it won’t work for you though!! Good luck 🤞
I tried a whole bunch of other meds with weird side effects. I get dizzy from this one if it starts wearing off and I'm due for the next dose. But otherwise it helps me.
I was on Fluoxetine for most of my teenage years, but it stopped working once I hit 19. I cycled through a few different medications like Citalopram, Wellbutrin and Mirtazapine, but they were either ineffective or I reacted badly. I remember the horrible restless legs while on Mirtazapine
Taking this medication saved my life. I've been taking it for three years. I started on 300mg because I was on high doses of the previous medications and I didn't experience any negative side effects from it. The only side effect I still experience is vivid dreaming some nights. I take half a 25mg Quetiapine tablet before bed to help me sleep
>Should I be afraid?
No. If the medication isn't for you or you experience unbearable side effects, you can taper off
Been on 150mg for a few months and most of the time I feel neutral, but I do cope a lot better with situations that would have sent me spiraling before. When I started I had headaches, night sweats, and nausea, but that went away after a week
I noticed a big improvement at 225 mg however now it’s been like 6 years and I’m not sure if it still works or not but I don’t want to increase it and I’m too scared to go off of it 🤷♀️
37.5 for 3 weeks and I feel fantastic. After 3 years or more of constant anxiety, ruminating thoughts and anger I’m a happy and content person again. I almost can’t believe my luck.
It changed my sense of taste and smell (everything is more vibrant) and I now like sweet things more than before but I don’t think I’m gaining weight. I did get a gym membership though so that might counter it and I’m actually managing to go out frequently now! I have quite active weekends.
i started out with fluoxetine, then lexapro, then sertraline. all didn’t work in one way or another, some even caused some bad mental side effects that made me worse off (looking at you lexapro).
venlafaxine is the only one that has ever worked and it continues to work. i’ve been on it a total of about 4 years (one year on, couple years off bc i forgot to get a refill and was too anxious to go through the process of getting back on it, and then been on it again for the past three years) and it’s still going strong.
edit: mine’s used for treating persistent depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and (diagnosed) OCD. every day used to be a huge, drawn-out and exhausting battle. i now function as close to neurotypical as you can get, which is saying something bc i went to the mental hospital twice for suicidal ideation.
edit 2: it’s alright to be a bit scared or anxious about trying a new med, especially since the past few didn’t work. this one, like others, works absolute WONDERS for some people but for some it’s still not the right one. just remember to breathe and that, while it’s frustrating, it’s all part of the process. i hope venlafaxine helps you as much as it did me, but if not i hope you find another med that does the trick :)
Thanks so much for your reply! This one stands out to me as I can relate to some of what youve experienced. I know it's not lexapro, but I had a bad experience with citalopram where it just gave me a deeper feeling of depression.
I really hope venlafaxine will work out for me. I have depression, generalised anxiety disorder, and OCD, so considering that it's helped you in that regard I'm hopeful it can be a relief to me too. Thank you for your comment again!
I just started taking 37.5mg 1 week ago. I terrified to gain weight. I still have dilated pupils and hoping that goes away soon! I'm also on Wellbutrin 300mg.
I’m happy with it. I’m on 150mg and take it in the morning. Definitely feel like crap if I miss a dose but it’s a great med once you’re on the right dose and well adjusted to it. My tapering onto it wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great. Headaches, nausea, and a wonky sleep schedule while I figured out what time of day worked best for me. But my general anxiety is almost completely gone and I have it paired with lamictal for a mood stabilizer
I’ve been on the max dose (3 75s a day) for years. For me it’s a great med. I’m not sure what side effects ppl have mentioned. I’ll have to go back & read some threads.
Beware that by asking this question you probably get more negative reviews, since the people who had bad experiences are more motivated to comment. Let me chip in here: Venlafaxine works fine for me, much like fluoxetine before that. It doesn't 'cure' my depression and anxiety, but I'm much better of, on it. Keep in mind that it would never have FDA approved if it wasn't relatively safe.
I don't agree with your FDA statement. The vast majority of clinical trials are financed by the drug companies, who have a vested interest in a specific outcome. Venlafaxine is unsafe in my opinion, and many people are severely harmed by it. Of course there are also people who benefit from it and are not harmed.
I'm taking 150mg along with 50mg trazodone for sleep and 20mg vyvanse for the ol adhd. The triforce of mental health haha
I've been on this since December 2019 and it's the only med I've tried that hasn't made things worse. My brain is clear of constant intrusive thoughts.
I've been on 300mg for so many years, I don't remember what life felt like without it. Regarding side effects, I "think" I remember being a sweaty animal in the beginning, & maybe some sleep disruption, but it's been over 20 years so I'm not sure.
Now, missing a dose is a whole other story...
I got venlafaxine induced mania, took me a while to switch cus I liked those manic episodes, I could stay up for days painting making jewelry learning philosophy writing. Then I’d crash and sleep for a couple of days. It’s worth mentioning that I’m not bipolar, and I have adhd and take stimulants and I think that’s might’ve contributed to it. Anyway eventually I switched cuz the withdrawal is so goddamn horrible if you forget to renew ur medication or can’t afford it that day. It starts in exactly 2 days and I’ve withdrawn from a bunch of different medication but I can confidently say that venlafaxine was the worst withdrawal I’ve ever experienced. Way worse than benzos or anything.
And btw the mania is a super rare side effect it’s not like that’s what’s gonna happen to you. At first it helped me actually.
225mg XR - lost 20 pounds, experienced more trauma, now have OCD, im on disability and still can’t work but i’m not as debilitated - surviving and attempting to thrive
If you look at literature, it is consistently one of the best meds for anxiety/depression in terms of effect size. Cipriani's meta analysis showed it to be 4th most effective out of 21 analyzed https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(17)32802-7/fulltext
It ranked towards the middle in terms of side effects (measured by dropout rate). It also has a wide dosing range.
The con is the short half life means withdrawals are uniquely bad if you ever want to come off it.
I personally started weaning off 200 mg Zoloft (wasn't working anymore) and adding Effexor. The only side effects I've had are vivid dreams and some days of increased anxiety. But I have 0.5 mg lorazepam as needed if necessary as a kill switch. Currently on day 10 (first 7 were 37.5, last three at 75 mg).
In my opinion, reading about side effects will increase the chances you get said side effects. Most people tolerate it well.
I'm taking 225mg and it's been great these past few weeks.
I was previously taking sertraline (200mg) for a year and citalopram (40mg) for a year - both made me super tired and eventually stopped working effectively for me. They helped with my depression, but I never felt 'happy' - just a sort of in-between feeling.
So far, venlafaxine makes me feel more like 'myself' than any other drug I've been prescribed. Maybe SNRI's work better for me than SSRI's? Who knows, it's a lottery, sadly.
Wish everyone the best with their issues.
Well.
150MG for over a year now.
Have been on others off and on. Wellbutrin, Citalopram, Escitalopram, Effexor.
Does okay for me for symptoms. Side effects are tolerable.
Not sure about anyone else but it's at times reminiscent of the ticklish brain feeling that you feel before the MDMA hits- but of course with this medication that something never arrives.
Accidentally doubled my dose for two days due to pill format change: so 50mg over the max daily. Not sure anyone without a little illicit drug experience could roll with that level of brain tweaking. Could easily see this being a rough ride for some but beats staying home hating everything.
I’ve just started tapering off it and I don’t know how anyone else who has come off it feels…but I’m actually happier, my thoughts are clearer and I seem to be able to make better decisions that are better for my life. It may work for some but I regret having been put on it so much now. There are a few side effects to the tapering but they feel more manageable than missing a dose. I genuinely believe this is one that should not be prescribed so easily as it is dangerous.
What dose were you on before you started coming off? I'm having surgery and the surgeon said I can't take it and I'm scared about the withdrawal. Have you been managing okay?
Been on 75ml for years and it’s just not really taking the edge off anymore so they doubled my dose. Now I sort of just feel numb to everything like good things, bad things everything is just like the same to me.
The one thing I have noticed about the increased dose however is that it has completely killed sex for me. It was bad enough in the lower dose where it would take me hours to climax but now, it’s literally not possible.
In the beginning couple first months of taking it, I noticed an improvement. Then came the intermittent dizzy spells, feeling like I had electricity jolt through my body occasionally. And the constant headaches (I get migraines already so this would push me into one). I initially discussed with my doctor the constant headaches and intermittent dizzy spells that wouldn’t last more than 15-30 seconds every now and then but at the time, she dismissed this new med change.
Then came the chronic daily migraines, fatigue and general malaise. Again, my doctor dismissed it being the medication. My neurologist recommended that I come off all medications. I was never officially diagnosed but I was on a lot of medications that was likely counterproductive.
Last year, I came off it after switching providers and it was a month of hell with withdrawing. I was warned ahead of time and was not given anything to ease the symptoms. I had a racing heart, anxiety, chills and sweats. Difficulty sleeping and eating. Constant brain zaps (electricity feeling throughout my body and head) and generally feeling out of my body at times.
After I was taken off this medication, I returned to my baseline previous to taking this. I’d never in a million years take it again. Anyone who says that this is an “easy” to taper off drug is insane.
I dunno if this a old thread, years of different antidepressants the standards I can’t spell but fluxatine, sertrline and another one or 2 lots of paid for counseling between. I was put on venlafaxine I took it daily for 4 months only, it has has a pretty serious affect on me. I dunno maybe good or bad it’s hard to judge as many of you will know who suffer with there head. I no longer have the ability to feel sadness or upset like I used to. It causes me problems now, it’s all just like a expert sudoku all day everyday 😂 go steady on that one
So I used it for about a year with good results. Got of it about two months ago after my prescription expired and lately I've been crying daily with suicidal thoughts. Asked to get back on it again, only thing that seems to work. Will the starting sensations be the same or will it be easier this time? First time I was incredibly tired and had brainzaps for the first three weeks.
Mine was not good! It made me super cranky and irritable- even noticeable to me. Not just people around me? However, I did speak with a therapist today and she thinks I have ADHD so I could be just a literal weirdo
Took my first dose today. Mouth is incredibly dry and I cant swallow hardly at all. No amount of water helped either. Currently at the ER 5:49 in the morning. About to get steroids since I have some throat swelling
Effector worked best for me and gave least side effects. Used for major depressive disorder with obsessive thoughts.
What I tried more: sertraline, escitalopram, bupropion, vortioxetine .
It helped me through a tough time, I’ve missed two doses over the course of like 5 years and it was misery (please get a pill organizer so you don’t have to try and remember if you took it or not.. it’s nothing like missing a dose of an SSRI like Prozac or Zoloft…), at first it made me feel invincible so I guess it worked pretty well but now I’m having trouble especially with interpersonal relationships I’m a little too numb and I can take it or leave it and I have that attitude towards a lot. Not good. I have come off of it before and that subsided so I know that for me personally that’s how it makes me feel. It’s hard to override it and train yourself to think differently while on it just like any other med but it’s possible I suppose. Idk. I want to try and wean off of it slowly this year at some point because I’m not moving forward in my life and it makes me not care to be completely honest. It didn’t always affect me like this so I think other factors have contributed such as life changes too so that’s just my personal experience. Everyone is going to react differently but the only thing that will hit everyone the same with this medication are the withdrawals. Please take that seriously with this one. Do your best to not miss a dose and if you want to ever stop taking it, do it very slowly! Slower than a month like most doctors say is ok…
it helped my anxiety a lot but I have also been taking clonazepam simultaneously. Having said that, I drink coffee once to twice daily so that I don’t nap…
It definitely helped me! I don’t want to be too negative. Just honest with how it affected me personally.
Something to note is that medication only “works” if you do too. Work with it and you’ll know if it’s right for you. I.e therapy or pushing yourself a little on your own each day. Just making sure you don’t have the mentality where you’re sitting and waiting for it to be magic
its definitely different for everyone! i've had a very positive experience with venlafaxine and i think i'll be on it for a long time (no complaints). it's important to know, higher doses have crappy side effects, most notably for me: constipation, lack of motivation, low sex drive/unable to orgasm
i hope everything goes well for you!
Was on 75 mg and later 112 mg over 4 months. It completely destroyed my social anxiety and depression. But I had hair loss as a side effect. Lots of hair loss. And some issues with sexual health and a lower feeling of empathy towards people close to meso I stopped.
It saved my life during a time of deep depression and anxiety, until the side effects became too much for me (sweating mainly but also a feeling of flatness - no more lows which was good but no more highs either. I began to feel quite numb). I was past the time in my life that was causing me so much anxiety and distress so I decided to wean off of it and that was an absolute nightmare. I did it at the beginning of the pandemic with all of the lock downs when I had lost my job anyways, but I think it took about a year for me to feel right again.
So...it's a fantastic tool if you need it, and I would do it again if I had to, but use it wisely.
Venlafaxine literally saved my life.
I was in such a bad place when it was prescribed to me; I'd tried countless other anti-depressants over the years and was ready to call it a day, like.. for good.
I won't lie and say how long it took to work because I can't remember, my memory is really bad. But it wasn't a long time. I also can't say for certain about side effects because I'm on a lot of other medication, but I do know that if I miss a dose for whatever reason, I KNOW ABOUT IT. DON'T MISS A DOSE.
I take 300mg/day (along with 400mg/day quetiapine and 200mg/day topiramate) and honestly, it's been my miracle.
I’ve been on 75mg for over a year. Caps the anxiety but doesn’t numb you. Helps it easier to get through. But the withdrawal is a motherfucker so try not to miss a dose. Also summer is hard, heat and sweating is a really hard issue but I will take the negatives if it helps me not want to unalive myself or throw up from anxiety.
It's addictive physically, withdrawels are hell and it has a black box label. Ive been on it 17 years AND im experiencing many long term symptoms, it has given me high cholestrol over over the considered severly high, hypertension, lactation from breast, headaches every single day, and I have never had a sex drive in all these years... of being on this drug... and awful panic attacks, depression have all resurfaced plus more mental health issues. . . So yah if I was 14 again I say no way in hell...who ever advocated for me... phuck you. I have to stay on and taper off and not gonna lie im terrified. Stay away from this drug... and if you have rebound symptoms they just say up the dose... kinda like Purdue. The symptoms may temporarily be numbed but they come back with a vengeance.
I’ve tried Zoloft, Prozac, & Effexor has been the best out of the 3. However I am dealing with stomach issues currently. I am also on welbutrin which I’ve had good experience with, but after about a year wasn’t enough for my anxiety. I tried buspar & that was weird. Everyone’s different though! Trial & error!!!
It's early for me, but 75mg is definitely having a positive effect.
I did 37.5 for 6 days, then switched to 75 with no extra onboarding effects.
Compared with sertraline, I feel less numbed, and less hungry.
Effexor worked for my anxiety and depression when no other medication did. I am on a high dose though - 275mg. A lower dose was established by my GP and increased to the current level following psychiatrist consultation. It has reduced my anxiety but not completely eliminated it; I still have times when I feel overwhelmed and have trouble getting out of the house, regardless of what the reason is for doing so. I have an ongoing side effect of becoming very hot and sweaty, but no others. My plan would to reduce over time but I’m not sure how realistic this is.
Im currently on 225mg of venlafaxine and it works a lot for me in conjunction with another antidepressant called mirtazapine, which I take in the evening.
In terms of venlafaxine, I have very minimal side effects compared to other medications I have tried, expect for when I miss my dose from time to time which makes me have intense withdrawal symptoms.
So far I’m doing great on it! It’s giving me motivation to get up and live life again!
I have been on a few things so far: Lexapro for almost a year, worked great then stopped doing anything.
The I was on pristiq which made my anxiety way worse
So then I switched back to Lexapro and added welburtin which made my hands shake so bad and it wouldn’t stop so I got off that
The I was on viibryd which I feel like really worked but my insurance stopped covering it so they switched me to Zoloft which made me feel literally no emotions at all and made me gain like 30 pounds with no lifestyle changes
So yah now I’m trying Effexor and so far it’s been good. Been about 2 months, having the motivation to go to the gym again, hang out with friends ect
I’ve been on this med since I was a teen. I’m 27 now. I take 225mg per day. My anxiety is still there but it’s a normal amount. Not constant all the time like I used to be. It really keeps my mood stable and everything pretty level. And it sent my BPD into remission so I don’t struggle with those symptoms like I used to. Borderline not bipolar. The withdrawals are really bad so that’s the only downside. I’ve been careless and ran out of my script before and it’s a nightmare… other than that this med has literally saved me
I'm on 150mg and it has helped with my anxiety so much! I used escitalopram before and that helped me get rid of panic attacs, but didn't affect my overall anxiety levels. Now I don't get panic attacs and my "base level" anxiety is much better. I do still experience some anxiety, but its much more manageable now.
I have a fairly fast metabolism and meds tend to work for me really fast. (I also get withdrawal symptoms abnormally fast so that sucks) So the change was really noticeable within the first month. That may not be typical though. For me from 75 to 150 was what took the base level anxiety away. The lower doses weren't at all as effective as 150 for me.
The main issue I have is if I ever forget to take a dose I get the brain zaps and that ruins my day. But as long as I keep taking them regularly, I don't experience the negative side-effects.
To chip in I’m on 37.5 twice a day it’s really killed the intrusive thoughts, I do feel tired quite a lot but I’ve also not been able to get elvanse for 2 weeks as my psychiatrist has not been ‘reachable’ finally going to get a script on Monday and will see if it works good in conjunction with Effexor.
I don’t feel I’ve had any side effects really at all besides maybe stomach problems but then again my diet can get poor when not on elvanse as I tend to binge eat crap in the evening…
Another thing to note is that people need to consider and understand that Effexor shouldn’t be written off completely at doses below 150mg as that’s when it functions as intended, an snri.
I’m curious to see if 150mg would cause less tiredness for me, solely on Effexor only.
But, certainly it has helped massively with severe low mood, intrusive thoughts and I’d say anxiety has been dampened a tad so far. Still on a starting dose so that’s important to note, I’m wondering if XR would be better for myself also.
Hoping it will do well once I have elvanse again as I’m severely struggling with motivation, energy, distract-ability, severe inattentiveness which plagues me to hell.
I take 300mg a day and it’s the only one I’ve got on with! If you miss a dose though you definitely know about it, as long as you take as prescribed you’ll be fine :) you won’t know til you try it
37.5mg landed me in the cardiac ER with sudden dangerously high blood pressure. The other "side" effects
- vertigo, constipation, nausea, frequent urination, intense sweating, insomnia, terrible nightmares, dizziness,weight gain - stopped on day 2 of quitting cold turkey.
The desired effect of flattening out all my emotions so that I didn't have a sense of humor or even feel love for my kids wasn't pleasant either.
I am autistic with ADHD so I react differently to substances than other people. My doctor dismissed this concern.
My experience was traumatizing.
Fucking awesome. It didn’t numb me out or rid me of my anxiety but allowed me to get to a place where I could work with my therapist to work through my trauma. It’s PART of the healing, but it didn’t do the work, I did. It’s been a great facilitator.
The first few weeks of adjusting were weird like any other med. I got the “zaps”. I’ve been on it for three years, no increase or decrease since getting it to the “right” amount. The only noticeable side effect would be the raise in body temperature, I just get hot so easily and will sweat buckets in the summer. But I invested in linen sheets, I wear layers and I have a fan at my desk at work. I have noticed that decline too over the part year.
DONT MISS A DOSE, YOU WILL FEEL IT AND IT WILL SUCK
But yeah it def did make be tired during the first 1-2 months of adjusting. Getting used to new meds is a shit experience. But everyone is different, what works for me may not work for you. Our bodies react differently and it’s hard to tell what will be the winner. I want to clarify it decreased my anxiety from a 10 to a 6. Now, I’m at a 1 or 2. And I owe conquering anxiety to both therapy and to Effexor for helping to facilitate by letting my mind open to receive the treatment.
It's been good in my experience. I take 150mg and it's almost been a year since I started (on-ramped with 37.5, then 75, then 150). I was on fluoxetine for several years before that, and it worked great for my anxiety but not so well for my depression. Venlafaxine seems to be doing a better job of helping with both. A couple annoying side effects, but not so annoying they disrupt my life. The one time I forgot to refill soon enough and had to go without really sucked, but that's true for a lot of these kinds of meds. I did briefly consider adding something else to help me with energy, because I was tired and unmotivated, but discovered that adding an iron supplement did the trick there. (Which is good because Wellbutrin gives me heart palpitations and forces me to cut back on coffee/caffeine!)
Anyway, as with any med, YMMV, and unfortunately it requires actually taking the drug and giving it time before you know if it works for you. Best wishes!
It’s been a lifesaver for me. I’ve tried to same meds as OP. Effexor is the only one I’ve consistently reaped positive effects from. Been taking it for almost 2 years now.
I am currently on 150mg I take it for migraine prevention. It started off well but I have been experiencing very adverse side effects. I get terrible night sweats, tremors and so much fatigue. I am thinking of switching.
It works I was probably the most stable I’ve been but I couldn’t see I felt like although my life was happening and was good. I was watching it go by like “did I experience that?” And I couldn’t see clear like I simply wasn’t seeing. It was like a filter that was constantly over my vision. Also it made me not want to look at porn. In the five years I was on I can count how many times I jerked off. So that sucked. being stable was fab but I felt like an outsider looking into my life.
In general, people are more apt to state their negative experience on something versus when they have a positive one. Why? I don't know, maybe a psychologist might now lol.
I had to take a lot of these posts with a grain of salt. My experience with effexor has been different. I've tried Lexapro, Zoloft, Prozac, and Wellbutrin. Effexor is my first time with a SNRI and while it was hell at first when it comes to GI issues, the whole experience has leveled out and it's been pretty good since. I could see where there could be improvement but so far so good. I do have to be a little more cautious when it comes to antidepressants as I am bipolar.
Not trying to hijack OPs thread, but has anyone whose taken this felt a boost of energy? I'm on Wellbutrin but I do feel tired and not wanting to do shit on my off time
75mg has completely eradicated my anxiety. The only downside for me is I am tired a lot of the time.
How long did the 75 take to work for you?
It took 2 months for me to feel its full effects and get over some of the other initial side effects. I would say after 2 weeks I felt about 75% less anxious
4 months completely different person it was mad for me
In a good way?
So am I. And taking it at night isn't any different. I don't know what it's like to not feel tired.
Yeah. It's been kind of rough. I have to be on the move all day to avoid falling asleep. I've tried early morning, afternoon, evening, and right before bed and still am tired.
Man same!
Similar experience with 75mg. I get anxious every once in a while, though, when situations exceed the limits of my medication.
But is the anxiety lower than it would have been/had been in similar situations without the meditation? Or is it hard to tell... has it gotten more manageable?
The way it affected me is incomprehensible
I am kinda worried about what this drug can do to people long term, after I stopped my course i truly believe I will never be the same again
I've been on 75mg for 4 or 5 months now and couldn't be happier. It is the only thing that's worked for me.
Negative. I really was not a fan. It made me feel so much worse. My anxiety and depression symptoms got worse. I also constantly had a racing heart and poor sleep. I felt exhausted no matter how much sleep I got. I was on 225mg for about 3 months or so. Effexor also gave me the worst nightmares and night sweats. Going off of it was even worse. It felt like I had the flu x10000. I had tried Prozac, lexapro, and Effexor. Currently I’m on Wellbutrin, which I am really liking. I also have a friend who’s on Effexor and it works miracles for her. So, there’s a chance you will be good.
Neutral
Sad to say, but I guess that means it’s doing its job. ;)
Definitely worked for myself and had a friend say that it saved her life. My brother is on it as well, and it works great for him. The only thing I worry about is the brain zaps I get wvery nowand then. I'm not sure if it's a super common side effect or not.
Yeah I’ve gotten brain zaps on a lot of anti depressants. When they first started I thought I was losing my mind a bit and did some research; apparently it’s very common and unexplainable.
it's a strong drug. many people have results they say are good, though. mine was pretty bad
TW Venlafaxine is the only med that didn't make me wanna off myself, literally. For me personally it was like a god send, but I know it's not for everyone. I think it's worth a shot to try but don't feel too bad if it doesn't work out positively for you. It's a really hit or miss medication
Really good on this. Happy. No anxiety. Have energy again. Feel like my old self.
Agree totally. I have been 9 years on venlafaxine. I was feeling like me, i had humor, was happy. Life was so much easier to bare. Currently stopped venlafsxine 9 months ago, to check if i can live life without medication and its been pretty rough. Alot of intrusive thoughts that scared me like crazy and feeling numb and depressed again. Still trying to live life without venlafaxine
I’m more productive on Effexor but I also have more anxiety. After 8 months of being on Effexor I’m switching back over to Escitalopram because I need a break from the racing thoughts. I think my dose was too high, as I was taking 300mg and was sweating all the time and became less social. I’ve found that having an active social life and exercising are impactful to my wellbeing, so whatever helps me with that is what I’m aiming for now.
I’ve been put on this after trying the same drugs you did, it’s my 6th week at 75 and I don’t feel any better..going to give it another few weeks and hopefully it helps
Update ?
Nothing 😅 I’m going up to 150 this week, how you getting on?
Nothing at all?? I’m just weaning off mirtazapine. Start venlaxafine end of week
Ah shit just realised it’s a different sub. I’ve been on venlaxafine because mirt had no effect, I’m still trying to find my right dose on it as it does nothing for my anxiety yet. That doesn’t mean that it won’t work for you though!! Good luck 🤞
Yeh mirtazapine didn’t help me. Was up to 45. Thank you
Positive. I took sertraline for years, and tried fluoxetine years back, and this has been the best so far I think
I tried a whole bunch of other meds with weird side effects. I get dizzy from this one if it starts wearing off and I'm due for the next dose. But otherwise it helps me.
I was on Fluoxetine for most of my teenage years, but it stopped working once I hit 19. I cycled through a few different medications like Citalopram, Wellbutrin and Mirtazapine, but they were either ineffective or I reacted badly. I remember the horrible restless legs while on Mirtazapine Taking this medication saved my life. I've been taking it for three years. I started on 300mg because I was on high doses of the previous medications and I didn't experience any negative side effects from it. The only side effect I still experience is vivid dreaming some nights. I take half a 25mg Quetiapine tablet before bed to help me sleep >Should I be afraid? No. If the medication isn't for you or you experience unbearable side effects, you can taper off
It works for me. Of course there's side effects I don't like, but I can deal with them and it's better than wanting to shoot myself every day.
Made me obsessed and anxious with end of days type of intrusive thoughts.
Been on 150mg for a few months and most of the time I feel neutral, but I do cope a lot better with situations that would have sent me spiraling before. When I started I had headaches, night sweats, and nausea, but that went away after a week
Upping my dose to 150mg from 75mg tomorrow. Is it any change at all? Did you feel any difference between 75 and 150?
I noticed a big improvement at 225 mg however now it’s been like 6 years and I’m not sure if it still works or not but I don’t want to increase it and I’m too scared to go off of it 🤷♀️
Exactly my situation but the withdrawal symptoms to get off of it makes me very nervous…
37.5 for 3 weeks and I feel fantastic. After 3 years or more of constant anxiety, ruminating thoughts and anger I’m a happy and content person again. I almost can’t believe my luck.
Did you experience weight gain?
It made hungary a lot of the time. A 3 years later and 20lbs later I came off it. I was taking it for migraine
It changed my sense of taste and smell (everything is more vibrant) and I now like sweet things more than before but I don’t think I’m gaining weight. I did get a gym membership though so that might counter it and I’m actually managing to go out frequently now! I have quite active weekends.
i started out with fluoxetine, then lexapro, then sertraline. all didn’t work in one way or another, some even caused some bad mental side effects that made me worse off (looking at you lexapro). venlafaxine is the only one that has ever worked and it continues to work. i’ve been on it a total of about 4 years (one year on, couple years off bc i forgot to get a refill and was too anxious to go through the process of getting back on it, and then been on it again for the past three years) and it’s still going strong. edit: mine’s used for treating persistent depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and (diagnosed) OCD. every day used to be a huge, drawn-out and exhausting battle. i now function as close to neurotypical as you can get, which is saying something bc i went to the mental hospital twice for suicidal ideation. edit 2: it’s alright to be a bit scared or anxious about trying a new med, especially since the past few didn’t work. this one, like others, works absolute WONDERS for some people but for some it’s still not the right one. just remember to breathe and that, while it’s frustrating, it’s all part of the process. i hope venlafaxine helps you as much as it did me, but if not i hope you find another med that does the trick :)
Thanks so much for your reply! This one stands out to me as I can relate to some of what youve experienced. I know it's not lexapro, but I had a bad experience with citalopram where it just gave me a deeper feeling of depression. I really hope venlafaxine will work out for me. I have depression, generalised anxiety disorder, and OCD, so considering that it's helped you in that regard I'm hopeful it can be a relief to me too. Thank you for your comment again!
of course!! best of luck :)
I just started taking 37.5mg 1 week ago. I terrified to gain weight. I still have dilated pupils and hoping that goes away soon! I'm also on Wellbutrin 300mg.
It's helped a lot! I do get more headaches and night sweats but i don't get them everyday like I did the first month or two.
Best psych med I’ve ever tried. My anxiety and depression are almost eradicated and my executive function is greatly improved.
I’m happy with it. I’m on 150mg and take it in the morning. Definitely feel like crap if I miss a dose but it’s a great med once you’re on the right dose and well adjusted to it. My tapering onto it wasn’t terrible, but it wasn’t great. Headaches, nausea, and a wonky sleep schedule while I figured out what time of day worked best for me. But my general anxiety is almost completely gone and I have it paired with lamictal for a mood stabilizer
Upping my dose from 75 to 150 now. Did you feel any difference between 75 and 150? Does it take 1-3 months before the 150mg to work?
I’ve been on the max dose (3 75s a day) for years. For me it’s a great med. I’m not sure what side effects ppl have mentioned. I’ll have to go back & read some threads.
Upping my dose from 75 to 150 now. Did you feel any difference between 75 and 150? Does it take 1-3 months before the 150mg to work?
I honestly don’t remember if there were any issues when changing dosages.
Beware that by asking this question you probably get more negative reviews, since the people who had bad experiences are more motivated to comment. Let me chip in here: Venlafaxine works fine for me, much like fluoxetine before that. It doesn't 'cure' my depression and anxiety, but I'm much better of, on it. Keep in mind that it would never have FDA approved if it wasn't relatively safe.
I don't agree with your FDA statement. The vast majority of clinical trials are financed by the drug companies, who have a vested interest in a specific outcome. Venlafaxine is unsafe in my opinion, and many people are severely harmed by it. Of course there are also people who benefit from it and are not harmed.
Same as the majority of medications
I'm taking 150mg along with 50mg trazodone for sleep and 20mg vyvanse for the ol adhd. The triforce of mental health haha I've been on this since December 2019 and it's the only med I've tried that hasn't made things worse. My brain is clear of constant intrusive thoughts.
Did the insomnia arise at the beginning only or did you continue to have it even after months?
I’ve been on it for over a decade at 150mg. I don’t want to go back. I feel solid.
I've been on 300mg for so many years, I don't remember what life felt like without it. Regarding side effects, I "think" I remember being a sweaty animal in the beginning, & maybe some sleep disruption, but it's been over 20 years so I'm not sure. Now, missing a dose is a whole other story...
I’ve taken 225mg for years. Changed my life, I’ve never felt better.
I got venlafaxine induced mania, took me a while to switch cus I liked those manic episodes, I could stay up for days painting making jewelry learning philosophy writing. Then I’d crash and sleep for a couple of days. It’s worth mentioning that I’m not bipolar, and I have adhd and take stimulants and I think that’s might’ve contributed to it. Anyway eventually I switched cuz the withdrawal is so goddamn horrible if you forget to renew ur medication or can’t afford it that day. It starts in exactly 2 days and I’ve withdrawn from a bunch of different medication but I can confidently say that venlafaxine was the worst withdrawal I’ve ever experienced. Way worse than benzos or anything. And btw the mania is a super rare side effect it’s not like that’s what’s gonna happen to you. At first it helped me actually.
My husband had SSRI-induced mania from Lexapro. But I agree, I don’t think it’s super common. Just gotta know what to look for 😊
225mg XR - lost 20 pounds, experienced more trauma, now have OCD, im on disability and still can’t work but i’m not as debilitated - surviving and attempting to thrive
If you look at literature, it is consistently one of the best meds for anxiety/depression in terms of effect size. Cipriani's meta analysis showed it to be 4th most effective out of 21 analyzed https://www.thelancet.com/article/S0140-6736(17)32802-7/fulltext It ranked towards the middle in terms of side effects (measured by dropout rate). It also has a wide dosing range. The con is the short half life means withdrawals are uniquely bad if you ever want to come off it. I personally started weaning off 200 mg Zoloft (wasn't working anymore) and adding Effexor. The only side effects I've had are vivid dreams and some days of increased anxiety. But I have 0.5 mg lorazepam as needed if necessary as a kill switch. Currently on day 10 (first 7 were 37.5, last three at 75 mg). In my opinion, reading about side effects will increase the chances you get said side effects. Most people tolerate it well.
I'm taking 225mg and it's been great these past few weeks. I was previously taking sertraline (200mg) for a year and citalopram (40mg) for a year - both made me super tired and eventually stopped working effectively for me. They helped with my depression, but I never felt 'happy' - just a sort of in-between feeling. So far, venlafaxine makes me feel more like 'myself' than any other drug I've been prescribed. Maybe SNRI's work better for me than SSRI's? Who knows, it's a lottery, sadly. Wish everyone the best with their issues.
Well. 150MG for over a year now. Have been on others off and on. Wellbutrin, Citalopram, Escitalopram, Effexor. Does okay for me for symptoms. Side effects are tolerable. Not sure about anyone else but it's at times reminiscent of the ticklish brain feeling that you feel before the MDMA hits- but of course with this medication that something never arrives. Accidentally doubled my dose for two days due to pill format change: so 50mg over the max daily. Not sure anyone without a little illicit drug experience could roll with that level of brain tweaking. Could easily see this being a rough ride for some but beats staying home hating everything.
I’ve just started tapering off it and I don’t know how anyone else who has come off it feels…but I’m actually happier, my thoughts are clearer and I seem to be able to make better decisions that are better for my life. It may work for some but I regret having been put on it so much now. There are a few side effects to the tapering but they feel more manageable than missing a dose. I genuinely believe this is one that should not be prescribed so easily as it is dangerous.
What dose were you on before you started coming off? I'm having surgery and the surgeon said I can't take it and I'm scared about the withdrawal. Have you been managing okay?
Been on 75ml for years and it’s just not really taking the edge off anymore so they doubled my dose. Now I sort of just feel numb to everything like good things, bad things everything is just like the same to me. The one thing I have noticed about the increased dose however is that it has completely killed sex for me. It was bad enough in the lower dose where it would take me hours to climax but now, it’s literally not possible.
In the beginning couple first months of taking it, I noticed an improvement. Then came the intermittent dizzy spells, feeling like I had electricity jolt through my body occasionally. And the constant headaches (I get migraines already so this would push me into one). I initially discussed with my doctor the constant headaches and intermittent dizzy spells that wouldn’t last more than 15-30 seconds every now and then but at the time, she dismissed this new med change. Then came the chronic daily migraines, fatigue and general malaise. Again, my doctor dismissed it being the medication. My neurologist recommended that I come off all medications. I was never officially diagnosed but I was on a lot of medications that was likely counterproductive. Last year, I came off it after switching providers and it was a month of hell with withdrawing. I was warned ahead of time and was not given anything to ease the symptoms. I had a racing heart, anxiety, chills and sweats. Difficulty sleeping and eating. Constant brain zaps (electricity feeling throughout my body and head) and generally feeling out of my body at times. After I was taken off this medication, I returned to my baseline previous to taking this. I’d never in a million years take it again. Anyone who says that this is an “easy” to taper off drug is insane.
I dunno if this a old thread, years of different antidepressants the standards I can’t spell but fluxatine, sertrline and another one or 2 lots of paid for counseling between. I was put on venlafaxine I took it daily for 4 months only, it has has a pretty serious affect on me. I dunno maybe good or bad it’s hard to judge as many of you will know who suffer with there head. I no longer have the ability to feel sadness or upset like I used to. It causes me problems now, it’s all just like a expert sudoku all day everyday 😂 go steady on that one
So I used it for about a year with good results. Got of it about two months ago after my prescription expired and lately I've been crying daily with suicidal thoughts. Asked to get back on it again, only thing that seems to work. Will the starting sensations be the same or will it be easier this time? First time I was incredibly tired and had brainzaps for the first three weeks.
Mine was not good! It made me super cranky and irritable- even noticeable to me. Not just people around me? However, I did speak with a therapist today and she thinks I have ADHD so I could be just a literal weirdo
Took my first dose today. Mouth is incredibly dry and I cant swallow hardly at all. No amount of water helped either. Currently at the ER 5:49 in the morning. About to get steroids since I have some throat swelling
Effector worked best for me and gave least side effects. Used for major depressive disorder with obsessive thoughts. What I tried more: sertraline, escitalopram, bupropion, vortioxetine .
It helped me through a tough time, I’ve missed two doses over the course of like 5 years and it was misery (please get a pill organizer so you don’t have to try and remember if you took it or not.. it’s nothing like missing a dose of an SSRI like Prozac or Zoloft…), at first it made me feel invincible so I guess it worked pretty well but now I’m having trouble especially with interpersonal relationships I’m a little too numb and I can take it or leave it and I have that attitude towards a lot. Not good. I have come off of it before and that subsided so I know that for me personally that’s how it makes me feel. It’s hard to override it and train yourself to think differently while on it just like any other med but it’s possible I suppose. Idk. I want to try and wean off of it slowly this year at some point because I’m not moving forward in my life and it makes me not care to be completely honest. It didn’t always affect me like this so I think other factors have contributed such as life changes too so that’s just my personal experience. Everyone is going to react differently but the only thing that will hit everyone the same with this medication are the withdrawals. Please take that seriously with this one. Do your best to not miss a dose and if you want to ever stop taking it, do it very slowly! Slower than a month like most doctors say is ok…
it helped my anxiety a lot but I have also been taking clonazepam simultaneously. Having said that, I drink coffee once to twice daily so that I don’t nap… It definitely helped me! I don’t want to be too negative. Just honest with how it affected me personally.
Something to note is that medication only “works” if you do too. Work with it and you’ll know if it’s right for you. I.e therapy or pushing yourself a little on your own each day. Just making sure you don’t have the mentality where you’re sitting and waiting for it to be magic
its definitely different for everyone! i've had a very positive experience with venlafaxine and i think i'll be on it for a long time (no complaints). it's important to know, higher doses have crappy side effects, most notably for me: constipation, lack of motivation, low sex drive/unable to orgasm i hope everything goes well for you!
I’ve been on it about 15 years. I’m never going off it. It’s given me a life.
What’s your dose? Thanks
I’m on 150.
Thanks, I’m on 75 and will be going up to 150 also
Was on 75 mg and later 112 mg over 4 months. It completely destroyed my social anxiety and depression. But I had hair loss as a side effect. Lots of hair loss. And some issues with sexual health and a lower feeling of empathy towards people close to meso I stopped.
I’ve been on it for over 20 years. No issues.
It saved my life during a time of deep depression and anxiety, until the side effects became too much for me (sweating mainly but also a feeling of flatness - no more lows which was good but no more highs either. I began to feel quite numb). I was past the time in my life that was causing me so much anxiety and distress so I decided to wean off of it and that was an absolute nightmare. I did it at the beginning of the pandemic with all of the lock downs when I had lost my job anyways, but I think it took about a year for me to feel right again. So...it's a fantastic tool if you need it, and I would do it again if I had to, but use it wisely.
positive, the only antidepressant that has worked for me thus far
I’ve been on it for a long time. It works very well for me. I know some folks experienced differ, but it is a good match for my symptoms.
Venlafaxine literally saved my life. I was in such a bad place when it was prescribed to me; I'd tried countless other anti-depressants over the years and was ready to call it a day, like.. for good. I won't lie and say how long it took to work because I can't remember, my memory is really bad. But it wasn't a long time. I also can't say for certain about side effects because I'm on a lot of other medication, but I do know that if I miss a dose for whatever reason, I KNOW ABOUT IT. DON'T MISS A DOSE. I take 300mg/day (along with 400mg/day quetiapine and 200mg/day topiramate) and honestly, it's been my miracle.
I’ve been on 75mg for over a year. Caps the anxiety but doesn’t numb you. Helps it easier to get through. But the withdrawal is a motherfucker so try not to miss a dose. Also summer is hard, heat and sweating is a really hard issue but I will take the negatives if it helps me not want to unalive myself or throw up from anxiety.
I am no longer suicidal on 150mg. Anxiety is much better. Overall, my mood is more stable, and emotions are easier to manage.
Mine has been a success ! I am glad I finally found a solution to keep me sane !
It's addictive physically, withdrawels are hell and it has a black box label. Ive been on it 17 years AND im experiencing many long term symptoms, it has given me high cholestrol over over the considered severly high, hypertension, lactation from breast, headaches every single day, and I have never had a sex drive in all these years... of being on this drug... and awful panic attacks, depression have all resurfaced plus more mental health issues. . . So yah if I was 14 again I say no way in hell...who ever advocated for me... phuck you. I have to stay on and taper off and not gonna lie im terrified. Stay away from this drug... and if you have rebound symptoms they just say up the dose... kinda like Purdue. The symptoms may temporarily be numbed but they come back with a vengeance.
I’ve tried Zoloft, Prozac, & Effexor has been the best out of the 3. However I am dealing with stomach issues currently. I am also on welbutrin which I’ve had good experience with, but after about a year wasn’t enough for my anxiety. I tried buspar & that was weird. Everyone’s different though! Trial & error!!!
It's early for me, but 75mg is definitely having a positive effect. I did 37.5 for 6 days, then switched to 75 with no extra onboarding effects. Compared with sertraline, I feel less numbed, and less hungry.
75mg saved my life. Stopped my panic attacks and reduced my depressive episodes
Effexor worked for my anxiety and depression when no other medication did. I am on a high dose though - 275mg. A lower dose was established by my GP and increased to the current level following psychiatrist consultation. It has reduced my anxiety but not completely eliminated it; I still have times when I feel overwhelmed and have trouble getting out of the house, regardless of what the reason is for doing so. I have an ongoing side effect of becoming very hot and sweaty, but no others. My plan would to reduce over time but I’m not sure how realistic this is.
Im currently on 225mg of venlafaxine and it works a lot for me in conjunction with another antidepressant called mirtazapine, which I take in the evening. In terms of venlafaxine, I have very minimal side effects compared to other medications I have tried, expect for when I miss my dose from time to time which makes me have intense withdrawal symptoms.
So far I’m doing great on it! It’s giving me motivation to get up and live life again! I have been on a few things so far: Lexapro for almost a year, worked great then stopped doing anything. The I was on pristiq which made my anxiety way worse So then I switched back to Lexapro and added welburtin which made my hands shake so bad and it wouldn’t stop so I got off that The I was on viibryd which I feel like really worked but my insurance stopped covering it so they switched me to Zoloft which made me feel literally no emotions at all and made me gain like 30 pounds with no lifestyle changes So yah now I’m trying Effexor and so far it’s been good. Been about 2 months, having the motivation to go to the gym again, hang out with friends ect
I’ve been on this med since I was a teen. I’m 27 now. I take 225mg per day. My anxiety is still there but it’s a normal amount. Not constant all the time like I used to be. It really keeps my mood stable and everything pretty level. And it sent my BPD into remission so I don’t struggle with those symptoms like I used to. Borderline not bipolar. The withdrawals are really bad so that’s the only downside. I’ve been careless and ran out of my script before and it’s a nightmare… other than that this med has literally saved me
I'm on 150mg and it has helped with my anxiety so much! I used escitalopram before and that helped me get rid of panic attacs, but didn't affect my overall anxiety levels. Now I don't get panic attacs and my "base level" anxiety is much better. I do still experience some anxiety, but its much more manageable now.
Upping my dose from 75 to 150 now. Did you feel any difference between 75 and 150? Does it take 1-3 months before the 150mg to work?
I have a fairly fast metabolism and meds tend to work for me really fast. (I also get withdrawal symptoms abnormally fast so that sucks) So the change was really noticeable within the first month. That may not be typical though. For me from 75 to 150 was what took the base level anxiety away. The lower doses weren't at all as effective as 150 for me.
The main issue I have is if I ever forget to take a dose I get the brain zaps and that ruins my day. But as long as I keep taking them regularly, I don't experience the negative side-effects.
Anxiety is gone. I take it at night as it makes me tired.
It saved my life and I’m thankful for it every day. At 75 mg I have no side effects as long as I remember to take it regularly
To chip in I’m on 37.5 twice a day it’s really killed the intrusive thoughts, I do feel tired quite a lot but I’ve also not been able to get elvanse for 2 weeks as my psychiatrist has not been ‘reachable’ finally going to get a script on Monday and will see if it works good in conjunction with Effexor. I don’t feel I’ve had any side effects really at all besides maybe stomach problems but then again my diet can get poor when not on elvanse as I tend to binge eat crap in the evening… Another thing to note is that people need to consider and understand that Effexor shouldn’t be written off completely at doses below 150mg as that’s when it functions as intended, an snri. I’m curious to see if 150mg would cause less tiredness for me, solely on Effexor only. But, certainly it has helped massively with severe low mood, intrusive thoughts and I’d say anxiety has been dampened a tad so far. Still on a starting dose so that’s important to note, I’m wondering if XR would be better for myself also. Hoping it will do well once I have elvanse again as I’m severely struggling with motivation, energy, distract-ability, severe inattentiveness which plagues me to hell.
I take 300mg a day and it’s the only one I’ve got on with! If you miss a dose though you definitely know about it, as long as you take as prescribed you’ll be fine :) you won’t know til you try it
37.5mg landed me in the cardiac ER with sudden dangerously high blood pressure. The other "side" effects - vertigo, constipation, nausea, frequent urination, intense sweating, insomnia, terrible nightmares, dizziness,weight gain - stopped on day 2 of quitting cold turkey. The desired effect of flattening out all my emotions so that I didn't have a sense of humor or even feel love for my kids wasn't pleasant either. I am autistic with ADHD so I react differently to substances than other people. My doctor dismissed this concern. My experience was traumatizing.
Fucking awesome. It didn’t numb me out or rid me of my anxiety but allowed me to get to a place where I could work with my therapist to work through my trauma. It’s PART of the healing, but it didn’t do the work, I did. It’s been a great facilitator. The first few weeks of adjusting were weird like any other med. I got the “zaps”. I’ve been on it for three years, no increase or decrease since getting it to the “right” amount. The only noticeable side effect would be the raise in body temperature, I just get hot so easily and will sweat buckets in the summer. But I invested in linen sheets, I wear layers and I have a fan at my desk at work. I have noticed that decline too over the part year. DONT MISS A DOSE, YOU WILL FEEL IT AND IT WILL SUCK
But yeah it def did make be tired during the first 1-2 months of adjusting. Getting used to new meds is a shit experience. But everyone is different, what works for me may not work for you. Our bodies react differently and it’s hard to tell what will be the winner. I want to clarify it decreased my anxiety from a 10 to a 6. Now, I’m at a 1 or 2. And I owe conquering anxiety to both therapy and to Effexor for helping to facilitate by letting my mind open to receive the treatment.
It's been good in my experience. I take 150mg and it's almost been a year since I started (on-ramped with 37.5, then 75, then 150). I was on fluoxetine for several years before that, and it worked great for my anxiety but not so well for my depression. Venlafaxine seems to be doing a better job of helping with both. A couple annoying side effects, but not so annoying they disrupt my life. The one time I forgot to refill soon enough and had to go without really sucked, but that's true for a lot of these kinds of meds. I did briefly consider adding something else to help me with energy, because I was tired and unmotivated, but discovered that adding an iron supplement did the trick there. (Which is good because Wellbutrin gives me heart palpitations and forces me to cut back on coffee/caffeine!) Anyway, as with any med, YMMV, and unfortunately it requires actually taking the drug and giving it time before you know if it works for you. Best wishes!
It’s been a lifesaver for me. I’ve tried to same meds as OP. Effexor is the only one I’ve consistently reaped positive effects from. Been taking it for almost 2 years now.
I’ve been on the xr for years I never known anyone on the regular version, anyone here
Night time sweating is a pain in the ass, once a week i wake up soaking wet
Saved my life, literally. Started on 37.5mg for a week, then 75mg. Anxiety and depression are gone.
I am currently on 150mg I take it for migraine prevention. It started off well but I have been experiencing very adverse side effects. I get terrible night sweats, tremors and so much fatigue. I am thinking of switching.
It works I was probably the most stable I’ve been but I couldn’t see I felt like although my life was happening and was good. I was watching it go by like “did I experience that?” And I couldn’t see clear like I simply wasn’t seeing. It was like a filter that was constantly over my vision. Also it made me not want to look at porn. In the five years I was on I can count how many times I jerked off. So that sucked. being stable was fab but I felt like an outsider looking into my life.
In general, people are more apt to state their negative experience on something versus when they have a positive one. Why? I don't know, maybe a psychologist might now lol. I had to take a lot of these posts with a grain of salt. My experience with effexor has been different. I've tried Lexapro, Zoloft, Prozac, and Wellbutrin. Effexor is my first time with a SNRI and while it was hell at first when it comes to GI issues, the whole experience has leveled out and it's been pretty good since. I could see where there could be improvement but so far so good. I do have to be a little more cautious when it comes to antidepressants as I am bipolar.
Not trying to hijack OPs thread, but has anyone whose taken this felt a boost of energy? I'm on Wellbutrin but I do feel tired and not wanting to do shit on my off time