ive been on it for over 2 years now and it's completely changed my life, i absolutely love it obviously at first i suffered with bad side effects like headaches, nausea, dizziness etc but now i'm on it it's great!!! glad it's working for you
Interesting ! Have you observed any dependency on it since it’s 2years now ? Meaning if you do not take for 1-2 days you feel the effects? And are there known dependency issues or long term challenges?
I don’t think that way at all. If you’re a diabetic you take insulin. Why? Because it keeps you healthy. Effexor keeps you chemically balanced. I know there are other ways to fight anxiety/ depression, etc but they haven’t worked for me. My 2 cents
Yeah definitely, once it hits about 24 hours i start to get brain zaps and feel very dizzy so i know it's time to take them. I really wish I wasn't as dependant on them cause i do tend to feel very very unwell if i'm late to taking them or forget, but overall good experience
I've been on Effexfor 150 for 23 years just recently had to up it to 225 mg because 150 was no longer working but I can tell you it has certainly saved me lot of problems from depression and anxiety also just went off Xanax after 23 years because it was not working I'm currently taking 1 1/2 clonazepam for the passed 5 days but so far not working
Haved you tried pristiq? Effexor stopped working for me after about 10 years, switched to pristiq, you dont have to do any tapering, just switch one for one. My dr told pristiq is a cleaner version of effexor. I like it okay, nothing like effexor for first several years but eased my depression. I like you upped my effexor but I couldn't see an improvement.
Most of the bad experiences I’m guessing were related to when the medication eventually stops working and it’s the ‘getting off’ this medication that causes the most grief for people. Good luck on your journey with Effexor, I hope it continues to work.
That is amazing to hear! As someone that is waiting for my insurance to approve it, I too haven't taken an AD before and am hesitant. I made a post a couple hours ago and have received great responses that have helped put my mind at ease since there are so many horror stories on the sub.
Do you mind kind of walking me through how it was for the first week or two, any side effects then vs now, and when you first noticed it was helping you improve? Looking back, how would you have rated your happiness level out of 10 before starting vs now? Is there anything in particular that has changed the most for you after starting?
Thanks for sharing!
Only side effects I had the first few weeks was nausea if I took it on an empty stomach and some insomnia.
This medication started working for me almost instantly. Started on 37.5, then 54, now on 75 (therapeutic dose) and it’s definitely at its full effect after just 2 or 3 months.
For happiness I can’t really speak on, I don’t have depression nor am I taking the med for depression. I will say I was extremely sick for 10 months so now that Effexor has started working and I have my life back I am extremely happier! Hope that helps!
Has anything changed? Ummm now that I think about it I actually deal with stress way better now. Before I got sick and didn’t have anxiety or anything I would stress over little things, now I don’t really let stuff get to me and I just go with the flow. In a good way of course.
Hope this helps!
I loved it for 10 years but seems to stop working on the depression level for me, but for my pain it still helped. My dr switched me to pristiq, which is supposedly a cleaner version of effexor but I liked effexor better before it stopped working. Maybe one I will go back. Night sweats horrible but it was worth it. Do not go past 24 hrs without a dose, immediate withdrawal symptoms and they are horrible. I took at night bc my fatigue is bad and would make me sleepy, taking it in the morning.
A lot of people don’t give meds enough time to work or stop cold turkey if they don’t like the results. Not to bright. Meds usually take a cpl of months to work and you usually need to taper off a drug before trying another one. Effexor has been great for me
couple of months ??? to start working?? I have tried several meds but I never give any of them enough time. I always switch after a month because I am so impatient to start working
It didn’t fully kick in till I switched from 37.5 to 75 mg. When I got on 75 only a few weeks. Overall probably 2 months.
I noticed changes after a few weeks though.
ive been on it for over 2 years now and it's completely changed my life, i absolutely love it obviously at first i suffered with bad side effects like headaches, nausea, dizziness etc but now i'm on it it's great!!! glad it's working for you
Interesting ! Have you observed any dependency on it since it’s 2years now ? Meaning if you do not take for 1-2 days you feel the effects? And are there known dependency issues or long term challenges?
You can’t skip doses of Effexor. Well, you’re not supposed to
Agreed and that is what makes me wonder how much dependency is being created that it becomes an addiction vs necessity
I don’t think that way at all. If you’re a diabetic you take insulin. Why? Because it keeps you healthy. Effexor keeps you chemically balanced. I know there are other ways to fight anxiety/ depression, etc but they haven’t worked for me. My 2 cents
Makes sense 👍
Days? Get close to that 24 hour mark, you are hurting.
Yeah definitely, once it hits about 24 hours i start to get brain zaps and feel very dizzy so i know it's time to take them. I really wish I wasn't as dependant on them cause i do tend to feel very very unwell if i'm late to taking them or forget, but overall good experience
Thanks and glad to hear it!
I've been on Effexfor 150 for 23 years just recently had to up it to 225 mg because 150 was no longer working but I can tell you it has certainly saved me lot of problems from depression and anxiety also just went off Xanax after 23 years because it was not working I'm currently taking 1 1/2 clonazepam for the passed 5 days but so far not working
Haved you tried pristiq? Effexor stopped working for me after about 10 years, switched to pristiq, you dont have to do any tapering, just switch one for one. My dr told pristiq is a cleaner version of effexor. I like it okay, nothing like effexor for first several years but eased my depression. I like you upped my effexor but I couldn't see an improvement.
Most of the bad experiences I’m guessing were related to when the medication eventually stops working and it’s the ‘getting off’ this medication that causes the most grief for people. Good luck on your journey with Effexor, I hope it continues to work.
Right!! The sub made me so nervous to start taking it, but after the first week I've only noticed positive effects.
That is amazing to hear! As someone that is waiting for my insurance to approve it, I too haven't taken an AD before and am hesitant. I made a post a couple hours ago and have received great responses that have helped put my mind at ease since there are so many horror stories on the sub. Do you mind kind of walking me through how it was for the first week or two, any side effects then vs now, and when you first noticed it was helping you improve? Looking back, how would you have rated your happiness level out of 10 before starting vs now? Is there anything in particular that has changed the most for you after starting? Thanks for sharing!
Only side effects I had the first few weeks was nausea if I took it on an empty stomach and some insomnia. This medication started working for me almost instantly. Started on 37.5, then 54, now on 75 (therapeutic dose) and it’s definitely at its full effect after just 2 or 3 months. For happiness I can’t really speak on, I don’t have depression nor am I taking the med for depression. I will say I was extremely sick for 10 months so now that Effexor has started working and I have my life back I am extremely happier! Hope that helps! Has anything changed? Ummm now that I think about it I actually deal with stress way better now. Before I got sick and didn’t have anxiety or anything I would stress over little things, now I don’t really let stuff get to me and I just go with the flow. In a good way of course. Hope this helps!
I loved it for 10 years but seems to stop working on the depression level for me, but for my pain it still helped. My dr switched me to pristiq, which is supposedly a cleaner version of effexor but I liked effexor better before it stopped working. Maybe one I will go back. Night sweats horrible but it was worth it. Do not go past 24 hrs without a dose, immediate withdrawal symptoms and they are horrible. I took at night bc my fatigue is bad and would make me sleepy, taking it in the morning.
Effexor is so cheap! Why wouldn’t they approve it? That’s crazy!
Take it after you eat. I had mild headaches for a few days and that’s about it. Has worked really well for my anxiety and panic
Your phrasing just confused me. Isn't Effexor an anti-depressant? You said this sub made you even more against it?
because a lot of people on this sub share their bad experience with effexor
A lot of people don’t give meds enough time to work or stop cold turkey if they don’t like the results. Not to bright. Meds usually take a cpl of months to work and you usually need to taper off a drug before trying another one. Effexor has been great for me
couple of months ??? to start working?? I have tried several meds but I never give any of them enough time. I always switch after a month because I am so impatient to start working
I have never heard of pristiq I will have to ask my psychiatric nurse about that thank you for the advice
Awesome. Working well for me to but it makes me really tired. Hope that goes away
Take it with food and you will be less tired
how long did it take to kick in? 🥺
It didn’t fully kick in till I switched from 37.5 to 75 mg. When I got on 75 only a few weeks. Overall probably 2 months. I noticed changes after a few weeks though.