Effexor first day! It seems like this is doing the trick! Anybody else happy with Effexor??
Question posted by Frank001 on 5 Jan 2019
Last updated on 29 September 2020 by KayceMac
I was on Lexapro 10mg for GAD for over 5 years , it did make me feel better but it never really completely worked, I even tried 20mg with no success, no real side effects. Years ago I was on Paxil , it worked but the weight gains and excessive sweating were terrible.
Today I started Effexor lowest dose 37.5mg, ( after tapering off Lexapro, I did 5mg a day for the last week, no side effects or withdrawal symptom at all). I know this is supposed to take at least a week to feel the effect of the drug but I can already tell a relaxing feeling. I am feeling normal after a long time. Even with Lexapro I was always anxious, first day on Effexor's lowest dosage and I already feel better. I hope this stays like this or even better. I did take the time to write about this because I was so nervous about starting this new medicine and when checking online reviews most of them are negative, I guess most people who have positive experiences don't take the time to write a review. I am here to answer any questions , I have had my days with my anxiety out o control, no much depression although I was feeling sad for no reason lately., I feel like I had anxiety naturally since I remember , there must be a chemical imbalance , I always tried to stay median-free but I just cannot completely cope with anxiety, even when I was rally happy I would always feel anxious. Anyway, day 1 , really happy with Effexor!
The information on this page reflects personal experiences shared by our community members. It is not reviewed for medical accuracy and should not replace professional medical advice.
5 Answers
KA
KayceMac
29 Sep 2020
Hi Frank,
Sadly, these days people tend to write more about the negatives than the positives. I have taken Effexor XR for many years and have found it to be the most useful of the SSNRIs. I remember it working very quickly at alleviating most of the anxiety and depression symptoms - within a day or two of starting it. Hopefully, it is still working well for you and you have had no issues with Effexor.
Votes: +0
BA
Baddgoat
29 Sep 2020
I really don't believe that feeling some relief on the first day with Effexor is entirely placebo. I suffer from crazy anxiety and I've tried a lot of things and other than benzos Effexor definitely took the edge off the first few days. It did however slowly creep back in. I'm waiting to hopefully see the full effects soon. Only been on it 2 weeks. What I felt was not placebo though.
Votes: +0
PH
Phoenix84
5 Jan 2019
I was on Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) 50mg for 4 months about 2yrs ago. It did wonders to fix a low grade persistent depression for me. Currently on Wellbutrin XR 150mg the last 6 months, and while it doesn't give me the energy Pristiq did it also hasn't pushed me to hypomania.
Votes: +0
RA
Rathmullan
5 Jan 2019
I am glad to hear that you are feeling better. What you report is interesting. I had the same reaction when I first started Effexor at 37.5 mg. My Doctor then informed me that he had never seen anyone react to 37.5 mg immediately and implied I was experiencing a placebo effect. Unfortunately, I accepted his diagnosis and assumed I was wrong to feel good.
But I say GO WITH IT! What I know now is that many Doctors know very little about how these medications may effect a particular person.
Best of luck to you and I hope the Effexor continues working. Take care for now.
Votes: +1
FR
Frank001
5 Jan 2019
Thank you so much for your comment. Did you continue taking Effexor? how did you do in the long run?
RA
Rathmullan
6 Jan 2019
I went up to 75 mg of Effexor. It seemed to serve me well for a long time. The Doctor who I was seeing and who had put me on Effexor was tragically killed in an auto accident and my new Doctor switched me to Sertraline. That worked for a few years but then stopped working, I'm now on Viibryd which has been working well. I'm in the process of trying to taper down to a maintenance dose. I went from 40 mg to 30 mg currently and I hope to get to 20 mg late this year.
WI
WildcatVet
6 Jan 2019
The placebo effect is very real... which it no way belittles it. If you feel good feel good and enjoy it no matter what the cause. :)
JE
jerbear458
18 Jan 2019
I had better results on 37.5 mg xr capsules than the 75 mg ones.My psychiatrist said it was a placebo effect also. He gradually upped my dosage to 150 mg xr and it spaced me out really badly at that dose.
Hi, Frank! Glad to hear that you're feeling better already but be prepared for some ups and downs in the coming weeks as your metabolism adjusts to the medication. Also, you may be experiencing a bit of the placebo effect that is common when starting certain antidepressants.
That being said: "Sleep, energy, or appetite may show some improvement within the first 1-2 weeks. Improvement in these physical symptoms can be an important early signal that the medication is working. Depressed mood, anxiety, and lack of interest in activities may need up to 6-8 weeks to fully improve. Venlafaxine (Effexor) | NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness"
I took Effexor for over 6 years and I have to say that it was my life-saver! If you have any questions or concerns along the way you can always feel free to post again or just to give us an update, okay?
Votes: +2
FR
Frank001
5 Jan 2019
Thank you for your comment WildcatVet. I'm happy it worked for you, I hope it continues to work for me also.
FR
Frank001
20 Jan 2019
Hello my friend . You were absolutely right . Today is the 16th day , the last 5-6 days have been full of ups and downs ... I hope things stabilize , at 2 weeks I don’t think I am getting the full effects/benefits of Effexor yet . Currently at 75mg .
