Desvenlafaxine for Panic Disorder User Reviews

• Sha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 19, 2018

"Oh my goodness, so excited!!! Nothing worked for me ever! Venlafaxine made me unconscious, passed out, broke out in a rash, and felt awful. Did the DNA testing, Pristiq came up. Didn't think it would ever work, being a sister of Effexor. Yes, just started, but I'm so hoping it stays great for me, not any side effects at all."

• cdr...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 17, 2016

"I started taking Pristiq after suffering from panic disorder for almost 3 years. I was terrified to take anything, but it was the best decision I ever made. It completely cured me from panic attacks, but I am still anxious, and my psoriasis did not improve at all. I did NOT have ANY side effects ever. I even drink alcohol, and I feel as if I am not on a prescription drug. It got rid of my agoraphobia, and I felt normal again. I stopped taking it about 2 months ago, but I felt terrified panic would come back. I started taking it again today. My doctor says even if I get pregnant, I shouldn’t"

• Anonymous
• April 14, 2009

Desvenlafaxine "I have suffered from panic disorders for eight years. I have taken everything there is, and nothing has seemed to work. Zoloft helped take the edge off, but it gave me sexual side effects and kind of made me numb. Pristiq is the best thing ever. I noticed almost immediately that it was working. The first week was rough, and I felt a little more anxious. The only side effects I have are, like at night, I sometimes see halos around lights, and I urinate a lot more often. But I feel great. I have only had two panic attacks compared to having one every day. I have only been taking Pristiq for a month. Thank you to the makers of Wyeth, I have my life back."

• Hop...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 8, 2020

"I’ve been on the generic desvenlafaxine brand for 6 months for panic disorder and social anxiety, and it has helped me tremendously. I went from experiencing horrible panic episodes almost daily with spiraling anxiety to a whole new world. I feel like a new person. Also doing therapy and working on mindfulness. This drug has been a lifesaver for me. Few side effects that do not compare to the horror of anxiety and panic beforehand. Side effects are slight tightness of jaw, slight weight gain (but previously underweight), slight sleep interruption, mostly when I had started the medicine - has since improved."

• Anonymous
• December 23, 2011

Desvenlafaxine "I take 100 mg. It works, but side effects were I was always tired and gained weight. Took Wellbutrin with it when I was taking 50 mg. That made me feel close to normal, but I got headaches and gained weight. I was good enough with just the Pristiq, but not great. The doctor then added Dextroamphetamine, which now has me feeling normal, like when I was in my 20s. I have motivation, energy, focus, no panic, no depression, and once again feel the wide range of emotions as they are meant to feel. I am able to take joy in the small things in life and not dwell on the downsides. My weight has also adjusted back to pre-medication size."

• Anonymous
• August 11, 2011

Desvenlafaxine "I've been dealing with panic disorder/anxiety since I was 11-12 years old and have basically tried everything out there. While I was medication-free for almost two years, I recently started having severe panic attacks again and subsequently was suffering from agoraphobia. My doctor put me on Klonopin (which I had used successfully in the past), but a friend with similar issues recommended Pristiq. I am currently taking 1 mg of Klonopin 4 times a day (max dose for panic disorders), 10 mg of Ambien at night to sleep, and recently increased the Pristiq to 100 mg. While I still have a way to go, I feel worlds better and certainly much better than on any other medication that I have ever taken."

• dak...
• July 16, 2010

Desvenlafaxine "I have been on pretty much every antidepressant out there for the last 7 years. The last few were Lexapro 20 mg, then switched to Zoloft, which made me feel like I wasn't on anything at all, and I began having anxiety, which turned into panic attacks. I was put on Ativan 1.5 mg a day and 20 mg Paxil, which was raised to 40 mg. This past year, I was diagnosed with ADD, so Adderall XR was added.... can't remember the dose because I had an allergic reaction and moved on to Focalin XR. I thought they both worked very well. I was totally on target, focused, and awake. However, my jaw felt clenched a lot, which gave me headaches. I saw a new PCP last week, who put me on Pristiq and took me off everything else. It makes me so sleepy, but so far, so good!"

• Anonymous
• September 6, 2010

Desvenlafaxine "Pristiq did a good job reducing my symptoms dramatically. However, it gave me so much in return, which made my life complicated! I mean 50 lb weight gain over a year that keeps growing every month. I also cannot sleep at night as I could before. I see very vivid dreams and nightmares almost every night! It makes me wake up feeling tired. In addition, I had withdrawal symptoms when I once forgot to take my dose. I had vertigo, nausea, headache. I absolutely could not function."

• Ror...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 10, 2022

"After four years of virtually no panic or anxiety symptoms at all, started suffering from panic attacks and severe anxiety in October 2021. Doc put me on 25 mg of Pristiq. I had never been on an SNRI before, only SSRIs such as Lexapro and Zoloft. The first three weeks were very difficult, I must admit. Felt extreme anxiety, had little appetite (I usually LOVE to eat!) and dry mouth. Got to the point where I almost wanted to stop Pristiq, but decided to push through. Thankfully, I did. After three weeks, started feeling like 'myself' again. Started eating out, attending sporting events, and even taking trips out of town again. Any of these were almost unthinkable during my lowest times before I got help. I know everyone responds to meds differently, but I would say to stick with Pristiq for a few weeks before giving up. The doctor said he wanted me to give it a chance for at least four weeks, but three weeks seems to have been the magic number for me."

• kat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 17, 2019

"So I’ve been on Pristiq for about a month now, and I take 25 mg in the morning. I’m super weight conscious, and I’ve stayed in between 102-105 pounds for over a year. I just weighed myself, and I’m now 112, and I don’t know how I got here. I have an almost insatiable appetite, I never feel full anymore, and I used to only eat once a day. I have enjoyed not panicking every other day. But all I ever feel instead is tired and bored and quiet."

• Ang...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 28, 2022

"On this for depression, panic disorder, PTSD. This med wasn't very effective for my depression and not effective for my anxiety/panic disorder at all. If anything, I feel like I had far more frequent and severe panic attacks on it. Additionally, I've been on a lot of behavior meds in the past, and this was hands down the absolute worst to discontinue. If you miss a dose, you will feel it, and if you're not an exceptionally strong-willed and determined person, you may also need hospitalization to wean off of it. Effexor/Pristiq (Venlafaxine/Desvenlafaxine) is notorious for having a rough discontinuation period. I tried weaning off of it multiple times, but the nightmares and depression I had while discontinuing it were so terrible that I kept finding myself giving in and taking the pill so I wouldn't be crying all day. I had to switch to Zoloft and wasn't able to just come off of them, so that's a major consideration people should be aware of."

• que...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 21, 2019

"I have anxiety and panic attacks for over 20 years now, and I have tried Zoloft and Effexor, but after several years, they wore out. So this time, the doctor wants me to try this desvenlafaxine. I’ve been on this medicine for a week now, but I don't feel the effect yet. I want to think that this medicine will work for me. Based on the other reviews, it makes me feel scared, but I am still hopeful that this one could be the right one for me. I still feel anxious, shortness of breath, couldn't sleep, groggy, and fewer panic attacks so far. Hopefully, as I continue to take this medicine, it will work and bring me back to my normal life again."

• Gus...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 31, 2021

"A cardiologist prescribed this to me as my first drug in the world of antidepressants, and it did almost nothing for my anxiety/PD, maybe it made it worse. At first, I didn't pay attention to the side effects, I think I just had a little dizziness, but it didn't do anything positive for me."

• Emi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 29, 2019

"Do not EVER take this medicine. I ended up in the ER and was in and out of consciousness, and I felt weirder than I’ve ever felt in my life. My dose was way too high at 50 mg, which is the standard dose. I'm sharing my story so that others will know the effects of this terrible drug. The hospital told me to quit taking it immediately and that this was one of the worst ones I could’ve taken. I’m still not 100% and still can’t see well out of my eyes or stand on my own. I also didn’t eat for a solid day, which is very unlike me! I just couldn’t. My motor skills were way off. I’m telling you, I’ve had a time with this medicine, and I only took it once."

• pis...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 17, 2012

Desvenlafaxine "I have been taking this same dosage, 50 mg, for 3 weeks, and I take Xanax 3 times a day for anxiety/panic. It's been so far so good. I'm really trying to be optimistic about this one."

• Anonymous
• March 21, 2010

Desvenlafaxine "Did an amazing job at getting me back to normal, although I still suffer from panic attacks in my sleep. This also helped me greatly with my depression and made me feel normal again."