Fetzima User Reviews & Ratings

• Fet...
• February 27, 2014

For Depression "I have tried every antidepressant in the books over the past twelve years, you name it, I've been on it for an extended period of time 'waiting for it to begin working.' I have bipolar tendencies and panic disorder, which has been so bad at times that I've literally fallen down and been physically crippled for long periods of time, sometimes up to four hours due to hyperventilation. Recently traumatic events one after the other left me also with a whopping case of depression to top everything off. My doctor began a starter pack of the Fetzima, and now I'm on an 80 mg dose. My anxiety is all but gone, it leaves me extremely calm without feeling sedated, and as an added bonus, it seems to have greatly reduced my chronic pain. Life just seems better."

• Kat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 7, 2014

For Major Depressive Disorder "Dealing with depression and anxiety. Tapered off Elavil for three weeks before starting Fetzima. I'm on day 8 with Fetzima. Two days at 20mg and then up to 40mg per day. Started Fetzima... The first two days felt great... happy and relaxed. The next few I was grumpy, mad at the world. Not irrational, just mad. Bad mood. Now on day eight, I'm feeling good. No obsessive thoughts about bad things, thinking super clearly which was a huge issue for me. Don't need as much sleep and seem to have more energy, though not manic. I think I've lost a little weight which is good for me. I was concerned about my blood pressure which was a little high pre-Fetzima but no issues. No other side effects."

• Rep...
• April 2, 2014

For Depression "I have been taking Effexor, 300 mg for 15 years and Lexapro, 40 mg for about eight. I have tried to stop taking Effexor twice with horrible experiences each time. My depression began to increase so the Dr. prescribed stopping Lexapro immediately and gradually decreasing Effexor and replacing it with Fetzima (first 40, now 80 mg). I was hesitant due to my prior experiences but the Dr. seemed confident. After 12 weeks, today is my first day without any Effexor, only 80 mg of Fetzima. I feel great; I had no negative side effects from the changes and notice definite improvement in my depression. I believe the depression will continue to lift with time. I am so relieved to finally be free of Effexor. I believe Fetzima made it possible."

• for...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 27, 2016

For Major Depressive Disorder "I am writing this in memory of my husband. My husband was on antidepressant meds for many years. His doctor prescribed Fetzima. I wish he had never taken it. I found him after he committed suicide. This was in April 2014. Please be very careful if you do take this medicine. I miss him every day..."

• Gru...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 19, 2015

For Depression "I've been taking 40mg of Fetzima daily for the past 9 months. For me it's hands down the best antidepressant I've ever tried. My mood is significantly better and I have more energy. Most importantly, it has lifted my need for other mood-altering medicines. I have been sober for four months without really trying. Amazingly, I no longer feel the need to 'escape' reality. I hope and pray it continues to work as it's given me a glimpse of what life without addiction and depression can be. It's been life-changing. As for side effects, I have noticed an increase in irritability. I have had inconsistencies in the bedroom as well. Sometimes good, sometimes bad. Overall, well worth it for me!"

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 22, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "Diagnosed with MDD, GAD, and complex PTSD. This Fetzima medication has literally been a miracle drug for me. Been on different SSRIs and never felt well. I have never felt cognitively sharper, able to function throughout the day, and without feeling sedated. No more negative thoughts and self-loathing, low energy, agitation, and irritability, inability to leave the house and be productive and crushes my GAD as well. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to live a life I have never known. If you can push through a few weeks of nausea, dizziness, and not feeling great, you will get to a good place. Give it time to work."

• Cat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 24, 2016

For Major Depressive Disorder "Have had MDD for almost 10 years. Lost my job, income, and basically trudging through life. Have taken Lamictal 300mg for years, and Dr. has tried combining with almost every antidepressant out there. Abilify worked great for about a month, my house was clean, lawn decent, and things sorted and organized. Then back to the usual. House a mess, repairs not done, bills not paid. Just wanted to sleep my life away. Started Fetzima at 20mg for 2 days, then have been on 40mg for almost 2 weeks. Feeling energetic and ready to be productive again! Only side effect so far is frequent urination. Please keep your fingers crossed for me!"

• ric...
• March 3, 2016

For Depression "I switched from Cymbalta, which has never done anything great for me. As soon as I started Fetzima, people started saying they saw a difference in me. I don't know what I would have done without Fetzima. For the first time, since I can remember, I feel like a regular human being. I have horrible social anxiety, and if I can make myself get out there, I do very well now. I no longer keep silent and feel like I shouldn't have the right to speak. I just feel normal like everyone else. I feel happy and normal. All thanks to Fetzima. My blood pressure has gone up, but all I did was quit my coffee and caffeine. Actually, I took up green tea, which has caffeine, but my blood pressure is down now. I'd gladly give that up to feel as good as I do."

• dep...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 9, 2016

For Depression "Ignore all the negative reviews because this drug might work for you. I've had depression for decades and have tried 18 different drugs over the years. Only 3 meds have worked for me, and Fetzima is one of them. This drug saved my life. The side effects slowly went away over a 6-week time period. Yes, it is energizing at first, and you may need to take an extra amount of benzo to calm you down, but the side effects eventually go away for some of us, although it seems like they never will for weeks. Give it time to work!"

• Ano...
• August 27, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "I have C-PTSD and MDD. I was put on Effexor XR, and I hated it. I slept 20 hours a day, had no energy for anything, had constant nausea, so a new doctor prescribed Fetzima 30 mg. I have no side effects at all! Last week, I was sitting on my balcony, and I felt happy. I almost cried, I had not felt this kind of simple bliss in more than 10 years. No other antidepressants ever worked for me, and I tried many. Speaking of sleep, my sleep has improved so much on Fetzima. No nightmares like on Effexor XR, I feel rested after 8 hours, and I actually want to get out of bed when I wake up. I do notice that I speak a lot and faster on Fetzima, but it's not as bad for me as other people reported. And I have so, so much more energy. I know other people had very bad experiences, but in my opinion, it's really worth trying, you might be one of those people who'll be lucky enough to finally have a chance to really get better, just like me!"

• Han...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 7, 2014

For Depression "I suffer from Severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Depression, Panic Disorder. The comment above me was almost like a mirror image! I was so relieved to see that another person has been on every antidepressant out there and none had really worked... For me, however, all the antidepressants I have been on in the past have actually caused an opposite effect than what they are meant to do. I would become even more depressed and even suicidal. I have Systemic Lupus, (among many other serious health issues) and in my case, the Lupus is very severe. It is pain every waking moment. The Fetzima 40mg has helped a bit with that, it hasn't made me more depressed, and I think I may even be feeling a bit more positive. So, all in all, I think it may be working :)"

• Pan...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 18, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "I have GAD, anxiety, panic attacks. I was having sexual side effects on Cymbalta, so my psychiatrist switched me to Fetzima. He said he wasn't certain it would help with my anxiety, as it is more for depression. However, all of the SNRIs that I have tried (Pristiq, Cymbalta, & Fetzima) have done wonders for my anxiety. I don't have sexual side effects on Fetzima, and I'm thrilled to have found something that works so well for my anxiety. I can actually tell myself, 'Let's just wait and see what happens, no need to worry about that right now,' and it works. I didn't think that would ever be possible."

• Was...
• February 3, 2015

For Major Depressive Disorder "I came to this website looking to see if anyone else had the impacts that I did. I've been on 10 or so meds prior to this over 20 years now. I hope this isn't inappropriate, but medically speaking I think this might be important to others. After taking this only 6 days now, my depression levels have stayed the same, but I can't help but notice my sex drive is back and it's almost unbelievable to me. I lost a marriage over depression and the lack of sex drive because of meds. As well, lack of sex drive in itself made me really depressed. The agony of wanting sex to feel good was unimaginable. But depression in control was more important. And I only switched to this med because of cost. Best thing that has happened to me in forev"

• Wee...
• January 22, 2015

For Depression "Have been on many antidepressants, most either not effective enough or side effects were too much. I am on 40mg in the 3rd month. On the side, I have much more energy. I am no longer sleeping excessively, and my anger/irritability is much less. Most importantly, my depression is much better and emotionally, I feel much better. Now, I started getting headaches, severe ones, that only responded to ice packs. Then my blood pressure went way, way up. The headaches are probably related to the elevated blood pressure. I also got the sweats (at first, I thought it was menopause, but not so). I was also having a hard time sleeping. Finally, heart racing. Will try a bit longer to see if the body can adapt to it because my mood is much better, but worried regarding side effects."

• The...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 4, 2015

For Depression "I had recently lost just about everything I had but my truck, and was suffering from major depression. Couldn't even find the strength or will to get off my grandmother's couch. The doc gave me the first 3 weeks dosage (2 20mg then up to 40). The very first day I noticed changes. I had my energy back, I wanted to do things again. The side effects didn't kick in until day 4. Nausea, constipation, and overall foul stomach. My stomach made noises that I've never before heard it make. It was putting me in such a great mood that I just pushed through it and in about a week, with lots of antacid and stool softener, it subsided. This medicine has helped me tremendously so far in my battle with depression."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 22, 2014

For Depression "I was on Fetzima for a couple of months, but my depression was still really bad. The doctor kept increasing my dose with no signs of improvement. Eventually, my blood pressure and pulse were so high that I had to come off."

• Gre...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 9, 2017

For Major Depressive Disorder "I had a rough childhood to sum things up quickly. I was divorced and put myself through nursing school, remarried, bought a house, and was very independent until I hit 30 years old. I started to slowly decompensate mentally. My issues are bipolar, borderline personality disorder, anxiety, grief-complicated, ADD, diabetes, and obesity. I tried counseling and all kinds of medications for 10 years. My husband is very supportive. Then my 20-year-old son committed suicide in the navy. It didn't hit me until about 9 or 10 months, and I became extremely manic, and the grief took over. I dissociated and overdosed on my Klonopin and started outpatient treatment. That's when I started Fetzima. It saved my life! It took about a year and a half to work through the grief, but I could NOT have done it without Fetzima. It helped with anxiety and my depression."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 2, 2016

For Depression "I started having serious health problems that I didn't think could be related to anxiety, but it was. I went 6 weeks without being able to drive, had extreme weakness to the point on one occasion I didn't think I could get out of bed. I had an MRI on my brain, an echo on my heart, blood work, and two tests at the doctor to make sure I hadn't or wasn't having a heart attack. I spent hundreds seeing a natural doctor as well. I tried Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, and one more, and it wasn't until I took Fetzima that I actually had real results. I did have increased energy at first starting at 20mg, but I loved waking up with energy. I went to 40mg and did great for 3-4 months. Tonight is my first increase to 60mg. This drug has made a huge difference for me."

• XIM...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 13, 2016

For Major Depressive Disorder "I have MDD (12 years), chronic pain (17 years), anxiety, and social/agoraphobias. For the last 3 years, I barely left the house and rarely left my bed. Things grew extremely dark this past year. I cared for nothing except my dog, without whom I wouldn't be here now. The psychiatrists and antidepressants I tried for years either failed miserably or made things worse. I managed to see a new psychiatrist who put me on a combo of Fetzima and Rexulti. This combo made a HUGE difference for me. It feels like someone turned on the lights, and I can finally see some kind of future. It's still hard, but not impossible. Don't let the bad reviews scare you off! If you've been struggling, try it. It might help you. Just be watchful of the possible side effects."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 13, 2017

For Depression "I was surprised to see that there were some reviews that showed it wasn't helping some people. I'm very sorry for that. Depression runs in my family. I've been on over 20 different antidepressants throughout my life. Nothing has ever worked. I don't recall any improvement from anything. I started Fetzima about 2 years ago. I felt relief within 1 week. I couldn't believe the difference within 2 weeks. I have experienced some rough times. I've had a few suicide attempts and woke up in ICU 3 times. I'm not trying to say I've had it worse than anyone. I'm just saying that was the place I was in. This was the only med that worked. The only drawback is the cost. It's very expensive without a savings card."

• nam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 14, 2016

For Major Depressive Disorder "I did not have any negative side effects from Fetzima, and it is the first thing that has worked for me. Do not drink alcohol when taking this at all; I did, and it made me feel extremely depressed. I actually feel like a person now, and I have so much more energy."

• GDD...
• October 17, 2014

For Depression "I started Fetzima 4 months ago. My blood pressure went up dramatically to the point that now I am on blood pressure medication. I am also irritable now. I see my doctor in one week and I will tell him to change it. I've never had a blood pressure side effect from medication before. My blood pressure was also normal."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 15, 2015

For Depression "25, male. I noticed the previous reviewer mentioned having ocular symptoms with Fetzima. I’ve also been having these issues. Specifically, I’ve had eye pain, a feeling of pressure behind the eyes, and a tight feeling as if my eyes are about to pop out of my head. Other than the previous reviewer, I haven’t seen anyone else mention it, and it doesn’t seem to be an acknowledged side effect in the literature. I’ve had a number of other side effects, but they are manageable; this one is most troubling. I’ve been on the drug for 3 months, and I would have already quit except it’s the only drug (of many I’ve tried) that has helped my energy, focus, and motivation. I will probably see an ophthalmologist before I decide whether to discontinue."

• Smu...
• April 21, 2016

For Major Depressive Disorder "My Cymbalta pooped out on me, and I was having suicidal ideations. My doc wanted to put me in the hospital, and I refused. She suggested I try Fetzima. It's only been three weeks, but so far, I feel amazing. It's like night and day. Less depression, more motivated and hopeful. I haven't had any negative side effects. I am so glad this medication is available. It literally kept me out of the mental hospital and possibly saved my job since I didn't want to get out of bed and called in sick often. I hope it works as well for others who try it."

• Get...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 20, 2018

For Depression "My depression started when I was 13. I tried countless medications with unpleasant side effects with my PCP and then my psychiatrist, and nothing relieved my symptoms entirely. I was seriously considering ECT until he gave me some free samples of Fetzima when I was about 18 and in my first year of college. I cannot describe to you how much of a difference there was, but I will try. This medication quite literally saved my life, as I was suicidal pretty much daily in high school. It was much easier to think, sort my feelings out, and continue on with my life after about a month at the highest dose (120 mg). Though I am still on Wellbutrin and Adderall XR (since age 15/16), this medication lifted my mood immensely and gave me the hope I needed that life will turn out OK. It's expensive since it's newer, insurance partially covered it."