Effexor XR for Generalized Anxiety Disorder User Reviews (Page 4)

• Anonymous
• August 8, 2011

"It really does work. Made me feel mentally sharp again. I was previously always anxious, but Effexor completely stopped my anxiety. Unfortunately for me, it came with severe sexual side effects: loss of sex drive, unable to climax, impotence. Male - taking 75 mg daily. Off to try Wellbutrin instead."

• Amb...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 8, 2021

"I've had anxiety since I was 12 and have tried half a dozen different medications, all with a degree of success, but I always built up a tolerance to them, and they would stop working. Effexor was the only medication that continued to work at 225 mg for 16 years until I decided I'd had enough of taking pills and got off them in a week with hardly any side effects at all. I did notice when trying to find the right dosage for me at 150 mg, I felt my mind become numb. I had no empathy, emotions, and felt like a zombie, but increasing the dose took me out of the fog, and I could function like a normal human being. I still have anxiety today and don't go out as much as I used to, but I'm happy with that."

• MrT...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 9, 2019

"Started Effexor XR in 12/2018. Started with the lowest dose and worked up to 150 mg capsule daily. Starting the medication, my BP was normal, I just had bad anxiety and at times panic attacks. I thought all was well and didn't think much of it, but each time I went to see the Dr., my BP would raise just slightly higher each visit. My wife told me I wasn't acting myself, so I decided to make an appointment, and my BP had gone from normal to 175/130. The Dr. immediately cut my dose to 75 mg a day, which had brought it down to the 140s over 90s. This medicine can make some people's BP go through the roof, and when you stop taking it, the withdrawal effects are terrible. When you're coming off Effexor, your BP can also run severely high along with dizziness, muscle/joint aches & pains, some chest discomfort, headache, and possibly brain zaps. While Effexor does work well for a lot of people, it did nothing for me except give me high blood pressure and nearly put me in the hospital. Always monitor your BP on this medication. Best of luck to you."

• Sky...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 8, 2017

"I was prescribed this medication when Celexa wasn't working. My doctor put me on 75 mg to start, and that night I took my first dose at 9:30 PM, and by 11 PM, I was a total wreck. I became super nauseous and began throwing up quite a bit. My body was restless, and my arms and neck were numb and tingly. I managed to get a bit of sleep, but the next morning was a write-off - I felt completely disabled and lethargic. I was so weak, I could hardly hold my cell phone. I could hardly walk, I was so dizzy, and the brain zaps were fierce. I immediately visited my doctor, and he prescribed me something else. 75 mg to start was way too strong for me. I can't believe the side effects I've suffered after one dose. My advice would be to please try another option."

• Sky...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 1, 2020

"I was given Effexor XR to help with anxiety and panic attacks. The first week, I was constantly nauseated, but I stuck with it. Weeks 2 and 3, I did feel better. But at week 4, anxiety and panic returned even worse than before. I’m tapering off this medication and onto Celexa. It’s been awful. I think the “N” part (norepinephrine) reuptake part of SNRIs isn’t helping me. Cannot recommend."

• adr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 12, 2022

"Effexor XR stopped my suffering. Before Effexor, I was struggling with depression, anxiety/panic, dissociation, etc. On 225 mg, depression is gone, panic is mostly gone, still get anxiety occasionally, but it’s not even close to how it used to be, and dissociation is not as intense as it once was. This medication lowered the intensity of my anxiety dramatically. It’s honestly a miracle. Thank God for this medicine. If SSRIs aren’t a good fit, try Effexor."

• Bec...
• November 17, 2020

"Day 1: I know it was too soon, but I felt like I had less anxiety than usual. Day 2: I had slurred speech and was walking kind of funny as well, felt like a zombie. Day 3: I tried to go out with some friends, but had to leave after 20 minutes. I had horrible nausea, and my heart felt abnormally accelerated. Day 4: I talked to my doc, and she suggested I continue for 2 weeks to see if side effects went away. Day 5-14: I would wake up with racing thoughts, my brain felt like it was on caffeine, felt restless. It's like I became bipolar. I would become instantly irritated at stupid things, then happy again. Anxiety did subside for most of the day, but then out of nowhere, I would get horrible panic attacks for no reason, worse than before the medication. I also didn’t feel like me, like when I talked, it was like someone else was talking. It was a very weird feeling, hard to explain. I stopped taking it exactly after 2 weeks. I did give it a chance, but it's not for me."

• zen...
• May 30, 2021

"I took 75-112.5 mg of Effexor for depression and anxiety for the first time in 2016 and felt overall more energy, more cravings for food, and lower anxiety/depression levels overall. I did have sleeping issues, which made me more irritable. I got off Effexor and changed to Prozac, little energy, super lazy, weight gain, etc., so went back on in 2019. Worked my way up to 150 mg as I had a lot of intrusive thoughts and intense anxiety. At 150 mg - hard time sleeping. You don't take the drug regularly, you WILL feel it, so you must be anal about taking it every single day around the same time (took in the morning). I experienced 30-40 lbs weight gain in 2 years + COVID weight, but the meds made me gain more weight because of the cravings and increased appetite at 150 mg. I will say, if weight gain is not an issue for you and you can commit to taking the drug regularly, 75-112.5 mg is a perfect sweet spot, and the drug really does help. I recommend it for anyone facing GAD or depression, even OCD."

• Sky...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 19, 2019

"Was prescribed Effexor XR (Venlafaxine ER) after 3+ years of chronic severe insomnia (onset & maintenance) that created GAD symptoms. Had been given Cymbalta first but had to stop after 18 days due to a facial rash. The same rash continued on Effexor XR, and after 23 days, tachycardia at night became a problem along with severe brain zaps with vertigo all day & night. Was on 37.5 mg (“starting dose”) for a total of 25 days and developed what is believed to be serotonin syndrome. Reading up on it, because I’m also on Gabapentin and a benzodiazepine, the combination with Effexor XR is a potentiator for serotonin syndrome (even at 37.5 mg) AND discontinuation syndrome (damned if you start, damned if you stop). Am incapacitated by severe ongoing vertigo. Wish I had never let the “very experienced psychiatrist” get me in this situation. Wouldn’t touch this drug with a 10 ft pole."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 5, 2017

"I only took this medication for a short period of time. I loved it when I was on it. Increased happiness and just overall life was better until one day, as I was driving to work, I lost my peripheral vision in one eye. Luckily, it came back... but it is one of the potential side effects that is not listed as it has only happened in a small amount of people. Something like 1-4% of people that take it. I need to try one of the other SNRIs. I am currently on sertraline for PPD, PTSD, and anxiety. And it's working, but not like the Effexor did."

• Ry3...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 17, 2018

"I was diagnosed with GAD, MDD, panic disorder, and social anxiety. Before being diagnosed, I was very nervous about taking any antidepressants. However, Effexor was amazing for me, overall. Almost all anxiety and depression vanished. The only negative for me (and it’s a big one) was that I lost my libido, it was very hard to maintain an erection, and orgasms became next to impossible. Trying a different medication now."

• Jes...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 29, 2018

"I wanted to share my experience as I’ve read so many awful reviews about this drug. Granted this isn’t the right one for me, I did not experience the horrible side effects described by some people. My psychiatrist started me out on 75 mg, after a while worked up to 150 mg, and finally today I’m on 225 mg (over the course of about 10-12 weeks). The only side effects I’ve had are occasional headaches and some constipation. I go back to my psych in a few days and I think we will agree to move me on to another Rx. The 150 mg dose made me so exhausted, I hated it. I felt awful. When I started the 225 mg, I at least felt like a person again and had energy to do basic things like shower and clean my house. It didn’t resolve my anxiety, but for those of you who may be afraid to try it, please don’t be afraid of the negative reviews/side effects. I wish so bad this worked for me, but it didn’t."

• Mum...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 29, 2018

"I was given Effexor XR in 2013 for generalized anxiety disorder. I was stable on 75 mg for about 4 years when I decided to wean off it because of weight gain and the feeling that it wasn’t effective anymore in 2017. I weaned off using a Prozac bridge but relapsed 4 months later after a death in the family. I was restarted on Effexor XR, and after 2 weeks, started to feel better and had 2 good weeks. Out of the blue, I stopped sleeping, started having panic attacks, paranoia, and dark thoughts, I have never experienced anything like it. I sought out a psychiatrist and psychologist for help, as my GP didn’t know what to do. I’ve been started on a tricyclic antidepressant and am slowly weaning off the Effexor. My message is that everyone reacts differently to medication, carefully watch your reactions to a new medication and please seek help if you need it. Thankfully, I did, and my kids still have a mum."

• Jas...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 8, 2022

"Effexor helped with my anxiety but gave me bad insomnia. Looking back, I should have just dealt with the insomnia. Instead, I kept asking for other meds to help with 'this' side effect and 'that' side effect, all the while increasing my Effexor dose. Eventually, I started feeling manic and bulletproof. I almost lost my job for being belligerent. BUT I was also drinking alcohol. I started hearing whooshing noises when I turned my head too fast. I eventually moved on from Effexor, but I'm not 100% sure why. I just started back taking Effexor after about 10 years. No alcohol. Cutting back on caffeine and will try to manage my sleep with good habits instead of pills. Starting at 37.5. Here we go."

• Sab...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 28, 2022

"I’m 28. I’ve struggled for 13 years with crippling anxiety. I first tried Celexa years ago, and that made me a zombie, which scared me away and into dealing with my anxiety on my own. I’ve coped well with it. I recently had a lot of life changes, which made me really anxious about everything, and then depression came on top of that, being a single mom. Anyways, a few months ago, I decided to give it a try. I was prescribed Cipralex, and it seemed to help my depression right away but made my anxiety way worse and was always fatigued no matter what time I took it. I was on that for 3 months. Finally, I had enough, and my doctor switched me to Effexor XR. Honestly, the first day was instant relief! No more anxiety and all-around feeling good with lots of energy. This was a huge lifesaver for me. It’s only been 2 weeks on it now, and I don’t even want to look back, just forward in life. I can’t believe I’ve suffered so long thinking that it was normal to feel like that."

• Sam...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 29, 2015

"I wouldn't wish this medicine on my worst enemy. There are other major issues with this medicine than the horrific uptake and withdrawal symptoms. If I missed one single dose of this medication, it made me crazy. Mood swings, dizziness, suicidal thoughts, blurry vision, and more. The only reason I gave it a 2 was because if you're perfect at taking your medication, then it might work for you. Maybe. But be ready for the withdrawals because it was the worst few weeks of my life."

• Nor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 18, 2016

"I tried Effexor for 4 weeks, and it really made my life a living hell. I got more and more anxiety, and after 4 weeks, I just couldn't take it further because of the side effects. But the worst part was the week after I stopped taking Effexor. It was an insane depression."

• Lef...
• August 6, 2019

"I have been taking Effexor XR (Venlafaxine) at the 150-225 mg per day level for 17 years. Initially, it worked very well, and I lived my life up until the last year when I seem to have become 'tolerant' to the medication, meaning it doesn't work as well anymore. I put up with the low sex drive and difficulty urinating for the past 5 years, but am not sure if it's the medication or my age, I'm 62 now. The worst thing about Venlafaxine is that you just can't quit it. The withdrawals are the worst. The head spasms or ringing or whatever you want to call it (people who take Effexor know what I'm talking about) cannot be tolerated for long. They will start in less than 24 hours for some if they miss the medication or stop taking it. A careful tapering must be done, and it can take up to a year for some people. I continue taking it as of today but am trying to go to Lexapro at this time."

• asp...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 28, 2021

"This medication did not work out well for me. I understand that these types of medications can affect people differently, but I wanted to share my experience. I took this medication for anxiety at 37.5 mg for 2 days, and that was enough for me. The first day was fine, the second day, I felt depersonalization and like what was happening around me was not real. That night, I went to bed at 10 p.m. and woke up 2 hours later having racing thoughts, and hallucinations, and hot flashes, and nausea. My heart was racing, I had a burning in my chest that radiated up to my underarms, and my body was shaking and sweating profusely. This was followed by chills and then a repeat of the same scenario with the hot flashes and racing thoughts/hallucinations. I thought I had been given LSD by mistake! I decided to stop taking the medication. Luckily, I did not have any withdrawal or negative side effects - only a minor headache."

• Com...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 19, 2018

"My doctor diagnosed me with Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and prescribed me venlafaxine (specifically Effexor XR). I found it strange, but it kind of 'worked.' I feel much less anxious and depressed; on the other hand, I felt neither more concentrated nor focused on tasks."

• dar...
• November 3, 2011

"In one sense, it handled many of my symptoms, but I became a completely different person. I was no longer myself at all. I made many, many horrible decisions affecting my family, friends, business, etc. I adopted a whole new set of values - I just wasn't myself anymore. When I finally decided to go off it, I spent 9 months of withdrawal symptoms, splitting capsules every day and gradually reducing the amount of grains."

• Koo...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 20, 2018

"Probably jumping the gun on here, but what the heck. I had to wait over an hour at my hot mess of a pharmacy to fill this...but I think it was worth it. God bless my insurance - this is not cheap! I lucked out because my psych initiated a follow-up with me today, and could not be in better timing. I had to go see an OB/GYN appointment later that day, and I get flashbacks b/c I was raped at 7 years old. (Add in my other meds + Klonopin), but everything went so smoothly, and I heard this can help anxiety + depression in the long run. (37.5 mg Effexor XR added to Wellbutrin 300 XR) Not gonna lie, I do have a headache and my stomach felt a bit off, rather low key now...but I also had a bad sleep. But I was able to stay clean from alcohol today when I would normally be hitting the bottle to numb my trauma. Only the first day, but I see some good prospects in adding this Rx to my current schedule/regimen."

• M3g...
• October 17, 2018

"I was given this drug when I was 24 years old to help combat my generalized anxiety. This is the worst drug. The first five nights I took it, I would wake up each night at about 3 or 4 a.m. The first night I sat up and put my feet over the side of the bed, and everything around me was dancing or moving in some way, shape, or form. I thought this must be what some kind of bad acid trip feels like. Then suddenly, a wash of nausea came over me, and I ran to the bathroom and collapsed to my knees. As much as I felt like I wanted to puke, I could not. I proceeded to get up, splash some water on my face from the sink, and turned the lights on. When looking at my face in the mirror, I could see my eyes were dilating and undulating. The next morning, I felt like someone had injected the most amount of caffeine available straight into my veins. Finally, when this effect wore off, I crashed and fell asleep for 4 hours. Like I said, these were regular occurrences for about the first 5 days."

• And...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 21, 2019

"I tried this medication for my anxiety and could not continue after 2 days at 37.5 mg. I was okay for the first 4 hours, and then, I became so dizzy as if I was drunk. I could not walk straight, and the nausea wouldn’t stop, and I could not eat and think straight. The second day, I started to have tinnitus, which I never had. The second night, I tried to go pee, and it wouldn’t come out without forcing for 2 minutes. I never had that problem before."

• BBx...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 22, 2021

"CW: Mention of being suicidal. I suffer from borderline personality disorder and PTSD. Personality disorders are wild because you don't know how much of you is really you and how much is just symptoms of it. This medication changed my entire life. I have goals, dreams, passions, a sense of identity, a drive to better myself, a healthy and nurturing relationship-all of which I would not have dreamt of having before. This medication is the best thing that happened to me because before I used it, I was just drifting through life waiting to die, and every day I hoped would be my last, and waking up each morning felt like a punishment. The reason I didn't give it the 10/10 it probably deserves is because the initial couple of weeks of treatment are awful, and it definitely gets worse before it gets better, and also the withdrawals. I don't always have the means to get my prescription, and by the second day without taking it, I feel like death. Drunk without the fun, lol."