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Effexor XR for Generalized Anxiety Disorder User Reviews (Page 5)

Effexor XR has an average rating of 6.9 out of 10 from a total of 110 reviews for the treatment of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. 58% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 23% reported a negative experience.

Reviews for Effexor XR

  • 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"

8 / 10
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  • Amy...
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • May 17, 2018

"On Effexor for 2 years, weaned off to a half dose for a week which was ok, then a quarter dose which again was ok. When I got down to zero, I was very dizzy, which also made me nauseated because I'm prone to motion sickness. Also had diarrhea. Took immodium for the diarrhea, no biggie. IF YOU ARE DIZZY, take OTC Dramamine or Bonine, the motion sickness medicines. They are the same as prescription anti-vertigo meds. You will probably still feel off for a week, but you will be functional. I had a low grade headache the whole time, and "brain zaps". Dramamine seemed to make those less severe also, down to just annoying."

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  • kelly...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • January 27, 2022

"I am taking Effexor XR, along with 5 other drugs for my mental health. I am diagnosed with Bipolar I disorder (with severe depression), OCD, GAD, C-PTSD, Borderline Personality disorder, ADHD... anyways, this is definitely helping with my intrusive thoughts and depression and anxiety. My ONLY complaint is that the first few days on it, I had just come out of the hospital, and I was feeling more manic than normal. Fortunately, with my other drugs (plus some melatonin for sleep), I was able to stabilize, making Effexor XR worth it I think. I'm still relatively new to it (a few weeks) and on a low dose (although that might be for the best with the mania risks) but I certainly see a difference now. I think patience is required! (note: I also take Zyprexa, Depakote ER, Requip [that's for Restless Leg Syndrome], Concerta, and Clonidine... it's taken me 7 years of many trials to find a good balance... who knows if it'll last, but I'm hopeful. I've had other drugs work for me for a while)"

9 / 10
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Frequently asked questions

  • Taylee
  • February 14, 2018

"My GP put me (female, 19) on Effexor for anxiety, it was the first time I'd taken medication for mental health. I'm going to be honest it was fine while taking it, but looking back I was in an apathetic fog for the year I was on it and totally disregarded my relationships. Coming off of it on the other hand was an absolute nightmare, even under the supervision of a doctor and weaning off slowly, I've never been more miserable! Could not sleep because of paranoia and the mood swings had me ripping books and sobbing over spilt milk or dropping something on the floor. For long term use it would probably be great, but if you're new to antidepressants or just testing it out, be so so careful!"

2 / 10
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  • adria...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • March 22, 2022

"This is the first medicine I have taken that has greatly lessened depression, generalized anxiety, obsessions, and dpdr. SSRI’s were no good for me. I titrated up slowly. Once I got to 150 mg, anxiety and panic was greatly reduced. I’m at 187.5 mg now. The medicine does come with side effects. High blood pressure, which I take medicine for so I can stay on Effexor. Low libido on the low doses but it has gone up a bit once you go up in dose. Idk if this is a side effect from Effexor or my dpdr but I still have a degree of anhedonia and lack of satisfaction/pleasure in things. DPDR has lessened in intensity tho. All I feel now is a thin layer of it. Hopefully going up more takes care of it. Although it may not work, it’s worth a try if SSRI’s don’t do it for you. It saved my life, it may save yours too. Good luck :)"

8 / 10
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Are you taking this medicine?

  • Jimmy...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • July 17, 2021

"I was on this medicine from July 2010 until December 2013. When I started taking it, it made me feel like a zombie. I thought I was also going crazy. It made me gain around 40-80 pounds, if not more. It made me depressed and even more anxious. I would not leave the house and sometimes would not shower for days. I decided that in June 2013 that I was going to wean off the medicine. I was weaning off of it for about 5-6 months. While weaning off of it, I still didn’t want to do anything and was falling classes in college. Once I got off it fully, which was December 2013, I started to experience extreme anxiety. What helped me was being distracted, seeing a therapist, exercising and being on a keto diet. I didn’t feel like myself until September 2014, so it took a while. I absolutely would never go back on this medication"

2 / 10
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  • Robin
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • May 7, 2018

"Got sick on day 1 and rash just started 50 mg of trazadone don't remember falling asleep. I just called dr to see if I can cut it in half. I feel like I'm in daze. How long does trazadone take to work in weeks or days?"

5 / 10
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  • Rayfr...
  • January 4, 2016

"Been on Venlafaxine 75 mg a day for a month. It's the first time I've felt normal in 30 years. I tried everything else and it helped, but this is perfect. No side effects."

10 / 10
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  • Distu...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • October 18, 2018

"This medicine made me wanna live again! The first days are tough, but then comes heaven after some days!"

10 / 10
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26 Report
  • savvy...
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • February 2, 2014

"Been on Effexor at 75mg now for 7 weeks still having really bad anxiety. Its only the diazepam that's helping at the moment."

1 / 10
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36 Report
  • Melis...
  • March 1, 2016

"I've only been on this medicine for a month and am experiencing more mood swings. My anxiety has worsened along with my fatigue. I am also experiencing hives and skin sensitivity"

1 / 10
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24 Report
  • DeanBNE
  • Taken for 10 years or more
  • January 17, 2021

"The Effexor XR worked quite well for GAD at a dose above 150mgs. Memory issues are a problem with this med"

7 / 10
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  • Munna
  • Taken for 1 to 2 years
  • November 16, 2019

"I have been taking EFFXOR XR 150 MG . So far the results are good, just sometimes I still have a panic attack"

6 / 10
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  • cpete
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • June 23, 2021

"I don't even know how this drug is legal. It legitimately made me feel like I was on LSD. It also made me suicidal but not depressed suicidal just like indifferent to life."

1 / 10
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  • Squiz...
  • Taken for 5 to 10 years
  • July 2, 2022

"IEffexor XR treated my anxiety very effectively. It did cause some emotional blunting and sweating. It was difficult to quit because of the withdrawal symptoms."

8 / 10
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  • Lex
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • May 6, 2022

"This made me feel like rubbish. My anxiety was worse. I felt very manic on it. Going back to zoloft"

2 / 10
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  • Suzyq
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • June 15, 2018

"Just started Effexor Xr 36.5 mg I am hoping for a good results"

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4 Report

Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.