Venlafaxine for Anxiety and Stress User Reviews

• Smi...
• October 23, 2020

"13 years ago, I was started on the usual citalopram, mirtazapine, etc. My son is very ill and immunocompromised, with lots of hospital visits. I was the lowest I've ever been, no interest in anything, and even contemplated walking away from my life (I was very ill mentally) until I started to take venlafaxine. I started in January, and it's now October. I'm a new woman. I can deal with things, I don't overreact, or let my mood affect the household. It's greatly improved my anxiety too, I still have the same fears, but can rationalize things better and more healthily. A bit worried about coming off in the future, but trying to just live in the now. Also lost 5 stone very easily without trying. In my humble opinion, this drug transformed my life. I no longer idolize death as the easier option, as I can actually deal with my emotions now. I feel mentally healthier and enjoy life again instead of just existing."

• Cor...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 23, 2021

"I have been on venlafaxine for 10 weeks after a cancer diagnosis. I was about to give up on it when I got to eight weeks & asked the doctor if I could try something else, but he told me to stick with it. I'm so glad I did! I had to go up to 300mg, so that's quite high for anxiety, but now I'm feeling so much better. The worst part was the side effects, but that's soon forgotten when you start to feel yourself again. So anyone just starting, don't give up. I have operations, chemo still to face but feel so much stronger than I did."

• Luc...
• January 6, 2021

"Venlafaxine changed my life, after only taking it for 2 months. The side effects were horrible at first. I had headaches and would shake or tremble when anxious, and I got extremely itchy. When you suffer from depression, GAD, PTSD, and OCD, it's a small price to pay because I started to see a change in my mood and my anxiety. For the first time in my life, my anxiety was almost gone, I could go out in public and engage in conversation for the first time in my life. I started on 75mg and I am still on it 6 months after. Lexapro made me a slow zombie and did nothing for my anxiety, it only helps for depression. A lot of reviews have negative feedback, but if you are in a bad place, push through the side effects because it's worth it, they do go away. This is the only antidepressant that doesn't make me a zombie during the day, I feel more awake. Stay strong."

• Daw...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 23, 2021

"I have suffered from anxiety all my life in varying degrees and have tried lots of different medications to control the unpleasant feelings. From just feeling nauseous, butterflies in the stomach, or mild to severe full-blown panic attacks, Venlafaxine for me is a game-changer. It helped me within a week or so. I started on a very low dose for 2 weeks, then 75mg, which I have now been on for over 12 months. My panic attacks have gone, and I can now face the day without the constant feeling of overwhelming worry and despair. I would definitely recommend them. Very few side effects."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 16, 2019

"Was on a downward spiral with anxiety and stress for years. Tried everything: counseling, acupuncture, hypnotherapy. Nothing worked with my anxiety. Then 37.5mg of venlafaxine. For 6 years, I haven't looked back. Saved my life."

• Wil...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 2, 2020

"I've been taking venlafaxine (Effexor XR) for over 7 years and I'm giving it a rave review! It's the best medication I've ever used for my anxiety disorders and I've tried almost all the SSRIs. As added bonuses, it also relieved my depression, and the only side effect I had was a mild headache for the first few days after I started it. I can't say how happy I am with this medication! It's turned my life around."

• bea...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 13, 2018

"Venlafaxine has allowed me to live an almost 'normal' life. 8 weeks ago, I was honestly on the verge of suicide. It has now enabled me to be a mum to my kids and be 'present' with them, rather than in my spiralling hell. It has helped me with major anxiety, depression, OCD, and PTSD. I can now think more clearly during the day and have the energy to go to the gym... several months ago I could barely walk upstairs. It has, therefore, also helped me become motivated to be healthier, and I've lost 12 lbs in 8 weeks. I hated the first few days as I felt very sick and drowsy, but I persevered. I had a few night sweats in the beginning and dilated pupils, but began to notice an improvement about a week into it. This is the only antidepressant that has ever worked for me... citalopram had no effect. If this is recommended to you, I would definitely consider it. It has changed my life and my family's life because my kids have their mama back xx"

• Jay...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 9, 2019

"I would like to share something positive about venlafaxine because when I was prescribed it initially, I was so scared about the withdrawal symptoms I read about that I nearly decided not to even start taking it. So I have now been taking 75mg daily for 6 weeks. I purposely take it at different times of the day just to test the waters and even missed an evening dose accidentally one time. Well, thankfully I have not noticed any side effects whatsoever. Granted, I am on a low dose and not been taking it very long, but still I thought something may have happened... well, it didn’t. So please feel encouraged by this review that all these horror stories may not necessarily be true for your own experience and remain open-minded."

• ano...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 12, 2019

"Those side effects are all real and horrible but it goes AWAY!! Stick with it people! After 2 plus weeks on venlafaxine, you continue to feel amazing! All that horrible anxiety, stress, all the perimenopausal symptoms women have all go away! You can focus and be able to lead a normal life. That first week or so taking it, yes, I almost quit, but continued on believing what my doctor told me about it, they are right! Best depression anxiety drug on the market."

• Lau...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 8, 2021

"I had been through every depression med there is and finally, finally one worked for me, venlafaxine. It is not an immediate miracle pill, it takes weeks to work into your system, so give it a chance because it could change your life, it did mine. Also, I didn't have all those negative side effects everyone is talking about, guess it just depends on your body. But trust me, stick with this one, you'll be better soon!!! Hope this helps someone keep on keeping on, there is a light at the end of the tunnel."

• So...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 9, 2017

"I was at the end of my rope. I tried everything to control my anxiety: other medications (Zyban), nutrition choices, and self-medicating (alcohol, which only made it worse). Venlafaxine is a godsend for me. It has given me my quality of life back. No more waking up scared to face the day, no more fear of driving, or feeling of fainting in a social situation. I can't praise this medication enough."

• Sas...
• January 27, 2021

"I’ve suffered depression for the last 11 years after a nasty breakup with the father of my two children. I was quite happily going on with life over the last 10 years, yes it had its ups and downs but eventually my son's father, we split up and bang! I was so depressed I wanted my life to end. Every time before I was due my period, I contemplated suicide and in between it would pop up every other day. I just couldn’t cope anymore so went to my doctor and told her everything. That’s when I started my journey on venlafaxine. I started at 37.5mg and increased it higher the following two weeks, it would work then it didn’t and my anxiety came back so bad, so I then upped it each time I had a bad episode of anxiety and suicidal thoughts. I’m on the highest dose now and can honestly say I’ve never felt better. I can’t even remember the last time I thought about suicide and my relationship is going well with my son's dad again. It really has changed my life, push through the side effects."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 1, 2019

"It does make you feel anxious and a bit sick, but only for the first few days. It's good to support yourself with some light meditation for stress. It goes away after a few days, you just need to make it through. After that, you feel really good. I was on a 75 mg dose for 5 years. Now I've lowered it to 37.5mg, but I am not planning to stop taking it. It improved my life and allowed me to use my potential. I can see that the negative comments here are mostly from people who just started taking it. As I said, it's temporary sickness. After 1-2 weeks, it gets better."

• Jan...
• July 25, 2017

"I have been taking venlafaxine for almost a year now and my life has changed for the better in so many ways. I have BPD, and the mood swings, constant anxiety, depression, anger, stressing over the smallest things, and overthinking everything always got in the way of living a normal life. I also struggled with an eating disorder due to comfort eating and weight gain with other antidepressants. I have lost weight, don't binge anymore, have much more energy, sleep well, am less stressed, and my moods are much calmer and less irrational. I didn't score it a ten as the first few weeks of side effects were pretty rough - constant dry mouth, excessive sweating, nausea, dilated pupils, but didn't last long! Everyone's experience is different."

• Pan...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 17, 2020

"I have been on Effexor (venlafaxine) for around 10 years, and I could not have survived without it. It helped me to feel 'normal' and allowed me to go out of the house without getting panic attacks. I did sweat profusely for some time, and once I did not take it for 3 days, that was really bad. I had shakes, shivers, lightheadedness, and nausea... I would say this medication saved me from years of mental nightmare."

• cas...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 27, 2019

"This drug venlafaxine turned my life around in the best way. However, it is important to consider the side effects. The side effects in the beginning were not great for me. I realized quickly that my stomach does not handle this med well, and I will throw up if I don’t go to bed right after taking it. However, as long as I take it right before bed it is not a problem. This med also made me feel quite drowsy for a while at first and also gave me night twitches (body twitches when I was trying to sleep), which were annoying. After about 6 months of being on 75mg, my body has completely adjusted to it and I no longer get those side effects (except I do still have to take it right before I go to bed). The withdrawals are also very uncomfortable, and if I miss a day, I am extremely dizzy. On the plus side, I feel extreme relief from my stress, anxious, and depressive symptoms, and I actually feel content with my life. I actually feel happy. Shout out to Effexor!"

• Mis...
• May 12, 2017

"I'm on 300mg a day, 150mg at night and 150mg in the morning. I have to say it's helped me LOTS. 5 years being on it. I have come a long way from where I was. I suffer from anxiety and depression, I've taken many other meds until I found this one. It seems to be working for me for the last 5 years (KNOCK on wood, lol). Wish you all the best and remember if it doesn't work for you, then talk to your doctor to find something that does. Best of luck to all and god bless."

• Yip...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 3, 2019

"I'm 26 years old and have been taking Effexor SR for 2 months now. My first dose was 37.5mg and then bumped up to 75mg after 3 weeks. It saved me from my crippling anxiety and panic attacks that I've been having for 3+ years. I took this drug at 6 pm but had to switch to 8 am because I could not sleep after taking it in the evening as it gives me energy. The only side effect I had was the first couple of days of taking it I was so wired and full of energy, felt like I was a superhero hahah, and I could not sleep for 3 days and my pupils were huge. But after that, I was 100 percent fine! I also had severe migraines and they disappeared when I started taking this drug, also my period pain decreased significantly."

• Rod...
• November 13, 2019

"This venlafaxine worked well for a long time, but about five years I became less active. I thought it was the natural process of aging, but after being on it for about 15 years, I subconsciously realized my brain had stopped producing as much dopamine, oxytocin, and probably endorphins as it used to. I became reclusive, until someone shattered that, then my brain said it had had enough. It needed dopamine to get me out and about, it needed oxytocin for me to cope with people and being out and about, and it needed endorphins to overcome the aches of daily life. All I had was what the drug supplied; the other processes had dried up. So I stopped the medication. I had no choice. Within 2 months, dopamine and oxytocin started coming back. I now feel as young as I did when I started taking it over fifteen years ago. It worked great, but it's important not to keep taking it, as the brain will readjust neurotransmitters to compensate in the long run, and then you are a hollow person, supported only by the drug."

• Anonymous
• August 25, 2009

Venlafaxine "I had suffered from extreme anxiety and depression for a few years and countless prescribed antidepressants prior to trying Effexor. I suffered anxiety so bad that it was hard to do daily tasks such as driving and going to the grocery store. I went through countless jobs because a panic attack would strike at work, and I would have to rush out of the situation and never return because the fear of it happening again would haunt me. The very first day being on Effexor, I felt like a different person. For the first time in years, I wanted to venture out into the world and be around people. After a week of being on 75 mg, I landed a job, and now, two years later, I am still symptom-free and off the medicines. I give this medicine a big 10!"

• lor...
• February 4, 2009

Venlafaxine "I started taking Effexor XR 4 months ago. My entire life I've struggled with anxiety. I have gone to cognitive behavioral therapy to help me change my responses to anxiety-producing situations, all to no avail. I never wanted to take medication as I thought only weak people do that. About 2 months prior to taking Effexor XR, I began having panic attacks so severe I felt as though I was going to die. I couldn't function and became depressed. As a last resort, I decided to try medication. I take one 75mg capsule every morning. Please note, the first 2 weeks were misery - I could barely lift my head or body, I had neck pain, slept constantly, and still had anxiety. I stuck it out and haven't had an anxiety or panic attack since then."

• Hom...
• January 10, 2020

"Used Ireven (venlafaxine). Started at 75 mg. A small bit woozy, increased heart rate, sweats, and hyperactivity. This eased after a couple of days. I increased from 75 mg to 150 mg. Same effect on increase, but quickly subsided. Life was easier, emotions more manageable, and generally a bit happier. Although, I did experience really, really vivid dreams and fatigue. After Christmas, I decided it was a good time to come off them. This is where it got bad. First off, I should have consulted a doctor and weaned off, but being me, I didn't. Cold turkey is not a good idea, trust me on this one. It was absolutely awful. Vision, motor control, nausea, cramps, pains all over, shaking and tremors, awful migraine, no pupils, I couldn't coordinate my mind and body to work in sync. Admittedly, I should have followed a doctor's instructions and am writing this review to advise others to do exactly that. Overall, it worked well for its purpose, just be mindful when coming to the end: do it slowly."

• JMS...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 23, 2019

"We call this my happy pill. The pill makes my wife happy when I take it. I am quick to anger or irritable if I don’t take this pill. No side effects that I know of. I have been taking this for at least 6 years. Started with 75 and now take two at a time. I take mine in the morning without food."

• Jen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 16, 2018

"I've only been on it a week, and yes, the side effects are pretty bad, like the drowsiness and the severe sweating. That’s nothing compared to the depression I felt beforehand! I’ve been on other medications, and nothing has worked like this. I feel like myself again. I’m enjoying life and enjoying my family!"

• Yel...
• April 22, 2013

Venlafaxine "Before taking Effexor, I was an anxiety wreck. I was unable to perform to my full potential before feeling my anxiety slowly take over and hinder me from performing. I am a student at a prestigious university and I can say that I am living anxiety-free. The statement itself sends chills down my back."