Effexor XR Information

Effexor XR

Venlafaxine is an antidepressant in a group of drugs called selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSNRIs). Venlafaxine affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause depression. Venlafaxine is used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety, and panic disorder. Venlafaxine may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide. Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose to make sure you get the best results from the medication. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Take this medication with a full glass of water. Venlafaxine should be taken with food. Swallow the controlled-release capsule (Effexor XR) whole, without crushing or chewing. To make the medication easier to swallow, you may open the capsule and sprinkle the medicine into a small amount of applesauce. Swallow all of the mixture without chewing, and do not save any for later use. Try to take venlafaxine at the same time each day. It may take 4 weeks or more for your symptoms to improve. For best results, keep using the medication as directed. Do not stop using venlafaxine without first talking to your doctor. You may have unpleasant side effects if you stop taking this medication suddenly. Store venlafaxine at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What's inside Effexor XR

Recent Effexor XR Side Effects

Posted by dmbfreak about 1 month ago
I am 32 yr old male who has battled mild depression off and on, that at it's worse causes me to basically not be able to function or focus, and spend the day in bed. I have taken Zoloft in the past, off and on, but then it seemed that it no longer has the same affect it first did (maybe because it got switched to generic since the first time) and so after stopping it in December '08, and after a recent very bad spell of depression recently, my doctor and I decided I should try something new. He prescribed Effexor. I started at 75mg and went up to 150mg which I've been on for the last 6 months or so. As far as being on the drug, it has been great with no noticeable side effects at all. I easily got myself out of that depressed state and back to "normal". So the drug does what it is supposed to do, for me, keeping me from getting those lows that may spiral into a prolonged depression spell. However, after having read the side effects that occur when coming off the drug, as well as my own experiences when simply missing a dosage by a few hours, I personally decided to get myself off the drug for hope that there is something better out there that won't mean a hellish period if I were to come off of it. This, coupled with exercising more, and discovering I have sleep apnea so that there may be a correlation between getting terrible sleep each night (which I can now fix) and my depression, lead me to want to get back to a "clean slate" with any drugs for depression. So I started by doing an every other day dosage of the 150mg. The first day off was pretty bad, as I got the dizzy, foggy brained, head spins that everyone has experienced, but also was wired that night and unable to sleep hardly at all. Within a few hours of taking the next day's dosage, it was gone. Then the next off-day, was again a mess, but a little bit less so.. and soon by the 3rd off day of the first week I was able to pretty much make it through the day without the spins. So that's where I am now, about to try to go 1 day dosage, 2 days off, so I'm fully expecting a terrible week. The thing that must be realized in this, is that not only do you have that off day hell, where you really can't do anything or be a normal person, you continue that until you actually take the next day's dosage. So really I've only had small blocks of time during this weening off procedure where I have been feeling good and close to my normal self. I wouldn't say that the depression is back or anything, but it is simply those side effects mentioned that have kept me pretty much grounded. I'm hoping that I can get myself off it before I would need to refill my prescription, but I'm going to be cautious to make sure I don't just jump off of it too quickly. My recommendation for anyone looking to find something for their seasonal or mild depression, is to look elsewhere. The results of actually taking the medications are positive as they did what they are supposed to do, but I don't believe the side effects when missing a dose (if only for a few hours) or when having to come off the drug, are worth it. There are likely other, less severe, drugs or methods to deal with your depression. And trust me, this is coming from someone who has been in those down days or weeks where you can barely get yourself out of bed to eat, and knows he's needs "something" to right his ship.

Posted by kwpeterson about 1 month ago
I have been in a relationship with a caring and sensitive woman that I loved dearly that was on Effexor XR. I believe she was on 75 mg and in March of 08 I was informed after askiing her repeatedly what was "going on" she informed me that the anti depressant dose was doubled to what I beieve was 150 mg. This weekend over Christmas she told me she is on 300 mgs. She is NOT the same person any more. I love this woman more then anyone I have ever met but now there is nothing left of her but a insensitive shell of who she once was. There is a 10 ft emotional wall now between us that got higher with the increased dosage. She cannot cry..has no emotion...says hurtful things she never would have said before as she cannot sense she is hurting others with her comments. Worst of all she says, "She isunder a doctors an counselors care and not abusing the drug.". However, they dont have a relationship with her! This damned drugs are dangerous and she is oblivious to how it has damaged our relationship. Another gal pal I knew had the same kind of issue and once on this stuff...lost the abilitity to reason or even see the effects on our relationship!!!! Sadly, until she comes down to maybe 75 mgs..I have lost her forever. Kerry kwpeterson@aol.com

Posted by cgg 5 months ago
I have been on this horrific drug for just over two years and have wanted to be off of it since the six month mark...i am not on it for depression but for focus...FOCUS, i cannot begin to describe the memory problems that i have...i can be standing in front of a person i have known for years and i will not be able to come up with their name or how i know them...luckily it does not seem to cause problems with my actual work but it is rather embarrassing when your boss walks up and you have to think hard to figure out who they are...side effects...i have gone from being a so called gorgeous man to a frumpy 30 lbs heavier man, and i still run five to ten miles a day and i eat less than i ever have...try to explain that...it is almost like i am swollen...i have horrible dreams, i sweat, i panic, i shake and i have a constant feeling of having a heart attack...try and live thinking you are having a heart attack when you are not but then again do you really know...in other words what if i have been desensitized to thinking i am actually having a heart attack when i actually am, may i rest in peace if that is the case... when i have actually tried to come off the pills i have been violent (i never have been before in life), irrational, can't sleep, double vision, electrical shocks just by moving my eyes, can't move and bruise to the point that i look like a junkie who has injected himself everywhere... my doctor never warned me of any of this, nor can i find it on the wyeth website (with the exception of the memory issues, which was not there when i started taking the drug... i am so very sad over all of this...don't become like me

Effexor XR in the News

CLOUTHIER v. COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTA - Leagle, Inc.
CLOUTHIER v. COUNTY OF CONTRA COSTALeagle, Inc.Hanlin prescribed Effexor XR for Clouthier's depression and Trazodone to help him sleep. Hanlin also recommended that Clouthier be placed in M-Module, ...
Fri Jan 15 13:11:44 +0000 2010

Sun shines on Sun Pharma after higher Q3 net profit - BloombergUTV
Sun shines on Sun Pharma after higher Q3 net profitBloombergUTV... capsule Effexor XR got a big boost after the US drug regulator rejected rival Osmotica Pharmaceuticals's appeal to bar the Indian company. ...and more »
Mon Feb 01 04:48:20 +0000 2010

Patent expiries set to knock drug group profits - Financial Times
Patent expiries set to knock drug group profitsFinancial Times... the world's largest drugs company, has margins of 87 per cent on the anti-depressant Effexor XR and 82 per cent on the cholesterol-lowering treatment ...and more »
Tue Jan 12 00:02:10 +0000 2010

Effexor XR Chemical Information

venlafaxine hydrochloride - A synthetic ethyl-cyclohexanol derivative used for the treatment of depression, Venlafaxine Hydrochloride is metabolized to O-desmethylvenlafaxine, which potentiates CNS activity. Both venlafaxine and its active metabolite inhibit neuronal reuptake of norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. (NCI04)