Effexor XR and effexor

This is to serve as a personal warning to ANYONE taking
Effexor XR or thinking about taking it.

After my husband and I experienced HORRIBLE withdrawal symptoms within a week from coming off of our medication, and has continued for 4 months now. I feet compelled to inform people about the risks that this drug carries with it.

This drug helped my husband and I immensely while we were on it, but I just wish that I had been more knowledgeable about the risks of going off this medication so abruptly.

I understand that the medical professional that is prescribing you the drug is supposed to inform you that you are not to stop taking the medication abruptly (which is exactly what I was told). IN NO WAY was I told the consequences of NOT taking the medication.

So here are some of the symptoms that I experienced within the first two days (there are many more symptoms that other Effexor XR patients have experienced, but I feel that it is only right to list mine):

• Akathisia - a syndrome characterized by unpleasant sensations of "inner" restlessness that manifests itself with an inability to sit still or remain motionless.
• Ataxia – Loss of the ability to move the body with coordination.
• "Brain Zaps", "Brain Shocks," "Brain Shivers" or "Head Shocks" Descriptions include dizziness, electric shock-like sensations, sweating, nausea, insomnia, tremor, confusion, and vertigo.
• Cold Sweat – The skin is clammy and moist and you feel chilled. This is a reaction to a shock or pain as well as to fear and nervousness.
• Colitis – A condition where the large intestine becomes irritated from the use of the drug.
• Dehydration – An extreme loss of water from the body or the organs of the body as in sickness or not drinking enough fluids.
• Depersonalization - A feeling of watching oneself act, while having no control over a situation. (A sufferer feels that he or she has changed and the world has become less real, vague, dreamlike, or lacking in significance.)
• Diplopia – A condition where a person is looking a one object and instead of normally seeing just the one object he sees two. This is also call double vision.
• Disequilibrium - Dizziness, light-headedness and vertigo with a sense of losing balance.
• Dysarthria – The inability to control the mouth muscles when forming words so the words are not clearly spoken and heard.
• Gastric Irritation – An inflamed and sore stomach.
• Hyperhidrosis – The triggering of an excess of sweat being produced on the soles of the feet and/or the palms.
• Hypoesthesia – A partial loss of sensation or general loss of awareness.
• Influenza-like - Fatigue, lethargy, chills, sweating, headache, weakness and palpitations.
• Insomnia – Not able to fall asleep or sleeping for a shorter time than desired, thus not being able to properly rest and feeling un-refreshed. As a result, a person can become irritable, have difficulty concentrating and feel a lack of energy.
• Irritable Bowel Syndrome – A painful condition where the either the muscles or the nerves of the lower intestines, are not responding normally. This results in an alternating condition of diarrhea followed by constipation, back and forth.
• Mania – Unusually irrational, excessive and/or exaggerated behavior or moods ranging from enthusiasm, sexuality, gaiety, impulsiveness and irritability to violence.
• Mood Swings – An emotional shifting as from a state of happiness to a state of depression for a period of time.
• Night Sweats – With night sweats you become wide awake in the middle of the night shivering and cold and wet with your sheets/pajamas soaked in perspiration making it difficult to go back to sleep.
• Nightmare – Dreams that make you afraid or leave feelings of fear, terror, and upset long after waking up.
• Abnormal Orgasm – Unable to have an orgasm with normal sexual stimulation.
• Pain in Extremity – A painful feeling in the legs, arms, hands, and/or feet.
• Paresthesia - A sensation of tingling, pricking, or numbness of a person’s skin with no apparent long-term physical effect.
• Photopsia – A condition where a person sees lights, sparks, or colors in front of their eyes.
• Pressure of Speech – A condition where the individual cannot voice his ideas fast enough with the pressure of there being not enough time to say it.
• Pyrexia – Fever or the increase in body temperature that is usually a sign of infection.

Now some of you may be thinking that I might be overreacting, but I assure you that I am not. Quite the opposite actually, I feel that there are probably more symptoms that I am leaving out.
When I went online to research the symptoms that we had been experiencing, there was little information that I could find. I went onto the website for Wyeth (the company that produces Effexor XR) and the only thing that I could find was, and I quote,

“When people suddenly stop using or quickly lower their daily dose of EFFEXOR XR, discontinuation symptoms may occur. Talk to your doctor before discontinuing or reducing your dose of EFFEXOR XR.”

Wyeth also states that Effexor XR is, and I quote AGAIN,

“ Effexor XR Is Not Addictive. Effexor XR and other antidepressants are not addictive. You cannot become addicted to an antidepressant even if you take it for long-term maintenance therapy. An antidepressant is not a controlled substance like a narcotic or a stimulant.”

I am very sorry Wyeth, but I disagree.

I was also on Effexor XR at 175mg/day for a couple of years. I weaned off of it and felt all the horrible side effects too. All I can say is if you are cleared by your psychiatrist to get off this drug, just hang in there. Once it's out of your system you'll be fine. It does end so don't give up!

3 days off Effexor = 3 days of hell. Brain zaps, depression, immovability, bad, BAD dreams of past relationship breakup...even thought of overdosing on heroin to escape my life`s past...no, don`t get on this crap.

It breaks my heart to hear all the pain we've gone through coming off this drug. Not everybody will be the same. It took me two weeks before i could even go to work after quitting. I took Effexor for 8 months and can't imagine being on it for multiple years. It did work for me,actually to well, and i acted like a 18 year old.(wife didn't approve of that) I've been diagnosed Bi-polar and now on meds that actually work well!
I was lucky in that i own the company and could come and go as i please. I followed the withdrawal thread, so i was prepared for the pain. I created a spread sheet for 2 weeks for every feeling i felt while coming off of it. I put it a scale of 0-100 for every feeling. i must admit it was the darkest part of my life, and yes, my beautiful wife had the common sense to lock all my guns and keep the keys. I wish all the best to anyone coming down from this drug. If anybody is interested, you can e-mail me at ****** and i can send the spreadsheet to you in excel or PDF format. This helped me understand the pattern that i've been going through the past years. It also helps the new doc see how i feel. Just put in the subject "send me a pdf" or "send me a xls" and i will send you the file, no questions asked. I wish we could attach files on this thread. Any doctors interested are also welcome to e-mail me.

I suffered from major depression last spring. The worse in my life ever, with a lot of anxiety.
I have been on Effexor XR 75 mg for 6 months. My main problems are :
LOW SEX DRIVE 9could also be from the birth control pill), SHORT TERM MEMORY PROBLEMS (a bad one), DIZZINESS.
My doctor felt that i needed to increase to 150mg because she thought i still had problems (like lack of motivation and negative thoughts): we started by adding 37.5mg extra. By day 2 or 3 of this increase, I was waking up constantly during the night, and felt extremely agitated. Like I would crawl right out of my skin. I couldn't lie still and moved about a lot in my bed, especially my legs. By day 6 of this increase, my anxiety was SO BAD, I was back to nearly the same anxiety I had in the spring before starting treatment. BE CAREFUL about increasing your dosage. TELL SOMEONE to watch if your mood changes and to take you to the ER if necessary. thank goodness I didn't need to go.
I now take fish oil (omega 3) and within a couple months of that, I noticed that my anger/impulsive and concentration seemed better. I am also going off the birth control pill this month 9ortho tri cyclen lo). I brought it up to my GP, to a psychiatrist and to my opharmacist that I was depressed and could there be a link with the birth control pills and they all said "I don't think so."; "no", "very unlikely". Well my major depression, MAJOR MOOD FLUCTUATIONS, anxiety and ANGER control problems all started with the beginning of the birth control pill.

my cholesterol went up 50 points to 245 in
just 1 year. My ldl was always good until
this year. my sister who is also on Effexor XR noticed her cholesterol also increased.
as a result I am being weaned off it.
I also have had sweating problems - my
sister's is worse & I heard on the news
that Effexor XR eliminates REM sleep,
which is why I am always tired. I have been
on Effexor XR for 3 years.

I started on 40mg of Celexa in 2002 for depression/anxiety. In 2006, my wife told me she "didn't think it was working anymore" and I should go talk to our doctor about switching. We talked and he switched me to Effexor. No, I'm not blaming him!
After dealing with the massive increase in sweating (at the time I was running a custom A/V installation business including new construction. It was nothing for me to change shirts, underwear and socks 2 or 3 times a day in the 100 deg summer heat!) gaining 40 lbs, watching my cholesterol shoot up to 290 and my bp to 160/120, I decided I'd had enough and went back 1 month ago to talk about quitting. He shrugged, asked why, gave me a scrip for 37.5's, told me to "take them for a couple weeks, then start lengthening the days in between". And "oh yeah, you'll probably feel a little crummy for a week or so after you stop completely".
A LITTLE CRUMMY???
The brain zaps are unbelievable and by far the worst symptom for me so far. Turn your head like you have a plate balanced up there or pay the consequences, right? I had a couple 37's left and that little voice kept telling me to "go ahead, take one, it's ok." I finally flushed the last 3 or 4 pills down the toilet today to prevent me going back at all. (It's ok folks, you won't end up drinking my pills. I'm on septic and way up on the side of a mountain far from any water table.) I can't believe all the data/opinions I've read today on "SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome". Truly unbelievable stuff. With God's grace and my family's support, I know I'll join the ranks of those that have been able to leave this rat poison behind me. One zap at a time, right? ;-)

I hate Effexor XR. I don't really know how long I have been on this medicine because I have almost no short term memory since I have been taking it. I am so hot all the time it's just unbearable. I am sweating when my house temp is 68 degrees. I freeze everyone out of the house, out of the car, etc., because I am never comfortable. I no longer own a winter coat because I don't need one unless it is below zero. I don't own any long sleeve shirts except for a denim one in which I wear as my jacket. I wear short sleeve I have discussed this with my doctor whom always tells me he doesn't think the medicine is the cause of this. Although every time he increases the strength I'm taking, the sweating intensifies. I also wake up in the middle of the night gasping for breath, with an irregular heartbeat and/or my heart beat soaring. I have also experienced the problem with taste. Many things I used to love to eat or drink are no longer tolerable. Nothing tastes quite right. I too have had the dry mouth/cotton-throat problems. I have noticed my emotions are screwed up also. I can hardly cry about the most saddest things I have faced, but will cry about stupid things that don't truly matter. I worry about everything, and I DO mean EVERYTHING, luckily it doesn't last too long because nothing can hold my train of thought for very long. My doc has had me on Zoloft, Celexa and others and there were problems with those also. But I feel that Effexor XR is the worst one I have been on that has caused so many other problems while helping the depression/anxiety disorder. I think the bad outweighs the good, but my doctor refuses to agree with me on this and I have no health insurance to take my problem elsewhere. I have never taken Xanax, Valium or any other "controlled" substances because my doc is afraid of his patients becoming addicted to these drugs. Although Effexor XR is apparently addicting too since you have to be weened off of it. I wish I had NEVER begun to take Effexor XR, good luck to all of you that do! If I knew then what I know now, I would NEVER take it!

I too wanted to get off effexor xr and did in May. I went through 2 weeks of he@@. The worst of the side effects were the brain zaps,sometimes running down into my stomach. I felt like i was dying but I still worked and took care of my family. I quit cold turkey!! Just give it time the side effects will go away. I am so much happier now less the nightmares, wanting to sleep all the time. And a huge bonus, I have lost about 25 lbs. in 3 months!!
Any one wanting to take effexor xr.....DON"T!!!! I was on effexor for 7 years!!

Was prescribed Effexor to treat my Bipolar disorder. It worked wonderfully but I gained about 40-50 lbs in about 2 months.

I was first diagnosed with depression when i was 18 years old. For 9 years i was on all different types of medication but for a majority of the time i was on Effexor xr. I remember when i missed a dose, just feeling so bad i would just want to go to bed but when i took the next dose it wouldn't take long to get back to normal. My memory has been shocking. So bad that i have trouble remembering what happened when my children were babies. I don't know if this is because of the meds or the depression. My father committed suicide during the time i was on effexor and i just could not grieve. I felt that when i cried i was just forcing it. I just didn't feel many emotions at all. My life took a turn after that and i had so much going on that i either didn't have any trouble coming off it or i just don't remember what it was like.
At the start of this year my life was very full and happy and i was so busy until one day i just felt as though i was going to die. For a week i sat in the emergency department at the hospital certain i was going to die and leave my three children without a mother. I was finally diagnosed with a panic disorder. I didn't care what they did i just wanted them to make it stop.(the way i was feeling) I was put lexapro but had a bad reaction to that so they put me back on effexor xr. I can only say thank god! I have been on it now for almost six months and i have decided to come off it again as i feel my life is back in control. The main side effects i have had this time on this medication have been, a definite decrease in sexual function, deep sleep, vivid dreams and my pupils are dilating differently. I have over the last week decreased my dose from 75mls a day to 37.5. I really don't remember going through all these side effects last time. I was on a much higher dose before too. I have had the worst migraines, i am so tired, my eyes sting, i have what i guess others have described as shocks. When i move my head or blink my eyes it feels like i get a shock in my head. I feel like i am looking through a tunnel sometimes too. Although i had this same feeling when i was first put back on the meds. Yes it is tough coming off it this time but i still don't regret taking it in the first place. Without it i may still be feeling the worst feelings i have ever felt in my life and i wouldn't wish it on anyone. The effects i am getting now are not even a glimpse of what i went through before i started.

I have been on anti-depressants for about 10 years now. I've tried Wellbutrin, Lexapro, Prozac, and Effexor (just to name a few). I've been on Effexor (this is my 2nd time) for about 4 years now. I finally decided to get off the effexor and I desperately want to share what's been happening ever since. I slowly weened off of it, starting at my regular 175mg a day for 2 1/2 weeks, then down to 125mg, 75mg, and then 37.5. My doctor suggested I change doses every week, however I went 2 1/2 weeks because of the AWFUL side effects.

I have had the typical head "buzzing" is what I call it and my nerves are a wreck 24/7 but the worse problem I'm having and the one I haven't seen anyone write about yet is my severe stomach problems. I have had diarrhea everyday, all day, since I went off Effexor. It's been over 2 weeks since I've taken my last pill and it's not getting any better. My dr. thinks it could be IBS or bad eating habits, but I've tried changing my diet, etc. and nothing is giving me any relief. It's come to the point where I can't tell if my nerves are what is upsetting my stomach or if my upset stomach is what is setting off my nerves. Anyone else with these issues??

And in case anyone reads this before starting Effexor, please please don't use this medication. Try any and/or all other anti-depressants before using Effexor. It may work for your depression, but the side effects highly out weigh the benefits. I'm finding that out the hard way now. I would have never taken this drug if I knew what I would be in for 4 yrs down the road. And I can't help but be upset with our healthcare system when doctor's would actually prescribe this to their patients.

I was put on Effexor XR 75mg two years ago. After about a year on it, i decided i needed a stronger dose, so I was increased to 150mg. I felt happier than I ever have, but about six months in I started experiencing side effects. I have very vivid dreams. When they are good dreams, they are wonderful, but more often they are horrible nightmares, the most vivid nightmares you will ever experience in your life. This is the only real side effect, but it is bad enough i am thinking about discontinuing the medication. I know that the higher the dose of a medicine, the more side effects there are. There were no side effects at 75mg, but i felt more depressed than at 150mg. I also sometimes have other milder symptoms, but I also have hypoglycemia, so I don't know if the effects are from the medication or just a sugar drop.

I too was told to take Effexor 75mg a day because I was depressed. I disagreed, but took the medication to see if it would help. My husband said it did improve my mood; but what he didn't know was that I started having memory problems. Since about the 2nd month of being on this medication my short term memory became affected. I weaned myself off over a 6week period that started in February and ended in early April. While I felt fine during this time period my memory never improved and I feel strongly that this is the reason Iost my job - no short term memory = errors. I wish I would have found this site and the one at depression.about.com sooner because apparently I'm not the only one having these memory loss episodes.

I've only been on Effexor for about a month; 75 mg daily. The only "bad" side effect I've felt so far is that I feel the room is too warm, even when others are okay with the temperature. The "good" side effect, contrary to what so many have posted here, is that for the first time in my life (I'm in my mid 40s), I am NOT having nightmares/night terrors. I've been plagued by these all my life, anywhere from several a night (during really bad spells) to a few a week (during good spells). For the last month, since getting on Effexor, I have not had a single nightmare and I've slept soundly, without waking up either paralyzed with fear, screaming, or thrashing about in the bed.

i was prescribed effexor xr by the mayo clinic in mn. while living there for a year. i had been on three other antidepressants before and this one has really given me a sense of peace. i have had to go off of a lot of medicines and quite smoking cold turkey so maybe i have a stronger tolerance. i haven't had one bad side effect. in fact, i have probably been healthier since it kicked in two years ago due to my mood and mind being in a better state. don't get me wrong, i still have low times but not any lower than the person who doesn't suffer depression. it also helps with anxiety but i do take another med for that called klonopin 2mg. i think it takes awhile for the person to find whats right for them. i suffered horribly through wellbutrin, thought my head was going to blow off when i didn't feel bugs crawling around. prozac put weight on me but helped, just made me a little to jittery and the other one i took was zoloft. i didn't have any side effects with that just didn't seem to keep me above a sadness level i needed so that is when they switched me to effexor. please just know there is help for all and bravo to those who can go without but i don't want to be sad and unhappy ever again to the degree of not wanting to get out of bed.

I have been on effexor XR 75mg. for 3 or 4 years and now I have decided to wean off. I never had any noticeable side effects on the drug. I decided to wean off not only because I felt I had been on it ample time but also because my liver enzyme count kept coming back high.My doctor put me on a dosage trail that will wean me off. I don't understand these posts about stopping cold turkey? Why? Why wouldn't you wean off? Anyway I have been taking a capsule every other day for 2 weeks (at bedtime). On my off day I do feel dizzy IE:vertigo, hot flashes, shallow breathing, extra tired. Before these symptoms would begin later in the day maybe around 5 PM and for some reason now 2 weeks in the symptoms seem to begin earlier. My doctor suggested after the 2 weeks that I take 1 capsule every 2 days instead of every other day. Because I have many pills left still I'm going to do 1 every other day for an extra week. To be honest I'm nervous about going every 2 days with out. So I may just end up reverting to 37.5 every other day then every 2 days and hopefully that will be easier. There are options here people. I wouldn't suggest effexor XR for any other depression than major depressive disorder. The healthiest alternative is to not be on anything and instead try less invasive methods such as therapy, consistent exercise etc. To each there own? Like I said the exception would be major disorder. Good luck.

I was on Effexor for about 3 years. I started out taking 37mg and was up to 300mg when I started withdrawal. I weaned off gradually, but it's been 3 months and I still don't feel normal. I cry at the drop of a hat and am tired all the time. I started on Wellbrutin about 2 weeks ago. Doesn't help with the crying and makes me very shaky. Effexor, in my mind, is no better than anything a junkie would use.

Oh boy! Side effects to coming off this med! UGH! I am going through them as I type! It is the most horrible way to feel! I have tried in the past on several occasions to get off this med...but never had accomplished the feat as it is nearly impossible to get through the day! At my highest dose I was taking 300 mg daily... the Dr. weaned me down slowly and now am trying just to get off of 75mg daily! I am on day 4 without Effexor xr... needless to say the side effects are getting worse instead of better!
I am experiencing: dizziness, tingly feeling in my whole body, night sweats, almost hard to do anything because I feel as if I have the flu!!!!
To anyone who is given the choice to take this med...DON"T!! Getting off of it is the hardest thing to do! In hindsight... when I am on it fully it is a great med. It helped me regain my life without panic, anxiety, depression etc... Idk... people don't understand the hell we go through with all these meds. My poor husband can't take my complaining anymore! Although either can I! I feel like going and getting a pill right now just to feel better!

This is my 4th day off effexor. For the past 3 nights, I have been almost asleep...when I am awakened by a 'shortness and uneven breathing'. This happened constantly..every time I would almost nod off...i would be awakened with a jolt as if I couldn't breathe. Last night this went on for a few hours, but I finally got some sleep. Has anyone else experienced this? I was on effexor for 8 months...the dr. increasing it gradually up to 300mg. per day. I have weaned off slowly, until 4 days ago, going from 75 to none. It has been 4 days of hell...with evil sick dreams, brain buzzing, migraine type issues, etc. I have never experienced anything like it. I would suggest anyone considering taking this drug...DON'T!!! I was on prozac for 14 years before this, and the symptoms were minimal. But i became immune to it. I have chosen to be none medicated from now on. I will deal with my anxiety and depression with exercise, and by the grace of God. Please Help if you have any suggestions to get me past the next few days...How long can I expect this awful withdrawal..I feel so sick it's almost to weird to describe. I heard taking benadryl helps. I have taken a few...but don't feel too different.
Looking forward to your help..Thanks in advance.

Effexor XR has been a life-saver for me! I have been taking 150mg per day for about 8 yrs. Recently, 75mg was added to my daily dose because of a temporary new stress or on my plate - divorce. With the increased dose came constant sweating and unbearable dry mouth. I dropped back to the 150mg dose and the sweating is back to being manageable and the dry mouth is much less. I can't imagine living without Effexor XR - this anti-depressant has literally saved my life -- I know now that life doesn't to be so horrifically painful as was the norm for me prior to taking Effexor XR. I have no other side effects - I have gained some weight but only over the past two years and that possibly can be attributed to my age (50) and the stress of a bad marriage. The half life of Effexor is short and I do sometimes get the electrical shock feeling in my head -- that usually a red flag that I missed a dose. To be on the safe side I keep a dose in my purse as a back-up. All-in-all, it feels great to be 'normal', even if it means using Effexor XR - I hope it never goes off the market. Way-back-when, I initially started out w/ Paxil (helped, but I felt just below the surface of reality and had horrid withdrawals) - then tried Wellbutrin and after a day was so terribly spaced out that I could only minimally function and couldn't even leave the house - got off of that stuff immediately! Effexor just lets me function and feel feelings at a normal volume. Thank you Lord!!

This medication was a life-saver for me when I first started taking it 7 years ago. Unfortunately, every so often it would stop being effective. My Dr. would up the dosage until I was on the highest and could go no future. So I set out to titrate off, which I did very slowly, but it was hell. The worst was when I was finally done. I felt like a junkie. I was shaking, having crazy brain zaps that made me feel like I was being shocked every time I'd close my eyes. I was sweating like a pig. My sleep was was filled with terrifying nightmares that left me screaming out in my sleep. I am 5 weeks off and still experiencing nightmares, and a few mind-zap things-but nothing like they were when I first started to come off. Yoga and meditation seemed to be the only things that helped. Each day I wanted to take it again just to feel normal. No one can believe that a common SSRI can have such horrible withdrawal effects, so I am on a quest to educated everyone I know.

I have been taking this drug 75mg everyday for 6 months. at first I was feeling so much better. This past winter I have been sick constantly. I almost never get sick and I have had every virus that has went around. now I am feeling so weird sleep disturbances weird dreams, not being able to sleep but being exhausted.. I have gained weight and want to eat all the time. I am going to the doctor in a few days and will be asking to be weaned off this drug.

I took 150 mg a day for a little more than five years. I was afraid to stop taking it due to the horrible way you feel just missing one dose! Yes, I gained approximately 30 lbs (and I go to the gym!), my cholesterol went way up, I had horrible nightmares, and right before I stopped taking it I started having bouts of double vision. I stopped taking it almost a year ago. I have lost some of the weight. I still, after all this time, am having brain zaps in the middle of the night, still don't sleep well, still have bad dreams and still have regular bouts of double vision. I have been to a neurologist who sent me for a brain mri (normal) and blood work (normal). He has recommended I get another doctor to look at me. In other words, there is no obvious reason for the bouts of double vision. I blame five years of Effexor XR for all of this! My doctor should have never allowed me to continue on this drug for so long!

I am so glad I found this site. I thought I must be crazy. My doctor and I are still looking for something I can take for depression and GAD, so he decided I should try Effexor XR. This is an EVIL drug! I only started out on 37.5 mg, but I can't get past the second day on it. My headache is so bad I feel like my brain is going to explode! Not to mention the palpitations and insomnia. I thought it may be something else so I stopped and after a couple of days my headache eased off. I guess I must be a glutton for punishment because I decided to try it again several days later to see if it was the Effexor. Same side effects all over again. I will not be taking this drug again. If I feel this horrible at 37.5 mgs. I can't imagine what would happen at a higher dose. This stuff should be removed from the market!

I took Effexor XR for 6 months. The first week I couldn't sleep but that was the only side-effect, that is, until I quit. I decided to quit when I noticed that there was no difference in my mood and when I missed a day I would get a strange feeling. "Brain-shivers" is what they're described as. Almost like a drunk and wobbly feeling. After I stopped taking it the "shivers" lasted about 2 weeks and the first few days were the WORST! I went to the Dr. to get gradually get off but after taking the first one (37.5mg) and still felt the same - cold turkey is was! I wouldn't take it again. It didn't help and the withdrawal was terrible.

I think that Effexor XR is a poison. I would highly suggest anyone who is considering taking this medication not to. I have been off this medication for a total of five days. I took it for 3 years. Only by the grace of GOD am I totally off of it. I hope this will maybe help someone else make their decision on whether to take this or discontinue taking this medication. They best remedy for my side effects. I literally got on my hands on knees and begged the lord for mercy and strength. I have been walking/running three miles everyday. My suggestion: Pray and exercise. You don't need this medication. God is so much greater than anything you are feeling.

God Bless and Hang in there!

Heart racing so much I can hardly breathe. Nausea beyond belief and vomiting, feels like my head will explode, insomnia, nightmares, sweats where I am drenched from head to toe......to name but a few. I'm on this website because my Doctor tells me it's not the medication and I know it is. I've been on 3x75mg per day and have weened myself down to 75mg a day over the last year but side effects are getting much worse. Feel like I should take myself to hospital but don't think I can get there. Depression was bad enough but now I'd rather not be here at all.

The Dr. gave me Effexor xr 75mg for my depression and 0.5 mg every 6 hrs of Xanax. Since then he lowered my Effexor xr to 35mg. During that period I gained 20 lbs and now I have excessive sweating constantly at least 5 times a day just as if I was coming out a flu like symptom.

My depression is still there buy not as bad but I started to get worried about what was causing the excessive sweating until I saw this site. I will set and appointment with the doctor tomorrow and see what the next plan of attack will be.

I know I was really bad with panic attacks and depression but know I could like to not take any more medications at all. With the help of God and I will recover from my depression and panic attacks. I had depression, panic attacks rasing heart beats, could not focus, memory loss, constant crying, fear. I when to the ER twice tacking I had a heart attack. All heart exams normal.

Now I have to deal with getting off the pills and live a normal life. How can I do this?

I've been on Effexor XR 75mg for 8 months with multiple side effects; headache (feels like the top of my head will blow), stomach pains, constant nausea, excessive sweating, body tremors & a skin rash that started on my chest and has moved to my back, arms & on my scalp. The rash has to be an allergic reaction to this medication. I have went through 3 rounds of antibiotics with absolutely no response. After reading the side effects of Effexor, I am going off this drug - cold turkey. I am on day 6. You name the withdrawal symptom I have experienced them!! eg:Excessive swings in body temps- I am either sweating or chilling to the point I have to get in hot tub to stop shaking, Brain zaps, severe nausea. unending diarrhea - still hitting on day 6, nightmares, heart racing, extreme rage but I feel things are a little better today. I am sticking with this until the end. If you are contemplating getting off this drug you should talk to your doctor and keep in mind days 3 thru 6 will be the worst of the withdrawal so be ready to lock yourself in your home for about a week with hot & cold drinks(tea & 7up) blankets and pray for help to see you through.

I've been on Effexor for at least 6 months. At first it really helped with my depression and anger issues and it sort of curbed my appetite so I was really happy. Then that stopped, I gained at least 20 lbs if not more, I have recently had severe stomach pains and headaches. Also, don't ever drink on it. Even when I have 2 glasses of wine I turn into a crazy person alcoholic even and drink so much (almost obsessive) that I black out and usually loose control of my ability to hold in urine and pee the bed. I was NEVER like this before, EVER. I've stopped taking it and yes the rage is back, but at least I'm not peeing the bed.

I was taking 75 mgs daily and still felt nervous, but completely myself. after I told my doctor, she upped my dosage to 150 mgs. for about a month, I felt really weird, and totally disconnected. After a month though, I felt a lot better. I haven't had any other symptoms since then.

I am going on day 4 of stopping my Effexor cold turkey. I was on 300 mg and taking 20 mg of Pexeva. I am stopping cold turkey after being on this medication for three years. The withdrawals are terrible, I don't know why any doctor in their right mind would ever prescribe this medication for anyone. I have those wonderful brain zaps every ten seconds, the only thing that momentarily makes me sane is food, as if the 30 pounds this medication has gained me aren't enough, stopping it is going to pack on another 30. I am a bundle of anger and rage directed at anyone within distance. I am at the toilet every night waiting and praying that I can just throw up. When I finally can fall asleep I am jolted awake in a puddle of sweat having just had yet another nightmare. And when I say nightmare, I mean the kind that have me screaming out loud in terror waking my husband. Minor daily tasks are ignored due to the fact that putting one foot in front of the other is too much to handle. I can't stand this feeling and only pray for the day that it will stop.

I was on Effexor XR for more than three years. Just calling these symptoms "side effects" doesn't seem powerful enough. The saddest thing is, these are normal, will most likely happen to you, and are for the most part, unpleasant. Consider the following before starting this medication, and if you're on it, listen to what your body is telling you.

Side effects-

Favorite foods.- Forget about 'em. Chances are anything and everything will make you want to vomit. After awhile you won't want to even eat just because it's easier.

Sleep- Everybody likes sleep right? Of course,when you can get it. Should you manage to avoid and/or get past the insomnia, sickness, and dizzy feeling, you'll be visited by nightmares. Vivid, horrible, put the movies to shame kind of nightmares.

Hair- That's right folks, a rare, but noted side effect is hair loss. Head, eyebrows, everywhere. Don't worry it grows back in patches with the help of special shampoo.

Withdraws- Heaven forbid you miss a dose. You'll get to experience your disorder in a whole new way. Too tired to be awake and too shaky to be asleep. Intense migraines accompanied by sickness. (Not just the normal "Hey I feel kinda woozy." sick. The " I can't stand or sit down, I feel like I need to throw up constantly." kinda sick. Shakes get more intense, mood swings are pushing insanity, and paranoia is through the roof.

Paranoia- This is a side effect you get to experience during both regular dosing and withdraws. The walls are closing in, everyone is out to get you, suddenly something you did wrong when you were four comes back to haunt you, and the worst part being.....might as well be real.

Shakes and Brain Tremors- You know that tingling feeling when your foots falls asleep? Imagine that in the middle of your brain. Now, try to focus, read (anything), watch TV, ha ha you can't without it leading to a headache. Holding a pencil used to be such a mundane task, now it's like holding on to a tattoo gun. Squiggle pen drawing anyone?

Memory Loss- We all forget things. Did I lock the door? Where did I put my keys? Try forgetting where you just were, where you work, the phone number of anyone that can help. Effexor XR can cause confusion and effect your short term memory.

I experienced these symptoms for years. It was no picnic.Effexor XR was prescribed to me for depression and mood stabilization. Wondering why I stayed on it so long? It worked. Helped my depression, no more mood swings. I was told the side effects would go away or become less as the drug build up in my system. Yeah, I'm still trying to choke that one down. They didn't stop. Granted, not all of them got worse, but guess what.....When you feel sick physically for so long, you start to, GET DEPRESSED.

There is no reason why anyone should feel both physically and mentally ill. It's life draining, literally. This is not a bashing session. There are the people out there that take Effexor XR no problem. If you're one of them, stick with it. This is your medicinal savor, but if not, GET OFF Effexor XR and keep looking. There are other medications, with less or no side effects. You might have to go through a few, it might be worth it.

Parents, if you adolescent is complaining of any of the drugs more intense side effects, please listen. Effexor XR still isn't "recommended" for anyone under 18. The drug can have serious long term effects in adulthood, even after discontinuation.

night sweats, hot flash, panic feeling, fast heart rate, headache. AND THAT WAS IN ONE DAY! Felt spacey and out of this world. No joke. It started out good then it was like whamo! I took it on Thursday and Thursday night I was in the ER having an EKG done and blood tests done. Even in the hospital, laying in the bed, I had stomach pains, burning in my stomach and my heart started jumping. No heart issues, everything fine. I got severe thirst and anxious. Doc said it was reflux.. Mmmhuh. I only take Synthroid for my thyroid disorder and Prevacid for reflux. (And I don't take it every day) That is it. Friday, woke up feeling like I was drugged, flu like symptoms. Friday was little better, still kind of out of it, like I was coming off a high, kind of down. That night, around 5, I woke up with the heart palpitations and the anxiety and I just had to tell myself to calm down and I went back to bed. Today, my tongue feels funny, dry. And I only took one. I turned the meds back in..... If one day side effects are like that, I am not taking anymore. It is about trust in God!!!

Started on Effexor XR after trying several other antidepressants. Effexor worked the best for me, and I loved it. But the longer I was on it, the worse things became. I started on 37.5 mg, then up to 75mg. Then to 150mg and then 325. By that time, I was completely numb. No emotions. I did not cry for over 3 years. I ended up with severe headaches, heart issues and more. Do NOT stop taking this med cold turkey. It made me sick and nauseas, so I went back on it, gradually lowering the dose until I was off. But even weaning off of it took me a good 4 months before I felt somewhat normal again.
My twin sister took it for 4 days and stopped immediately due to it causing severe heart issues that led to an ER visit and now-daily Atenolol, a heart medication.
A friend took Effexor XR this summer, and after a couple of weeks, pretty much went crazy on it and ended up in the psych ward on a 72-hour hold because she was a safety threat to herself.

There are other medications out there without such drastic side-effects and withdrawal effects. Pay attention to any changes and mention them to your doctor right away. I loved this med cause it worked the best for me, but hated the side-effects enough, that I couldn't stay on it.

I have been taking Effexor XR for a year now. When I first started I was taking a 150MG now I am down to 75mg a day. I have experienced a lot of abnormal dreams and usually I am interacting in my dreams. I also have experienced different parts of my body jumping. I am coming off of this medications and work on my anxiety on my own. It is always best to do everything natural because no one knows what medication actually does to your body but I can tell you I have had some strange feelings.

I had trouble with my vision, sweating more than usual, mania and then about 4 days after my dose was increased to 150mg from 75mg I I suffered from blackouts, confusion, suicidal thoughts, suicidal actions which resulted in a stand off with the police. I have been in and out of the mental hospital for the past month until I refused to take anymore anti depressants and became stable on my own. I still have some panic attacks and nightmares which I have never had before in my life. I would advise any one who is prescribed this medication to report all side effects they are experiencing to their doctor because once you start blacking out it's too late for you reach out for help. I will never take another drug that interferes with the chemicals in my brain and am seeking counsiling to deal with my social anxiety disoder rather than taking meds.