Effexor XR and medication

This drug ruined, DESTROYED a year of my life. Self harm, suicidal tendencies, anger, depression, apathy. I never was like this until I started this medication. Within one day I had these horrible thoughts. Immediately I came off it, but instead of letting the drug get out of my system I was thrown on another. Bad idea Doc. Educated yourself FULLY before taking this medication.

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.

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 was prescribed this medication for mild depression. (it was thought to be post pardum depression) and it did NOTHING!! I might as well been taking a sugar pill. I was very disappointed as this was a newer product at the time and had thought to be pretty good. The good side was that I didnt have any side effects! It did nothing, good or bad!

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 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.

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 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 was a completely different person on this medication - different temperament, different likes and dislikes, but the worst part was not having any emotions! When I reported still being depressed to my Dr, she just upped the dosage (from 75 to 150mg) and I hardly remember anything from the time I was taking the high dosage. Coming off of this medicine, I would almost have cravings for it, severe dizziness, the "brain zaps" others have mentioned, and rage like I have never felt before or since. So glad I got off of this stuff!

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.

I'm on the 37mg capsule - If I miss a dosage even one day, that day my symptoms are: severe nausea, emotional mess, foggy brained and completely dysfunctional. I've been taking it for 4 years now (along with Adderall 40mg & Yasmin) and I don't know if it's just this medication or the whole combination, but I've gained 30 pounds!!! I've liked being on Effexor XR because before it I was on Zoloft and there was a huge mood swing coming down from Zoloft at the end of the day. This did not happen with Effexor. Except for the weight gain, I've been pretty happy with it otherwise.