Effexor and drugs

I had no trouble coming of Effexor 6 years ago. No side effects, nothing. In past attempts, I'd merely suffered recurrence of depression, but this time, not even that. I was on Effexor-XR, 75mg and Wellbutrin-SR 100mg and went off both.

At the time, I was receiving neurofeedback to try and overcome ADHD (which is what the wellbutrin treated for me). It seems that this method of re-programming brain wave patterns might have reduced or eliminated any withdrawal effects from these drugs. Can't guarantee it, though, since I'm my own guinea pig here.

Just started back on after being off for 6 years. Hopefully short term. This depression is reactive due to several losses. So far the only side effects are appetite loss and vivid dreams, and I had vivid dreams in the first go around too, so I'm not too concerned. They went away in time.

I first started Effexor 6 years ago I tried coming off it twice,the 1st was a nightmare but took the 2nd time real slow.Trouble is I had to go back on it as its the only one that has worked for me and my doc says i might be on them for life!Its either have a crap life of take something that helps the quality of my life and effexor is the only thing,and I take 225mg's a day.Its made me put on 3-4 stone and took my sex drive away also had to give up booze as it sent me loopy with the effexor.Going to have a review soon with a new psychiatrist so will see.

I take Effexor XR 225mg daily and Wellbutrin 150mg twice daily and they have worked wonders. I started the Wellbutrin, initially, to help me quit smoking. Not only did it help, but also counteracted the sexual side effects of the Effexor, which were never all that bad to begin with. I think everyone needs to realize that different anti-depressants work differently for every individual. Some of these postings would scare many people from taking ANY antidepressants and that is a very, very dangerous thing.

This is the worst drug I've ever been on. This has totally destroyed my life, I took it for 8 years, in which time I felt severely depressed (much worse than the depression it was meant to be treating), irrational and no sex drive whatsoever. I stopped taking it 2 years ago and have extreme withdrawal symptoms for months on end, feeling nauseous, depressed etc and now that I have stopped my body has still not recovered from the side effects. I feel that if I had never been prescribed this horrific drug my life would not be the misery it is today.

I am Bipolar, and I have been on many drugs. When I began taking Effexor, I was misdiagnosed and told that I was manic depressive. Anti-depressants can often make people with Bipolar worse. Effexor was the worst! My main issues were terrible, vivid nightmares and anger problems. The nightmares were bad, but after even one alchohlic beverage, I became enraged. I said and did things to my friends, that I would never do. I know you are not really suppose to drink on a lot of medication, but one drink? I became scared of myself and I am lucky to still have my friends.

I do know, that Effexor works for some people, because my dad is on it and he loves it. It just wasn't for me.

I am taking this bloody capsule since last two years. Now I am habited and cannot do without it. It's just like drugs. I've gone through the experience of other people more or less same to me. IT'S OK, THAT WE ALL ARE HABITED, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHETHER THERE IS ANY WAY TO GET RID OF IT? IF YOU HAVE, PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

Since going on Effexor 3 years ago, I have had similar side effects, as well as withdrawal symptoms when trying to go off the drug. My symptoms while on it are: night sweats, being hot all the time (sweaty hands and feet), rashes all over, excema on my scalp and neck, "lightning flash" type feelings in my brain/head, extreme depression, an inability to feel intimacy (although no sex drive problems), extreme weight gain (despite frequent exercise and good diet). During my pre-menstrual period, I am pretty much psychotic, to the point of wanting to hurt myself and others. With the weight gain and depression, I really AM better off not taking the drug. But I find it impossible to take two weeks off work to simply stop taking a drug. It is not possible to stop taking effexor and work or function in ANY CAPACITY. I really feel for the moms out there who have had to do it. One other thing I have been experiencing is severe joint pain. I would like to know if others have experienced this.

Hello! I went off of Effexor 75mg @5 days ago. The withdrawl symptoms came back with a vengeance. I have tried 3 other times to get off of this drug with no success. Not because of depression, but the physical withdrawl sypmtoms were terrible. I immediately experienced dizziness, "zapping" in my head, nausea, extreme fatigue; all the very next day. I had tried in the past to taper off, same effects as quitting cold turkey. This is day 6 and still have the same syptoms. It's very hard to function at my job and driving is a chore also. I am determined to "not" go back on this or any other drug like this ever again (Lexapro, Celexa, etc) I will say I felt fine while on it, but I'm sick of not being able to lose the 30 lbs I gained while taking it. I want to be able to handle lifes curve balls as they come without any drugs. I will keep you all posted as to how long this goes on. Take care all, and we have to hang in there!!!!!

I was on effexor for over 2 months and I had a false sense of well being. I felt like I was behind a curtain and all my problems were on the other side. Still there, just hiding. I took myself off of the drug, because I thought that I could make it on my own. Coming off this drug was pure hell. I had a couple of blackouts while driving, and also forgot where I was when I was in a hot shower. I have been off of it now for 3 weeks and 1 day, and Just finally am I feeling better. A friend told me that it would be out of my system in 48 hours, and it took alot longer. My appetite is getting better and I dont get as easily annoyed.
My theory is that if people want you to take drugs so that they will like you better, send them packing.
Good luck to each and all of you

was on venlafaxine 75mg for about 6 months had to come off it as i was pregnant! felt sick tired dizzy but put it down to pregnancy. Was then put on dothipin which i could take while being pregnant but had to come off before baby was born.
Was put back on to venlafaxine in april 05. Developed a rash but was told it would go and to persist. Carried on taking instead of loosing weight after the baby i am putting it on also rash has come back over chest hands and feet are really itchy. Told my doctor i was coming off them. tried everyother day but i could not move my head was like jelly i felt sick tired my eyes were blurry i had to really focus. my brain felt like it was wobbling in my head it was so difficult with a young baby and a 10 yr old. I went back to the doctor who reduced me to 37.5mg i dont know what to do with myself my mother has had to have the kids my head it throbbing i cant see properly i feel sick so tired !
i am going back tomorrow as i need something to help me get off this vile drug. It should be banned i feel sorry for anyone who is experiencing what i am right now its an evil drugs and should not be recommended to anyone.

I took effexor for two years and can report that I experienced the halucinations, the bad dreams, the feeling of no feeling. I felt like my creativity and life had been sucked out of me. If I forgot my morning dose (150 mg) I would be dizzy, nauseous, and have hot flashes. I lost 15 lbs that I didn't need to lose, I was weak and felt like I had had a lobotomy. This drug is absolute evil, and I think everyone should run the other way if a doctor wants to prescribe this. I went off it cold turkey, had two weeks of absolute hell, and only am now really feeling my true self. I have been clean of all drugs, street and otherwise, for two years now, and I am happier than I have ever been. Get high on life!

been taking efexor for 3 months. first few weeks were great, I was off my face on happiness. that slowly died and the depression came back. For the first time ever I've had serious suicidal thoughts and can easily imagine killing people that make my life difficult. I've been wnating to leave my husband but don't know if I really think that or if it's the drugs making me think that. I have no sexual desire waht so ever, I'm only 22. This is the reason I want to leave my husband, what use am I when I don't only not want sex but I also hate myself for doing it when we do. All in all I think efexor has done more to increase my depression than fix it. I'm getting off it now against my doctors advice, but hey it's my life.

I have been taking Effexor for about 6 months. I took zoloft for about 5 years and it worked great for my depression, but eventually caused my sex drive to be non-existent. My doctor then put me on Celexa which made me VERY tired and also gain weight. Now I am on Effexor, and it seems to work fine for my depression, but I too have noticed that if my dosage is even a little past 24hrs, I get very agitated about everything. If its more that a few hours past that time, I actually begin to feel physically ill, with stomach aches, dizziness, inability to concentrate. My doctor did not tell me about this effect of the drug, he actually told me that I would experience less dizziness when coming off this drug, as compared to other SSRIs such as zoloft. I now am deathly afraid to run out and I am sure to be at the pharmacy before I run out of pills due to how horrible I feel even after a few hours of a missed dose. I do not like being a slave to any medication, especially since I am a recovering addict. I feel I need something for my depression, but I am getting really tired of all the drugs and their side effects. I am afraid to go off them entirely but feel it can't be any worse than the withdrawls, which they don't tell you about when prescribing these drugs. They are advertised as being"not addicting" but I have found that they actually change the chemistry of your brain to the point where you cannot function normally without them, especially after years of taking these drugs...will try to slowly wean myself off of the 75 mg effexor and start from square one..anyone who has any tips for successful withdrawl from this drug, I am open to any suggestions, Thanks.

NIGHT TERRORS FROM THIS DRUG! I was on it over 2 years and put up with it. I was afraid to withdraw because of the horror stories, but finally I couldn't take the nightmares and vivid dreams anymore, and I withdrew myself slowly. I have been off it one month now and I feel so much better. I asked people why I didn't get the horrible withdrawal effects and was told probably because I was on other drugs. (I take Depakote for Bipolar, and I purposely took Valium while I withdrew from the Effexor).