Effexor and zoloft

Ugh, this has to be the worst medicine I have EVER been on. I was having anxiety attacks that occurred every evening and lasted for hours. Hot flash, nauseousness, inability to concentrate, thought I was going crazy.........
they started after my mom went in for open heart surgery in Nov of 2008. They put me on Xanax for attacks, and Clonazepam (double ugh), and I didn't take Effexor for a while, but my aunt convinced me to do it as I wasn't doing much better.

The thing is I'd been having issues with fatigue, heart palpitations, facial hair, etc. for several months to years and the doctors ran blood work and said everything was fine........

With the clonazepam and effexor I didn't have mood swings so much, but it was because I spent 16-20 hours a day in bed. When I first started the effexor I was told that the side effects go away after your body adjusts, and as it was the fourth or fifth anti-depressant I tried I figured I would suffer through. I lost 40 pounds (as I was/am overweight it was a good side effect in some ways) in a matter of 6 weeks, lost my appetite to the point that when I realized that I needed to do something about it I had to force myself to eat 1/2 piece of toast a day, slowing eating more...........I went several weeks only able to eat an average of 500 calories a day. I was so nauseous all the time. I was pretty much having a break down. I would only be "functioning" for 2-6 hours a day.

After going to the ER because my muscles began shaking while standing or trying to climb stairs (I'm only 28), having racing heart beats which they just prescribed more medication for, absolutely no energy, my hair falling out by the handfuls, I would wake up with it on my pillow............could not concentrate for the life of me, falling behind in school work (back to school mom), unable to do papers because I couldn't think.............

They finally tested my thyroid (runs in the family, have been telling them it sounded like my thyroid from the beginning........) my levels were finally off the charts, my TSH wasn't even registering. I was diagnosed with Graves disease........which can cause the panic attacks that they put me on the medication for in the first place.

As I figured it was probably the Graves, I tried weaning off my meds, only to feel as though I was going nuts and going to die............... I cut my clonazepam and effexor dosages in half, and within 2 days I could concentrate, and within a couple weeks I could go up and down the stairs again.............

Even now it is hard to say how much of my issues were caused by the Graves and how much was due to the Effexor combined with the Clonazepam. I was able to wean of the Clonazepam within 6 weeks by cutting my dosage in quarters every two weeks, but NOT the Effexor. I tried cut it and started having panic attacks, couldn't think, major migraines, and bed ridden........so I had to reduce it even slower.

Once I got down to half a dose, all of my symptoms went away except the fatigue. That is why I associate a lot of it with Effexor and NOT the Graves, because the symptoms did not go away until I reduced the drugs. I am now finally free of Effexor for about a month, and it was a hard road. It took me six months. I still have some issues with concentration and the occasional panic attack, but they are very minimal. I have read that this could be due to either both or one of the drugs I was on as it can take a year or more for your body to adjust.

Anyhoo, I wonder if the medication didn't trigger the Graves, or what.............but I would NEVER EVER suggest this medication to anyone.

I have gained most of the weight I lost back........but that is to be expected since my metabolism probably hit rock bottom not eating anything but toast for weeks.......

Anyhoo, I really wish that Doctors would tell you what could happen before giving you a drug. At least then when you start having these symptoms you know where and why...........rather then going in, and them having no idea?!?!?!? Funny, as if you search online you see lists that match exactly what you are going through.

I am now VERY leery about taking any meds at all, including Tylenol.

The only side effects I am having, and I have only been on Effexor XR for about 2 weeks are: bad headache, anxious feeling (but getting better), and I loved my vivid dreams (good or bad) I have had all my life. For the past 2 weeks, IF I DO dream, I don't remember a thing about them. My family is probably happy about that because they get tired of hearing about my silly dreams everyday, but I enjoy retelling them since they have always been so real and deep! But now, nothing! Before Effexor XR, I was on Zoloft for 14 years! It was great, and no side effects, but all at once, after all these years, it was like it just QUIT WORKING. NOTHING. It was like the drug store had begun giving me placebos or something. I so hated to change, but had no choice. Depression, crying spells, and "going off" had come back after 14 years with a vengeance! Wish me good luck because I am going to try and tough this out and give the Effexor more time. Otherwise, doctor is going to put me back on Zoloft and just up the dosage from 1 100 mg tablet to 1 100 mg in the morning and 1/2 tablet in the afternoon. Too bad they don't just make a plain, "ole" happy pill!!!

I have been on effexor for about 6 months now and I love the way it makes me feel. After my second child I we diagnosed with PPD
I have been on paxil, lexapro, zoloft,and now finally effexor I have gained 40 pounds on it. I am not a lazy person by any means I am an animal trainer, have 3 kids, and 110 acre farm, so I live a very busy life, I have considered going off it, but my withdrawal periods with my other medications, I went through hell my doctor tells me to just increase my cardio activities, his nurses believe otherwise. Anyone have any ideas?

effexor worked fine for me, maybe not as well as zoloft did. but it worked. the problem was, after i got off of it, i had these fits of rage. i'd go between feeling fine to just really angry and it scared me. i pretty much locked myself up in my room so that i wouldn't freak out my family. it was very stressful.

I recently started taking meds for my depression and anxiety. I started on zoloft for two weeks, but I didn't like it and my teeth started to chatter (A problem I've never had). I then switched to Effexor, and I really like it, it makes me feel normal. However, my teeth still constantly chatter. I was wondering If anyone has had the same teeth chattering side effect. Does it eventually go away. Please help!

I took Effexor for 5 days and had to go off. My heart was pounding so hard by the 5th day, I thought I was having a heart attack. About the third day, I felt great, but I noticed people were looking at me funny and I realized I was acting a little hyper. By the fifth day, I couldn't sleep or even lie down because my heart was pounding so hard, it made me short of breath. I went back on Zoloft, which had lost it's effectiveness, but anything was better than the Effexor!

I started taking Effexor 3 years ago. My doctor had put me on Wellbrutrin, Lexapro, Zoloft, Paxil, and probably a couple of others without great results. But Effexor did work for me with some sideffects. I have gained over 40 pounds since I have been on Effexor, have had no energy, over slept a lot and had the most vivid dreams. If I missed one or two doses by accident I would feel shitty. I have now quit since 3 weeks ago ( somewhat gradually). Right now I feel pretty angry and wound up most of the time. I also have a cough that won't go away.

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.

I have not yet started to take Effexor yet, just trying to see if I can find some reason to take it first.
I have read a lot of these side effects and I have had all of these side effect like symptoms and have never even take this drug.
I have taken Wellbrutrin, Lexapro, Zoloft, and Paxil and all of them cause bad panic attacks. I am not sure what to do about anything. I have also tried a natural pill called Seredyn and it works pretty good at night to sleep but causes me to feel uneasy during the day and obviously it would be needed during the day.
The ONLY thing that helps is Ativan and according to doctors and pharmacists it is very habit forming. So I cannot get anymore of those.
Has anyone taken anything for Anxiety that helps?
I am not a depressed person and do not need anything for depression.

I too am feeling a lot of the effects as you guys are. The bruisings and headaches. I've never realized this before. This is the second anti-depressant I've been on. I was first put on Zoloft. And I stopped taking it. But for those months I stopped it was a living nightmare. I was dizzy and bolts of pains running through my head. But it's worse now then it ever has been now that I am on Effexor. Maybe it's the dosage--I don't really know. I've been trying to get off of them, but fear my body won't let me. Like it'll call me back to the pills. I've been taking them every other day...but it's not good. I feel fine for the first day of not taking them but I have to awaken way early in the morning to take it so I won't feel dizzy all day. But it still makes me feel like I havn't taken it.

I have been taking effexor xr for about 3 weeks now. Started on 37.5 and then a week later went to 75 mg. I was taking lexapro prior but freaked out one day on that stuff....so my dr. changed me over to effexor. I have taken everything from prozac, paxil, celia, lexapro, zoloft, & buspar. So far the only side effect I have experienced has been a headache the first week and a half, which subsided. I take it for GAD and social anxiety......I was very timid about taking it after reading all these horrible things, but with any drug you have side effects and what works for one may not work for another, you just need to listen to your body and give the drug the appropriate time to get into your system and do what it is supposed to. I plan to continue to take it, so far so good!

My doctor just increased my effexor dosage to 3 75 mg capsules a day because I was have thoughts of dying all the time. My side effects seem to be lightheaded, tingling sensation in my face. I still have thoughts of wanting to die, just not as much as I did before the increase. I have been on several different meds: lexapro, zoloft,cellexsa, now effexor.

I started my 'adventure' with anti-depressants 9 months ago.
The first was Zoloft. I began to feel totally weird and out of it, I couldnt function or barely talk. I was told this was depression and I was hospitalised and then it was changed to Effexor.
It was increased up to 300 mg a day.
I NEVER felt anything good from this stuff! all i had were the side effects
-Couldnt sleep
-awful sweating but just in the hairline.
-NO feelings
-NO taste of food (guess thats why the weight loss)
-NO energy
-felt like I had morning sickness all day.
-SCARIEST thing... it was like my IQ was chopped in half!
-I still have no retention of things I read or things that happen
-Constant thoughts of suicide. (more than when i was just depressed and not on medication)

Im trying to get off it now... slowly... and its tough. At least the sweating has finally stopped and I can taste food a bit.

I have absolutely NOTHING GOOD to say about Effexor. Its supposed to be industrial strenth for the severely depressed but I dont feel it did a thing.
I would not take it again, knowing how it was.

of course now, im supposed to be trying Wellbutrin. I dont see anything coming from that either.

I have been on Effexor Xr for about 2 years now,before that I was taking Zoloft, and Zoloft, while it may be great for some people, wasn't the right choice for me. Now (from 25 mg a day) to currently 300 mg a day I take Effexor Xr. Not only is it supposed to be treating my depression, but also my obsessive compulsive disorder. For the first few months it almost elimanted my OCD and greatly reduced my depression. But now I feel as if the drug isn't doing me much good. I am going back into my depression cycles where I have crying fits in which all I want to do is sit in the dark in the back of my closet and cry. Being at college, that is now harder to do, and harder to keep from my room mates noticing how big of a toll it takes on me. I have also been experiencing difficulty sleeping in which I wake up every couple of hours, even with sleeping pills I am not able to sleep a full night through. Although I am not sure if dizziness is a side effect of the drug, but when I stand, or even barely move sometimes my head just spins. And I didn't associate this before with the drug, but I heard other people say that they get itchy too. I have also been itching- weird itching not just one spot on my arm but like all over, legs, stomach, arms. I know Effexor Xr may be great for some people-but it is not for me. Although I don't want to jump off the drug because I have done that before (without my psychiatrist, therapist, or family doctor knowing) and I had a horrible time coming down off of that. I just wish that I could feel normal again- because I miss the way the feels!

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.

I started taking Effexor about 1 month ago for depression instead of Zoloft. I have had headaches for the last 2 weeks, very moody, tired all the time and have no engery. I feel completely useless about myself, my depression seems to have just gotten worse since I have been on it. I have a very hard time dealing with my children, and that was never been a problem for me before. I am now trying to get off of Effexor and hoping that I don't get the bad affects of getting off of it, but I figure that it can't be any worse then the feeling that i have right now.

i have been on effexor for one year. and i love it, actually i have lost weight! i was put on it to help with my hot flashes and mood swings. i was on zoloft and gained 70 pounds. i love effexor.