Effexor XR Panic Attack, Nightmares, Fiance, Weight Gain, Effexor

I don't remember the dosage I was on, but about 6 years ago I started taking Effexor XR. I lasted about 6 months on it and begged my doctor to take me off of it. Besides the weight gain, higher cholesterol and headaches; I could not deal with the nightmares. I lived with my now fiance and best friend. During the middle of the night I would wake up drenched in sweat and having a severe panic attack. My best friend and I shared a room and I would have to turn the lights on and check her to make sure I didn't kill her. The nightmares were so intense and vivid I could not tell between fake and reality. This, of course, made me more paranoid during the day because I was afraid I had gotten out of bed and done something that would land me in prison.