What have been your experiance with Effexor??

Rosie1028 · 01-18-2006, 04:39 PM

I am switching from Wellbutrin XL to Effexor. The wellbutrin made me feel like I just drank a triple mocha! I think it actually added to my anxiety. My doctor and therpist have switched me to Effexor XR. I am starting out at 37.5 this week and then I am going up to 75mg next week.

What have been your experiances taking it?? I feel nervous. My doctor said that some people gain weight on this med, ugh... Not what I need to do.

oaktreegirl · 01-20-2006, 02:00 AM

I have no experience with effexor, but I'll bump this thread so maybe you'll get more responses.

emilymegan · 01-20-2006, 05:14 AM

Hi Rosie!

My doctor gave me Effexor (75 mg) last January three days after I had my baby because some Post Partum Depression hit and I cried for 12 hours straight. There's really no history of depression or anything in my family and this was really my first experience with it.

Once it got in my system, it really did help, but it took about 3 weeks or so.

I have two complaints about Effexor.

First, it gave me 'hot flashes' when I was taking it. It could be really cold in the house, but I'd be really hot and sweaty.

Secondly, be careful when you have to go off the drug. I stopped cold-turkey. I shouldn't have. Apparently, you should wean yourself off slowly, slowly, slowly. I went through major withdrawals. I was jittery, could cry at the drop of a hat, sick to my stomach, dizzy. There was this thing where if I turned my head too fast, I'd get really dizzy and it would take a second or two for my eyes to catch up with what I was looking at. You name it, I had it. I felt like I was going crazy and that going back on the drug was my only choice. But, I stuck it out. After a week to a week and a half it was much better and I was glad I was able to stop taking them.

The reason, btw, I stopped taking them, was I felt I didn't need them any longer. It had been 6 months (the minimum the dr said to take them) and I felt much, much better than when I started taking them.

Oh, and I didn't gain weight

HTH,
Tracy

BabyDreamz · 01-20-2006, 09:37 AM

I tried Effexor, and really had no results at all while I was on it. I ended up switching to Cymbalta.

grooveintheheart · 01-21-2006, 08:20 PM

I began taking Effexor XR for severe anxiety and depression several years ago. It did help then, so I am grateful for that.

As time went on, I learned techniques to control anxiety. Now I want to get off this drug for the side-effects and withdrawal syndrome, but it's so hard. Within hours of missing a dose, I feel dizzy, like hungover. I used to be multi-orgasmic, but not since the Effexor.

Now the big O is very rare with a partner. All the SSRIs do this to me.

This may not be what you want to hear. Unfortunately, from what I've heard, my experience is not rare. My BF is on 150 mg Effexor XR and has great difficulty achieving and maintaining an erection.

Oh yes, I have gained about 15 pounds since being on only 75 mg., but it could also be the Klonopin.

isenephthys · 01-22-2006, 08:40 PM

effexor was one of the first meds i tried for depression. on the 75 mg dose, i felt ok. a little tremulous at times, but other than that, fine. i did have some anxious spells, but i was also having a lot of situational stress in my life at that time. after about a month or two, the 75 mg dose just stopped working. my md increased it to 150 mg and i couldn't tolerate it b/c of severe nausea. i didn't have a severe withdrawal.

dimples321 · 01-24-2006, 05:04 AM

Hi,

I took Effexor (75 mg) for over six months. I was having severe problems with anxiety (i.e numbness all over my body). When I started Effexor it made all the physical symptoms of anxiety go away. It didnt make me feel happier, it just made me feel less anxious. I wouldnt get stressed at all, and I was finishing my last semester at college, and I kind of lost my motivation. I'm not sure if this was from Effexor or other things that were going on in my life.

A big side effect, I was not able to orgasm. I still had a sex drive but it was less, and no matter how hard my boyfriend tried, it took so long and was so hard to have an orgasm. That was frustrating for me, but I could live with it.

Fatigue hit me hard. It was hard to wake up in the morning. I felt tired all the time. Although I had really vivid, amazing dreams. I miss those dreams.

Coming off Effexor was really hard. It takes about two weeks to feel normal again. You have to be real careful, and make sure you are weaned off professionally by a doctor. Also, take Effexor the same time each day, because when I would wait more than 24 hours I started to feel symptoms of withdrawal.

Overall, I think it helped me get through a rough patch in my life. Good luck with your experience.

BabyDreamz · 01-26-2006, 09:38 PM

dimples-I never really had sexual side effects with Effexor but I had the same problem with Cymbalta. Other than that I think that Cymbalta is the miracle pill, I felt a lot better. But I stopped taking it because of this side effect. I think feeling inadequate in the bedroom made me feel worse as time progressed.

barneyb · 01-27-2006, 02:17 AM

Rosie - Hope you're doing well. I started Effexor XR last night & so far, so good. I was a little woozy & drunkish this morning, but am feeling pretty good now. I do have really bad dry mouth and I'm sooooo sleepy. How's it going for you?

Moonshoot · 01-31-2006, 04:42 AM

I lost a lot of weight on Effexor...one of the side effects is anorexia. Severe withdrawal....very tough. I weaned off over the course of a few month...cutting the pills off with a knife by tiny tiny portions.

Good luck!!

penguinlover · 01-31-2006, 06:25 PM

Seems to me that they say you can possibly gain weight with any anti-depressant.

I've been using Effexor XR for about a year now. I use 150 mg. It's working very well for my anxiety and minor depression. I also haven't had a problem losing weight with it. I don't have any side effects from Effexor at all.

barneyb · 02-01-2006, 04:20 AM

I'm doing great on the Effexor. Still a little tired, and had a minor anxiety attack today that got knocked out with a little Klonopin, but I feel a lot better than with the Lexapro. As with the Zoloft and Lexapro, I'm losing weight; since going back on meds in Dec., I'm down about 7 pounds. I get really hungry, but I lack the motivation to eat. When my stomach starts to growl, I make myself eat otherwise I just don't care to. Gotta talk to the dr about that, but I kinda like it. . .

LRB · 02-02-2006, 03:14 AM

Hi,

I have never taken Effexor, but when I was doing some research on antidepressants I must say that it shocked me. I found that many people were so upset with their doctors for putting them on that drug, that they ended up switching. Apparently, it's great if you're planning on staying on it forever, but the withdrawal is EXTREME. Even if you taper it off gradually, I've heard it's killer.

Also, I read that Effexor is sort of a 'last resort' drug almost, for people with very deep, dark depression (don't know if that's your situation or not).

I took Lexapro for about 6 months and was very happy with it. I experienced very limited side effects (couldn't sleep if i took at at night, a *slight* decrease in sex drive initially) and absolutely no withdrawal.

Hope this helps some.

intensity_too · 02-04-2006, 12:12 AM

I have been on Effexor for several years, and as LRB, Effexor tends to be a drug of last resort for depression and anxiety. I had horrible post partum depression and the Effexor helped wonders.

I have similar side effects as Emilymegan if I miss a dose. I have had some sexual side effects. I can still orgasim but it takes longer to get there if it is by clitoral stimulation. Vaginally I'm fine. My sex drive has decreased some but that could be the result of being a mother to two young boys.

Overall, Effexor has been a life saver for me.