effexor...I don't wanna

I have terrible side effects with like a ton of antidepressents I have tried (I am the 1% on the package insert), staying away from most of the SSRIs because I know from the past they don't work for me...and I have bad side effects with them, too.
Anyway, anyone have any side effects right away with Effexor that are notable? Thanks.

I take Effexor XR 150mg.

There is a non-extended release that I tried first, and within an hour I got nauseated and threw up. Then we did Effexor XR and that went ok.

The only side effects for me is that if I miss a pill get dizzy. Maybe I gained some weight because of it, but then again, I might just eat too much.

It works great for my depression and anxiety, along with therapy.

I lost my appetite and was nauseous at first, along with bad headaches, but it went away with time.

Effexor has worked wonderfully for me. I've taken it for years with no side effects at any time.

As with any medication, and everyone being different, it would be hard to tell what if any problems you may encounter with Effexor..I can honestly say I've never taken it, but my ex-husband took the Effexor ER and nearly lost his mind. He described having "brain shocks" that were horrible, visual disturbances, and had to be hospitalized after a short time after starting this medication. He hasn't taken any for years, after stopping "cold-turkey", and still has "brain shocks" even now...I have done a lot of research on this drug for him and I honestly think that more studies should have been done before releasing this drug...I am glad however that it does seem to help some people..♥

I've had two psychiatrists tell me I should try effexor, and I have a months supply.....but I don't want to take it, and now I am not even sure my mom would be able to help me with the costs for refills so I don't want to start taking something and then have to suddenly stop and experience possible withdrawls as that is the last thing I need.

I've taken it in the past and am currently taking it. I've had no side effects but I worry about how it may be changing my brain. I also think it may blunt all my emotions.
It can be a mean ***** if you stop taking it or miss a dose. If you are even a few hours late you will feel the effects.
The effects are pretty much what Squaw described along with a tendency to feel anger bordering on rage.
It does work well for depression and anxiety though.

I think mine is XR but I think I already gave it to the pharmacy to fill so I can't look at the script. Some of your responses sound about like my usual side effects...I am going to get sick or dizzy or something. I'll think about it all...thanks for the info.
I am glad it works for some of you.

I took it for about a year. I think I was on 150 mg of the XR. It seemed to do ok at first. I had a ton of energy and it killed my appetite for a week or two. I thought it was helping with my depression and anxiety and I spose it was. If I missed a dose I did get those weird brain zappy feelings and would get very nauseous. The kicker though, was it eventually made me manic, which I didn't realize until I crashed and became suicidal. I was put in the hospital for over a week due to that and have refused to take it since. While I've had thoughts of "I don't want to be here, what good am I?, etc" I've never devised a plan, much less carried through with it since I stopped taking it. I just think I really didn't need the norepinephren that was in it. But, some people do, so maybe you do too. I'm just saying in my personal experience it scared the life (quite literally) out of me.

Yes I think I was scared of it before I asked, eek. Lamictal made me suicidal and I haven't ever heard of that happening before...it took me awhile to realize what was happening tho. It's so scary that way. I am so sorry this happened to you and thank you for sharing your experience. I do hope you are feeling better now.

Like you, I'm the one percent. I felt like a zombie on a low dose. I can't do meds. Heard a lot about brain zaps from other people, and I sure don't need those.

I am VERY med sensitive and Efexor was the anti d I was on the most. On and off it for around 4 years. The SE's for me were horrible. Extreme nightmares, racing brain (more than normal) anxiety worse, sleep paralysis, nausea.. I can't remember them all now but I'm sure they'd be around the site somewhere. That being said it did work well when I needed it. The withdrawal is HELL and I'd never ever touch it again though.

Good luck!

Effexor has saved me and my mind. Its the only med that has ever helped. I havent had any side effects really. For a few days i had some headaches, but that passed. I csn miss one or two doses and i am ok. No brain zaps. I even went off of it for a year because i no longer needed it, and tapered off on my own and did fine. I have been very lucky with it. I take 3 37.5mg a day i think.

Concerning George H's comments about Effexor causing rage, this drug was the beginning of what caused my divorce from my ex-husband..he wasn't the same man I married after the hospitalization that this drug caused. Complete personality change, unfortunately...

That's really scary ... Thanks for sharing.

This stuff sounds awful. I think I have gotten 1.5 positive reviews on it...

I am glad it has worked so well for you; you are definitely in the minority here it seems like!

When I took it, I nicknamed it "Side-effexor" but my pdoc kept saying it would work and the side effects would go away, and kept increasing the dose. I was suicidal and desperate, so I kept trying. Finally, I insisted it was not working and I could not handle the side effects, and so she got testy about me questioning her judgment and "weaned" me off it in 125 mg drop-offs. It was one of the worst experiences with a medication ever. I had wretched stomach aches, violent nightmares, punched my husband repeatedly in my sleep and woke up EVERY single night multiple times drenched in sweat. I had to keep a stack of clean dry t-shirts next to the bed.

When I changed Pdoc's, I told him about the weaning off in 125 mg increments, and he looked skeptical. I said I thought the last pdoc hated me, and again he looked skeptical. Then he got my records from her and when I went back to him the next time, he commented, "You were right, by the way. She did hate you."

I think I should reiterate that I had no side effects. The things I mentioned were all during the withdrawal process. And I didn't even kick the dog or in my case, the cats.
Truly you can never know how a med will affect you until you try it.
It may work great.

I lowered my dose last week, and instead of my before mentioned headaches, I've just been getting tired more easily. So that's something.

You don't know with meds or doses, but if you need one, it is worth a try.

Effexor worked for me, but the worst side effect was profuse sweating. Sweating so bad that I opted for another medication.

True. Or my head could explode. I'll consider the options. And thanks.

We need a head exploding icon!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ack and it's going to be HOT here soon. Thanks for the info.

I know I shouldn't have but you made me laugh with that last part...I have met some awful pdocs. I am sorry you were tortured like that though, it sounds awful!

I've been on just about every modern anti-depressant out there and nothing has worked. I heard that Effexor is a stop gap medication. Its for people that have had no success in taking other AD's. So I'm going to ask my doctor to put me on in when I see him on March 14th. I am very very tolerant of meds and need high doses for anything to work. I rarely have side effects too. Not sure about the sweating because I do enough of that now without any chemical help!

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Yes nothing else has worked for me either but I always have such ridiculous side effects, the 1% no one has, I don't want to try this. Good luck to you...I hope it works!