Venlafaxine

Anyone been on these or is on them, Been prescribed them by Pdoc today and was wondering what are these like. Thanks.

I take Venlafaxine. It works great for me. I don't have nearly the sexual side effects (anorgasmia) nor am I just numb. I still have emotions compared to the other antidepressants I took which just made me not care about anything.

If you start taking it though, take it at the same time every day and don't miss a day ... the withdrawals are horrible. It's like have a stroke and migraine all at once.

It was the worst for me regarding side effects, so I recommend staying vigilant. However, it has been effective for so many more people, so I will not scare you away. It's always worth a few weeks trial at least.

I was mismanaged when I was on it, I was put on a high dose quite quickly, released from hospital and then it continually increased, inducing mania and then it was cut very quickly. It was the worse medication I have ever withdrawn from. And I will never go on it or anything like it again.

In saying that my neighbour has been on it for years and it is brilliant for her. Dont miss a dose as you will feel it. It is a very good antidepressant for some people so dont let my experience put you off. Just be aware that its not a nice one to come off if it doesnt work.

Let's see...it zaps my motivation, wrecked havoc on my hormones, made me numb and un-reactive and has made me sick for months while trying to withdrawal. I really hate this drug!

It might be fine for you, but you should know it can be hell to get off.

I'm on it, been on it for years, with minimal side effects other than occasional nausea and dizziness. It blasted me out of a really deep dark depression. I don't have a problem if I miss a dose or even a couple of days, but I have heard horror stories about coming off it.

splitimage

I was put on this about a year ago when I was hospitalized. I'm on the XR which is extended release so i only haveto take it once a day. At first it seemed to help, but I'm questioning it nowim on a high does...450 Mg. The dry mouth is so %#$@*& annoying!!!! I goeverywhere with a bottle of water. Oh and my sleeping has suffered so much. Then there the headaches...they don't last long but they are the most bizzare headaches ive ever had. Its like a part of myhead starts to fall asleep....like the pins and needleds youget when yourfoot would fall asleep.
One ofnthe reasons that I stuck with this for soling is because of my PDoc...he kept sayingyou haveto give it a chance...then unfotunatly he stopped seeing private patients. So I had to find someone else 6 months ago. This is the 3 antidepressant ivebeen on...after this idont thinkill evertake another one.!!!

Thanks.

This is the thing I am afraid of the side affects as I do tend to get them no matter what med I take. I start on 75mg.

On Effexor, I have gotten so terrible headaches. One even sent me to the hospital for a CT scan. I think I even know what headache you're talking about here...

I have tried Prozac, Paxil & CR, Luvox, Anafranil, Serzone, Buspar, Wellbutrin & SR & XR, Remeron, Zoloft, Lithium, Abilify, Seroquel, Neurontin, anti-anxiety meds, benzodiaz, sleep aids, natural remedies (5-HTP, DHA, GABA, SAMe, St Jonhs Wort, exercise).

Have been on Effexor and XR (name brand) for over 15+ yrs. Effexor XR has had the least (most tolerable) side effects and is the only med to show any improvement. The generic doesn't work at all, for me.

Any chance thisnis whatnthey callnbrain zapped? Ive always wondered

if you do well on it nnnnnnnnever come off, because that's when the trouble starts .

Potentially? For me, they are two separate things--although, the headache was like very painful lightening zapping through my head. They weren't disorientating, though, like brain zaps are.

The withdrawal is definitely something to be aware of but I experienced very minimal symptoms when I quit cold turkey from 300mg. (or maybe it was 450?) I got the 'zaps' for a few days, not painful but strange. I just like to add that in, because it's not a horror story for everyone. People who quit without complications aren't going to talk about it.

About dry mouth: YES, this gave me constant dry mouth and REALLY dehydrated me. Drinking water is recommended though the amount you need is very inconvenient. Drink water first, but also chew gum to help with the dry mouth!!

I was given Venlafaxine after a forced withdrawal from Ativan by a shrink, both caused me to attempt suicide and I was hospitalised . On my release I fired them in the first sewer drain I found. If you are off Venlafaxine then 5HTP is a good cover med, its not strong but help,s with withdrawal but don't take it while still on VEN. The withdrawal was so bad for most that a web site , venlafaxine .org was set up to help people in trouble but that's defunked now but im still in touch with the founder. It was famed for the biggest suicide side effect of any med at one time, and you were monitored by your GP weekly till things were deemed safe. NOT a front line AD anymore used more if ssri,s don't work. In fact the nurse in the hospital that gave out meds said , its a long time since i gave these to a patient and that was 6 years ago , still use though.

I was prescribed Venlafaxine today. I've never tried any antidepressants before (though they've offered to prescribe me some since March this year) and I'm not sure if I'll try these either. Too scared.

I will never recommend this medication to anyone, although it worked for me the withdrawal is BRUTAL! I am currently going off of it and my head is fuzzy, horrid headache, funny feeling in my head and more. I have never experienced anything like this. My Dr. warned me before going on it, I should have listened to her. I am on 75 daily from 150 five days in and REFUSE to give in to this monster...it's worse than opiate withdrawal and I have been clean for eight and a half years.

I got akathisia with venlafaxine which was truly horrid, and was so nauseous that I lost 10lb in a week and a half because I stopped eating. That said the withdrawal was fine from 75mg but it was only 2 weeks.

*Willow*

2 week you would not notice a withdrawal, because the med would not be rooted to your senses in that short time, its years on 300mg that you get world war 3 . I have a e mail friend who was with me in the VENLAFAXINE ORG group and he still takes 150mg to the day , he has no weight gain and is sexually great so it effects people any sort of way, he had a brief relapse and they added Mirtizapine and he hammered weight on, a brief and depression helping time he came off the Mirtizapine and is doing well for years on venlafaxine and has no plans to give it up. JUST because you feel well don't mean you better he knows that.

Venlafaxine was a lifesaver for me in treating the depression, anxiety, and in regulating sleep; there was dry mouth but drinking water and Biotene products helped with that. I was dismayed when an unusual side effect developed that had to come off of it because it was working so well otherwise. We tapered it very slowly especially given the higher dose that was on, but I experienced no withdrawal effects, thanks to the very gradual tapering; taper, taper, taper, if you have to come off of it. Best wishes Buttercup.

I was on it for 3 days...that's how horrible it was for me. I was only on the lowest dose (37.5mg) and I had the worst side effects and couldn't handle it.

i was on effexor xr for a year or so at various doses up to 300MG. i had horrible night sweats and would soak the sheets every night. it didn't seem to work for my depression very well. i did not actually have any withdrawal symptoms, though. for whatever reason. thank geebus.

From what I read the xr is a better choice for most people... and what I do know is do NOT go off this medication on your own. You must taper down, and most doctors try to take the patient off way too fast for them resulting in "brain sparks" and such neurological experiences... I think you may find such results if you search on this site,even.

Remember that these medications are specific to the brain areas they know need to be worked with...and since you are dealing with brain chemicals, be sure to call your doctor with any questions--most can be answered to over the phone at no charge...

Hope you found the medication that will help you while you are in psychotherapy.

I don't understand why doctors are so bent on prescribing meds like this. It sounds as horrible as zoloft. Why don't they try Wellbutrin first? I wish they tried this on me years ago would have saved me a lot of negative experiences. Unlike other SSRIs wellbutrin is mild psychostimulant that releases more dopamine. By itself is very effective for treating depression. But does nothing for anxiety and arguably some claim it adds anxiety. For me if I just take Wellbutrin and nothing else, I do get anxiety attacks and more rage. Accompanied with xanax low does, it significantly reduces my anxiety and rage.

The only side effect that is a common complaint is it's hard to fall asleep for the first week because it is a stimulant. Not a powerful one, more on the line of a Monster Energy Drink all day. Activating more dopamine really cuts back my depression but my theory is because it is a stimulant may agitate anxiety and mood swings for some people, but the xanax counters that beautifully and the two compliment each other like no other combo I ever had.

I have to be highly functional and alert all day, I work full time in a high tech field. I can't be slowed down by the majority of those crappy antidepressants out there. And the bonus is wellbutrin is the only antidepressant I ever had that did NOT make me sexually dysfunctional or feel dopey and tired.

Why do doctors ignore this and continue with the zombie pills?

As mentioned, I've been on Effexor XR for over a year now. Right now I'm on 450mg. Generally I Check out a drug before taking them. A year ago there wasn't much of a conversation about the med on PC. Now...its everywhere!
After 6 months on XR, I had to find a new PDoc....I wasn't happy about that-still not happy about it! Anyway...this new guy makes everything sound so easy. Lately I've been asking about getting off the pills...I just don't think it's working. I've been doing what he wanted and increasing the med-he thinks that going off it isn't such a big deal. I don't get it! I take the reactions and suggestions from everyone here more seriously because 'we' are the ones that have actually taken these mess...all the PDocs do is read about them.

So what do you do if you want to get off XR but the PDoc isn't so helpful???