a question about venlafaxine xl (effexor)

i have just started taking a new medicine
i am now on my third day, venlafaxine xl 75mg (effexor)
i was wondering what other ppl experianced
when they started taking this med,
i have experianced feeling light headed,
the feeling of being drunk without drinking,
my face felt like i had been to the dentist,
not feeling hungry so much,
also not wanting to do much and feelling really hot.

my question is, has anyone elsae had any ogf the same reactions, or any other, while on venlafaxine (effexor)

Hi therealme,

This website is such a great resource. You'll notice near the top of the screen there is a link to Drugs. You can follow that or click on this link http://forums.psychcentral.com/meds/effexor.html and it will take you to reviews of effexor. You have to scroll down a ways before you get to actual patient reviews but it is enlightening.

Hope this helps.

Love and Hugs,
Tara

Possible Side Effects

• • dizziness, drowsiness
  • agitation, confusion
  • Consult your doctor immediately if you experience prolonged and painful erections.
  • Expected side effects are increased appetite and weight gain.
  • drowsiness, fatigue, dizziness
  • dry mouth
  • Unreported side effects are possible, talk to your healthcare provider if any other symptoms occur.

thank you tara,..... very help full....

I just thought I'd add, I also felt very hot when I first started taking this medication, as well as nauseaus.

((((((((Dec)))))))))))) Sounds like some "fun" symptoms...

I'm on 187.5mg at the moment... I did start on 75mg though...

I feel really bad if I forget a dose. And then feel bad when I take a dose after I've missed one... haven't really noticed weight gain I believe though. I do feel nauseous sometimes as well as headachy and dizzy and some concentration problems. It was suggested that I take it at night, before bed. Then you sleep through the symptoms!

Do NOT take it while drinking, especially at a higher dose. I've heard bad things about that.

As for the mouth pain (? you said dentist right?) ... well, not experienced that one, but maybe you're not taking to it well?

absolutely do not take it with drinking.. thats sort of off topic but ive done it and it always ends poorly with me blacking out - thats only happened ever since the effexor was started.

Hi,
It has been a long time since I started venlafaxine so I don't remember what problems I might have had when I started, but I second not forgetting a dose. I have really bad side effects if I forget a dose. They are worse since I am taking a higher dose now (400mg/day). I will feel dizzy, disorientated, depersonalize, and light headed. These will lead to it being hard for me to concentrate. Good luck with finding something that works.

Hi,
When i started Effexor XR I had moments when I just sweated profusely. Luckily, that side effect went away. Definitely try not to miss a dose. The few times I forgot to take it I had brain "zaps". Like little electical shocks is the only way I know how to describe it.

Best of luck to you, Pam

i was on 75 mg venlafaxine for 3 weeks.....
but after a had a few problems with sleeping .
i went back to my doctor , expecting to be taken off them....
but i was not expecting her to say, "im going to double the amount"
im now on 150 mg venlafaxine ....
she also gave me some sleeping tablets for my sleeping problems.
so after 3 weeks, my meds have doubled....grrrrrrr !!

75 mg isn't really a therapeutic dose of Effexor, at least not if it's being used for depression. 150 - 225 is normal, although some people are on much higher dosages. I take 375. When I first started taking it, I had a real problem with breaking out in sweats, nausea and dizziness, and migraines. I found if I took it at night, it kept me awake so now I take it in the morning.

Generally my side effects, after starting, or increasing a dose go away after 2 - 3 weeks, although the nausea seems to be permanent with me.

Watch the alcohol. I've drunk on Effexor without too much difficulty, but I'm an alcoholic, but there have been reports, that because of the way effexor is metabolized in your liver, it can actually cause you to want to drink more.

I don't personally have much problem if I miss a dose, I can go a day or two before I notice anything, but I know this is a big issue for a lot of people.

--splitimage

Let me tell you that I have been taking venlafaxine for a few years now, and have not been able or willing to get off it because of the uncomfortable "withdrawal" symptoms - 'brain zaps', dizziness, the same excess sweating as when beginning with the drug, etc. - and also because it works and keeps me in a rather decent, stable mood.

Of course, the dosage has never exceeded 75 mg. Sometimes I have double the dose when feeling going down the slope, but the doc always tries to keep me on the lowest, 37.5 dose. Now I am back at 75, and as someone suggested, switched to taking it at night. It is true that your sleep changes, your dreams get more interesting, and you tend to wake up more alert than when taking it first thing in the morning.

I guess that once your brain get used to the extra "dose" of serotonine - that it has probably been missing for some time - the uncomfortable symptoms that you describe will gradually disappear.

Started on 37.5mg for a month. Dry mouth, mild but sudden attacks of nausea that only lasted a few minutes at worst, lack of appetite, barely slept at all from day one, lack of motivation.

Went to 75mg (not depressed, just for anxiety). No nausea, but still can't sleep and I take it in the morning. Get a dry mouth when it kicks in, always lethargic and with complete lack of motivation, yet I can do my job ok. Most of the time I barely know I'm on it, yet I kind of don't feel quite right either. Like being in a slightly dreamy state continously. Can't be bothered talking to people. I just sit and listen and add a word here and there to let them know I'm listening, but I'm really not.

I do feel pretty calm most of the time though, so it has helped my anxiety unless something stressful is happening. Yesterday I went to see a new pdoc and my anxiety was through the roof. I came close to having a panic attack in his office when some of my past issues came up, so the Effexor is only 'so' good at controlling my anxiety. Just my observations anyway!
Rose.

This medication is awful. It did nothing for my depression and it took about 4 months for me to finally get off of it. I've been totally off it for almost 3 weeks and I'm still getting zaps.

I agree this drug is just awful. I was on 225 mg for a while and it did nothing for me. It may help some but I strongly recommend that no one takes this drug just because of the side effects coming off of it. It took me a while to come off of it as well but finally I just sucked it up (thought i was dying).

I experiences - feeling hot and cold at the same time, sweating while being cold
-severe headaches
-vivid dreams, nightmares
- shakiness
- dizziness, severe and terrible
-terrible nausea, i lost some weight because of this
-brain zaps
-suicidal thoughts, crying spells

I really think anyone considering this drug should get away from it right away. I have been on many medications and this has the worst side effects by far.

I'm on 150 mg of Venlafaxine ER and it's the best drug for me emotionally that I've ever taken. The withdrawals from missing it one day are horrific though. I missed it one day and seriously thought I had a stroke.

But now that I'm up to a theraputic level (at 75 mg the norepinephrine isn't even affected) my hands don't shake nearly as much, my headaches have stopped, I'm not suicidal and I frankly feel great.

But I would agree, it's a bit of a last ditch medication. Try everything else first because Venlafaxine can be a brutal one.

For me this drug started as a wonderful discovery, I responded well with few side effects. Then I relapsed and my doc has kept upping the dose. I'm on 300mg right now. Missing a dose doesn't cause me any problems, drinking alcohol does though. The worst effect of all is peeing myself, not just a dribble either. My dilemma is should I continue with the most effective drug I've ever taken and put up with the side effects or should I try something else?

If it is effective then I definitely say stay on it. For some people the drug works really well but it has such terrible side effects coming off of it, it almost makes it not worth it. Missing one dose may not be hard but more than one day would probably be terrible. If you ever do decide to come off of it please go very slowly. I went very slowly and still felt like crap so I can't imagine going cold turkey.

I take Effexor. A few months ago my doctor upped me from 75mg to 150mg daily. Yesterday he also added .5mg Klonopin 2x daily. The adjustment is sucky, but I hope it will settle into a less hyper attitude that allows me to think things through and get stuff done. Luckily I'm applying for disability so I don't burn any more brings (career-wise) while we work on sorting this all out.

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I am on 300mg of it...I haven't noticed any changes anymore I don't feel suicidal I thought it was because my mood is better, but I loathe the day when I coming down off of it there is so many side effects during that. I noticed when I skipped a dose I was hallucinating, itching myself because I thought there was bugs living under my skin, I believed I worked for the civil servants trying to rid the government of we have now (delusion), and paranoia I believed that there was miniature cameras following me everywhere I went sending it to the FBI.

8 months for me to get off of it, and I really, really suffered.

This medication has stopped my tearful times, but I have not felt any "better". There are more life factors involved for me than a medication can help...

What dosage are you on? My pdoc upped my dose from 75mg to 150mg but I was still feeling hopeless and constantly on edge. He added clonazapam and now I'm a lot better.

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I'm on 150 for a little over 5 weeks now. I had some clonazepam at the beginning. I don't have the anxiety that I used to, but I am emotionally "flat"

I'm pretty emotionally flat, too, but it beats the constant frustration/hopelessness/anxiety that I was going through before. Are you in therapy? Most of the SSRI/SNRI medications are not designed to be used long-term, if you read the drug info on them. It's supposed to even you out so you an get through therapy, but I realize that's not how most GP's prescribe them. It should be, though...
If you're not in therapy yet, get there soon, so you can work out your issues, wean off the meds, and get your normal emotions back

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I'm in therapy...going back to the doc soon to talk about weaning off the pills again...