Does anyone here take effexor?has it helped?What are some of the good/bad side effects of it?thanks!!

This might help..

Effexor Side Effects - Negative Feedback: Depression Blog.com

Made me gain 30 pounds in one month. Had stretch marks everywhere. Psychiatrist said it made me feel better so I was eating more. I was on food stamps and there is no way in h**l I could have afforded to eat an extra 2500 calories a day! When I stopped taking it all of the 30 pounds melted away in 6 weeks.
Laura

I am on it. It works for me. I have not gained weight. I was on prozac and I did gain 30 lbs on that. The side effects are mostly when you first go on. I felt queasy, light headed, teeth gnashing at night...restless legs at night, and dry mouth. I have been on the meds now for about a year and a half. I am able to concentrate now and the anxiety is gone.

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I was on this medication for about a year -- anxiety issues related to major change in our life. I have a history of depression (mostly post-partum) so I have been on my share of anti-depressants over the years. I thought effexor was wonderful...........until I no longer needed it. Under my dr's advice, we cut the dosages back gently to step me off of this medication. There was no gentle....I had severe withdrawal symptoms. It was torture knowing that my body was addicted to something that my brain no longer needed. I had the "brain zaps", tremors, aches, pains, and really only got through the whole process because I was carried through by God's grace. I now have more sympathy for addicts and what they must go through.

Honestly, I do believe that it is a great medication. My only side effects were a little weight gain and a bit of lost libido. Of course, I have three kids so who has time for a libido?

My husband was on Effexor XR for quite a while and his new psych wanted him off of it, he had the same problem, and kept taking the Effexor every other day or so because he just couldn't take it. He's on another med that was prescribed to help with that though, I assume he'll be taken off that too before long. He was also very irritable, problems were probably worse than before he started taking any meds at all!

My husband is on Effexor for many years and is doing well. He will be on this medication for the rest of his life because he has a family history as well as had over 13 major depressions in his life. He has a chemical imbalance. He does well on this (had been on prozac until it stopped working...happens in a percentage of people). My daughter is on Lexapro. There are side effects of ANY medication. ANY medication can be good for some people and some people will have bad reactions to ANYTHING. My best friend gets bad reactions to tylenol.
What will your reactions be?
Almost all the antidepressives have either weight gain or weight loss, sleepiness, vivid dreams, night sweats, loss of libido, dry mouth. That is par for the course. How bad each will be depends on you and your dosage and how long you take it (sometimes it gets better with time).
You then have to weigh how bad is my depression with how bad are my side effects. My husband and daughter are incapacitated without medication and so the side effects are tolerable.
The weight gain for them began with the sleepiness and increased appetite. To counter that they have to increase their exercise........which actually is better for their depression anyway.

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I'm so glad that you posted this question...Maybe some of us can help...First, let me start off with the positive. I've been on Effexor for about three years. I tried every kind of anti-depressant imaginable...Prozac, Zoloft, Wellbutrin, etc. Effexor XR seemed to be the one that worked the best for me. Keep in mind that everyone's bodies are different. What might be great for one person might be horrible for someone else. With the Effexor I did have a significant weight gain. I used to weigh in the 120's...now I'm up to about 160! I've always been tall and thin, so this has been a real issue with me. I feel that I finally was ready for a change. My doctor has been very hesitant to switch me to anything else. Her theory is, if it ain't broke, don't fix it. I just feel that I wasn't getting any better, but I wasn't getting any worse. For lack of a better word, I felt "stuck". I've always wanted to try Lexapro, but for whatever reason, she won't put me on that. Once or twice I tried going off of Effexor myself. Don't do it! I've done alot of research on it, and not to scare you, but...think twice about going on it because once you are on it, you will be a slave to it. I've read that some people think the withdrawal is worse than going off of street drugs! I can testfiy to that! I felt cold, like I had the flu...sick to my stomach. So, two months ago, I told her that I want off of it. It's going to take nine long weeks to finally get off it it, but I'm in my fourth week. She's slowly weaning me off of it. I'm taking half of what I used to, combined with Paxil. The last three weeks, I start taking the Wellbutrin. She said that will help with my anxiety. I'm a person who it takes alot of medicine to work for me. I know that she's going to have to up the strength. I go for a med check end of May. When I was on Wellbutrin before, I lost alot of weight...so much so that my Mom thought I looked anorexic! I don't want to get that skinny, but I can't stand the weight I'm at now. We'll see what happens... I was diagnosed with moderate depression in the late 90's. I was so happy that it wasn't all in my head and that my despondent feeling finally had a name. I had a pretty rough childhood with an alcoholic parent so I always thought that was what my problem was. The negative side effects for me from the Effexor XR were lack of sexual desire and weight gain. Other than that, I had no problems with it. Good luck with whatever you decide. Just remember though, it's a real bear to come off of it once you get on. ~Lisa

I have been taking it for a while. I really don't have or have not noticed any side effects. I do know that if I miss a day or 2 somehow, I do tend to get edgy and a little irritable. I finally admitted that I needed something for that little bit of bi@$#iness that I get once in a while. Since I have been taking it I have no longer had urges to pull peoples toenails out or hang them by their ears!! I would say that it is helping.

Seriously, I really feel that it is a good and safe medication. Obviously, follow your doctors advice and the directions but it has done wonders for me. They even let me come out of my room now!!!

Anytime you have to go off these types of drugs you need to wean yourself very, very slowly. I was on Paxil for 3-4 years and had TONS of brain zaps getting off that one. I just slowly cut back over 6-8 weeks. I've now been on Zoloft for several years. I don't notice any particular side effects for me but if I miss a day I feel some tiny brain zaps starting so I assume if I go off this one I will have to do it very slowly again. Paxil made me tired all the time and has sexual side effects. Lexapro and Prozac never worked for me. Unfortunately sometimes it takes several trys to find the one that works for you. Good luck!

I LOVE MY EFFEXOR!
Been on it about a year this time (was on it for a couple of years before). Tried Lexapro in the interim and it didn't do anything but make me tired and make me not the leasst be interested in sex.
EFFEXOR is my wonder drug! I do have side-effects. Nausea if taken on an empty stomach, some sweating and dry mouth (which is ok--just makes me drink more water). I actually lose weight on Effexor--it helps control my appetite.

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I loved this drug until we figured out the red welts and burns on my face were my body rejecting it. I was on it for 6 weeks and went off cold turkey because my face hurt so bad. Major withdrawal. Everyone is so right to take it slow when getting off these meds.

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