Effexor YUCK!

[CottonBall]

I know a lot of people are going to say I'm disqualified to say this, or will disagree because they're on Effexor and it's great, but I'll say it anyway: Effexor is a TERRIBLE drug! and I am very upset that my DR put me on it without telling me how awful the side effects are as well as the HORRIBLE withdrawl symptoms.

I was put on effexor for depression and mild social anxiety, and the first month of being on this drug was terrible! I wish I wouldn't have stuck it out. For one month I had nausia and vomiting, headaches, dizzy spells, and physical weakness. (why wasn't that enough for me to stop it!?)

3 months into this drug I have gotten cystic acne (an online forum had a thread on it that had several other adults claim that they got cystic acne after being on Effexor) AND my memory is so cloudy, I just feel like I'm in a dream all the time.

Now that I'm going off of the Effexor I'm experiencing the symptoms that I had from the begining, dizzyness, nausia, migrain headaches, physical weakness, but NOW I'm an emotional mess! I feel like crying all the time, and I have such an annoying ringing in my ears...

My point with this post is to let anyone who is considering taking effexor know that they should really research this drug before starting it. I had know idea that the withdrawl was going to be this intense, and I had no idea that this drug had so many side effects.

 

[Yamialpha]

You're qualified to say what you want about the drug-you've taken it! If your doctor didn't take you off of Effexor when you started experiencing symptoms at such a magnitude, then perhaps next time you should seek a second opinion. I hope your situation improves. God bless.

 

[servant4ever]

I am on Effexor... I don't have any of those side effects... but I do notice if I forget to take the meds, later that day I start feeling dizzy.

 

[bartony]

Well, I'll try again! I was whisked from this page when I tried to post.

Effexor, any SSRI, anything but a benzo, I can't hack. One pill several years ago, and I had a withdrawal from it! I know the feelings of Effexor. I'm hypersensitive to med side effects anyway, or most of them. Doctors are quick to push this kind of pill, but seldom tell you they are that bad with side effects. For me, most meds' side effects are far worse than the illness they are supposed to treat.

 

[CottonBall]

Well, I'll try again! I was whisked from this page when I tried to post.

Effexor, any SSRI, anything but a benzo, I can't hack. One pill several years ago, and I had a withdrawal from it! I know the feelings of Effexor. I'm hypersensitive to med side effects anyway, or most of them. Doctors are quick to push this kind of pill, but seldom tell you they are that bad with side effects. For me, most meds' side effects are far worse than the illness they are supposed to treat.

I'm the same way with most drugs. I think doctors would say that we metabolize the medicine either too fast or too slow, going through higher doses faster or having a dose stay with us too long to give us a hang-over effect. Lucky for me, having a more mild case of bipolar, I've found the antiseizure medication called Trileptal for my hypomania. It's a great drug, it's only side effects are headache, nausia, dry mouth, and it can cause you to get a lower sodium level, but I haven't experienced ANY problems with it. If anyone is on a heavy duty drug like Lithium or Depakote for mania you should ask your doc about Trileptal, it's been great compaired to the side effects I went through on Lithium and Abilify.

 

[bartony]

Hello, CottonBall-
Glad to know you got a great medicine that is mild for you. My late mom was put on Lithium for manic-depressive years ago. I couldn't tell if she had side effects or not, but she probably did. Me, I had to get hold of anxiety/panic disorder, but about the only thing I can tolerate is a benzo like my current 'helper', lorazepam. There are times, on that stuff, that I don't think it's doing any good, but I won't increase it and dig my hole any deeper than it is.

Hope you continue to do well with the Trileptal!

God Bless,
Tony

 

[Melody Joy]

I don't doubt CottonBall that you had these symptoms, as I've had these symptoms with other anti-depressants. I think each drug has a different reaction in different people. I'm on Effexor and its the only one that has worked for me and I've had no side effects.
I still feel like there might me more I could to but at this point, I feel like I'm able to "manage" and get through each day pretty well. I couldn't say that before. Just pointing out that most of the time medications affect people differently.

also-- quitting any anti-depressant "cold turkey" is going to be TOUGH. I found that out the hard way. I tried tapering myself off (i was on zoloft in the past) by skipping pills every other day and that still didn't work. I felt like I was going CRAZY!! A doctor can safely taper you off of one drug and replace it with another that might work better for you and your body.

 

[CottonBall]

I don't doubt CottonBall that you had these symptoms, as I've had these symptoms with other anti-depressants. I think each drug has a different reaction in different people. I'm on Effexor and its the only one that has worked for me and I've had no side effects.
I still feel like there might me more I could to but at this point, I feel like I'm able to "manage" and get through each day pretty well. I couldn't say that before. Just pointing out that most of the time medications affect people differently.

also-- quitting any anti-depressant "cold turkey" is going to be TOUGH. I found that out the hard way. I tried tapering myself off (i was on zoloft in the past) by skipping pills every other day and that still didn't work. I felt like I was going CRAZY!! A doctor can safely taper you off of one drug and replace it with another that might work better for you and your body.

I'm glad to know that effexor is working well with you. I understand that people react differently than others to medicines, that's why it's great that there are so many out there to try. My problem with Effexor was that I had NO IDEA the amount of side effects, and the seriousness of withdrawl when coming off of it, even slowly. I trusted my doctor and took it without researching it myself. He said i'd be fine, not to worry, I wasn't fine.

I have been quitting under my doctor's supervision, and even though I've come off of it slow, as I sit here I have a bad headache and am sick to my stomach. I don't WANT to complain, I just wanted to start this thread to let others know who were on Effexor, or who were considering it, to ask their doctor for more information about it regarding side effects and withdrawl symptoms because I had no idea how bad I was going to react to this.

As it is i'm going to stay off of antidepressants, seeing as I had a very long virus before becoming depressed, and the immune system creates chemicals when fighting a virus that tells the brain to be depressed, so hopefully I can get by.

 

[pumanator]

All these meds have dif affects on peeps. this one sent me to hell and back...wanted to die until it got out of my system, but fortunately i understood what was going on and just rode it out. You have to be careful with this stuff and only you can be the judge of what works. The doc listens to what you tell them (hopefully) and make adjustments.

 

[Unicorn1984]

I was on effexor to, but it dind'nt work for me, there were also side effects, wich were horrible sometimes. I felt realy strange, now I don't take antidepressivia anymore, it does'nt work for me, I've tried many.
But I'm feeling great, my depression is getting less, wich is great.
I'm also talking to the Psych from time to time, wich is going great to.
I feel like I'm getting better.
But something bad needed to happen before I realized I had to work on myself much harder.
But everything is going fine with me now.
I'm realy getting better this time.
I would like to be a strong happy woman, instead of a sad one.
Thank God for that.

 

[Zippety13]

Hey Cottonball,
I've been there hon. I was on it for about 9-10 months right after I came to Christ. I'm not sure whether it was doing anything or not. I thought for a while it was but I was also doing CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy), just came to Christ (GOD IS AMAZING), and not to mention that I had a boyfriend for the first time in my life. So... I just came off of it completely almost 3 weeks (tapered down over 3 weeks) ago. After I'd been on it for about 6 months, the side effects finally started to go away.

When I started on it, every time I had a dose increase, I'd feel the withdrawal and side-effects again. I could tell if I was even an hour late taking my dose for a while there. And yes, coming off of it was horrible. I'm just now feeling better. Some people have worse times than others. I wouldn't swear it off though just because of these things though. For some it can be a miracle-drug so you've just got to weigh out the chances and decide if it's worth it to you or not. Some have to go through a lot of different drugs to find the right ones... it can take years unfortunately.

Coming off of effexor... miserable. I sent out an email to my closest friends to let them know what was going on and to give them a head's up. I'm glad I did. I ended up spending a good chunk of time in bed or being nauseous... not eating... being sick... having brain shivers (worst. thing. ever.)... you name it. I lost weight which considering I was already in the 11th percentile of my weight group was saying something.

I also was on trileptal and lexapro at one point. I wouldn't recommend trileptal or anything like that unless you seriously think you have mania or destructive hypomania though. I was misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder when I first went in for help for depression and was stabilized in depression on trileptal. Not recommended. I have never felt worse in my life than right after I sought treatment... kind of sad, haha. Don't let anyone convince you that you may have bipolar disorder. Tis awful.

Much love to everyone and God Bless!!! Remember that God is the best source for healing and that He can work miracles in you life if you just let Him!

 

[CottonBall]

I also was on trileptal and lexapro at one point. I wouldn't recommend trileptal or anything like that unless you seriously think you have mania or destructive hypomania though. I was misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder when I first went in for help for depression and was stabilized in depression on trileptal. Not recommended. I have never felt worse in my life than right after I sought treatment... kind of sad, haha. Don't let anyone convince you that you may have bipolar disorder. Tis awful.

I agree, people who aren't bipolar should not be but on medications designed to target mania and hypomania, but I've been on Trileptal for about three years now and it's changed my life. I'm about as certain as certain can be that I'm bipolar. In fact, most of what I ever experienced was mania. I think that most of my depression has been situational, or in this summer's case, it came from a very long virus that I had.

I'm glad to know that you're symptom free from the Effexor now, you're lucky, I'm currently sitting here trying hard not to throw up dinner.

 

[blessedmomof5]

hmmm i was on trileptal and called them my happy pills.....i will admit i took the higher dose at night, and it knocked me out.

was on effexor, and all i did was go on eating binges, and gain weight, ok maybe a lb but went off before it would do damage. plus i hated the side effects....

 

[SallyNow]

I'm sorry you had to go through that!

My point with this post is to let anyone who is considering taking effexor know that they should really research this drug before starting it. I had know idea that the withdrawl was going to be this intense, and I had no idea that this drug had so many side effects.

Every drug-even natural ones-takes a different effect on every person. That's why I have to agree with you that patients must research drugs when they can, and doctors must talk about side effects, complications, etc, with patients, before they go on any drug, if they are able to. (sometimes a patient is so low/ill/mentally ill that they are not able to do research or make decisions for themselves)

I agree, people who aren't bipolar should not be but on medications designed to target mania and hypomania, but I've been on Trileptal for about three years now and it's changed my life. I'm about as certain as certain can be that I'm bipolar. In fact, most of what I ever experienced was mania. I think that most of my depression has been situational, or in this summer's case, it came from a very long virus that I had.

It's so very important that doctors let their patients try different therapy/drug combinations until the right one is found. Sometimes just therapy is needed, sometimes drugs and therapy, sometimes a dietary change, sometimes drugs and exercise, sometimes just support and time, etc.

I personally can not stand Zoloft. Effoxor, however, had a positive effect on me.

It's very iff to recommend or diss drugs specifically to other people-but at the same time, it's very important for people to share their stories, as you have, so people know they are not alone.

 

[Zippety13]

Cottonball! I hope your effexor side-effects go away soon! They are no fun.

SallyNow-Agreed. Everyone's different and every drug affects each person in a different way. We're just here to offer experiences and support, right all? We've got to remember that pdocs do know what they are doing and we should trust their advice.

 

[penguin]

Different meds work for different people. I am suprised that with this severity of symtoms that you were encouraged to stay on the effexor. It is a med which HAS worked for me and I am coming off slowly. Was on 300mg a day last Dec and now on 37.5 every other day. SLow withdrawal is the key ,though this drug OBVIOUSLY didnt siut you. And I would say to anyone if you get major side effect DONT carry on but also Effexor isnt a bad drug as it DOES work for some people such as myself so it is worth trying it but if there are real problems then DONT persist with it. Withdraw from it slowley. It is a drug i think that doctors are not able to perscribe now it has to be psycologists. I think
Penguin

 

[CottonBall]

I hate hate hate hate hate these symptoms. I feel so sick! WHEN WILL I FEEL BETTER AGAIN?!

 

[Zippety13]

It'll be soon! It took me a couple weeks of being completely off it to feel normal again. So tough. Praying for you!

 

[CottonBall]

Thanks for all the encouragement guys, I feel a lot better today! I think/hope/pray that the symptoms will NOT return!! sadly now that I'm off of the Effexor my social anxiety is back, but lastnight I went to a social outing and did well. I think that the Lord will help get me through my social fears, even if that means that he will lead me to counsoling, or another medication that will not be as hard for my body to process!

 

[Melody Joy]

i forgot to take my pill on friday and I was having brain shocks by the afternoon. and I went home with a big headache