I started off on 150 mg. traumatransfixes. Venlafaxine (Effexor) has several uses, which may be good for people with multiple conditions. No more high heart rate, no more palpitations. I will admit that eventually the anxiety got to me and I needed another dose increase due to a depressive episode. Aug 3, 2021 · Venlafaxine oral tablet is a prescription drug used to treat depression and social anxiety disorder (SAD). I'm on 225 mg of the generic version of the antidepressant of Effexor XR, and I'm on five milligrams of the generic version of the anti-psychotic Abilify. 5 mg 2x daily. I took klonopin (for insomnia) exactly as prescribed, and it destroyed my nervous system. It helps me out a ton. Effexor throws a blanket over rumination, anxiety, OCD, and for some people, depression even (not for me, unfortunately). 3 days ago · Rest as often as possible. My OCD has been controlled for the most part. 5” on the body. Treats depression, anxiety, and panic disorder. Change or problem with discharge of semen. Jul 19, 2021 · Taking dosages this high is considered an off-label use. When I started taking it, I noticed I had much less depression, much less anxiety, no more suicidal thoughts, much better concentration and focus, no more fatigue, no more brain fog, no more apathy, no more body aches like muscle paint and hurting joints, etc! I have experienced no side effects from the Effexor and you're not guaranteed to either. With Effexor I’ve lost 20 pounds and my anxiety and depression are way more under control. 22/M here, if that's of interest. I’m on 75mg now and I’ve been taking it for 1 week. However since bumping up to 150 mg my anxiety has returned. It’s like night and day. I don't drink too much, but the drinks I like are usually quite strong. Increasing norepinephrine can help with energy, focus and motivation; but as a side effect of increasing adrenaline it can in some cases increase anxiety. Lexapro seems to work good. Both seem to be nightmare drugs from what I read. Once you’ve been on effexor at a few doses you can better feel what works for you. During this time, you might feel nauseated, dizzy, short-tempered, confused, restless, and/or distracted. Might work better when other antidepressants haven't worked since it affects two chemicals in the brain that impact your mood. I increased to 150mg, and I feel like a changed person! Almost no anxiety in social situations, and I can talk to anyone I highly recommend the small increase, however with that will come more side-effects. The medications are also metabolized differently so you may tolerate one better than the other depending on your body. On a side note, be careful with Effexor. 5 mg, it’s helped considerably but I also take buspirone We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. ago. Before taking Effexor, I never attended college classes and was often too anxious to go out and socialize. How many mg did you find worked for anxiety? Cannabis can increase anxiety too, with or without Effexor, particularly if it's more potent, and particularly if I'm already feeling some level of anxiety. drowsiness. I just recently decided to give up drinking again and focus on my mental health after hitting a terrible low in early December. It was one of the things outside medical marijuana that helped me very much. My anxiety was soooo much better. sexual problems. It was rough acquiring the tools, though. I didnt tell my doctor about social anxiety cuz my main problem was the depression at the time but ive noticed huge improvement when it comes to social anxiety. lack or loss of strength. I got increased anxiety going up in dose with effexor xr. I have taken both duloxetine and desvenlafaxine (which is similar to effexor), so maybe my take could be useful. insomnia. I do have 2mg Xanax if I have break through panic attacks. severe headache. I saw a doc who prescribed effexor 37 mg and I went for a second opinion where I got given zoloft by someone else. Spiritualrose98. inability to have or keep an erection. Temazepam - 10mg/20mg/30mg - Useless. I would say I am more able to cope with it than I was. My doctor put me on 75mg for my panic attacks and anxiety and I can't remember how long exactly it took to work as it was years ago now but I remember one day just waking up and my brain felt quiet. I’m certainly thinking of slowly increasing by 37. It takes 4-6 weeks to fully kick in and see full effects. My Psychiatrist recommended Effexor for me since im treatment resistant to most SSRIs and i also have high functioning autism which Effexor is very helpful in I take it for anxiety. You're better off getting medication and subsequent treatment targeting anxiety in particular. Apr 10, 2021 · Pros. I’m sharing what worked nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation; changes in weight or appetite; dry mouth, yawning; increased sweating; or. Effexor really affected my normally high libido when I first started taking it. Venlafaxine extended-release (long-acting) capsules are also used to treat generalized anxiety disorder (GAD; excessive worrying that is difficult to control), social anxiety disorder (extreme fear of interacting with others or performing in front of others that interferes with normal life), and panic disorder (sudden, unexpected attacks of extreme fear Absolutely SUCCESS for me!! I’ve been on it for 6 years. Do not fuck with it though, take it as prescribed, it is the WORST drug to come off of. Healthy lifestyle, diet, exercise and self-help work like therapy. Always take the lowest dose needed. Effexor withdrawal is a form of antidepressant discontinuation syndrome, a well-known phenomenon Possible_Truth • 2 yr. It would usually go away after a few weeks. g. Effexor was my miracle drug. ) Dosage for panic disorder. 5 and ended up at 187. I basically only left the house to shop for food. All of a sudden i started getting my generalized anxiety back and now he has prescribed me 150 mg venlafaxine which i took this morning. I am thinking about trying Venlafaxine. , Lexapro) but the side effects outweighed the benefits. r/EffexorSuccess - for redditors to share success stories about their treatment and for those considering Effexor to ask meaningful questions about the treatment of depression/anxiety/etc. If any of these effects last or get Jan 16, 2023 · The doses of Effexor XR ranged from 37. The side effects can be rough for sure, but they are temporary. However, you need to take it at the same time everyday, I plan on staying on it. Effexor does a pretty good job of leveling that part out. I’m not a doctor. So ive been on lexapro for 6+ years at max dosage which is 20 mg here. Had to get prescribed two different medications, one to sleep and one to stop dreaming, the ladder never worked sadly. My roommate is on Effexor for the same. lol you Should start noticing little differences at about the 2 week mar! I noticed it took the edge off after about two weeks but my provider told me it takes about 6-8 weeks to feel its full effects. Its inhibition re-up take ratio is 1:30. (Off-label means using a drug in a way it hasn’t been approved to be used. I have attempted suicide by overdose in the past as well. Effexor also specifically targets the ruminating thoughts surrounding panic attacks which cause agoraphobia. I recently went up to 300mg from 225mg due to increased anxiety. Beginning Effexor. I had insomnia and wasn't eating, so I went for the doctor and the decision was made to go back on anti anxiety medication. 5 mg but hit a plateau after two months so I upped a dose. Effexor or Pristiq is an SNRI which works on norepinephrine and serotonin. 5mg though. 5 mg isn’t a huge jump from my dose) So I was prescribed 10mg (lowest dose possible) of Propranolol. 5 or 150 for it to have better effects on your anxiety. Medication alone wont cure anxiety. Luckily Effexor is an SNRI, which is a completely different class of meds that not only target Serotonin but also Norepenephrene (which raises anxiety if those levels are out of whack). 5 due to triggers in life and increased stress. Yes, both weed and effexor give me vivid dreams individually so using both together nightly has become hell to sleep, anxiety nightmares to the extreme. Venlafaxine increase epinephrine which is your adrenaline type neurotransmitter. It’s about as bad as before I started this medication. If you are anxious, Effexor is amazing help. 5mg for about a month and haven’t really noticed any changes, maybe my moods are a bit better but my anxiety is terrible. This is often because depression and some straight SSRIs can cause apathy. I am more able to cope with life in general. Because it was so bad I reluctantly agreed to go back on Effexor, since we knew it worked for me. I was on other meds and Effexor worked wonders for me, I was much more calm, my sleep was full and restful. In low dosage it is practically an SSRI. 5 mg to 225 mg per day. I take both and it's a good combo. This includes having a regular sleep schedule and allowing yourself to take naps to help yourself feel better. Unusual-Entrance6387. Venlafaxine is used to treat depression. I was very nervous of getting increased anxiety but i took my first dose this morning. . It’s a rough one to start for sure, but after being on several different SSRIs across over a decade, I find this one works the best for me. Common side effects, like drowsiness, nausea, and constipation, will often resolve with time. My anxious thoughts, and fear subsided. FlowerSmokerD8user. I took 75 mg for the first 4 years and then bumped up to 150 mg. To affect norepinephrine you would need to take 150mg and more. It’s commonly used to treat anxiety and also lowers heart rate. However, the side effects even after like 8 months were harsh. In my case, it numbed my anxiety to a point where I understood what it was like not to have it controlling me all the time. Oct 2, 2012 · Effexor has begun to make me more extraverted, focused better at work, calmed my anxiety, and stopped my panic attacks. Sometimes serotonin levels are not the only imbalanced chemical so tour doctor may then try an SNRI. Sep 25, 2023 · More common. hot We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. [9] Studies have shown that venlafaxine Citalopram works only by blocking serotonin reuptake transporters while venlafaxine works on both serotonin and norepinephrine (or noradrenaline) reuptake transporters. Currently, I am on Effexor-XR 150 milligrams (mg) for trait social anxiety. Other side effects reported include sweating, loss of appetite, dizziness, dry mouth, anxiety, tremor, blurred vision, constipation, sleepiness, change in sexual ability. Effexor is an SNRI meaning that it gives you more serotonin and norepinephrine. I was on Lexapro for 10 years, I wish I had switched to Effexor way sooner! Lexapro made me gain weight and did little for my anxiety and depression. Ive taken effexor xr for a month now for severe depression and generalized anxiety disorder. When I would miss a day I would get brain zaps which weren’t the worst but anything more than 3 days without effexor is hell on earth. The only thing I've noticed is that when I drink alcohol, I usually feel more anxious than usual. 5 mg increments to 225 mg (likely, because 187. NDC 0008-0837-20, bottle of 15 capsules in unit-of-use package. If you have more on the anxiety/depression or major depression then Effexor is likely a better first choice. I'm 36 for what its worth I'm struggling with some neuro pain issues as well and take 300mg Pregabalin. 75mg is just the starting dose and it may not be the right dose for you. If any of these effects continue or become bothersome, inform your doctor. However, it will be a horrible withdrawal, which anybody that has tried to get off it will agree. My doctor switched my from Zoloft to Effexor XR. Vyvanse does wonders for treating my ADHD, but had the unfortunate side effect of making me anxious. • 1 yr. Share. Imo mirtazapine or increasing your dosage, and or cognitive behavioural therapy would be the most helpful. 5mg to 225mg. I truly had to work with this medication. I seem to do well for a week or two, then go downhill. I was still having anxiety, but not really much depression from the 75 mg dose. Increased anxiety seems to be a very common side effect of dose increases for SSRI and SNRI medications. I started at 37. No extra thoughts or worries in my head. However, you will potentially get a 90 day no weapons profile when it’s first prescribed. I'm on Citalopram, which is chemically related to Lexapro, and it's been doing a pretty good job of keeping my anxiety at bay. Effexor is just there to help make building these habits and thought patterns a bit easier. It comes in two forms: immediate-release (treats depression) and extended-release (treats I've been on Lexapro for eight weeks now and it's been great! I've had no bad side effects whatsoever, and my anxiety has become much more manageable. Because they are working on different things Wellbutrin is often an add-on to SSRI/SNRIs. Mar 14, 2023 · Effexor XR can cause side effects that range from mild to serious. Effexor XR is used in adults to treat: major depressive Nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, constipation, loss of appetite, blurred vision, nervousness, trouble sleeping, unusual sweating, or yawning may occur. . loss in sexual ability, desire, drive, or performance. I am taking 225 mg for over 10 years My dr added buspar 10 mg bid for anxiety break thru I have bee on the 10 mg bid for 2 weeks. Venlafaxine, sold under the brand name Effexor among others, is an antidepressant medication of the serotonin–norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) class. More serotonin should take you out of deep depression and help manage anxiety. It is intended for those who wish to be part of a constructive community dedicated to the improvement of their mental health. I say first talk with your provider, but my uneducated advice is to give it a try. Pristiq is the active metabolite (main ingredient) of Effexor, meaning Effexor is a more complex version of Pristiq. When I first added buspar it was helping but today I had break thru anxiety and had to take Xanax any I know that paxil is an SSRI and Effexor is an SNRI. I've gone from feeling anxiety 100% of the time to about 40% of the time. It suppresses symptoms, but it also lulls you into this lifeless, tamed zombie like state. I've been on Cymbalta for 2 months now and the results are night and day, I have my life back. smileonamonday. Effexor medication may initially cause dizziness and nausea as your body adjusts to the medication. More serious Effexor side effects include suicidal thoughts, serotonin Jul 22, 2022 · All medications have the potential to cause side effects, and Effexor is no exception. I have a huge startle response, hypervigilance, Dissociation, Freeze response and avoidance behavior, avoiding eye Effexor/Venlafaxine: Looking for comments on my experience. Yes it has definitely helped my anxiety especially social anxiety, although my general anxiety isn’t perfect but it is still better than before. She added 7. This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. In two 8-week clinical trials, HAM-A scores decreased (improved) by up to 2. Norepinephrine re-up take inhibitors are used to treat ADHD but in that case I'd either recommend duloxetine or milnacipran if it needs to be combined with SSRI action. sweating. Ps i was on 18,25mg for 1month as my doctor recommended. 5 mg for a month one time and I think I didn’t give it enough time to really help my anxiety properly. I take mine wifh gabapentin and Propranolol. [6] [9] It is used to treat major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder. personally for me it made it worse. This has happened with all increases since 150mg. Award. 6 more points for people who took Effexor XR compared to Venlafaxine. Hello all, Im new to Reddit and r/Effexor . But I stuck to 150 and eventually independently decided to go back to 75 as I know I felt better at that dose overall. I have I take 150mg Effexor (which has helped me immensely with anxiety, depression and focus) now, but before i started meds two years ago, i couldn't focus for shit. Dosage Modifications. I am diagnosed with severe Major Depressive Disorder and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Heyo! I take Vyvanse 40mg for ADHD and effexor 150 for anxiety. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. 5mg is usually a short don't stint to get you to 75mg. You may experience a wide array of withdrawal symptoms when stopping Effexor. I kept taking it because it does seem to help my depression. Available as a lower-cost generic. It's not unheard of for people to get relief from 37. But you might be the opposite! But if you know lex has worked for you before, that's something. I stayed on it for only a few months. Reply. No one else can really tell you as everyone has individual reactions. Wellbutrin could be added onto it to enhance the dopamine and norepinephrine, which may help a bit with the Effexor has really helped me go to work, activities, family functions, make food in the kitchen, every drug is not the same for everyone and I’d never thought I’d be on medication but at least try it for a couple months up your dose a little and if you still don’t like it taper off and switch I hear lexpro is good for anxiety as well. For myself, effexor did nothing for me except make me feel nauseous and kill my libido. Sever headaches and dizziness all day plus panic attacks have killed my social and work life. Jan 12, 2024 · Effexor (venlafaxine, venlafaxine ER) is an antidepressant used to treat depression and anxiety. I was on Prozac previously and that made my anxiety insane and made my down moods really really down if you catch my drift. On 300mg effexor, anxiety still high in morning. May 22, 2024 · Effexor (venlafaxine) withdrawal symptoms typically appear within 24 to 48 hours and go away within three weeks, but can last several months. I was a complete shell of myself as they say. You know, even within SSRI's there are different types of medicines with different side effects. Effexor XR® (venlafaxine hydrochloride) extended-release capsules are available as follows: . I would recommend upping your dose to 113. Duloxetine helped me a bit with anxiety, depression and intrusive thoughts, and made things more manageable. 1. This means more of both norepinephrine and serotonin signalling, rather than just more serotonin signalling. Good luck. It had sexual effects I didn’t care for (couldn’t climax). 5 mg PO once daily for 7 days, then 75 mg once daily; may be further increased by 37. After struggling with the weaning off for about 2 months, my anxiety got really bad. • 3 yr. It can, however, keep you from deploying immediately because it’s 60 days (I believe) that you can’t have a change in medicine or dosage before deploying. Blurry eyes, dizziness, some extreme anxiety. dizziness. I do think paroxetine might be a bit better for anxiety, but venlafaxine is 1000 times better than paroxetine for depression which was my main issue. Can i really be feeling better already? We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Moe_Pool. Examples include weight changes, sweating, and high blood pressure. Effexor is actually exceptionally good at controlling panic disorder, research supports that. I felt really good on 75 mg. Second month was amazing but low motivation and low libido. She decided to add Buspar in to help with my anxiety. Norepinephrine kinda prepares the body for action, so you might find We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. NDC 0008-0837-21, bottle of 30 capsules in unit-of-use package. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. 4. It was truly life changing for me and helped how I approached new situations in my life. •. 5mg for a few weeks, then 75mg, and am currently on 150mg. I just finished coming off after 6 months of weaning down. It also decreases sweating and is used together with Effexor (excessive sweating is a common side effect) to treat that. Renal impairment. I'm also on medication for hypothyroidism, but hypothyroidism developed waaaay after depression and anxiety. Can anyone give me positive success stories on effexor helping they’re anxiety? 🫠. In my experience it was the best at eliminating depression and anxiety compared to all other medications. Mild or moderate (CrCl 30-89 mL/min): Decrease total daily dose by 25-50%. A part of keeping yourself feeling well and reducing stress is getting enough rest. Definitely ask for a increase. It's hard starting any type of drug when you are very sensitive to life in general, so be prepared to have everything intensify for approximately 4 weeks: sleep disturbances, fast heart rate, anxious, tense, panicky. However, I personally know 4 different people who found effexor quite useful for depression, anxiety, and even panic attacks and agoraphobia. The only time I could not bear it was when I went from 187. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. The next day I tend to overthink more than usual, and I generally feel worse. 187. I don’t have any side effects and it controls my anxiety and panic attacks very well! Effexor usually has more side effects (for some people). I struggled with depression and felt like I was stuck in life. I’ve only been on 37. I haven’t had any side effects. It's an SNRI and more in line as a comparison to an SSRI like Prozac or another SNRI like Cymbalta. It is activating and should increase your alertness. They occur at each increase and then resolve about 2 weeks in. My social anxiety has improved a lot from 150 mg and the improvement has stayed but my generalized anxiety is just crazy many days to be honest. I have been taking effexor since early May and have steadily increased my dose. 5 mg, grey cap/peach body with “W” and “Effexor XR” on the cap and “37. decreased interest in sexual intercourse. Long story short I'm basically non functional now from anxiety. I'll gladly trade crippling anxiety for drug dependence (which can be mitigated through a proper taper if/when discontinuing). 8. Extended-release tablets or capsules (HCl salt): 37. I took 37. Here’s my experience with Pristiq vs Effexor: -The start up symptoms seem to be worse. The most common venlafaxine side effects include: headaches. Zoloft VS effexor. Previously I had tried a few different anxiolytics (e. It should help with your freeze response but may make the startle reflex worse. For instance, it helped me finish my MSc thesis. I wanted to increase still though because I thought it would help me even more. 37. Norepinephrine is a noadrenal chemical. During the holidays I realized that I have things coming up that will be particularly taxing in the next months, and the headspace my anxiety puts me in I was on 100 mg of Effexor (my new psych fucked up…I wanted to increase the dose from 75 mg Extended Release but the 100 mg pills she wrote me were not extended release…). So it might be that you need something new if Effexor isn't doing it for you. Effexor won’t make you non-deployable in the long run. I had previously tried Lexapro, Prozac and Zoloft but had awful side effects. 5 mg/day every 7 days; not to exceed 225 mg/day. 3. 75mg is the typical starting theraputic dose. For panic disorder, the usual My gp said that lexapro works really well for depression with a little bit of anxiety and effexor works really well for anxiety with some depression sprinkled in! So the social anxiety vs depression part is probably just that. I have been on Effexor for almost four months, with excellent results for my anxiety. At my previous university, I found that the Effexor-XR 150 for trait and Xanax 50 mg for state anxiety resulted in a relatively stable mode of living, but The dangers of long term therapeutic benzo use are poorly supported, while the consequences (physical and psychological) of uncontrolled anxiety and depression are clear. Complex-PTSD and Social Anxiety are slowly killing me despite countless medication (SSRI, MAO-I, Benzos, and the list goes on), various psychotherapies, meditation, lifestyle interventions. For example both fluoxetine and paroxetine are SSRI meds but one is more I’ve been on effexor for almost 2 months now. It helps mood, anxiety, and depression soooooo much for me, but the side effects became too much so it wasn’t worth it. Regarding my GAD & social anxiety, I’m doing things in my 225 mg, it’s hard to tell, I’d say around 60% but there’s other things that contribute to helping with anxiety that combine with the meds. I wanted to share my experience with Effexor and how it helped me overcome my social anxiety and depression. But of course everyone’s body is different also. I’m usually a lightweight with meds, so I started slowly with Effexor. I find then to be quite a lovely combination and have been in this program for almost a year now. My advice is to stay off it for a while, keep checking your mental state and when you feel resilient enough to try it again, do and see if the anxiety returns. I take 150mg. nausea. It's like Effexor gave me the right tools in my toolbox to be able to function. I was on 150 mg for 9 years and only stopped because of the side effects. Hey I’ve just stumbled across this while trying to research Effexor and looks like you’re on the exact same regime I was on Effexor for almost 6 years. The anxiety comes and goes. I’m taking effexor for anxiety only. That being said, you are much safer on effexor than ativan. I am a 26 yo male and I suffer from bi polar depression , GAD, and social anxiety. That said, you'd expect the latter to be more stimulant and less sedative yet I've read all type of comments about effexor. Now I'm around 4-5 months and feel pretty normal but less anxiety. I started out on 37. First week on effexor was hell. To cut a long story short, I finally saw a doctor after 20 years of anxiety and depression. Other side effects can include dry mouth, loss of appetite, and sexual side effects. I was on 75mg, and that did nothing for my social anxiety. fi zn gl vi xi hm eq yc zc vo