I've been on Effexor for over 8 years. It's changed my life :) 75 mg a day - (depression runs in my family, grandfather committed suicide etc) So blessed for this medication~
@@abdoutouzani1071 don’t be , I’ve been on it two months now and it’s completely changed the way I think. In a good way . Very few side effects that only lasted a couple of days 😊
My doctor did not warn me about the side effects. It was good to hear them explained in detail. When my doctor recommends another drug I will come here first for a clear explanation of the pros and cons before I take my first dose. Thank you doctor!
I hate effexor myself I like being severely depressed so I can sleep this I'm up but still not caring if I live or die is not what an antidepressants is supposed too do this med is ridiculously wierd because I'm not depressed I'm just a victim of wierd circumstances and this medicine is just making it amplified .F this medication.
Venaflaxine XR helps me a lot. I’m just starting, but I already feel energized and more sociable. Still though, I’m not having the best side effects. I sweat profusely, and with caffine (just a bit of soda) I nearly went into a 2 hour panic. My dreams are odd. But alas. It’s helping my a lot. My shoulder is no longer hurting from nerve pain. I can move it properly like I haven’t done in years. I can talk more. Socialize without fear. I’m being able to focus again too, and study once more. It isn’t perfect, but it’s helping me become who I wanted to be. It’s making me a normal individual. Someone I haven’t been since I was a child.
I’ve taken Venlafaxine for 3.5 years (75 mg). It has been a god-send to me. No more GAD or depression, and I’m able to focus more clearly. Also has improved my OCD tendencies.
My experience was an elimination of depression and anxiety. Things which once bothered me no longer do. I also noticed the ability to mentally pause and choose my response rather than reacting. The only negative of the medication is decreased libido, but I’ll take that with benefits I’ve experienced.
Effexor XR saved my life. I take 225 mg. I couldn’t even function. Was hospitalized my anxiety was so bad. I can finally live again because of this medication. Helped my GAD so much
Currently down to 37.5mg and I've been tapering off slowly for about 3 months. So far so good; no negative side effects. I feel more present, less tired, more dreams, more happy. I plan on tapering off the remainder for 6 months at least. Slow and steady wins the race. (fingers crossed).
Byren Hayabusa really? I Only noticed brain zaps The days i was not taking The medication, it was weird and a little uncomfortable, but if i remember to take my medication this was never a problem
This has been a life saver for me. Helped My anxiety and confidence and ocd tremendously! I literally feel like a invincible bad ass! When no other medication helped nor could I stand the side effects or the zombie feeling. You say theres nothing special about it but to me it's a miracle drug
Do NOT stop Effexor abruptly. The withdrawal (even for low dosages) is horrendous. A very slow taper is the only way to get off of it. I am currently starting my taper and I am looking forward to the day when I can get it out of my system.
@@JohnRambo1947-July-6th I'm 16 years in and I feel so stuck. I want to stop it... I need to, but it is not an easy task. Trying to function while tapering has not been easy, but I just keep my eyes on the goal.
@@John-kv1xz what I did, was split the capsule open, and remove about 10% of the pellets in it and go like that for a couple of weeks, and then again the same thing and so on and so for. I can only say to you what I did but never even suggest what you should do.
When I first started Effexor, it took me like eight days to notice a change. My pupils sort of dialated and I was feeling alright, happy. Month later I was enjoying my life to the fullest. I did things I never dared to do because of my anxiety. But after six months I wanted to stop because I tho I was healed, I felt no need for a drug because I wasn't feeling the effects of the medicine anymore, but my overall mood remained stable. I went to my psychiatrist and asked to get off of the Effexor. She told me either to taper down for like a week or to stop it abruptly if I can handle it, in other words get my sh*t together. I asked her about side effects, withdrawals.. She told me that there are no withdrawals for anti depression medications and the worst 'side effect' I could have is the same as when I just started taking it, if any. I chose to taper down. Day 4 without medication each muscle in my body started to twitch through the day. The next day, I woke up feeling sore, twitching persisted. That nigh even my tongue started to 'twitch', that's when I have gone to ER and was referred to a psychiatric clinic. They have put me back on it, now I take only 37.5mg before bedtime but I feel miserable, never felt worse in my life. I used to have panic attacks a lot before I started this medication and I tho that's the worst feeling. Now I beg dear Lord if I can just go back to the times where panic attacks were the issue! That's how horrible I'm feeling after Effexor. Stay away from it, save yourself on time! I'd rather go thru panic attacks 24/7 than to feel this way.
I understand completely where you're coming from , everything Effexor does for you It takes back WITH INTEREST , It's not worth It and they steal peoples lives then deny any of the side effects and will not help you , they're perscribing something they don't even understand and that's the worst crime to take advantage of sick people while hiding behind a respected title. Effexor actually almost cures IBS and makes many sufferers feel somewhat normal mostly , BUT the stopping withdrawl and side effects are SO BAD , as you know , that even an IBS cure Isn't worth that , and there's ways they could mimic the positive things the drug does for stuff like IBS In a much safer *natural* manner but this corrupt medical system we have doesn't care. These greedy Inhuman people will get what's coming to them some day , they're the real disease of society.
I agree! It is a dangerous drug and so hard to get off. I slowly came off after 8 weeks and still horrible withdrawal symptoms, feel worse then before I got on it. However I will never go back on Effexor or any other antidepressant. There are other avenues that can actually help that don’t just mask your symptoms but resolve the symptoms of anxiety!!!! Keep searching.
I am two days in… But now, I’m cutting it. This is what I’m afraid of. Idk how I’m going to make it with Depression and Anxiety, but I can’t see myself being worse than before the meds when I already planned to stop once my life has improved 😢😢😢
This was my miracle medicine 10 years ago. I was extremely depressed and thought about death about 50 times a day. I think I may be ready to lower the dosage - I'm currently at 225. I can't cry and am noticing I'm not as sympathetic toward people as I used to be. Side effects for me still are dry mouth, constipation, low libido and sweating.
@@kimbastien309 that's good you want to lower your dosage ,but maybe it's better you stay on a low dose ,in just 4 months you lowered a lot ,that's why you feel so nauseous .75 mgs is a good dosage ,I know a lady that uses that dosage and she is very good ,not numb at all
Lowering the dosage to less than 150 mg is advisable - just do it yourself with one eye on anything adverse such as brain zaps & nausea. If sleeping is a problem on venlafaxine, then 15 mg of mirtazapine before bedtime will produce longer hours of rejuvenating slumber. Never take a higher dose of this antidepressant. I have proven that Venlafaxine quickly & adversely alters one’s character & certainly one’s behaviour. Always Beware!! There are better alternatives available.
@@Србомбоница86 All antidepressants are very dangerous when initially taken in larger dose. Any increase from low dose must be done SLOWLY, over a couple of months, otherwise suicide attempts are a definite possibility.
Effexor is an interesting drug. It was the only antidepressant that helped me... However stopping it was rough. I distinctly remember the "brain zaps". Good video.
I took one 75 mg Effexor capsule for moderate depression after a DNA test suggested it would be better tolerated than other SSRIs. The side effects were awful. I took it at night and felt extremely drowsy yet too wired to sleep. I was very nauseous and finally vomited. The whole next day I felt lethargic and had dilated pupils. Perhaps not the answer for me!
@@demetrisefpraxias250 yes, the DNA test I took was called Genomind but there are others on the market. Their usefulness is debatable. However as an update, when I looked at my results again I saw that out of all the SNRIs, Effexor was actually red flagged. I can't remember the specifics but for some reason I may not metabolize it properly. Well, that would make a lot of sense!
My brother used to have the most horrible panic attacks, lasting 1-2 hours, really debilitating. Effexor stopped them completely but now he can’t stop it bc they come back almost immediately
Damn same boat. Had bad anxiety been on anti depressants for 6 years I quit cold turkey after 6 months my panic attacks came back and now I have to go back on meds 😥
I’ve taken it for 20 years. I recently went off of it to see if I would be okay. After about 4 months without it, I had to go back on it - today is my first day back. My depression and anxiety were out of control. At least now I know that I likely will need to be on it the rest of my life. I don’t get too many side effects thank goodness.
If it makes your life better stay on it, people with diabetes don't stop taking their meds, I hate anxiety omg that feeling especially first thing in the morning 😩😩
I take 30 mg mirtazapine (Remeron) in the evening and 150 mg venlafaxine (Effexor) XR (extended release; I call it "Extra Relief") in the morning. You gotta get up to 150 mg for venlafaxine XR to work, and adding mirtazapine gives a nice, relaxing, mellow sedating effect throughout the day--no more anxiety or panic for me; I don't need my diazepam anymore. The mirtazapine also gets rid of the abnormal sweating the venlafaxine XR causes me. Withdrawal is not a big deal--you just get some electrical-like shocks in your head that throws off your balance a little; it's not like you are having serious anxiety.
What do you mean you have to "get up" for it to work? Like get up and do things as opposed to laying in bed? Or are you referring to the timing after taking the other pill? I am on this with wellbutrin, but it just feels like placebo
I never heard of the other drugs you mentioned, I see it's similar to wellbutrin. When I see a side effect is insomnia, that appeals to me because my issue is constant fatigue and wanting constant naps
I love your precision and candor. I have a lifetime history of MDD, PTSD and also Bipolar 1. Ive had great difficulty finding meds that allow me to function. I’m currently doing Deep TMS, considering Ketamine. Thank you.
Effexor helped with my anxiety, but it made me feel dead tired all the time and made me rapidly gain weight. When I stopped taking it, I ended up going into severe withdrawal with such terrible dizziness and nausea that I had to continuously take Dramamine for weeks.
Nor can I … the withdrawals are horrid! I feel so dizzy with electrical shock type feelings in my chest ( not panic type feeling actual muscle shocking). I feel so “flat” most of the time & have a hard time loosing weight. It was prescribed to me for menopause.
First time I ever took this med for depression the first couple nights I had really lucid nightmares. Then when I got off them I got a weird brain shock every once in awhile
It's ironic because the least safe drugs (alcohol, nicotine, pharmaceutical drugs) are all legal. On the other hand, mushrooms (psylocibe) are all schedule I. This is about business as it has been in ancient times and not at all about medicine.
I take this for anxiety and it has helped me immensely! I take the lowest dose and it's the just right amount for me. I still get depressed and anxiety at times but it kind of numbs it and I'm able to think logically out of an anxious thought.
I used to take lexapro 30mg and remeron 45 mg for ocd,gad,depression,social anxiety some kind of ptsd.My experience was excellent cause this combo helped my mood and deminished all the anxiety.The bad thing was that i became really apathetic and unmotivated with decreased energy.I switched to effexor and i kept the remeron(under my psychiatrist supervision!!) And i noticed in the current 2 weeks (75 mg of effexor) a huge difference in my motivation and my energy.Its still the beggining but the results are amazing!!
I take 75mg on weekdays when I work. Nothing on weekends. It has stopped my constant anxiety attacks. But it has not stopped my depression, and constant self-doubt.
@@sandizz they do not cure anything. But they certainly help. Being able to get through the day without having a massive anxiety attack is a big deal for me. And when you are depressed, the only cure for life is death. And these have kept me alive.
Joey Baseball What i mean is you talk about self doubt, if you are having self doubt thats not the antidepressents job to help you with, you need to be out there that it will help you, prove that you Can do What you dream about
Took Effexor years ago for depression. Worked well. Back on it + trazodone today because my anxiety is crippling me. I literally haven’t slept more than 3/4 hrs in any 24hr period in over a month. I’m so tired. I pray this helps me.
Side effects seemed to get worse the longer I am on this stuff! My hearing, balance and vision got messed up. I read that this medication is ototoxic. Poison for the ears. I am tapering off this, hoping the effects of the ototoxicity are temporary.
I was severely depressed and couldn’t focus and tried to unalive myself. I also had anxiety and would get this stress adrenaline all the time. This medication changed everything. My anxiety, depression is gone. Sex drive is back. I am able to think again. I’m enjoying things I haven’t since childhood. I used to care what other ppl think and it would stress me out. I just don’t give a fuck anymore it’s so awesome lol. Only drawback is if I forget to take it, I get sick. Otherwise no problems
I take Effexor 150 mg and Seroquel 100 mg daily for Bipolar 1 disorder. This has been a life saver for me as before this I had been hospitalized for both mania and depression many times and had even had ECT. The combination does make me tired and I have gained weight as I especially crave sweet food. Still at least I am not manic/depressed or in the hospital!
Effexor xr 150mg has worked well for me for depression, anxiety, hot flashes and talking to groups of people as a instructor but when i try to take myself off it or miss a day i spend my days sobbing, then by three days i can hardly walk and im a nut, by a week im hallucinating and im so hot i cant stand it. So since i have to function i cant get off it after many attempts.
I tried this for depression and had many of the side effects the doctor mentions in this video. My advice would be to call your doctor after the first day of side effects. I waited four days, it was definitely three days too long. Should’ve quit earlier. Good luck!
Very informative, thank you. I was content with what I was taking, Prozac. My only side effects were blurred or distorted vision and sensitivity to bright light. My doctor took me off of Prozac and put me on Effexor after a genetic marker test indicated that Effexor is more suitable for people with my genetic markers. I just started the Effexor and I am worried about the side effects. I have needed to discontinue many drugs because of severe side effects; nervousness, headaches, skin rashes, constipation, difficulty urinating. My doctor did not mention any of the side effects of Effexor and seems to have great faith in the test for genetic markers. After doing a little research and learning of all these side effects I am more than a little concerned for my safety. I think my doctor is trying to help me so I will give the medicine a try but I am very concerned!
Very knowledgeable gentleman. I have ptsd and was given this as I have glaucoma in both eyes and my GP refused to prescribe me what I would describe as slightly safer option. can be risky for angle closure and trigger acute glaucoma attacks in the eyes but as I was so suicidal you would have thought my g.p would have at least tried them on me. She is lacking any knowledge in anything it seems I guess I change doctor hopefully this guy is available :-)
Please stop taking this medicine immediately I was like you at the beginning and the medicine was working very well with me and I wasn't complaining from it at all at the beginning and I taken it for Adhd for almost 10 years and started to feel uncomfortable with the drug by having headaches and back pain brain zappe and finally out of the sudden hemiplegia in my left side of the body and I couldn't move my legs it was like a nightmare for me and I was treated for a year and a half from that problems and my doctors still confused from what really happened to me they're still suspicious if it was brain stroke or is it just a nervous breakdown thanks to God that I'm fine now and moveing good but not like I used to be I still have a weakness in my legs and left side of the body and I still can't concentrate like before I'm always still feel dizziness and that really effects my job because I'm a management accountant and for sure it's really hard to me to say that I'm not lik I was before.
I took generic Effexor since SSRI stop working for me. Everything worked great but after 2 months I start to develop hives which I ignored at the beginning. In 4 months period hives become bigger and more frequently. It was a nightmare of itching and pain and couldn't find any relief. Steroids worked only at the beginning. After 2 months since I stop Effexor I find relief. Years after a phychiatrist recommended to start taking Cymbalta. I denied because of the same SNRI category.
I have not read anything about hives but it was also around the 2 month mark, maybe sooner I started getting hives. I had never had hives before in my life. I was on it 6 years and now am off it completely. I have bipolar and have said if I had it to do over I would never get dx'd.
Interesting that effexor is related to tramadol .when I was taking this med I had no pain or feelings as in my bowels at all! and my bladder wasn't emptying but I didnt feel it ! The high doses for these meds is insane and mixing meds is crazy
Indigo Rainbow the low doses is more tolerable on this, i actually never in my life felt any withdrawal symptoms tapering from 37,5 mg, but after months of it i just got extremely depressed, i guess that Means the Drug is tolerable for me
Zoloft and Prozac had a million side effects for me. I do kegels because I’m a woman of a certain age, but SSRI’s made me pee myself pretty much every day. Not enough antidepressants on the planet to make peepee pants okay. Effexor was recommended because it was an alternative to SSRI’s. I love it, no peepee pants, no panic attacks. Just life.
I had sever hot flashes years back, and was prescribed 25 mil of Effexor, a very low dose I believe twice a day. It was wonderful! Got rid of the hot flashes totally.
I was on 225 mg Venlafaxine for two years and started to build down my dose too zero 5 days ago because my liver started to get effected in a negativ way, i have to build down to 150 mg in 4 weeks in slow steps and return to the doctor for a check up and then if things go well i am going to contintue. I also have some appointments with a nurse with knowlegde about depression etc. I have had 4 days in a row really fucked up dreams about violence,rape and death. But overall i dont feel any other bad symptoms. I am a little bit nervous if i am going to get severe symptoms the more i am reducing the dose.
Hi there, my mother was on this medication for about a month….her latest blood tests showed a major increase in her liver enzymes. Which was very strange because she is thin, her nutrition is perfect. Could you plz tell me more about your liver problems in regards to this drug ? Thank you ❤
i am bipolar and my physician put me on venlafaxine, and i'm 20, i've been on it for two years, and i have felt as if my manic periods and depressive periods have gotten so much worse over the past 8 months. i will be requesting to stop this medication now that i have learned these things about how it can impact people with bipolar.
Pretty sure this drug saved my life, or at least saved some time and it was definetly the second line of treatment. As for drug pricing? yeah, back when it was on patent I sometimes had to ask my parents for a loan in order to afford it...
I’m taking the close sibling to this med called desvenlafaxine or Pristiq and am experiencing the same symptoms. It’s minor and comes and goes for me. Just thought I’d mention my experience with it in case you were thinking about switching to pristiq because of that side effect.
I tried this for ONE DAY for major depressive disorder 75mg. I had an extremely dry mouth, felt nausea in full throttle, was not sick but felt like I could be more than several times I had to sit right up. I felt dizzy. I couldn't see properly at times. I couldn't eat. My brain was tingling/ prickling and developed in to a very heavy headache, felt more depressed than ever and that I wanted to end my life and spent around 6 hours on the phone with crisis team. I felt muscle spasms in my cheeks and could only drink water. This morning after waking I've felt tremors while trying to eat some ice cream. I woke up a few times during the night and have ended up sleeping until 3pm this afternoon after managing to fall asleep at 11pm. I feel like this drug is toxic and have had an extremely bad reaction to it myself, still have a sore head. I haven't taken it today and don't want to.
for some people starting at 75mg is too high of a dose, this can cause serotonin syndrome from the sudden spike in serotonin levels, especially if you have MDD. your body is basically going into shock because your serotonin levels went from 1 to 100 very quickly. the full list of the side effects of serotonin syndrome are here www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/serotonin-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20354758 but from what you described it seems like this is what you experienced
I took venlafaxine monotherapy before being treated for bipolar, because venlafaxine gave me a manic attack as did sertraline. Now Im on ziprasidone and lamotrigine in conjunction with desvenlafaxine (was the only antidepressant option without the risk of prolonged Qt syndrome with the ziprasidone) and I seem to be doing so much better!
I feel like absolutely nothing is killing my depression. I've been sober for about 4 years now and i've been depressed the entire time. I keep changing my medications around to see if something will stick, but I feel like i'm just doing a round robin all the time.
I don’t think Effexor should ever be the first medication you try (particularly if you have relatively mild symptoms that can be treated by any number of options) due to the side effects and how difficult it is to come off of the medication. Explore your options and talk to your doc before jumping in like I did. Unfortunately, not all docs are created equal and of course, they have off days too where they aren’t thinking of everything. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!!!
I was having seriously bad lucid nightmares for weeks gosh it was truly horrible weaning off this drug was the best decision I’ve made it was horrible for about two or three weeks constant brain zaps dark thoughts anxiety anguish ect but hang on cuz in the end I’m so happy to be free from the shitty side effects also it did absolutely nothing for adhd
I feel like this drug has caused permeant damage to my brain, on nerves or neurotransmitters. I'm still getting the "zaps", and my psychologist weened me off this a year ago. Do you have any ideas why I'm still experiencing this side effect/withdrawal? I think it should be taken off the market. It's been over a year with the "zaps".. You are very knowledgeable, please think why this could be happening. If I get a lawyer, would you be willing to consider supporting a possibility to remove it off the market? Btw, I watch all your videos!
If you cannot perform at work because of depression, you do not have 12 weeks to wait until your life is going to get a whole lot worse. We would not tolerate an antibiotic that took that long to work, so why is it acceptable for an antidepressant?
stay away from this drug. You will experience alot of nausea, increased anxiety, nervousness, paranoia, and depression. It is banned in many countries and can damage the brain. High suicide rates and deaths have been reported.
@@Mo-qb5fb You are definitely right Please stop taking this medicine immediately I was like you at the beginning and the medicine was working very well with me and I wasn't complaining from it at all at the beginning and I taken it for Adhd for almost 10 years and started to feel uncomfortable with the drug by having headaches and back pain brain zappe and finally out of the sudden hemiplegia in my left side of the body and I couldn't move my legs it was like a nightmare for me and I was treated for a year and a half from that problems and my doctors still confused from what really happened to me they're still suspicious if it was brain stroke or is it just a nervous breakdown thanks to God that I'm fine now and moveing good but not like I used to be I still have a weakness in my legs and left side of the body and I still can't concentrate like before I'm always still feel dizziness and that really effects my job because I'm a management accountant and for sure it's really hard to me to say that I'm not lik I was before.
@@JohnRambo1947-July-6th I also had a bout with suicidal thoughts and effexor early this year, im sorry to hear you struggled too. glad we are both here brother ✌️
If u can avoid this med, please do. I took it for 3 weeks and went to a comedy club. After 2 beers I got blackout drunk and have no memory of the night. I threw up for 2 days and couldn’t get out of bed. That was enough for me to discontinue it. I experienced the WORST withdrawal imaginable. I felt like I was withdrawing from heroin. Fever. Cold sweats. Vomiting. Dizzy. Brain zaps. The worst sadness and depression I have ever felt. These symptoms lasted a solid week. It was debilitating. Not everyone will experience this but I read about 30% experience this. It’s scary stuff. Im on week 2 and finally eating again. Working out helped immensely. Be careful.
Sounds like you didn't do your research or your GP didn't advise you well enough. You shouldn't be drinking with this medication, definitely not the first few weeks when you get on it.
I was on wellbutrin for over a month & i still felt anxiety, and depression crept in so now im on effexor 75mg. I feel like throwing up! And have chills i just started it .. Hopefully it goes away after a couple of days.. The worst thing to feel is nauseous & it not go away! I have bipolar 1 and struggle with being around a large group of people.. Also anger so well see how this goes...
Andrew James I’m on it right now and the first day I took it I noticed I was the most depressed I had ever been I also was talking to myself within my head . ( thinking in my head if u will ) way more then I normally did second day wasn’t so bad and 3rd day seemed pretty normal
been taking this drug for 10 years plus. It has been good for my depression but the anxiety is off the carts these days. I've tried going off it several times but, the side effects are really bad for me. Brain fog, sickness, headache, suicide thoughts. Its like coming off a narcotic.
I've been on Lexapro for 4 months now and I'm more depressed, suicidal, and numb than ever, except it's impossible to cry so there's no releasing it seems.. I'm going on Effexor...hopefully it helps :/
I took this drug after I started having panic attacks and another antidepressant did not work as well as I hoped. For me it made me feel better after the first dose. I took it for a few months (75 mg slow release), and at some point I was getting a bit too manic and I was a bit concerned...also as a side efect I had very restless legs (and sometimes arms), plus unpleasant dreams every night. I quit cold turkey because my doctor did not tell me exactly what the withdrawals can be like, he just said it was not good to do it like that...I had 2-3 weeks of very unpleasant physical withdrawals, and after that I had terrible irritability and depression...I had many times that I was tempted to get back on the drug, but stayed strong, and now I made it to a point when I am no longer super irritable, just depressed...at least my panic attacks have not come back, even though I have been pretty anxious overall...
@@MeghenFarley thank you! I actually had to get back on it after some personal issues that made me extremely depressed. Now I am taking the slow approach to get off the drug and It's soooo much better. No more physical withdrawals after I started to take half dose...just sadness and a little irritability, but nothing as extreme as going cold turkey....
i was prescribed to take this drug for migranes and mild depression. i took a daily dose of 37.5 for three days. then read all the comments on this drug being hard to get off of and dangerous. i just didnt take it again. i remember having had a bipolar syntomps - even tho i dont suffer from that- for taking antidepressant and antipsychotic. i'm scared of this kind of medicine actually.
I’m currently on 112.5mg a day and the doctor wants me on 375mg a day within two months. After hearing you talk about maximum dosage I’m very concerned about taking 375mg.
On mirtazepine Effexor and klonopin. Effexor added onto my 7.5mg mirtazepine has been a god send. Mirtazepine stopped working for me so we are stopping the Remeron and going on the Effexor. Only side effects I have is no sex drive and live with my girlfriend. I don’t know.
people might not know this but I find I get side effects if I use different brands of venlafaxine which chemists will casually give out without a thought. I have to insist on making sure they give me the same brand. Different brands use different formulations.
Almost comedic delivery near the end there when he got to price. Brilliant video though, can't believe they don't tell you these things when they prescribe it.
I was taking effexor for 2 months but , i had no erection , extremly low libido , so i go to my doctor and said , doc i have no sex life and stopped taking this
after going down to 37.5 mg every day and now stopped cold turkey because thats the lowest does all the way down from 300mg, I am having constant brain zaps on day 3. Terrible feeling The Dr.who put my on this owes me his life...Wonder if i'll go on a Suicidal Tendencies. Someone has to pay for this misery
I have been on a low dose of Effexor for approx 15 years. I was recently diagnosed with Restless Leg Syndrome. I have a friend with the same reaction from a different SSRI (Paxil) who is a pharmacist. She told me the Syndrome is the result of Effexor and to get rid of it I should reduce my dosage. Yet another bad side effect!
John Rambo you do realize millions of people take this drug yet only rarely does this happen to people. You can’t justify one persons experience with how evil Effexor is. There’s thousands that benefit from the medication but people are more likely to come online and bash it for being bad rather than good.
John Rambo well sir you can believe whatever you want. I can truthfully say I live a fuller more complete life with my venlafaxine. Before this drug I had terrible anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Today I am free of those conditions. We can agree to disagree. Have a good day sir!
I’m on Clonazepam which works very well but my Dr wants to add an antidepressant and wondering which one will work with the Clonazepam the best? I have GAD and PTSD. Thank you Dr Ken for the complete description of Effexor!
I used it only for 8 days , it was awful , loads of awful effects , vivid nightmares were the worst , never had these problems in my life . I just did quit cold turkey as it was only 8 days , as I felt like that drug was gonna ruin my life , it was survival instinct that made me realize I had to quit immediately . I’ve heard of people who had their life ruined by this drug
I'm 4 mths off after being hospitalized to come off. Was heavan at hospital cause they pumped me dull of other things cause this crap m benzos n alcohol no joke to come off from. Anyhow 4 mths later and I'm feeling it bad. Stay away from all this poision people! I was prescribed at 16. I'm 38 now amd pray to God to get me and all through this.
My mother was getting out of acute catitonia. She was taking adivan and abilify. Effexor was added to her regiment now she has melgmenlt catitonia due to this drug. What drug is used to reverse Effexors medication Or would you know someone who is skilled in getting her out of the malignant catatonia. I'm in South Florida and it seems that no one knows how to treat catitonia. I'm sorry but I'm desperate for help she's not eating or drinking food at this present time.
Took this for hot flashes terrible idea, it didn’t work and took a long time to get off as the withdrawal effects were so bad. Final got off it would not recommend.
How can people work under such bad side effects? Did any of you let your employer know that you have depression, anxiety, panic attacks, etc., and taking medication? I wonder how well is received in the work place? Thanks
I guess this won't be seen, but here goes. So years ago, I was prescribed this, and it seemed to work pretty good for both my depression and anxiety. I felt more focused and energetic. I even lost 70 pounds. But I lost my job and I couldn't afford to stay on the drug. It wasn't until 3 years later, I was able to get back on. But this time I was lethargic, tired, and gained weight. Why would this happen, for the same drug, same dosage?
I love that he covered all angles of this medication from A to Z. Thank you Dr. Landowner!
I've been on Effexor for over 8 years. It's changed my life :) 75 mg a day - (depression runs in my family, grandfather committed suicide etc) So blessed for this medication~
I’m so scared to get on it
did it make you gain weight?
@@abdoutouzani1071 don’t be , I’ve been on it two months now and it’s completely changed the way I think. In a good way . Very few side effects that only lasted a couple of days 😊
@@afit279 apparently if anything it can make you loose weight
@@davidharvey8812 I’ve had the script filled sitting at the pharmacy for a week I’m legitimately scared.
My doctor did not warn me about the side effects. It was good to hear them explained in detail. When my doctor recommends another drug I will come here first for a clear explanation of the pros and cons before I take my first dose. Thank you doctor!
Me too I’m here doing the same thing
My dr did not either. Did not even explain why he decided on a SSNI instead of a SSRI.
This doctor is a real bundle of joy.
I enjoy him! Especially all his facial expressions. :) :( Also gives great info.
@@oldegoatee8450 I do too :)
This doctor doesn’t like any drug, he is always very pessimistic 😅
I hate effexor myself I like being severely depressed so I can sleep this I'm up but still not caring if I live or die is not what an antidepressants is supposed too do this med is ridiculously wierd because I'm not depressed I'm just a victim of wierd circumstances and this medicine is just making it amplified .F this medication.
I know what you mean. It's better for me that someone tell it as it is.
Venaflaxine XR helps me a lot. I’m just starting, but I already feel energized and more sociable.
Still though, I’m not having the best side effects. I sweat profusely, and with caffine (just a bit of soda) I nearly went into a 2 hour panic. My dreams are odd. But alas.
It’s helping my a lot. My shoulder is no longer hurting from nerve pain. I can move it properly like I haven’t done in years. I can talk more. Socialize without fear. I’m being able to focus again too, and study once more. It isn’t perfect, but it’s helping me become who I wanted to be. It’s making me a normal individual. Someone I haven’t been since I was a child.
I'm really happy for you that you found something that helps! Stay strong :)
What dose did u start off with?
I agree, also when i was on effexor my back pain was reduced, i cannon understand how it works
I’ve taken Venlafaxine for 3.5 years (75 mg). It has been a god-send to me. No more GAD or depression, and I’m able to focus more clearly. Also has improved my OCD tendencies.
Mine is also working Great
I did not experience nausea but my doctor said to take with food if I did.
Dean Wilson what were your experience please tell me
Has anyone tried genesight testing
My experience was an elimination of depression and anxiety. Things which once bothered me no longer do. I also noticed the ability to mentally pause and choose my response rather than reacting. The only negative of the medication is decreased libido, but I’ll take that with benefits I’ve experienced.
I have to smashed the 👍 button because of this smart doctor.
Effexor XR saved my life. I take 225 mg. I couldn’t even function. Was hospitalized my anxiety was so bad. I can finally live again because of this medication. Helped my GAD so much
😂 well youre definitely gonna need it now. Good luck getting off
@@thatdude3977 pretty dumb comment. Being hospitalized is no joke.
BEST ADVICE MOST KNOWLEDGEABLE DR. THANK YOU
This is the most thorough review of Effexor.
Your hot
Currently down to 37.5mg and I've been tapering off slowly for about 3 months. So far so good; no negative side effects. I feel more present, less tired, more dreams, more happy. I plan on tapering off the remainder for 6 months at least. Slow and steady wins the race. (fingers crossed).
Did you notice that your emotions were blunted on it?
Good on you take it slowly, I took several months reducing, been off completely for ten days, still have brain zaps.
Missouri SkyWatcher cant notice any blunted emotions of a baby dose like that
@@sandizz Everyone is wired differently I guess. Blunted emotions aren't my problem, but stupid brain zaps, nausea, insomnia etc are a problem.
Byren Hayabusa really? I Only noticed brain zaps The days i was not taking The medication, it was weird and a little uncomfortable, but if i remember to take my medication this was never a problem
This has been a life saver for me. Helped My anxiety and confidence and ocd tremendously! I literally feel like a invincible bad ass! When no other medication helped nor could I stand the side effects or the zombie feeling. You say theres nothing special about it but to me it's a miracle drug
What dosage are you on and how long before you begun to feel better please?
Wait till it stops working n u gotta come off. I don't wish it on anyone
@@Trish-ql9kzplease don't take this. Just trust me
Do NOT stop Effexor abruptly. The withdrawal (even for low dosages) is horrendous. A very slow taper is the only way to get off of it. I am currently starting my taper and I am looking forward to the day when I can get it out of my system.
@@JohnRambo1947-July-6th I'm 16 years in and I feel so stuck. I want to stop it... I need to, but it is not an easy task. Trying to function while tapering has not been easy, but I just keep my eyes on the goal.
@@JohnRambo1947-July-6th I'm part of the group and it is a great resource.
What are some ways to taper?
Can switch to Prozac for 5 days then stop abruptly
@@John-kv1xz what I did, was split the capsule open, and remove about 10% of the pellets in it and go like that for a couple of weeks, and then again the same thing and so on and so for. I can only say to you what I did but never even suggest what you should do.
When I first started Effexor, it took me like eight days to notice a change. My pupils sort of dialated and I was feeling alright, happy. Month later I was enjoying my life to the fullest. I did things I never dared to do because of my anxiety. But after six months I wanted to stop because I tho I was healed, I felt no need for a drug because I wasn't feeling the effects of the medicine anymore, but my overall mood remained stable. I went to my psychiatrist and asked to get off of the Effexor. She told me either to taper down for like a week or to stop it abruptly if I can handle it, in other words get my sh*t together. I asked her about side effects, withdrawals.. She told me that there are no withdrawals for anti depression medications and the worst 'side effect' I could have is the same as when I just started taking it, if any. I chose to taper down. Day 4 without medication each muscle in my body started to twitch through the day. The next day, I woke up feeling sore, twitching persisted. That nigh even my tongue started to 'twitch', that's when I have gone to ER and was referred to a psychiatric clinic. They have put me back on it, now I take only 37.5mg before bedtime but I feel miserable, never felt worse in my life. I used to have panic attacks a lot before I started this medication and I tho that's the worst feeling. Now I beg dear Lord if I can just go back to the times where panic attacks were the issue! That's how horrible I'm feeling after Effexor. Stay away from it, save yourself on time! I'd rather go thru panic attacks 24/7 than to feel this way.
I understand completely where you're coming from , everything Effexor does for you It takes back WITH INTEREST , It's not worth It
and they steal peoples lives then deny any of the side effects and will not help you , they're perscribing something they don't even understand
and that's the worst crime to take advantage of sick people while hiding behind a respected title. Effexor actually almost cures IBS
and makes many sufferers feel somewhat normal mostly , BUT the stopping withdrawl and side effects are SO BAD , as you know , that even
an IBS cure Isn't worth that , and there's ways they could mimic the positive things the drug does for stuff like IBS In a much safer *natural* manner
but this corrupt medical system we have doesn't care. These greedy Inhuman people will get what's coming to them some day ,
they're the real disease of society.
I agree! It is a dangerous drug and so hard to get off. I slowly came off after 8 weeks and still horrible withdrawal symptoms, feel worse then before I got on it. However I will never go back on Effexor or any other antidepressant. There are other avenues that can actually help that don’t just mask your symptoms but resolve the symptoms of anxiety!!!! Keep searching.
Eldin what is dTMS?
I am two days in… But now, I’m cutting it. This is what I’m afraid of. Idk how I’m going to make it with Depression and Anxiety, but I can’t see myself being worse than before the meds when I already planned to stop once my life has improved 😢😢😢
How are you today?
Awesome doctor, intelligent, well grounded information and advice in this video.
This was my miracle medicine 10 years ago. I was extremely depressed and thought about death about 50 times a day. I think I may be ready to lower the dosage - I'm currently at 225. I can't cry and am noticing I'm not as sympathetic toward people as I used to be. Side effects for me still are dry mouth, constipation, low libido and sweating.
Omg that's a high dosage wow 😳 ,I know a woman with multiple suicide attempts and she is only on 75 mg,that makes her stable now
@@Србомбоница86
I am down to 9.4 mg per day now. Taking a long time to wean because if I come off too fast, the nausea is unbearable.
@@kimbastien309 that's good you want to lower your dosage ,but maybe it's better you stay on a low dose ,in just 4 months you lowered a lot ,that's why you feel so nauseous .75 mgs is a good dosage ,I know a lady that uses that dosage and she is very good ,not numb at all
Lowering the dosage to less than 150 mg is advisable - just do it yourself with one eye on anything adverse such as brain zaps & nausea. If sleeping is a problem on venlafaxine, then 15 mg of mirtazapine before bedtime will produce longer hours of rejuvenating slumber. Never take a higher dose of this antidepressant. I have proven that Venlafaxine quickly & adversely alters one’s character & certainly one’s behaviour. Always Beware!! There are better alternatives available.
@@Србомбоница86 All antidepressants are very dangerous when initially taken in larger dose. Any increase from low dose must be done SLOWLY, over a couple of months, otherwise suicide attempts are a definite possibility.
Effexor is an interesting drug. It was the only antidepressant that helped me... However stopping it was rough. I distinctly remember the "brain zaps". Good video.
Brain zaps are nothing special nor bad ,they are caused by stoping ANY antidepressant
Can you describe further about the brain zaps? what does that mean or feel like?
@@ebonimurphy7037like u are being electrocuted times a million
Random electric shock feelings in the brain. It's like torcher. It can throw off your balance too. @@ebonimurphy7037
I took one 75 mg Effexor capsule for moderate depression after a DNA test suggested it would be better tolerated than other SSRIs. The side effects were awful. I took it at night and felt extremely drowsy yet too wired to sleep. I was very nauseous and finally vomited. The whole next day I felt lethargic and had dilated pupils. Perhaps not the answer for me!
So a DNA test can suggest which drug to take,is this for real?and did it also suggested you another drug option?
@@demetrisefpraxias250 yes, the DNA test I took was called Genomind but there are others on the market. Their usefulness is debatable. However as an update, when I looked at my results again I saw that out of all the SNRIs, Effexor was actually red flagged. I can't remember the specifics but for some reason I may not metabolize it properly. Well, that would make a lot of sense!
@@rozvanp7022 have you heard of genesight
Thank you for your truthful research!
This is a very informed drug dealer. 👏
lol
At least he has quality!! Most now days have lame quality
Anti-dealer I’d say. Not much positive here ha
I been on Effexor 300mg for years also mirtazepam subutex, after listening to this I will get a meds review. great info thanks
My brother used to have the most horrible panic attacks, lasting 1-2 hours, really debilitating. Effexor stopped them completely but now he can’t stop it bc they come back almost immediately
Damn same boat. Had bad anxiety been on anti depressants for 6 years I quit cold turkey after 6 months my panic attacks came back and now I have to go back on meds 😥
So it really isn't working, is it???
Times 10 with a million other symptoms
@@user-pd7op9dk2hevil doctors. Hugs
What a helpful man.
I’ve taken it for 20 years. I recently went off of it to see if I would be okay. After about 4 months without it, I had to go back on it - today is my first day back. My depression and anxiety were out of control. At least now I know that I likely will need to be on it the rest of my life. I don’t get too many side effects thank goodness.
If it makes your life better stay on it, people with diabetes don't stop taking their meds, I hate anxiety omg that feeling especially first thing in the morning 😩😩
What side effects do you Get?
@@sandizz , Hmmm, actually I can’t think of any. Wow.
@@judyl.761 thats great 👍🏻❤️
@@magicmariobichon751 did u take meds
I take 30 mg mirtazapine (Remeron) in the evening and 150 mg venlafaxine (Effexor) XR (extended release; I call it "Extra Relief") in the morning. You gotta get up to 150 mg for venlafaxine XR to work, and adding mirtazapine gives a nice, relaxing, mellow sedating effect throughout the day--no more anxiety or panic for me; I don't need my diazepam anymore. The mirtazapine also gets rid of the abnormal sweating the venlafaxine XR causes me. Withdrawal is not a big deal--you just get some electrical-like shocks in your head that throws off your balance a little; it's not like you are having serious anxiety.
What do you mean you have to "get up" for it to work? Like get up and do things as opposed to laying in bed? Or are you referring to the timing after taking the other pill?
I am on this with wellbutrin, but it just feels like placebo
I never heard of the other drugs you mentioned, I see it's similar to wellbutrin. When I see a side effect is insomnia, that appeals to me because my issue is constant fatigue and wanting constant naps
They're saying that the dose for venlafaxine xr should be at least 150 mg in order to feel any benefit.
Really. How is possible gets rid sweating
I love your precision and candor. I have a lifetime history of MDD, PTSD and also Bipolar 1. Ive had great difficulty finding meds that allow me to function. I’m currently doing Deep TMS, considering Ketamine. Thank you.
@AllThat ketamine didn’t effect me at all. (spravato). So I’m on to round 2 of deep rTMS. Blessings
Effexor helped with my anxiety, but it made me feel dead tired all the time and made me rapidly gain weight. When I stopped taking it, I ended up going into severe withdrawal with such terrible dizziness and nausea that I had to continuously take Dramamine for weeks.
Meee toooo. I can’t get off of it.
What dosage where u on, trying to Get off?
I’m on 225mg Effexor xr
Nor can I … the withdrawals are horrid! I feel so dizzy with electrical shock type feelings in my chest ( not panic type feeling actual muscle shocking). I feel so “flat” most of the time & have a hard time loosing weight. It was prescribed to me for menopause.
First time I ever took this med for depression the first couple nights I had really lucid nightmares. Then when I got off them I got a weird brain shock every once in awhile
It's ironic because the least safe drugs (alcohol, nicotine, pharmaceutical drugs) are all legal. On the other hand, mushrooms (psylocibe) are all schedule I. This is about business as it has been in ancient times and not at all about medicine.
I take this for anxiety and it has helped me immensely! I take the lowest dose and it's the just right amount for me. I still get depressed and anxiety at times but it kind of numbs it and I'm able to think logically out of an anxious thought.
What dose?
37.5mg?
Yes. 37.5 mg
@@ndreader does it make you tired at all? I'm taking it in the morn with my ADHD meds. My dizziness has improved already but today I just feel wrecked
Yes it does. I switched from taking it in the morning to taking it at night.
I used to take lexapro 30mg and remeron 45 mg for ocd,gad,depression,social anxiety some kind of ptsd.My experience was excellent cause this combo helped my mood and deminished all the anxiety.The bad thing was that i became really apathetic and unmotivated with decreased energy.I switched to effexor and i kept the remeron(under my psychiatrist supervision!!) And i noticed in the current 2 weeks (75 mg of effexor) a huge difference in my motivation and my energy.Its still the beggining but the results are amazing!!
I take 75mg on weekdays when I work. Nothing on weekends. It has stopped my constant anxiety attacks. But it has not stopped my depression, and constant self-doubt.
Joey Baseball any side effects??
@@Complexanxiety none so far.
Antidepressents do not cure everything, do you think there is a cure for life?
@@sandizz they do not cure anything. But they certainly help. Being able to get through the day without having a massive anxiety attack is a big deal for me. And when you are depressed, the only cure for life is death. And these have kept me alive.
Joey Baseball What i mean is you talk about self doubt, if you are having self doubt thats not the antidepressents job to help you with, you need to be out there that it will help you, prove that you Can do What you dream about
Took Effexor years ago for depression. Worked well. Back on it + trazodone today because my anxiety is crippling me. I literally haven’t slept more than 3/4 hrs in any 24hr period in over a month. I’m so tired. I pray this helps me.
Side effects seemed to get worse the longer I am on this stuff! My hearing, balance and vision got messed up. I read that this medication is ototoxic. Poison for the ears. I am tapering off this, hoping the effects of the ototoxicity are temporary.
I was severely depressed and couldn’t focus and tried to unalive myself. I also had anxiety and would get this stress adrenaline all the time. This medication changed everything. My anxiety, depression is gone. Sex drive is back. I am able to think again. I’m enjoying things I haven’t since childhood. I used to care what other ppl think and it would stress me out. I just don’t give a fuck anymore it’s so awesome lol. Only drawback is if I forget to take it, I get sick. Otherwise no problems
I take Effexor 150 mg and Seroquel 100 mg daily for Bipolar 1 disorder. This has been a life saver for me as before this I had been hospitalized for both mania and depression many times and had even had ECT. The combination does make me tired and I have gained weight as I especially crave sweet food. Still at least I am not manic/depressed or in the hospital!
Effexor xr 150mg has worked well for me for depression, anxiety, hot flashes and talking to groups of people as a instructor but when i try to take myself off it or miss a day i spend my days sobbing, then by three days i can hardly walk and im a nut, by a week im hallucinating and im so hot i cant stand it. So since i have to function i cant get off it after many attempts.
Ive been on effexor xr over 10 years
this drug did NOT work for me. i was having crying fits nearly every day (and im not a cryer) and my depression was the worst its ever been
Everyone’s physiology is different. Unfortunate you had to experience this.
I tried this for depression and had many of the side effects the doctor mentions in this video. My advice would be to call your doctor after the first day of side effects. I waited four days, it was definitely three days too long. Should’ve quit earlier. Good luck!
Very informative, thank you. I was content with what
I was taking, Prozac. My only side effects were blurred or distorted vision and sensitivity to bright light. My doctor took me off of Prozac and put me on Effexor after a genetic marker test indicated that Effexor is more suitable for people with my genetic markers. I just started the Effexor and I am worried about the side effects. I have needed to discontinue many drugs because of severe side effects; nervousness, headaches, skin rashes, constipation, difficulty urinating. My doctor did not mention any of the side effects of Effexor and seems to have great faith in the test for genetic markers. After doing a little research and learning of all these side effects I am more than a little concerned for my safety. I think my doctor is trying to help me so I will give the medicine a try but I am very concerned!
Very knowledgeable gentleman. I have ptsd and was given this as I have glaucoma in both eyes and my GP refused to prescribe me what I would describe as slightly safer option. can be risky for angle closure and trigger acute glaucoma attacks in the eyes but as I was so suicidal you would have thought my g.p would have at least tried them on me. She is lacking any knowledge in anything it seems I guess I change doctor hopefully this guy is available :-)
Steven lupanko what did u feel
Take Clonazepam 1mg with Venlafaxine 150mg, no matter you have glaucoma. Actually norepinephrine is used in treatment of glaucoma attack
I can say Effexor has helped me greatly, I didn’t have bad side effects when I began the drug, still on it .
No libido / erection / ejaculation problems?
Please stop taking this medicine immediately I was like you at the beginning and the medicine was working very well with me and I wasn't complaining from it at all at the beginning and I taken it for Adhd for almost 10 years and started to feel uncomfortable with the drug by having headaches and back pain brain zappe and finally out of the sudden hemiplegia in my left side of the body and I couldn't move my legs it was like a nightmare for me and I was treated for a year and a half from that problems and my doctors still confused from what really happened to me they're still suspicious if it was brain stroke or is it just a nervous breakdown thanks to God that I'm fine now and moveing good but not like I used to be I still have a weakness in my legs and left side of the body and I still can't concentrate like before I'm always still feel dizziness and that really effects my job because I'm a management accountant and for sure it's really hard to me to say that I'm not lik I was before.
John Rambo why the hell would you be on any medication for that long of a time? Ofc it will fuck with your neurotransmitters...
John Rambo 13 years... jesus man that’s half my life. These are strong antidepressants and nothing to be dabbling around wi
They tell you to stay on, so you do. And then it’s too late years later, even having no more positive effect. To go off is a deadly, unending madness.
I took generic Effexor since SSRI stop working for me. Everything worked great but after 2 months I start to develop hives which I ignored at the beginning. In 4 months period hives become bigger and more frequently. It was a nightmare of itching and pain and couldn't find any relief. Steroids worked only at the beginning. After 2 months since I stop Effexor I find relief.
Years after a phychiatrist recommended to start taking Cymbalta. I denied because of the same SNRI category.
I have not read anything about hives but it was also around the 2 month mark, maybe sooner I started getting hives. I had never had hives before in my life. I was on it 6 years and now am off it completely. I have bipolar and have said if I had it to do over I would never get dx'd.
Interesting that effexor is related to tramadol .when I was taking this med I had no pain or feelings as in my bowels at all! and my bladder wasn't emptying but I didnt feel it ! The high doses for these meds is insane and mixing meds is crazy
Indigo Rainbow the low doses is more tolerable on this, i actually never in my life felt any withdrawal symptoms tapering from 37,5 mg, but after months of it i just got extremely depressed, i guess that Means the Drug is tolerable for me
Dude, your'e lips are like a roller coaster entertaining.
bloody good video
Sure is, ole sport !
very comprehensive video
Zoloft and Prozac had a million side effects for me. I do kegels because I’m a woman of a certain age, but SSRI’s made me pee myself pretty much every day. Not enough antidepressants on the planet to make peepee pants okay. Effexor was recommended because it was an alternative to SSRI’s. I love it, no peepee pants, no panic attacks. Just life.
I had sever hot flashes years back, and was prescribed 25 mil of Effexor, a very low dose I believe twice a day. It was wonderful! Got rid of the hot flashes totally.
@keerthana srinivas one to two years to get thru menopause
it actually caused my drenching sweats!
WHAT ,it causes sweating ,like horrible
@keerthana srinivas I took it for a couple years while going thru my change. It helped a lot with not getting hot flashes.
I was on 225 mg Venlafaxine for two years and started to build down my dose too zero 5 days ago because my liver started to get effected in a negativ way, i have to build down to 150 mg in 4 weeks in slow steps and return to the doctor for a check up and then if things go well i am going to contintue. I also have some appointments with a nurse with knowlegde about depression etc. I have had 4 days in a row really fucked up dreams about violence,rape and death. But overall i dont feel any other bad symptoms. I am a little bit nervous if i am going to get severe symptoms the more i am reducing the dose.
Hi there, my mother was on this medication for about a month….her latest blood tests showed a major increase in her liver enzymes. Which was very strange because she is thin, her nutrition is perfect. Could you plz tell me more about your liver problems in regards to this drug ? Thank you ❤
i am bipolar and my physician put me on venlafaxine, and i'm 20, i've been on it for two years, and i have felt as if my manic periods and depressive periods have gotten so much worse over the past 8 months. i will be requesting to stop this medication now that i have learned these things about how it can impact people with bipolar.
Jean zerwas what happent
ill comment when im sobber! have you known totatal desair?
I used to be on 300mg 2x a day and it was horrible! Couldn't stop twitching and was hallucinating .. Very scary
Pretty sure this drug saved my life, or at least saved some time and it was definetly the second line of treatment. As for drug pricing? yeah, back when it was on patent I sometimes had to ask my parents for a loan in order to afford it...
This stuff made hallucinate, I saw patterns and shapes. The room would shift back and forth, but only when I was is in the dark.
I’m taking the close sibling to this med called desvenlafaxine or Pristiq and am experiencing the same symptoms. It’s minor and comes and goes for me. Just thought I’d mention my experience with it in case you were thinking about switching to pristiq because of that side effect.
I tried this for ONE DAY for major depressive disorder 75mg. I had an extremely dry mouth, felt nausea in full throttle, was not sick but felt like I could be more than several times I had to sit right up. I felt dizzy. I couldn't see properly at times. I couldn't eat. My brain was tingling/ prickling and developed in to a very heavy headache, felt more depressed than ever and that I wanted to end my life and spent around 6 hours on the phone with crisis team. I felt muscle spasms in my cheeks and could only drink water. This morning after waking I've felt tremors while trying to eat some ice cream. I woke up a few times during the night and have ended up sleeping until 3pm this afternoon after managing to fall asleep at 11pm. I feel like this drug is toxic and have had an extremely bad reaction to it myself, still have a sore head. I haven't taken it today and don't want to.
for some people starting at 75mg is too high of a dose, this can cause serotonin syndrome from the sudden spike in serotonin levels, especially if you have MDD. your body is basically going into shock because your serotonin levels went from 1 to 100 very quickly. the full list of the side effects of serotonin syndrome are here www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/serotonin-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20354758 but from what you described it seems like this is what you experienced
Wow, I hope you are no longer feeling this way, as your post was 8 ms. ago. but I feel so badly for you.❤️
@@edwardkenway5064
Did effexor help you with energy, motivation, etc?
The starting dose was too high.
75 mg is super high
The brain zaps he briefly spoke about are no joke!
He is not being very honest about the hundreds of symptoms coming off. Figures
I took venlafaxine monotherapy before being treated for bipolar, because venlafaxine gave me a manic attack as did sertraline. Now Im on ziprasidone and lamotrigine in conjunction with desvenlafaxine (was the only antidepressant option without the risk of prolonged Qt syndrome with the ziprasidone) and I seem to be doing so much better!
I took it with good results when I was younger, but now it causes extreme sweating.
I feel like absolutely nothing is killing my depression. I've been sober for about 4 years now and i've been depressed the entire time. I keep changing my medications around to see if something will stick, but I feel like i'm just doing a round robin all the time.
Micro dose 🍄
I don’t think Effexor should ever be the first medication you try (particularly if you have relatively mild symptoms that can be treated by any number of options) due to the side effects and how difficult it is to come off of the medication. Explore your options and talk to your doc before jumping in like I did. Unfortunately, not all docs are created equal and of course, they have off days too where they aren’t thinking of everything. Don’t be afraid to ask questions!!!
I was having seriously bad lucid nightmares for weeks gosh it was truly horrible weaning off this drug was the best decision I’ve made it was horrible for about two or three weeks constant brain zaps dark thoughts anxiety anguish ect but hang on cuz in the end I’m so happy to be free from the shitty side effects also it did absolutely nothing for adhd
Why were you given an antidepressant for ADHD? You should have been prescribed adderal or Ritalin.
What method did you use to taper.
@@I_WANT_MY_SLAW what is adhd
For adhd? Wtf
I feel like this drug has caused permeant damage to my brain, on nerves or neurotransmitters. I'm still getting the "zaps", and my psychologist weened me off this a year ago. Do you have any ideas why I'm still experiencing this side effect/withdrawal? I think it should be taken off the market. It's been over a year with the "zaps".. You are very knowledgeable, please think why this could be happening. If I get a lawyer, would you be willing to consider supporting a possibility to remove it off the market? Btw, I watch all your videos!
He's dead
If you cannot perform at work because of depression, you do not have 12 weeks to wait until your life is going to get a whole lot worse. We would not tolerate an antibiotic that took that long to work, so why is it acceptable for an antidepressant?
this drug literally destroyed my life and everything beautiful that it was that i worked for years to have....
How so ?
I only been taking this for 3 days and from day one I haven’t been able to sleep I wake up at 1am every morning
stay away from this drug. You will experience alot of nausea, increased anxiety, nervousness, paranoia, and depression. It is banned in many countries and can damage the brain. High suicide rates and deaths have been reported.
@@Mo-qb5fb You are definitely right Please stop taking this medicine immediately I was like you at the beginning and the medicine was working very well with me and I wasn't complaining from it at all at the beginning and I taken it for Adhd for almost 10 years and started to feel uncomfortable with the drug by having headaches and back pain brain zappe and finally out of the sudden hemiplegia in my left side of the body and I couldn't move my legs it was like a nightmare for me and I was treated for a year and a half from that problems and my doctors still confused from what really happened to me they're still suspicious if it was brain stroke or is it just a nervous breakdown thanks to God that I'm fine now and moveing good but not like I used to be I still have a weakness in my legs and left side of the body and I still can't concentrate like before I'm always still feel dizziness and that really effects my job because I'm a management accountant and for sure it's really hard to me to say that I'm not lik I was before.
@@JohnRambo1947-July-6th I also had a bout with suicidal thoughts and effexor early this year, im sorry to hear you struggled too. glad we are both here brother ✌️
M which countries is this banned in?
If u can avoid this med, please do. I took it for 3 weeks and went to a comedy club. After 2 beers I got blackout drunk and have no memory of the night. I threw up for 2 days and couldn’t get out of bed. That was enough for me to discontinue it. I experienced the WORST withdrawal imaginable. I felt like I was withdrawing from heroin. Fever. Cold sweats. Vomiting. Dizzy. Brain zaps. The worst sadness and depression I have ever felt. These symptoms lasted a solid week. It was debilitating. Not everyone will experience this but I read about 30% experience this. It’s scary stuff. Im on week 2 and finally eating again. Working out helped immensely. Be careful.
Why would you drink whilst talking this medication?
Have you actually gone through Opiate withdrawals?
Sounds like you didn't do your research or your GP didn't advise you well enough. You shouldn't be drinking with this medication, definitely not the first few weeks when you get on it.
Rule #1 Don't stop abruptly.
Rule #2 Don't drink alcohol while taking antidepressants.
Another great video!
I was on wellbutrin for over a month & i still felt anxiety, and depression crept in so now im on effexor 75mg. I feel like throwing up! And have chills i just started it .. Hopefully it goes away after a couple of days.. The worst thing to feel is nauseous & it not go away! I have bipolar 1 and struggle with being around a large group of people.. Also anger so well see how this goes...
i tried it for a few days it made me feel the most depressed ive ever been, and ive had depression for 20 years
Andrew James I’m on it right now and the first day I took it I noticed I was the most depressed I had ever been I also was talking to myself within my head . ( thinking in my head if u will ) way more then I normally did second day wasn’t so bad and 3rd day seemed pretty normal
Medications are really strange, for me personally I've been feeling a lot better on Effexor. I hope two find the right medication for you
You need to be on atleast 3 months before getting the benefits. Thats what worked for me atleast.
@@samindaperamuna6392 Thanks Saminda!
been taking this drug for 10 years plus. It has been good for my depression but the anxiety is off the carts these days. I've tried going off it several times but, the side effects are really bad for me. Brain fog, sickness, headache, suicide thoughts. Its like coming off a narcotic.
It is a narcotic
I almost started taking it but realized it's dangerous
@@szwedzkiPLdon't do it please
@@MeghenFarley I haven't, thanks. Instead they put me on trazodone, it's way lighter and seems to help without any serious się effects.
I've been on Lexapro for 4 months now and I'm more depressed, suicidal, and numb than ever, except it's impossible to cry so there's no releasing it seems.. I'm going on Effexor...hopefully it helps :/
I hope you’re ok ❤️🙂
Thank God for effexor
I took this drug after I started having panic attacks and another antidepressant did not work as well as I hoped. For me it made me feel better after the first dose. I took it for a few months (75 mg slow release), and at some point I was getting a bit too manic and I was a bit concerned...also as a side efect I had very restless legs (and sometimes arms), plus unpleasant dreams every night. I quit cold turkey because my doctor did not tell me exactly what the withdrawals can be like, he just said it was not good to do it like that...I had 2-3 weeks of very unpleasant physical withdrawals, and after that I had terrible irritability and depression...I had many times that I was tempted to get back on the drug, but stayed strong, and now I made it to a point when I am no longer super irritable, just depressed...at least my panic attacks have not come back, even though I have been pretty anxious overall...
I hope you get better soon. Blessings from Poland!
Good job and it is hell to get off of
@@MeghenFarley thank you! I actually had to get back on it after some personal issues that made me extremely depressed. Now I am taking the slow approach to get off the drug and It's soooo much better. No more physical withdrawals after I started to take half dose...just sadness and a little irritability, but nothing as extreme as going cold turkey....
i was prescribed to take this drug for migranes and mild depression. i took a daily dose of 37.5 for three days. then read all the comments on this drug being hard to get off of and dangerous. i just didnt take it again. i remember having had a bipolar syntomps - even tho i dont suffer from that- for taking antidepressant and antipsychotic. i'm scared of this kind of medicine actually.
I’m currently on 112.5mg a day and the doctor wants me on 375mg a day within two months. After hearing you talk about maximum dosage I’m very concerned about taking 375mg.
I'm on 300mg and so far so good for me. Listen to your Dr though 😊
That seems extremely high.
@@aidenfisher5679it is and my God this is horrific
Bless this man
On mirtazepine Effexor and klonopin. Effexor added onto my 7.5mg mirtazepine has been a god send. Mirtazepine stopped working for me so we are stopping the Remeron and going on the Effexor. Only side effects I have is no sex drive and live with my girlfriend. I don’t know.
Gosh I hope my Mirtazapine never stops working
@@Србомбоница86Ativan❤
@@Србомбоница86Ativan is better😂😂😂
Was prescribed this drug went off of it shortly after starting couldn't remember sh*t lol.
people might not know this but I find I get side effects if I use different brands of venlafaxine which chemists will casually give out without a thought. I have to insist on making sure they give me the same brand. Different brands use different formulations.
Almost comedic delivery near the end there when he got to price. Brilliant video though, can't believe they don't tell you these things when they prescribe it.
I was taking effexor for 2 months but , i had no erection , extremly low libido , so i go to my doctor and said , doc i have no sex life and stopped taking this
Thanks 😊🙏
after going down to 37.5 mg every day and now stopped cold turkey because thats the lowest does all the way down from 300mg, I am having constant brain zaps on day 3. Terrible feeling The Dr.who put my on this owes me his life...Wonder if i'll go on a Suicidal Tendencies. Someone has to pay for this misery
Pro tip: only taper down when you’ve been emotionally stable for at least a year. I’ve made that mistake once and won’t do it again
I have been on a low dose of Effexor for approx 15 years. I was recently diagnosed with Restless Leg Syndrome. I have a friend with the same reaction from a different SSRI (Paxil) who is a pharmacist. She told me the Syndrome is the result of Effexor and to get rid of it I should reduce my dosage. Yet another bad side effect!
I've heard so many bad things about effexor. I started taking it over a week ago, no side effects whatsoever so far.
Me either. I can sleep good again and have no anxiety
John Rambo lol that’s crazy talk. I do t think it’s the venlafaxine.
John Rambo you do realize millions of people take this drug yet only rarely does this happen to people. You can’t justify one persons experience with how evil Effexor is. There’s thousands that benefit from the medication but people are more likely to come online and bash it for being bad rather than good.
John Rambo you’re an outright lie. Effexor has cured me of so many ailments. You sir are full of shit!
John Rambo well sir you can believe whatever you want. I can truthfully say I live a fuller more complete life with my venlafaxine. Before this drug I had terrible anxiety, depression, and insomnia. Today I am free of those conditions. We can agree to disagree. Have a good day sir!
I’m on Clonazepam which works very well but my Dr wants to add an antidepressant and wondering which one will work with the Clonazepam the best? I have GAD and PTSD. Thank you Dr Ken for the complete description of Effexor!
I used it only for 8 days , it was awful , loads of awful effects , vivid nightmares were the worst , never had these problems in my life . I just did quit cold turkey as it was only 8 days , as I felt like that drug was gonna ruin my life , it was survival instinct that made me realize I had to quit immediately . I’ve heard of people who had their life ruined by this drug
Same here. Took it for like 10days and then CTd.
I'm 4 mths off after being hospitalized to come off. Was heavan at hospital cause they pumped me dull of other things cause this crap m benzos n alcohol no joke to come off from. Anyhow 4 mths later and I'm feeling it bad. Stay away from all this poision people! I was prescribed at 16. I'm 38 now amd pray to God to get me and all through this.
@@szwedzkiPLvery smart. I was a teenager/kid..I just want my life back
What are your suggestions for someone who suffers from depression? Effector seemed to be the most optimistic
Wait till u come off..if u can
Exercise..good foods..good people..nature..
My mother was getting out of acute catitonia.
She was taking adivan and abilify. Effexor was added to her regiment now she has melgmenlt catitonia due to this drug.
What drug is used to reverse Effexors medication Or would you know someone who is skilled in getting her out of the malignant catatonia. I'm in South Florida and it seems that no one knows how to treat catitonia.
I'm sorry but I'm desperate for help she's not eating or drinking food at this present time.
I wish I could help. Absolute monsters doing this to people
Took this for hot flashes terrible idea, it didn’t work and took a long time to get off as the withdrawal effects were so bad. Final got off it would not recommend.
How can people work under such bad side effects? Did any of you let your employer know that you have depression, anxiety, panic attacks, etc., and taking medication? I wonder how well is received in the work place? Thanks
I had no side effects
@@X-FILESCHILEwait till you come off. U will not be able to function
Not good for most. I've lost half my life from this evil
For any constipation side effects try taking magnesium as a morning supplement.
Oh my god! You gave me more anxiety !
Yasmine 🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂😂👏👏👏
lol
Same. All these videos are not helping lol. I dunno why I'm laughing. Feels goood though cause I feel like in hell coming off it and more
I am on 300 mg daily. All I can say is. Thank God .
It's my first day of taking this drug. I feel high and no appetite at all.
It's the most disgusting medication
@@Србомбоница86that and benzos
@@Србомбоница86not meds. Poison
Love my Effexor no problems at all but it is very difficult to stop. ,Go slow!
I guess this won't be seen, but here goes. So years ago, I was prescribed this, and it seemed to work pretty good for both my depression and anxiety. I felt more focused and energetic. I even lost 70 pounds. But I lost my job and I couldn't afford to stay on the drug. It wasn't until 3 years later, I was able to get back on. But this time I was lethargic, tired, and gained weight. Why would this happen, for the same drug, same dosage?
It did same thing to me. I was hospitlazed to get off it and that was magic for 13 days..then bam..the he'll began day after hospital
There is a reason why this happens and no doc says this or tells u. Once you're off..u should stay off
2:22 expected to hear Heroin after Coke
not just me then hahaha