48 patient evaluations for Effexor XR

557 members have decided to share their profiles only with other members of PatientsLikeMe.

Sort by: Most recent

Apr 1, 2012 (Started Aug 15, 2011)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for major depressive disorder)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall) (increased insomnia)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 37.5 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: This is one of the best meds I've used to treat my depression. Unfortunately, it quit working after several years, as it has also done in the past.
  • 0 helpful marks

Jun 15, 2012 (Started Jul 05, 2002)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for depressed mood)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall) (sudden complete dry mouth)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 37.5 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: My Doctor and I felt the Effexor was no longer working as perscribed. He switched me too Zolft which I began taking after whinning me off of the Effexor. I have been on Zoloft since June - so far I am not seeing much positive effects.
Cost: < $25 monthly
  • 0 helpful marks

Jun 22, 2012 (Started Jul 20, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for persistent depressive disorder (dysthymia))
  • Effectiveness
    Major (for major depressive disorder)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall) (dry mouth)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 300 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: I can really tell if I take a dose late, my mood tanks quite badly, as well as the "electric Zotty" feeling I get. I take it when I first get up in the AM.
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: dry mouth
  • 0 helpful marks

May 18, 2012 (Started Jul 19, 2010)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for depressed mood)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 300 mg Daily
  • 0 helpful marks

Mar 14, 2012 (Started Feb 14, 2012)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for generalized anxiety disorder)
  • Effectiveness
    Major (for post-surgical pain)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (sleep disturbances, aggressive behavior, agitation with irritability, cognitive confusion, suicidal thoughts or urges, depressed mood)
  • Adherence
    Never taken as prescribed
  • Burden
    Very hard to take
Advice & Tips: I am no longer taking Effexor due to overwhelming side effects for me. It did a great job dialing down the fibro pain, but made me too crazy to continue with it.
Cost: < $25 monthly

Mar 13, 2012 (Started Feb 14, 2012)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for generalized anxiety disorder)
  • Effectiveness
    Major (for post-surgical pain)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (sleep disturbances, aggressive behavior, agitation with irritability, cognitive confusion, suicidal thoughts or urges, depressed mood)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 75 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: Really works on FM pain, but beware the side effects...it left me very depressed, thinking about suicide, made it hard to think logically (or at all, for that matter); I would highly recommend trying it, because it really does knock out most of the FM pain, just watch the side effects.
Cost: < $25 monthly

Mar 7, 2012 (Started Feb 14, 2012)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for generalized anxiety disorder)
  • Effectiveness
    Major (for post-surgical pain)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (sleep disturbances, aggressive behavior, agitation with irritability, cognitive confusion, suicidal thoughts or urges, depressed mood)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    A little hard to take
Dosage: 75 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: Currently in the process of stepping off Effexor and back onto Paxil; side effects were too severe; Only positive side effect was relaxed inhibitions during counseling sessions
Cost: < $25 monthly
  • 0 helpful marks

Dec 10, 2009 (Started Aug 12, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for major depressive disorder)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall) (decreased appetite, decreased sex drive (libido), suicidal thoughts or urges, drowsiness)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 37.5 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: I was always tired and sluggish and it did not help the depression.
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: drowsiness, suicidal thoughts or urges, decreased sex drive (libido), decreased appetite

Oct 21, 2009 (Started Aug 12, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for major depressive disorder)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall) (decreased appetite, decreased sex drive (libido), suicidal thoughts or urges, drowsiness)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 37.5 mg Daily
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: drowsiness, suicidal thoughts or urges, decreased sex drive (libido), decreased appetite

Sep 22, 2009 (Started Aug 12, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for major depressive disorder)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall) (decreased appetite, decreased sex drive (libido), suicidal thoughts or urges, drowsiness)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 75 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: I started on 75 mg the up to 150 then up to 225 mg. All XR once daily. It did stop my panic and anxiety but I had no energy and felt sleepy most of the day until when I went to bed. Then I felt awake. So now down to 75 mg XR and 300mg of Wellbutrin XR that is much more effective fore me. I have more energy and don't feel drugged as on Effexor. But everyone reacts differently.
Cost: $25-49 monthly
Side effects: drowsiness, suicidal thoughts or urges, decreased sex drive (libido), decreased appetite

Aug 27, 2009 (Started Aug 12, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for major depressive disorder)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall) (decreased appetite, suicidal thoughts or urges, drowsiness)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 150 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: It is very hard to get off Effexor so I would try other AD treatments first.
Side effects: drowsiness, suicidal thoughts or urges, decreased sex drive (libido), decreased appetite

Aug 21, 2009 (Started Aug 12, 2008)

  • Effectiveness
    None (for major depressive disorder)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 150 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: Effewir just didn't work for me. I felt sluggish and tired all the time.
Cost: < $25 monthly
Side effects: drowsiness, suicidal thoughts or urges, decreased sex drive (libido), decreased appetite
  • 0 helpful marks

Mar 14, 2011 (Started Mar 14, 2011)

  • Effectiveness
    None (for dystonia)
  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for depressed mood)
  • Effectiveness
    Slight (for anxious mood)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 225 mg Daily
  • 0 helpful marks

May 18, 2011 (Started Jan 01, 2001)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for reactive depression)
  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for depressed mood)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 37.5 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: I did not like the fact that if I missed more than two days of this medication I went into a total tailspin. I would cry uncontrollably and feel very anxious. Take as directed.
Cost: $25-49 monthly
  • 0 helpful marks

Apr 11, 2011 (Started Jan 05, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for fibromyalgia)
  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for depressed mood)
  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for anxious mood)
  • Side effects
    Mild (for Overall) (depressed mood, weight gain, panic attacks, drowsiness)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Dosage: 150 mg Daily
Cost: $50-99 monthly
Side effects: weight gain, drowsiness, panic attacks, depressed mood, depressed mood

Dec 19, 2009 (Started Jan 05, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for fibromyalgia)
  • Effectiveness
    Major (for depressed mood)
  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for anxious mood)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall) (depressed mood, weight gain, panic attacks, drowsiness)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Dosage: 150 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: I feel much better since I have been taking Effexor. Before I started this treatment I thought I was losing my mind. My anxiety, panic attacks, and depression was out of control. This treatment has saved my life, and now although I am disabled due to depression, and fribomyalgia, I feel hopeful, and that's a great thing to feel.
Cost: $50-99 monthly
Side effects: weight gain, drowsiness, panic attacks, depressed mood, depressed mood

Nov 21, 2009 (Started Jan 05, 2009)

  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for depressed mood)
  • Effectiveness
    Moderate (for anxious mood)
  • Side effects
    Moderate (for Overall) (depressed mood, weight gain, panic attacks, drowsiness)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Somewhat hard to take
Dosage: 75 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: This medication controlls my major depression. Without it I felt like I was losing my mind. It does affect my weight, and causes me to be drowsy during the day time. I barely sleep at night 2-4 hours each night. So it would be good if I could go to sleep at bedtime and stay asleep. Instead of feeling sleepy during the day time. Now that I am not working the cost of this medication is becoming a burden, but I need it and will find a way to pay for it.
Cost: $25-49 monthly
Side effects: weight gain, drowsiness, panic attacks, depressed mood, depressed mood
  • 0 helpful marks

Jan 5, 2011 (Started Sep 30, 2005)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for depressed mood)
  • Side effects
    Severe (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    Not at all hard to take
Dosage: 150 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: Effexor elevated my depressed moods, but also caused compulsive eating. I gained 50 pounds due to overeating. I stopped effexor, have lost 15 pounds so far, have NOT required areplacement for Effexor. My symptoms of depression are totally gone.
Cost: < $25 monthly

Sep 7, 2008 (Started Sep 30, 2005)

  • Effectiveness
    Major (for depressed mood)
  • Side effects
    None (for Overall)
  • Adherence
    Always
  • Burden
    A little hard to take
Dosage: 150 mg Daily
Advice & Tips: works like a wonder drug for me.
Cost: < $25 monthly
  • 1 helpful mark
Last updated:
Showing 10 of 48 patient evaluations for Effexor XR