Has anyone been on Effexor?

[Kimberlake]

Hello everyone, I was proscribed Effexor by my doctor for my anxiety, but I am nervous about taking it. I had been prescribed sertraline, and reacted horrible to it. I guess I am just afraid of taking any drugs but I feel like I really need to give this a try as I cannot manage well right now. Anyone have experience with this medication and what you felt when you took it ? Thank you!

[tamka38]

How long was u taking Sertraline? I was on Effexor it didn’t help me. Am on Sertraline now been on for 4 weeks now

[Kimberlake in reply to tamka38]

I only took it for one week! It made my baseline anxiety go up super high to where I've never been so I stopped. That is another reason I am worried about taking Effexor. I am afraid of feeling worse.

[tamka38 in reply to Kimberlake]

Maybe u should talk to your doctor or therapist about your fear. I was scared to the Sertraline because of bad side effects with Prozac and Someone from another site was very supportive and I take it and didn’t have any side effects and if u that worry ask your doctor to give something like Xanax to take with it some u want have to worry about the side effects

[Kimberlake in reply to tamka38]

Will doctors just write you a prescription if you ask for it. I've taken benzodiazepines before but just when panic attacks would be unbearable, but I never asked was always prescribed. I am scared they might think I am just trying to abuse them. Any tips on how to bring it up?

[Willie123]

This drug worked immediately for me and amazingly. Panic decreased after 2 doses. I could think clearly. Only bad part was it can be known to increase blood pressure which was why i went off. No side effects like going on sertraline. Good luck I hope you try this med. Its known to do great things with anxiety

[Kimberlake in reply to Willie123]

Does it drastically increase it ? How did you know if was increased?

[Claire51]

Hi , I have been Taking Effexor since 2013, i take it along with a daily dose of 15mg Diazapam (PRN) . I was absolutely petrified to start taking any new Medication as my Anxiety was through the Roof constantly, i was at time taking 20mg daily of Clonazepam i was admitted to Hospital as i had also lost so much weight, i had gone down to 7 stone . I was told in a Hospital setting they can withdraw my Benzos faster , so they instantly cut the Clonazepam out and put me onto (which should have been a comparable dose of Diazapam) ( if following the Ashton Method , as i was told would happen by an earlier Psych. My first dose of effexor was 37.5 and it was increased over a week to 75mg, the very first day of taking it , i was horrendously agitated could not sit still and was walking around from moment i woke till i went to bed Exhausted, First 3 days were the worst, but soon i evened out. But it is the Best AntiDepressant i have taken and i am still taking it, with no Problems. Just i think we have to remember pill are not the whole solution, and we are all different, also if your coming straight off one onto another you have to allow for withdrawals from the one you were taking, i fortunately was not taking any Anti depressants when i was put of Effexor , but the Diazepam still is effective i take as i need it .

[Kimberlake in reply to Claire51]

Thank you for sharing your experience with it. It makes me feel a bit better about taking it. My problem is that I always look at the side effects and that scares me off so I don't give anything a try.

[WF2k]

I was on Effexor for a short period of time, didn't help and made me feel a bit ill. Wasn't the worse one I had tried though, Prozac was the worst one for me.

I sound like a druggie lol but I've been on many different meds over the past 25 years, I don't take them anymore because none of them helped, a psychiatrist advised me to stop taking them.

It's always best to have a chat with your GP if you're worried

[Loosewheel]

I am on Effexor and it helps a lot. The only problem is getting off it. I have been on for over ten years and doc said he would like me to come off it and I'm afraid to do it