Effexor??

**cinnamonheart88** · 04-22-2011 10:11 AM

My doctor recently prescribed me Effexor which is venlafaxine for anxiety. Iv'e been doing some research and have learned 2 things first being that venlafaxine seems to be prescribed more for people who have panic disorder and social anxiety. I believe i have generalized anxiety disorder. He was going to put me on Amitriptyline but then decided on Effexor. The second thing i discovered was that it seems to be the most disliked out of all those who review. Most people say (not all but most) that their anxiety got worse. They also say that the withdrawal and starting out side effects were HORRIBLE! I know i shouldn't read to much into reviews because everyone is different, has different bodies and different base rates of anxiety but I can't help but want to know how other people felt. I hadn't done any prior research before my doctor appointment so i couldn't really ask him everything I now want to know. He is a really good doctor and has always helped me very well so I trust him. Just wondering about others' experiences with the drug. Thank you!!

**BabyGirl** · 04-22-2011 06:25 PM

Amitriptyline (sp)
Is a Anti depressant. that is rarely used,( Now) here in the USA. Though like any other " Medication " it can be used in the " Reverse Effect ".

I have a son, which I have Discussed in other Threads, TBI injured at 19 . He was put on Amitriptyline. Elavil, Endep ( Newer Names ) .

He was and still is a Grand Mall Seizure Recipient . Which is a nice wording for he is still a Seizure prone man and what happens happens ..

They used the "Amtrip " to make his Brain have Seizures to make sure his body reacted properly to the Signals that it was sending out. It worked fairly well during his recovery time, in they way that his Brain would Wake Up and then he could Move a Body Part.
He was Not Depressed, He was not Sad, he wanted to Live. The Amtrip worked wonders, for it's " job ".

On to " Head Meds" I don't know of One Better than the one called Life, Living, Feeling and if you can Feel ..You are still alive, If you have Joy, Sadness, Love or just a little in between. You are one that Can be and Will be Loved.

Just Take Your Time.. Be who you are at the Moment you ask yourself.
Am I , Why Am I .....
Here ...
Where I am Right this Second ?

Me ????
I can answer that because I have a now 36 year old son that has used that *Medication* and had productive results.
Then again. He uses or has in his Body .. Things that would Creep even you out ..

**ItsASecret** · 04-22-2011 07:04 PM

The second thing i discovered was that it seems to be the most disliked out of all those who review. Most people say (not all but most) that their anxiety got worse. They also say that the withdrawal and starting out side effects were HORRIBLE!

The thing with online research is so many sites will only mention the horrible things because they were the rare side effect group. That and some people are pretty scared of drugs in general so they will say a lot of the side effects believing that any and all persons who take them will experience those bad things in order to prevent people from taking them in the first place. An anti-anxiety med does not cause an increase in anxiety plain and simple because it is designed to help prevent it or dampen the effects of anxiety. There are side effects however of people reporting more anxiety. It is a rare side effect but a side effect nonetheless. It does not mean you will absolutely without a doubt become more anxious by taking it though.

**belinda_davis** · 05-02-2011 09:35 PM

i take effexor for anxiety/depression. i hade no bad side effects and only nausea from withdrawal when i forget to take it. so yeah i've had no problems with it. if you do get bad side effects just tell your doctor and he can change your medication. there's more than one kind of pill you can take for this kinda stuff. trust me i've changed my medications heaps of times lol

**silkstarlight** · 05-15-2011 07:35 PM

I took Effexor for seven years when it first came out for my depression and the thing I noted about it was it took me from a point of crying over six hours a day until I found I could not cry at all even if I needed to. And its a very uncomfortable feeling when you need to feel that and you can't express it. The doc threw up his hands and told me hey, you know, we stopped the crying, that was interfering with your daily life, no pill is perfect. He argued trade off with symptoms, which I can understand to a point. It took a long time to get used to having an artificial wall up protecting me from feeling emotions while I learned my coping skills.

**Agony_Aunt** · 05-15-2011 07:54 PM

I was on Exffexor before. I stayed on them for just over 2 week's because I hated the side effects. I had a fast heart beat constantly with them, I felt nervous and shaky most of the time. They were prescribed to me because I wasn't sleeping for a long period of time, but they never helped with it. I also had a lot of hot flushes and raised body temperature, and head ache.

As you said everyone is different, and they affect everyone differently. You could try them, and see if they affect you in any of these ways, and then you can always go back to your doctor and tell him you don't want to continue taking them.

**shayne24** · 06-12-2011 02:35 PM

I know this is a little late in the game, but I wanted to add my two cents worth. I was diagnosed with bipolar, depression, and anxiety a year and a half ago. It took us forever to find a good combination of medications. I was on effexor for awhile. It seemed to work pretty well. I switched for a couple reasons: first I have issues with my weight and couldn't seem to lose any on effexor, but more than that is the sexual side effects (vaginal dryness mostly, but it kinda killed my drive and ability to "perform"). Overall it really did work. Also as has been pointed out there are many different medications out there, you just have to find what works for you. Good luck!

**WildChild** · 06-12-2011 03:04 PM

One thing to keep in mind is that anti anxiety meds, while they may help short term, over the long term can actually increase the anxiety. Meditation has been found to work far better long term.

**kira** · 06-12-2011 04:53 PM

Effexor can be stimulating which could increase anxiety for some people. However other people have had no luck with more sedating medications and then had their anxiety completely controlled by effexor. On the other side tricyclics like amitriptyline and sedating antidepressants can cause severe lack of energy and motivation and weight gain both directly and indirectly (less desire to be active and exercise). I gained 80lbs from taking antidepressants for insomnia. Ambien and medications specific to insomnia are like taking sugar pills for me. I can be wide awake at 4 times the standard dose. None of the psychiatric medications are without many minor and some potentially major side effects. Some of the stuff I take for insomnia makes effexor look as safe as over the counter medications.

**Agony_Aunt** · 06-13-2011 04:24 AM

I was taking Effexor for sleeping problems. I hated being on them, and past anti depressants had only worked for a short period of time, so I realised they weren't going to help for a long term solution. But I agree with WC, I stopped taking the medication and tried meditation, and it helped me feel more relaxed and at ease than any other medications did. It may and may not help all people, but now I am completely for the natural remedy of meditation and relaxation.

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