r/Effexor

Hii!

To preface, a year ago I was started on Venlafaxine following a tough two month long mental break when on placement in a psych ward (panic attacks, unable to leave the house, couldn’t drive, struggling to take care of myself, feeling completely like I didn’t exist). The dose started low and now a year later I am on 300mg daily.

I am diagnosed with EUPD (2025) and C-PTSD (2023), so Venlafaxine does not change my moods, but oh my god the difference in my anxiety has been life changing for me in the best way. I can now take that step back from my anxious thoughts and rationalise my anxieties without breaking down as fast. Although I still have EUPD and C-PSTD I feel that I can at least exist without the insane levels of anxiety.

I’ve gotten myself a job that I’m enjoying and this of course comes with its own anxieties however I don’t think I would’ve been in this place without this medicine.

Since then my life has changed, leaving my uni course and going into a completely different, non patient facing career but this experience has truly taught me to put my mental health first. This medicine helps me to do that in a clearer way.

I hopped on this page when beginning because I was terrified after having been on so many SSRI’s and Antipsychotics, but this SNRI really seems to agree with me. I wanted to share my mini success in terms of my anxiety in the hopes that it might help someone else in the position I was in, it’s hard but just take everything one day at a time. 💞

I'm currently cutting down from 75mg extended release to 50mg instant release. (At the same time, I'm increasing my lamictal from 50mg to 100mg... yay...)

On day two, and I wouldn't say I'm miserable, but I don't feel good. My head feels like it's squeezing, my hands keep shaking, and my heart rate is way up. I felt dizzy and faint just going to get groceries today.

My psychiatrist plans on decreasing me to 0mg in the next 10 days. I'm worried things are only going to get worse the further I go :(

I had severe unipolar depression from past 1 year, This medicine has been life saving for me - alongside Lithium 800mg & a baby dose of Seroquel 50mg..

but my doctor thinks now that I am in remission I can manage without effexor. (he also thinks this med increases my urge to drink)

So he put me on a taper gradually decreasing from 300mg to 75mg across 4 weeks, next week he plans to take me off completely.

P.S i have been on this medication from past 1 year.

So far no side effects, but I am scared to relapse. I have discussed my concerns with him but he said just lithium & seroquel should keep me stable.

Just looking for advice or shared experiences.

I started having panic attacks after 3 weeks on Effexor. I stopped taking it but I feel like those attacks have changed my brain - I’m experiencing severe anxiety 24-7 now and am struggling to function. My psych suspects i may be developing panic disorder. Has anyone else experienced this and how did you come out on the other side? I’m feeling desperate

Q: Anybody of you weened of V while also taking anti-epilepsy drugs?
What was your experience. Such as: Did the A-ep have a dampening effect on the known side-effects when weening off V ?
Thanks.

basically i was put on the lowest dose of zoloft and it gave my dystonia - my doctors looking at the “class effect” and it seems likely that other SSRIs will have the same reaction so now we are looking at SRNIs. the options i’ve been given are effexor or mirtazapine and honestly both look quite daunting in terms of the withdrawal symptoms but apparently there’s no side effects like with the SSRIS (with the exception of weight gain on mirtazapine - they’re willing to look at it as i’ve lost quite a bit of weight recently). i’m really not sure what would be the better option here?

Please tell me about your experience

i accidentally missed two doses of effexor XR and took one late. i don’t know if this is brain fog technically but im having the worst head related symptom; i feel lightheaded but not like im about to pass out + super tired. essentially bed bound until it goes away because walking or sitting up feels super weird and tiring.

i already took a dose but is there anything i can do in the meantime to aid this symptom specifically?

I’ve been on 75mg XR for just over two weeks and I have noticed that I tend to get dizzy and brain fog in the hours before taking my next dose as well as some returning anxiety symptoms. Has anyone experienced this and did it improve when you increased?

Hello, just over a month ago, my psychiatrist and I decided to reduce the dose from 112.5mg to 75mg. After about five days, I started getting headaches accompanied by nausea, which have lasted all day, every day. Sixteen days ago, we decided to go back to the original dose of 112.5mg. But I haven’t seen any improvement in the headaches and nausea. I’m currently taking Tramadol to ease the pain. Has this happened to anyone else?

Hello, just over a month ago, my psychiatrist and I decided to reduce the dose from 112.5mg to 75mg. After about five days, I started getting headaches accompanied by nausea, which have lasted all day, every day. Sixteen days ago, we decided to go back to the original dose of 112.5mg. But I haven’t seen any improvement in the headaches and nausea. I’m currently taking Tramadol to ease the pain. Has this happened to anyone else?

I've been on effexor for years, but this is the first time I've had an overnight job. I've always taken it before going to bed (between 10pm-11pm). With my new job position I'll be working 11pm-7am. I know from experience that there's a 'hump ' about halfways through my morning (when I was taking it then) that slowed me down a lot so I switched it to the evenings.

My question is: how do I switch back? From taking effexor in the evening (currently; to sleep through that hump) to in the morning when I'm getting him from work to be able to sleep through that hump? Should I "double dose" for a few days or what?

I feel that asking actual users of this medication would have far more accurate answers than my DR which has never taken it and can only answer hypothetically...

Thank you in advance for any and all advice!!