Does Effexor XR really work for anybody???

[Wolf Mountain]

I have read many, many posts about Effexor XR and the hellish experience people have on this medication.  My doctor just put me on it after several months of so-so performance by Lexapro.  Here is the question...is there anybody out there, any one, who would say "Effexor XR is awesome, it has been a great medication and I am grateful to be on it?"  If so, I would love to hear what you have to say, what your experience has been, dosage, etc.  My script has been for GAD/depression.  I have been in therapy (cognitive with a psychologist) since June.  Some progress, but the feelings still remain.  I am trying to find some way to turn the volume down on emotions.  I take Lorazepam (Ativan) - 1mg - occassionally when anxiety is unbearable.  I take Ambien CR to sleep.  So...any cocktail stories out there?

[whodunnit]

Hi Wolf,

A few have said what happened for me. It saved my life, I was ready to go until FX was prescribed.

I suspect you are confusing the coming off stories with the being on reality as EFFexor is about the most succesful of all anti depressants. Tried and true.

It can be a nasty time coming off it and I went through that too. But I've since gone back on it twice, including now.

Why? Coz I know it works and does the job I need done, until it wears off.

If you are looking for a med to reduce anxiety and help with depression then FX is it. Nope, I'm not on commission but I wish I was as selling a certainty is always a winner.

Forget the coming off issues as that's later. Now is when you need help. Just don't come off without docs advice and monitoring and do it slowly.

[Hensley258]

I second what whodunnit said to you. It's like this with Effexor...Hum, yes it's withdrawls are bad, well yea it has side effects, but on the other hand just how bad is your depression. I don't know about you, but I will suffer ANY side effect not to live my life in hell everyday.

It's a damn good antidepressant. Did you knwo that Effexor is the top selling antidepressant in the world? Sales of 3.6 Billion in just one year. Not Million, but as in billions. You know why Effexor XR is the #1 selling antidepressant in the world? Because it works when so many other medications fail to produce relief.

Effexor is also a very time tested and safe drug. Even at high dosages it is time tested and absolutly proven safe.

Will it be rough when and if you every stop Effexor. Yea it will be, but I will take the 4 years of remission that Effexor gave me and say thank you got and thank you Weith for making such an effective antidepressant. That's 4 years of a productive life and I savored every day of it and am thankful for it.

I sure just wish it still worked for me.

[bri2983]

Effexor has saved my life!!!  I have tried Paxil, Lexapro and Celexa for my generalized anxiety/panic disorder.  With Effexor, I have no residual anxiety as I did when on the other medications.  I have heard of the awful side effects when coming off of effexor but as long as you do it in a slow and controlled manner, it should be fine.  I plan on staying on effexor though because it has helped me gain my life back!!!

[JG525]

I think Effexor is a great AD if you are very depressed.  I found it effective.  It's coming OFF Effexor that stinks.  I'm doing that right now because I want to have a baby.  I also found the libido to be an issue.  But, it depends on the level of depression.

I do not think my depression was severe enough to warrant Effexor (it was given to me as Pristiq initially).  I think I could have pushed through it or maybe tried prozac?

But, I think it's a great drug if you're really depressed and generally, I don't think the side effects ON Effexor are any worse than any other.  Just plan to stay on it.

[Jul47]

Effexor XR did not work for me.  At all--and I've been on it (mostly at the 150 mg level) for 6 months.  I am tapering off of it, as I should have at about the 6-week mark.  If it hadn't helped by then, it wasn't going to.  Dumb doc I had should have known better; instead he kept trying to "augment" it with various things that only made me feel worse (e.g. terrible anxiety).

[heyjude1]

Yes! It is the very best antidepressant I have been on.