I've been on Effexor for 3 days now

[Vikhalla]

And it has done nothing but make my anxiety worse. My doc isn't in until Monday, but I am considering just going off of it as I have something important going on tomorrow that I need to not be a jittery wreck for...hell, somewhat charming would be great too and that definitely is not happening on this stuff. I'm taking .75 mg of Effexor XR. If I were to stop taking it after only being on it for 3 days should I be safe from the horrible withdrawal symptoms I keep hearing about? This is the first time I've been on anti-depressants, so the Effexor wasn't a replacement for something else.

Thank you much for any input you can give me on this.

[Jess3080]

After 3 days yes you can just stop taking it. It is my opinion that these drugs should only be used as a last choice option after you have tried everything else like therapy, lifestyle changes, etc.  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is very effective for anxiety, but it takes time and effort. Effexor is near impossible to get off of and from what I have heard by those who take it it makes heroin withdrawal look like a walk in the park. It's half life is extremely short and you can start to get bad withdrawal symptoms from just being a few hours late taking your dose. It is also known to poop out quicker than SSRI's meaning your brain will become tolerant to it and you will start to get WD symptoms even while on a full dose. My opinion might be an unpopular one but I wish someone had let me know about the horrors of withdrawal from these drugs before I started taking Paxil for mild anxiety 13 years ago. Best of luck to you.

[cheeseface]

As previous stated, the drug needs time to build up in your system, but the symptoms sound pretty common. However I started on Zoloft and then switched to Effexor when my Dr. decided the SSRI wasn't working and so put me on an SSNI instead and the starting side effects from Effexor were minimal compared with those of the Zoloft (for me, anyway, as different drugs have varied reactions between people). But if/when you decide you want to get off Effexor, even after 3 days, don't just stop. I've tried before and it really doesn't end well. Talk to your Dr about it, but please, under no circumstances should you try stopping this drug cold turkey. From what I've read it's comparative to quitting heroin cold turkey, only it lasts longer.

[nursegirl6572]

OP...what you describe is very typical for intial side effects of Effexor.  Like the others said, if you can manage to stick it out for a few weeks, most likely the side effects will start to diminish, then disappear all together.  These meds take some time and patience to start noticing improvement and get past any side effects.  If the side effects are really bothersome, most definitely discuss it with your doctor, a lot of times he/she will Rx a short term course of an anti-anxiety med, like Xanax or Ativan, to help with the increased anxiety.

Try to hang in there...and let us know how you're doing!

[Alisonj29]

How are you feeling today?

[29sillygirl]

Remember how I felt when first put on Effexor.  It was not an easy start, but I persevered with doctor's advice, and gradually began to feel better.

As everyone has said, it takes time.  Like the idea of starting when you don't have an important meeting scheduled.

[Alisonj29]

You need to expect atleast 3-4 weeks before you will notice any change. They have to get into your system and it takes time. It can cause a few side effects in the beginning but as time passes it will get better. If it gets too bad see your doctor but try and give the meds the time to work

[alsky]

these meds need time to work in your system.   It usually starts to work after 2 weeks for anxiety and 4 weeks for depression.        You are not giving this med enough time.         IF you go off of it,,,,even though it has been 3 days....do it slowly    

I would suggest taking med when you dont have anything important planned for a good month.

I have been on Effexor xr  for 13 years.     It has been great for me !

[Roo192]

I have been on 150 now for 3 weeks and had increased anxiety , feelings like I was on speed followed by a couple days of increased depression with sobbing   Will this even out the longer I stay at this dose ?  It has been really rough .  This is my fourth med for a third recurring depression that has lasted two years without relief

[Paxiled]

You might want to make a new post -- you're joining a thread that is 7 years old.  But Effexor is an intentionally stimulating antidepressant, and if you're an anxiety sufferer it can be the wrong med.  It can also just take some time to get used to it, as some do.  Unlike the ssris the snri class including Effexor, as well as Wellbutrin, don't work on serotonin or on serotonin alone, but also on norepinephrine, also called noradrenaline.  This can be very stimulating and make anxious people more anxious.  If it doesn't pass soon, if you and your psychiatrist decide this isn't the right med for you, stop quicker rather than sooner, and taper off even though you haven't been on it very long.  It's a very hard one to stop taking once you've been on it for a long time.  But it's also very effective for depression if it eventually takes and that can outweigh the negative part, but if you just can't deal with it, it's not your med.  Good luck.