Effexor was prescribed for me in October 05. After taking 75 mg Effexor XL each morning, I found that it made me so draggy I could hardly function. I started taking it at supper time and this worked much better. It seemed to be effective until a couple of months ago when I began to feel like I was falling back into the \"black hole\". So, the doctor increased my dosage to 150 mg for the winter months. He feels I may be experiencing SAD.

I have been on 300 mg of effexor for three or four years now. I had to include 400 mg of wellbutrin to the treatment to take care of my depression symptoms.
I have to take effexor in the morning or at lunch time. If I take it at dinner or later I will not sleep that night, for one reason or another. Mainly bad dreams, and racing thoughts. So if I forget to take my effexor during the day I will skip a treatment and try to remember the next day. Well that was a HUGE mistake!!! I felt so sick, like I went on a huge drinking bender the night before. Head aches, body aches, felling like I was going to get sick, sensitivity to light, migrains, you name it I had it.
I am now afraid to get off of effexor ever, because of my bad withdrawl symptoms. On the good note, it is working in combination with wellbutrin.

wow, quite the oppisite, effexor has been the best thing in defense of my depression, that with buspar. i am on 225 mg of effexor and 30 mg of buspar and 100 mg of trazadone, and i feel like the wieght of my depression, sadness, fear, anxiety have all been lifted off my shoulders so it is no longer unmanagable. it took me a year to find this combination and it works perfect for me. I am not saying i do not occassionally have symptoms, but i am saying i no longer feel hopless to where i can\'t get out of bed and function. the only symptom i suffer in a major way these days is i isolate, but i\'m working on it.

I was first given Lexapro after the death of my daughter. All I did was cry and sleep until finally I couldnt take it anymore and took the entire bottle. I was in the hospital for 14 days and prescribed Effexor XR. I felt such a difference. I couldnt believe my mood change, for the better of course. I now take 300 mg daily, and was also taking BuSpar which made me anxious and lightheaded, so now just the Effexor a twice daily dose of Klonipin to ease anxiety if I feel I need it. Effexor may not be for everyone, but its working great for me so far.

I\'ve been on Effexor XR for about a year now (75mg) and it definitely helped me get out of my depressive funk. I think my dose will be upped next week because I\'m starting to get depressed very easily again. I suffer from CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) so the effexor helped my fatigue as well. However, I feel the drowsiness and fatigue coming back.

I think effexor only works for certain amounts of time then needs to be upped a dose. Maybe not for everyone, but certainly for me.

my neuro put me on Effexor XR for a week ago.
And of course it has seizures as a side effect.
He says all anti depressant have seizures as a side effect.
Well guess what I have epilepsy so I\'m prone to seizures.
So if they increase I\'ll never know if it\'s by the effexor or just because my meds dont work as usual.
Sarah

i\'m on Efexor XR for 6 months.i was suffering from major depressive disorder. i take 75 mg as a single daily dose in the evening.i take Motival (tricyclic antidepressant plus fluphenazine) as well.it helped me a lot to get off my depression.Efexor was having side effects only at the first two weeks.

Effexor made me feel awful. I had suicidal thoughts which is just not me. I quit taking it and felt better immediately.

I take 150mg of effexor xr daily - I feel so much better. It is like a wonder drug for me. I am happy, I can deal with everyday issues again, I am able to talk to people alot more then I have in a long time. And I am not crying all the time. I had a few side effects the first two weeks, but they went away.

I have been suffering from depression for about 10 years and was taking prozac. After my son committed suicide in Febr this year, it didnt help at all. I had suicidal ideation and suffered from accute anxiety on top of that. The dr changed my meds to effexor and it has saved me. I feel like living again and I don\'t have any anxiety any more. I felt good at one stage and halved my prescription from 75 mg twice a day to only 75 mg once a day. BIG mistake!!!! I went down so fast I thought I was going to follow my son. As soon as I upped it I felt the change almost immediately. So I say thumbs up for effexor!! Blessed Be, Rea

avonlady. made me feel some what better, untill certain people or things start pushing my buttons, then I start all over again.

Effexor XR has worked great for me. I take 150mg each morning. I really haven't had any bad side effect except for frequent yawing, active dreaming, but no trouble falling a sleep at anytime I want. My mood has been stable, I've been totally normal and back to my regular self :) People, please try to think positive, we're all can go back and live a normal life!!! :)

I've been on 225mg of Effexor since July. I do have very vivid dreams and apparently I talk out loud in crystal clear sentances in my sleep. I was just diagnosed with Rheumatiod Arthritis. I began having terrible night sweats. My doctor thinks it might be the Effexor. He has lowered my dose to 150mg and upped my Seroquel to 100Mg. for better sleep. I'll let you know how it goes.

Here is a website where you can find information about Effexor. www.mayoclinc.com

My situation is similar to Firenrain25's experience. I have very vivid dreams and talk out, but I find the Seroquel at night time helps alot. I have a very bad habit of stopping taking my anti-depression medication - so I'm re-starting on effexor xr. I was on 37.5mg for a few weeks, and now I am on 75mg. My doctor wants to double it in three weeks. I'm not sure if I detect a difference - I have been feeling overwhelmed at work lately, but...that's pretty usual.