I was on Effexor for 9 months and it was great once it kicked in. You have to watch out that it doesn't lock your jaw. Mine locked 6 times for 12-14 hours at a time. Was especially fun as I was very hungry and couldn't get anything in my mouth. Benadryl offsets the side-effect.

When I went off it, I was soooooo sick, I wasn't worried that I'd die, I was concerned I wouldn't. Effexor and Paxil have withdrawal effects similar to herion.

Be careful.

I was on it for 7 years and will NEVER take that poison again. It not only caused me to gain 40+ lbs, but I believe it also screwed up my metabolism and I have not been able to lose the wt.
It is widely agreed that most anti-d's can cause wt gain, but Effexor is one of the worst!!!

It did level things out, & seemed to help w/hot flashes. But it didn't help w/sleep or pain (which was big reason why I agreed to take).

Damn, elavaney, my jaw locked while on it too. Always thought it was cuz I have TMJ, Never would have connected it to effexor!

Getting off of it was HELL. It caused all kinds of physical withdrawal symptoms even tho I took way longer than the "two weeks" my dr flippantly said it would take to get off.

After slowly weaning down my daily dose to the lowest possible (37.5g), I couldn't skip even one day w/out having "head squishies" (sounded & felt like there was one of those pillows that have the tiny beads in them in my head and some one was squeezing it). Happened at the exact time I was supposed to take the dose.

Also caused dizziness & sense of being off balance & headaches. Only way I could get off was to take grains out of the capsules. I started by taking out two the 1st day, then four, then six, etc. until I ran out of grains. That made the withdrawal TOLERABLE.

Even after I was completely off, it took MONTHS before the symptoms went away.

Just google "effexor+withdrawal" and you will see msg bd after msg bd of horror stories.

Effexor is a combo of two diff things & each has a diff half life. Some say that's why it's so hard to get off. I don't know. Just do your research. Go to the effexor website faq's and read every question and click on every link offered. I found info buried in those links (like what really can happen when getting off of it).

I'm not saying don't go on an anti-d, just be VERY CAREFUL & AWARE about side effects while you are on and when trying to get off. B/c docs aren't made aware of this by the pharmaceutical co's & it's even hard to find the neg info on their websites.

Good luck & gentle hugs.

Here's a link to the wtihdrawal symptoms associated with Paxil. Effexor is just as bad, if not worse. http://www.quitpaxil.org/Main/symptoms.htm

BTW, my jaw was locked for a yr & I spent tons of $ on splints trying to get it unlocked. Then someone suggested acupuncture. w/in 24 hrs of 1st treatment my jaw unlocked.

I have taken effexor for years. off and on. Like 10 yrs or more. I have been on high doses for depression. It worked pretty good. I didn't gain weight. I gain weight really bad on amitripylene and cymbalta but not effexor. It is hell to wean off. It takes a long time. months. or more. but, it is great with the pain of fibro.it works right away for pain. unlike when you have to wait for it to kick in for depression. Maybe you should do some more research because i think there are antidepressants that are newer and easier to wean off from when the time comes.oh, and i have terrible sweating issues that i just posted on here for advice, my doc thinks it is a side effect from the effexor. i don't know if i believe it. i am on a tiny dose. 37.5 mgs a day. good luck!

I have never had any of these side effects. When I stopped taking it I had none of your side effects. I guess am lucky. Rachel

I have been on effexor and wellbrutin for the past 6yrs. and I find them both extremely helpful, they are great together!!! I had to stop effexor for a while and was on another anti-depressant and I had no problem getting off and on, so I think that this medication works sooo different for everyone! I sure would recommend it!!! But that's just me?

Myself and my hubby have been on it. My hubby is still on it and gets a lot of relieve from his depression. I on the other hand had no results for pain or depression. I think it is different for all. I had no bad effects when getting off it either. I'd say give it a try, if no luck try something else. Good Luck! Marie

I was on it for a couple of years. I don't remember much about those years. My kids said I was like a zombie on it, but I was on a very high dosage. ~~Faye~~

It gave me worse pain than I was already having. I stopped after 10 days & the pain backed down to regular level immediately. Every physiology is different. It may help you as it must have helped others. Best of Luck. Bayou

I've been on Effexor XR for years and I think my pain doc is about to switch me to Cymbalta. I've been through the withdrawals of Effexor so I'm wondering if I switch to Cymbalta, if I'll be able to skip that rollercoaster ride???

Ouch.... if the two meds affect the same brain function than u may be spared the withdrawal symptoms, good luck,,,
IBBY, if what you are using now is helping you, you may want to just stay with it, I have heard of alot of problems with Effexor...

i tryed effexor once and it was the worst hing i ever did. i had the tremmors so bad i couldnt even drive a car, i have been on cymbaltas for 2 years and am having good luck with it, i just had it upped to 30 mg twice a day and it has helpped alot good luck.

I tried effexpr, but it was the only pill I havent been able to take! It made me have hallucinations and wierd dreams ! Scared my hubby to death! lol Dianne fro Canada

i was on effexor for about a year
work good, but then decided to go off because i gain like 25 pounds. did not know at the time to wean off. boy did i get anxiety and depression bad. still in reovery after 5 years. be careful of all antidepressants and take the lowest dose possible.