Join a Community That Understands You

Get answers from those who share your health journey

Left Image 1Middle Image 1Right Image 1
avatar

Kittygirl2419

Updated 1y ago

Effexor for Depression: Is it Effective?

Hi so my doctor recommended effexor is this antidepressant good? I dont believe I've ever taken an SNRI before. I've been on SSRI's and know how they effect me. I'm honestly not sure if this type is better or worse

Can you help? Connect today

avatar

kenma2022

3y

I honestly don't know I'm on setraline
avatar

chop1984

3y

It did not work well for me. But I tried it many years ago.
avatar

Kittygirl2419

3y

Chop how did it effect you? If you don't mind me asking
avatar

chop1984

3y

It was so long ago I honestly only remember that it didn't help. I'm on Abilify now though.
avatar

Kittygirl2419

3y

Oh alright, its good that you've found something (:
avatar

WitchWoman

3y

Don’t know about that one. I’m doing very well on Lexapro. But you should be discussing all of this with your psychiatrist
avatar

beanie78

3y

I used to be on that a few years ago and worked for me fine when I was on the highest dosage but it eventually just stopped working for me
avatar

kitkatkatecat

3y

never taken effexor, but i was on duloxetine (which is also an snri) and it was not effective for me.
avatar

DJae

3y

I need to stop taking it- it’s not working anymore. I’ve been on it for 5 years. I guess it’s time to change and start up Therapy again 😥 good luck to you ❤️
avatar

fishie01

3y

Asking others if a medication is effective will not give you an accurate response. Medications can work Very differently in different people due to their body chemistry, other diagnoses & other medications. While others can share their experiences, the only way to know if a medication or class of medications works, is to take it yourself. If your doctor has prescribed a medication, they believe the benefits will outweigh any negative effects. If I was prescribed a new medication, I would start the medication & take notes daily regarding any changes (good or bad) in mental state & any side effects. Then you'll have a record of how the medication is working. If you ever feel that the medication is causing severe side effects, please contact your prescribing doctor ASAP. Medication management definitely is a bit of trial & error. Good luck! 💕
avatar

CouchPotato117

3y

It worked for me for about three years. I do not remember any side effects. Side effects seem worse now that I’m older.
avatar

Alberto

3y

Effexor made my sleep much better but didn’t really change my mood for the rest of the day
avatar

Quinee

3y

A few years ago, I took Duloxetine, I did not feel it helped me so much, but I also do not remember any side effects. I strongly agree with fishie01. Sometimes an excellent remedy is not adequate for everyone. Still, it may be beneficial for another, same as for side effects ...
avatar

Snoopysld

3y

Hi there I’m on Effexor and I recently lowered my dose because I felt it wasn’t working for me. I’m now on 75 mg and I don’t think it does anything for depression. It’s one of the hardest antidepressants to come off of. My doctor was very honest about that. I’ve never really had great results from anti-depressants. Many years back my Very first anti-depressant Paxil and it did help me for several years but then it stopped working.
avatar

Clancy

3y

I was on Cymbalta and Lexapro, both separately (didn't help much) and together (think Zombie apocalypse!). In the long run, the thing that helped most was regular appointments with my therapist.
avatar

Lunalover98

3y

I was on effexor back in 2016 and personally I felt like I was numb and like a zombie
avatar

Littlebit

3y

I am on Effexor now been on it for three years it’s not really helping me anymore
avatar

Olliie

3y

it didn't work well for me personally, but I didn't really respond to any serotonin medication. the only things I'll say are a) watch out for a flattening effect (numbness, apathy, etc) on higher doses, for me it was only noticeable at 225mg. b) be VERY careful coming off of it. venlafaxine withdrawal almost sent me to the ER for both psychiatric and medical symptoms even though I almost never get side effects from medications or withdrawal. don't want to scare you!! I just wish someone had told me this before I took it
avatar

iLOVElucy

3y

Gave me brain zaps! Bzzzt bzzzt
avatar

bekahdree

3y

I've been taking effector for 4ish years..it works well for me but I've had to increase my dose twice. I feel like there will come a time when I'm on the highest dose and the effectiveness will stop, and I'll have to come off it and move to another. I haven't had good luck with ssris and have found the snris work much much better. Cymbalta was wonderful but short lived and an absolute nightmare to come off of.. with both Cymbalta and effector if you miss a dose say goodbye to your day cause the brain zaps are unreal. It feels like your brain and spine are vibrating in spurts, you get dizzy and it resets your train of thought like, uhh...what was I doing? Lol...but if I take it everyday that doesn't happen.
avatar

Hello

3y

It worked for me, but there was a huge problem. I’ve talked about this with a lot of other people taking effexor, and we have all had this happen: If you don’t take it at the EXACT time every day, you start to feel withdrawal symptoms which suck ass. Like I usually took it at 1 but if i waited until 2 i’d have withdrawals
avatar

Mila

3y

Hi! I take Escitalopram which is an SSRI but if your doctor recommended you something else and you trust him/her why dont you try it and see how it affects you? You can always go back to SSRIs if you won't feel better.
avatar

Sparkybuttonz

3y

I don't know about effexor on its own but I'm on a Zoloft+Effexor combo and it has done wonders for energy and general improved mood. It's a good off-label drug for ADHD too
avatar

ghoulie

3y

I was on Effexor and got switched to Pristiq (very similar), and I don’t think either have helped me.
avatar

Hooch

3y

I have been on Effexor for years.. It works great for me
avatar

Gloria

3y

It's worth a try.
avatar

Mismatch

3y

I've found that Effexor has really helped me. More so than the other meds I've tried before.
avatar

ChaoticStorm

3y

It worked, but I ended up having daily migraines so I stopped it...sad, cus it worked, but I couldn't get outta bed 😥. But remember- each body is different so you may react differently than others! Just remember to use it as your doc perscribed it!

The content in this post is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

feed-footer-0

Free unlimited access

to all community content

feed-footer-1

Find others who are

medically similar to you

feed-footer-2

Pose questions and join

meaningful discussions

pp-logo

Alike is a transformative platform that goes beyond just bringing together patients; it meticulously connects individuals based on multiple critical factors, such as age, gender, comorbidities, medications, diet, and more, fostering a community of knowledge, support and empathy.

appStoreBtngooglePlayBtn

© 2020-2024 Alike, Inc