Long term effexor side effects?

[skylace22]

Hi - I started taking venlafaxine back in 1999 and was started on 37.5mg - i literally barely slept for a whole week and lost 7lbs in that week because I could not sit still. I came off the drug (wasn't exactly taking it regularly) then tried prozac, dothiepin, seroxat and another drug (can't remember the name). Have been back on venlafaxine now since around 2002 and the dose has gradually increased from 37.5mg up to 300mg. The only difference that I notice is that i have to take the tablets around the same time everyday because even missing a dose by a couple of hours and I get really bad headaches and shakes. If I miss a dose completely I get weird dreams and all sorts of freaky side effects which weren't so bad on a lower dose

[Annip]

Hi all
I am taking Venlafaxine ..37.5 x2 daily and have done so for nearly 2 years. When it works it is wonderful and I feel strong and 'normal'. Earlier in the year I began to taper as I felt so well. It was horredous. As soon as I started to feel low, anxious, frightened I took my normal dose again assuming I would just feel ok by the next day. OH NO that was not the case. I assume I suffered from withdrawal side effects and side effects from restarting. My doctor said it was me not the tablets. I had everything that the leaflet said I might. It took 8 weeks to start to feel okish again. once the tablets became established again I carried on as normal and for 6 months now I have felt fine. That is until last week. I had a terrible bout of gastroenteritis and was very ill for 24 hours. 3days later I started to feel very low and emotional. Crying and anxious. Agitated. Feeling sick and heaving. Not eating. Now day7 and feeling worse today. could this be because my venlafaxine came out of my system and I'm having withdrawal symptoms. Feeling very anxious and so don't want to be here again.
I know everyone is struggling who comes on this site but it helps me to read what others go through.
Thank you Annip

[Mark75]

Hello. I have been on 75mg Venlafaxine for just over 2 months now and am going back down to 37.5mg. Reason being no feeling during sex, general ambivalence to important decisions and elevated liver lab results, also want to detox somewhat. So far, nothing bad has happened, a few weird dreams and a bit of uneasiness, but alas, no zaps or spasms of any kind. I figure another two weeks of 37.5mg and then down to zero. Although this stuff makes me very “smooth“ (people have noticed me to be sooo bearable :-), I prefer my edgy, witty and critical old self mainly b/c of better overall judgment and the sex thing.

[meditatedontmedicate]

I've been on effexor about 8 years now (75mg). Im wondering if anyone else has been on them this long or longer, and if they noticed any changes in side effects over time? I tried to come off them 2 years ago and almost went insane with withdrawal symptoms so i've kind of resigned myself to staying on them for the forseeable future and my doctor doesnt seem to mind. Lately i've been getting really tired. i'm 26 but often feel drained after doing very little. A lot more now than I used to. Tiredness is a big side effect of these meds for me. Sometimes now I almost feel the "brain zaps" that I got during the times I was trying to come off it even though I havent changed the dose. Just wondering if anyone else has any long term use side effect stories as most people here seem to be only on it short periods???

I get very tired after not doing a lot. Ive just stopped taking venlafaxine since the start of the month after around 10 years of taking various dosses but for the bulk of it 375mg/day. Im noticing the tiredness more now that Im off the pills. Im hoping its not going to take years to get my old energy back!..

---------- Post added at 16:58 ---------- Previous post was at 16:55 ----------

hi Mark, do you mean no physical sensation/feeling during sex? Or emotionally?! Ive noticed a loss of the physical sensation down there when in the act!..

[Flo007]

Hey, I've been on Venlafaxine/effexor for about 3 years now (at 375mg a day). It can be rough to start with but once you settle into it things tend to smoothe out. Probably the worst side effect has been the withdrawl symptoms I get if I miss a dose (even by an hour or two). It can be utterly crushing if it happens (and it's bound to at some point). The best thing I can compare the experience to is that it's like coming down off an A class illegal substance. Although I'm not sure if this is experienced by everyone or only apparent on the higher dosage.

My advice is to ALWAYS have an emergency backup dose (at least a days worth) accessible at all times just incase you get caught out somewhere. Also try to keep up a reasonably good diet and some basic exercise as Venlafaxine can really hit your stomach (especially if you have not had a decent nights sleep).

As to the (very) long term effects of the drug: the medical pro's I've spoken to (GP, specialist and psychaiatrist etc) aren't really too sure of what it will do to the body, as it hasn't been in use long enough to find out. They suggested getting an annual blood sample done to keep an eye on liver function/blood counts etc just to be on the safe side.

I hope that helps (and was readable)!

[grvjoe]

I can really relate to the above posts!!. I have been on Venlafaxine for about 5 years now, with various dosages 37.5-75-150 mg and then back to 37.5 mg since the past 1.5 years. I also put on a lot of weight in these years but the worst thing was the withdrawal symptoms even if I skipped a single dose. I suffered something called as Sleep Paralysis,wherein I could not move my eyes and limbs for some seconds although I was conscious the whole time, this scary symptom only came when I skipped a dose.

Finally after suffering through a lot of personal issues and increased anxiety since the past few months, I finally decided to slowly taper of this medicine, I somehow feel that the sideeffects of this med were outweighing the potential benefits for me. I have now come down to 37.5 mg per 2 days. The most immediate symptoms I am feeling are- increased anxiety, brain shocks, vertigo, memory weakness and fatigue. I really hope and pray I can come off this medicine and get treated via therapy.

[kbgadhvi]

........... and if I move my eyes the 'shock' travels through my head and down my left side. The longer I leave taking the tablet, the worse the withdrawl effects become until I find I can't physically function.


Hi everybody..

I have quoted the above para only bcoz this is one of the worst experience that people are generally unable to describe in words to their doctor or to family or friends... and people around you will never understand this particular experience.. so useless to explain..

However, after going thru all the odd and unwanted and unpleasant sensations of withdrawing Venlafaxine I have concluded, atleast for myself, that MIND is your BEST HELP.. I do not intend to say that with a strong mind you will not experience any ugly sensations, but you will gather a strength to fight the symptoms.

Make yourself ready, Convince yourself that for certain weeks or months you are going to feel horrible, but God has made our body adaptable to every newer situation, so soon your body will start living without this drug and whatever changes will be needed will be auto made by your own body to suit the new pathology. Ofcourse its much easier said than done, but I have done it myself, so I know it. Also I have helped 4 people withdrw this drug. I have come off Venlafaxine and Clonazepam totally with very my will power.

Most essential tips : Cigarettes and Alcohol are your enemies.. and a good exercise or even some Long walk is your best friend... Long walks helps your body to release certain helpful chemicals which soothe from withdrawal..

and most important of all... be a witness to you body.. observe the ugly sensations in your body as if its somebody else's body and your are only observing.. all the time convince your heart and mind that this phase will pass by.. ugly symptms will reduce sooner or later.. normal feeling will come back..

Wish you all the best...

[shadowstriker]

Have been on it for 6 weeks 37.5 twice a day for 2 then I was increased was on 37.5 at night 75 morning have the same problem increased anxiety seen my dr today he's put me back down to 75 I was on modified release and normal he wants me to stay on the 75 modified release then increase it to 150mg he wants me to stay on 1 form to see if I don't get as agitated because it has a slower release dreading going without the 37.5 will get brain zaps :(.

[rengewwj]

I've been on Effexor and its cousins for 20 years. I tried to wean off by skipping doses about 10 years ago and experienced most of the horrors outlined by the other posts, above.

Now, I'm off of that stuff and I did it without any head zaps, nausea or anything. Here's how.

First, you need to get on to the XR type because its formulation inherently has fewer ups and downs as your body metabolizes the drug beyond its half life. This is also required because you need to be taking a type with the little "beads" inside of gel caps.

Next, get your dosage weaned down to a single 75mg XR capsule per day. At one point I was at 300 per day but didn't have much problem dropping the dosage over about a month.

In the mean time, purchase or otherwise acquire a milligram scale. Bought this cheap one from Amazon: American Weigh Scales GEMINI-20 Portable MilliGram Scale, 20 by 0.001 G [Sorry, the forum won't let me post the link.]

Once you get your scale and learn how to use it, weigh out the contents of one of your XR caps. Mine are around 253mg of little beads. [If yours are different weight, you need to use that number in the formula below.]

You need to buy or create a tiny little spoon or "shepherds crook" tool to scrape a very tiny quantity of beads out of capsules.

Count out 30 full capsules. One at a time, squeeze the capsule base slightly and twist off the cap. Into your scale's pan, scrape 5% of the beads out of the capsule, then put the top back onto the capsule and save it into a pill bottle. [Assuming that your capsules contain 253mg of beads: 0.05 x 253 = 12.65 so you want to scrape out 13mg of beads -- a very tiny amount.]

Take these "reduced strength" caps, 1 per day, for a month.

Next month take 10% out of 30 more caps and take them for a month.

Reduce the strength by 5% per month until you're down to 50% strength. You should experience ZERO withdrawal symptoms.

At 50%, I began removing 10% per month and continued until I was down to zero. Again, there should be no symptoms.

I never had any physical symptoms using this method and since I'm now retired and essentially stress-free, there is no reason for depression. I'm off that evil drug and feeling great.

Hope this helps someone else.