Reviewer: calabash, 75 or over on Treatment for 10 years or more (Patient)

Comment:
I am 78 yrs old have been on Effexor XR since it came on the market. It makes me feel cheerful but beware, it can quit on you in times of extreme stress. If you miss a dose (yes one dose) you can instantly be sent to brain hell. Brain zaps, ears ringing, excessive depression

Comment:
I am 78 yrs old have been on Effexor XR since it came on the market. It makes me feel cheerful but beware, it can quit on you in times of extreme stress. If you miss a dose (yes one dose) you can instantly be sent to brain hell. Brain zaps, ears ringing, excessive depression
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Reviewer: Experienced User, 75 or over on Treatment for 10 years or more (Patient)

Comment:
I have been on and off Effexor and now the generic venlafaxine for better than 15 years. It is human nature to think that when one feels better, medication is not required anymore. This might be true for some, but for me and I'm sure for others, depression will always return and we have to go back to a med that helped with previous episodes. For those expressing how awful the withdrawal sympto ... Show Full Comment

Comment:
I have been on and off Effexor and now the generic venlafaxine for better than 15 years. It is human nature to think that when one feels better, medication is not required anymore. This might be true for some, but for me and I'm sure for others, depression will always return and we have to go back to a med that helped with previous episodes. For those expressing how awful the withdrawal symptoms are, I have some advice. Out of ignorance, on my first withdrawal, I went cold turkey and it was rather unpleasant. My most recent withdrawal was very smooth but it took over 4 months. I use the capsules rather than the tablets and each capsule contains small pellets. I removed one pellet the first day, two the second and so on. Each capsule contained about 140 pellets and that's why it took over 4 months to wean myself off this drug, experiencing absolutely no withdrawal symptoms.
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Reviewer: ?, 75 or over Male on Treatment for 10 years or more (Patient)

Comment:
I started taking Venlafaxine ER in my late 60's for what I thought was a recent situational depression, only to discover I had been subject to a mild depression all my life, perhaps even from birth. Without that drug, I would have never known.

Comment:
I started taking Venlafaxine ER in my late 60's for what I thought was a recent situational depression, only to discover I had been subject to a mild depression all my life, perhaps even from birth. Without that drug, I would have never known.
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Reviewer: Psworrell , 45-54 Female on Treatment for 10 years or more (Patient)

Comment:
Never really addressed depression. My anxiety did lower. I just stopped having any emotions except anger. I developed eosinophil reaction on arms and esophagus after 21 years on med. Tried 3 times to taper off. Last try I used prozac to help taper and after 3 months am off completely. Never again. I'm off of it now 60 days. Still have brain zaps and headaches.

Comment:
Never really addressed depression. My anxiety did lower. I just stopped having any emotions except anger. I developed eosinophil reaction on arms and esophagus after 21 years on med. Tried 3 times to taper off. Last try I used prozac to help taper and after 3 months am off completely. Never again. I'm off of it now 60 days. Still have brain zaps and headaches.
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Reviewer: MizzTV, 35-44 Female on Treatment for 10 years or more (Patient)

Comment:
This drug saved my life.

Comment:
This drug saved my life.
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