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Author
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Anonymous
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Review Date: Sat July 1, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: $20.00| Rating: 7
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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works as both a anti anxiety/ anti depressant
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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sexual side effects and light headedness
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works well if you can tolerate the side effects. If you're bi-polar take it with a mood stabilizer.
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Anonymous
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Review Date: Sun July 2, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 0
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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None
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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Feel worse then when started taking medication
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This medication is scientically proven to be bad for your body and is over prescribed by many doctors.
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Anonymous
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Review Date: Fri August 11, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 10
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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It helped alot with my anxiety and depression with minimal or zero side effects
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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Getting used to the medications side effect wise wasn't fun.
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Buying this perscription can sometimes be expensive for me, when you don't work etc, but i'm on a drug plan that helps to pay for it, I pay in quarters hense the wide rang in price.
Overall this drug so far has been the best one i've been on for my depression and anxiety. I've been dealing with meds for 10+ yrs so to finally find something that seems to be working all of the time is a great feeling.
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emma_jayne
Member
Registered: August 2006
Location: uk
Posts: 43
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Review Date: Thu August 17, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 4
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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once it starts working it works well and done the job
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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i personally experianced extreme side effects on effexor and when coming of them slowly as directed by my doctor i would pysically shake and had extreme withdrawal symtoms.
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When effexor had taking effect after 2-3 weeks it was a life saver and it did work really well for me, however I personally found effexor hard to cope with when starting them (getting used the side effects)and weening my self of the (coping with the withdrawles. However effexor effects people differently and might not have the same effect on other people.
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SongBirdandDaisy
Grand Poohbah
Registered: January 2006
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 1715
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Review Date: Fri September 1, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 2
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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I had more good days than bad days on Effexor than anyother anti-depressant
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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side effects included terrible itching, uncontrolled sugar cravings, extreme anxiety, irritability
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It did work for depression, but the mood was unstable, going up and down constantly. The side-effects, especially weight gain was intolerable. The anxiety and irritability was affecting everything in my life. Sleeping was also very difficult and I had to readjust when to take in the evening.
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candybear
Grand Magnate
Managing Editor, PC
Registered: April 2004
Location: the frozen tundra
Posts: 4835
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Review Date: Fri September 8, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 10
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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last lineof defense for treatment-resistant depression
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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THE BRAIN ZAPS!!!
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Effexor literally has saved my life. Which is not to say I haven't gotten severely depressed on it, but I credit it with being the reason I'm still walking around on the planet.
I only experienced the brain zaps -- kind of like a lightning storm in your head, very unsettling and uncomfortable -- when being cold-turkeyed off it for physical illness reasons. I don't get them as a normal part of taking the med (which I got put back on at a reduced dose).
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tiger78
Junior Member
Registered: September 2006
Location: South - USA
Posts: 7
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Review Date: Sat September 9, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: $0.75| Rating: 8
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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works within about 5 to 7 days and side effects do subside
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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side effects are tough to handle at first - you can not work and begin this med
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I started taking this med at night because I thought it made me sleepy. About 10 days into my treatment I moved it to the am because I was waking every night at 1:00 am and unable to go back to sleep even taking Lunesta. This drug complete zapped my appetite - and I lost 15 pounds in a month. So make sure if you are not eating to at least supplement your diet with protien shakes. That will help your body get the nutrients to help your brain. PLease note - and I learned this the very hard way - alcohol in a large amount will deplete the cummulative effects of Effexor and you will START THE PROCESS OVER GETTING YOUR SYSTEM READJUSTED. I have just completed the readjusted process and again went through all side effects that have generally passed. But I do caution you on the alcohol - don't think they stress that as much as they should.
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Anonymous
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Review Date: Sat September 9, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 1
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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none
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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i lost 38 lbs. didn't eat but every two or three days
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effexor, for me, was the worst AD that i know about. coming off of it took months and i thought i was going to die while tapering.
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MyBestKids2
Moderator
Community Support Team
Registered: September 2006
Location: Yellow Brick Road
Posts: 5466
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Review Date: Mon September 11, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 1
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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none
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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all
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Did NOT work for me.
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DizzyLizzy
Member
Registered: August 2006
Location: New England
Posts: 20
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Review Date: Mon September 11, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 9
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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did help depression and anxiety
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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nausea, hard to taper off of
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I found Effexor to be helpful for my anxiety and depression, but the nausea side effect started causing weight loss. Tapering off to discontinue the medication was difficult in terms of side effects. The worst tapering side effect were headaches and a buzzing/zapping in my head and body. Overall, I think it's a great med, until you have to stop taking it.
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jmo531
Elder
Registered: December 2004
Posts: 6106
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Review Date: Wed September 13, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 9
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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helps me with my anxiety, ocd and depression
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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in the begining the vivid, weird dreams. Sexual side effects.
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I have had a good experience with Effexor XR. I did have horrible dreams when first taking this medication but it did stop shortly there after. I have forgotten to take the medication a few times which has caused huge headaches. Even increasing or decreasing this med dosage can have that effect. Overall, I am pleased with the medication and the results I have had.
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eskielover
Magnate
Registered: October 2004
Location: Harrodsburg, Kentucky, USA
Posts: 2661
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Review Date: Thu September 14, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 5
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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dizziness, migraine pain, lack of appetite
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Effexor was another medication that effected my blood pressure. The nausea causing the lack of appetite was causing even lower weight loss. The migraine pain didn't go away with time either, so again, this med was stopped. It was tried again about a year later with the same effects.
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darkeyes
Moderator
Community Support Team
Registered: May 2001
Location: US
Posts: 9698
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Review Date: Fri September 15, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 4
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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subtle improvment
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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caused drowsiness,blunted emotion,just didn't seem to address my depression
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This was one of the different SSRI's my GP tried with me,none made a huge different.
Being evaluated by a psychiatrist,and put on proper meds has been the thing that helped me.
GP's aren't qualified to substitute a Psychiatrist.
This is one of the reasons many aren't having such huge success with the SSRI's,you need to have a professional in the mental health field work with you,dosaing and possible change or adding a med. Effexor,Zoloft,Paxil,Prozac,Lexapro,Celexa,etc. are medications that too many GP's are handing out like lollipops. I'm sure SSRI's if properly prescribed,followed,and if the patient goes for some form of therapy can help.
Another down fall with SSRI's,they poop out after awhile,which in time a change in med will be needed.
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halfdead
New Member
Registered: September 2006
Location: Dickinson, North Dakota, USA
Posts: 2
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Review Date: Sun September 17, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 10
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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The BEST AD for extreme Depression
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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For BP you MUST be on mood stabilizer
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I've been on Zoloft, Paxil, Prozac, Wellbutrin, plus a couple others I can't remember the name of and none of them worked like this does. I would only recommend it for extreme depression. And for BP it will cause mania if not taken with good mood stabilizers.
Also this has very severe withdrawl effects.
IF YOU DIDN'T KNOW THIS ALREADY... EFFEXOR IS NOT A SSRI EFFEXOR IS A SNRI....
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Ellavemia
New Member
Registered: October 2006
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Sun October 1, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 5
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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helped depression at first
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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required increasing dosages, not working as effectively as it did
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At 300 mg of Effexor XR per day, I am not seeing the results that I once had. I'm not sure if the lack of libido is attributed to Effexor. I'm also not sure if my weight gain is associated with the drug, but I have gained weight since going on it.
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mags0705
New Member
Registered: October 2006
Location: NY
Posts: 4
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Review Date: Tue October 31, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 8
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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reduction in anxiety and depressive symptoms
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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withdrawl effects
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I really like Effexor, I think it has been a Godsend to me, but the withdrawl effects are just terrible. If I am off taking it by a few hours, I get very dizzy, not able to concentrate, very irritated, blurred vision.... The side effects are worth it though...
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abilifyguy
Member
Registered: November 2006
Location: Memphis, TN
Posts: 72
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Review Date: Wed November 1, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 10
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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Works great for severe depression
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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poop-out
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Helps for severe depression when pure ssri's don't work. I had to increase the dose several times because it would stop working as well as at first. After increasing to 300mg/day I realized I'd have to do something different. I've started taking L-Tyrosine 4000mg/day (first thing in the morning on an empty stomach) to increase my norepinephrine levels. This brought back all the good effects of effexor: elevated mood and clear mind; no more brain fog!
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Special_K
Newly Joined
Registered: July 2008
Location: Georgia, US
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Review Date: Thu November 2, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 6
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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When people find it works it really does work
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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When people find it doesn't work coming off of it is horrid
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Effexor sounds pretty bloody amazing... A drug that treats anxiety and depression, which is great given that there is a significant correlation. I've heard some people swear by it and say it really really helped them. It didn't make an appreciable difference to me (but then I have personality disorder dx so medications are likely to be less effective).
When I decided to stop taking it after a day I noticed hot and cold flushes, dizziness, feeling faint, feeling nauseous, feeling stomach pain. That lasted a couple of days, but I've heard some people have side effects that persist a lot longer than that.
It is possible to gradually reduce the dosage (by splitting capsules). This is best done over a long period with a gradual reduction because side effects of stopping this one can be severe.
I'd say it is worth trying but I would be aware that Effexor seems to be the new Prozac (i.e. the current 'wonderdrug' hence over prescribed).
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Rebound
Veteran Member
Registered: December 2004
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada
Posts: 355
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Review Date: Mon November 6, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 8
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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works quicky, effective
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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persistant nausea, loss of appetite.
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I've only just started taking this and so far it seems to be working well. The nausea is a little hard to take but so far it has been manageable. However, considering increased appetite is listed as a possible side-effect, I'm a little surprised that mine seems to have decreased instead.
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catcoon50
New Member
Registered: November 2006
Posts: 5
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Review Date: Fri November 17, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: $4.50| Rating: 10
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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has prevented recurrence of major depressive episodes for over 7 yrs now, when I am taken off of it, I relapse.
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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none
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Have been treated with it off and on for over 10 years now. Every time a psychiatrist would try a new/different med, I would relapse and go back into the black hole of depression. I finally quit accepting changes 2 years ago and have not had a relapse since.
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ouch
Veteran Member
Registered: June 2006
Posts: 324
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Review Date: Tue November 21, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? No |
Total Spent: None indicated| Rating: 3
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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helped a bit with my depression
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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could not sleep, withdrawal is horrible when you taper it off!
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The withdrawal effects when you go off of it is horrible - drowsiness, itchiness, dizziness...
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Xilber
New Member
Registered: December 2006
Posts: 3
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Review Date: Fri December 1, 2006
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Would you recommend the product? Yes |
Total Spent: $1.00| Rating: 6
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Positive aspects of the product (pros):
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motivation, appetite suppressant
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Negative aspects of the product (cons):
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very difficult to achieve orgasm
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Took this drug two different times for depression. Both times it helped me start and maintain a health regimen for a while. It never really boosted my mood, but I did feel better about my health. After about 3 months the motivational effects started to wain, and my mood was just flat. Achieving orgasm can be extremely difficult (and I am | |
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