I don't know about effexor, but I do know that every medication comes with a very long list of side effects that can be very scary and even scarier to people with anxiety because that's how people with anxiety tick. Everyone is different, so everyone is going to experience different side effects if any and each person will have varying degrees of relief of their symptoms.

If you are not comfortable taking effexor, then don't! There are many different drugs on the market that you can talk about with your doctor to find out which one is best for you. Some you won't know if they work well for you or not until you have given them a try.

Your doctor works for you, not the other way around. She is supposed to care how you feel, so you may need a different doctor. Either that, step up for yourself and tell her what you feel and what you need. You will probably need to get a referral to see a psychiatrist, so you need to ask her for one....and then you can talk to that person for a better prescription for you.

Hi, andrea.

I was on Effexor for a couple of years. It changed my life. I, like you, was diagnosed by my doctor, and she prescribed it for me. I was informed of the side effects, and still decided to take them.

Sometimes, and especially when extreme anxiety is involved, doctors will prescribe anti-depressants. The only major side effects I experienced were sexual. I lost all sexual urges and feelings for the first month or so. After that, once my body got used to the change, I started to come around. Some people claim that Effexor can become addicting, however I didn't experience this problem.

Your first couple of weeks on this medication might feel a bit weird. Your body is going through some chemical changes. I noticed that during my first week, my pupils were dilated and I felt a bit jumpy, but it wasn't anything too intense.

I definitely recommend it. Remember, though... Sometimes the side effects associated with many medications like effexor are a result of an already existing medical problem. So if you're healthy, you'll be fine.

Andrea

A lot of people has bad experiences with anti-depressants (Including my self and mister Effexor * HISSSS *) but that's not to say that you would have an adverse reaction to it.

Anti-Depressants is THE most difficult medication to prescribe. The medication that works for one person brilliantly might cause another to feel totally horrible and vice-versa. Like Marvel says, the first couple of weeks is usually the worste.

The most important is that you keep your doctor informed so she/he can keep an eye on it to know if you need a different dosage and/or medication.

I was taken off of Effexor after a trial of nearly two months didn't work out for me...I am ok'ish with my current prescription (Altough it has dwindled in it's effectiveness and my dosage has now been doubled).

Finding the right medication for you IS going to take time.

Hang in there and All of the best!

You can come and cry...hmm maybe not on my left-shoulder cus it's in spasmism again and I don't want another three cortezone injections ...but you most definately can come and cry on my right shoulder if you ever need to!