Effexor - Anyone have a good experience?

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Hello All, this is a follow on from a current thread regarding the withdrawal effects of Effexor.

I have just been swapped from Sertraline (Zoloft) to Effexor due to side effects.

Has anyone had a good result from using this drug?

Depending on what side effects you had with the Zoloft, Effexor may or may not work out for you. I hope you can tolerate it ok!

I personally had pretty bad insomnia on Zoloft which turned into almost complete sleeplessness when I was switched to Effexor. I had to actually stop after about a week of taking it because it was so bad.

Thanks for your reply.

I'm also a week in and feeling slow and lethargic myself, could sleep all day and half the night.

Isn't it bizarre and fascinating how people can have opposite reactions to the same drug?

I have found when I am sleepy on a medication that sometimes it goes away after about 1-3 weeks or so on it. But some people are different, and they will always be slowed down even if they wait it out. If it is not bugging you too much it is probably worth the wait.

I keep hearing such bad things about Effexor; I wonder, too, if there is anyone here who has done well on it...

Effexor reduced my anxiety, but it also left me feeling flat. A family member died while I was on it and I felt...nothing. Between that and the withdrawal effect of being late on a dose, I decided to get off it.

Yes, I've been on Effexor XR for several months now with positive results. It is important to note straight off that I have taken several anti-depressant and anti-psychotic medications for depression and OCD. Apparently I am fairly resistant to the side effect profile many of these meds have. Only two meds caused meaningfully bothersome side effects for me: Zoloft (irritability, drowsiness) and Seroquel (weight gain). I mention this here as I am aware that Effexor has a reputation for many unpleasant side effects, so my relative resistance to side effects from this class of med is likely part of the reason I have had success with it.

I experience no side effects from generic Effexor (venlafaxine) and have been stable as far as depression is concerned while on it. Positive response for me. However, Effexor is not the most effective SSNRI I have taken. That award goes to Cymbalta. Unfortunately Cymbalta is still on patent and prohibitively expensive. I couldn't afford to stay on it, so switched to Effexor in hopes that it would be mostly as effective. And it has been. I will switch back to Cymbalta when it becomes available as a generic.

I currently take 150mg venlafaxine xr capsules.

Thanks again everyone.

I came off the Zoloft as it was making me extremely anxious and stressed. The Effexor is better in that regard but I don't like the brain fog. Working on a roof at the moment so being spaced out is far from ideal.