Need others info on why Effexor is bad for you

Hi Kimmi. I can only tell you about my experience. I started taking Effexor (FX for short) about six month ago. I felt a lot of anxiety and jitteriness, and my stomach was very upset right from the get-go. I began to taper off this past Feb/March, and went down by 2 mgs a week -- considered a very slow taper -- from 37.5 mgs to zero. For about 6 weeks during the taper I was feeling good, lots of energy and my mood was good. Then the big depressions started hitting me and now there are days wehn I can barely get out of bed. I am told this could go on for another 5 or 6 months, but no one really knows. I would caution you that we are all different and our bodies/brains react differently, so your experience might be different. I am a woman, 71, and have been taking antidepressants of one sort or another since the early 1980s. So who knows? Good luck!

I think my biggest issues while on Effexor for years were the sexual side effects of no libido and difficulty orgasming (sorry to be so specific), and the emotional anesthesia that prevented me from feeling love and attachment.  I couldn't feel excitement about anything.  However, I think it also amplified some of my insecurities and I had some overly strong reactions to stress where I would completely fall apart. Suicidal ideation would come at those times.  My husband would remark that I was getting myself too worked up.  This really wasn't like me before meds.

I had ongoing insomnia over the years, never slept solidly on Effexor.  They say it is very activating so I guess that's how it manifested.

So, feeling the bad way too deeply, but not feeling the good, never could feel true joy and excitement.  Motivation suffered, too.

Hi Kimmi, 

I'm on 300mg of effexor at the moment, and I have to say, I've actually never felt better. I've noticed that I have around 2 days a week of amplified depression, but I would happily accept 2 days of hell in return for 5 days of happiness which I would've never previously had before. I admit that effexor can make me feel a bit jittery, I sometimes feel sick in the mornings, and although I'm finding it far easier to fall asleep on the drug, I wake up a lot earlier than I would've done beforehand. I do think coming off the drug would be hard, but as I've already said, I don't think effexor is a drug that is 'bad for you'. I think it's one that is a lifesaver for some people, and not good for others, and can't really be classified in simpler terms. Withdrawal effects can be horrible, headaches and nausea and terrible mood swings are the main lows, but I honestly think that if it's a drug that works for you whilst you're on it, then it's worth the eventual withdrawal in the long run. 

Why only look for the bad, what about the good? I know a lot of people struggle coming off Effexor but I don't think I am one of them. I do have drug side effects but it is difficult to know which drug causes what as I am also on anti-psychotics and epilepsy medication. Anyway I too have trouble orgasming and get terrible sweats when I do anything slightly strenious. I think both of these are down to Effexor. I have also put on a lot of weight but I expect that is down to the anti-psychotics? Overall Effexor has been a good medication for me as although the side effets are bad they are no way as bad as the original symptoms which left me suicidal.

If it is working for you then I would just accept that as a good thing and get on with life. No point in looking for problems that might not be there.

BW, BM.