Review of Effexor for Depression

Effexor is a popular medication for depression. It’s a type of drug known as a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SSNRI). It affects the rate at which serotonin and norepinephrine are absorbed in the brain.

I’ve struggled with major depression for most of my life. I’ve tried more than 30 different prescription drugs to treat my depression. Many drugs were simply ineffective for me, while others caused significant side effects. Of all the medications I’ve tried, Effexor has been by far the most effective.

Despite taking Effexor for several years, my depression is not cured. I still struggle with symptoms of depression on a fairly regular basis. However, my symptoms do improve significantly when I’m taking Effexor. There have been a couple of times I needed to discontinue the drug for a while, and my symptoms worsened. They improved once I was able to restart the medication.

Like other selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, and most other antidepressants, Effexor does not take effect immediately. It may take two to four weeks before symptoms improve. I began to notice a difference in my mood within two weeks, though it continued to improve over the next few weeks, as well.

One of the things I like best about Effexor is that I experience minimal side effects while taking it. Other people may experience more severe side effects, but perhaps the most noticeable for me is a dry mouth. Dry mouth is a common side effect of many antidepressants, and some medications have made my mouth so dry I developed sores in my mouth and on my tongue, but that’s not the case with Effexor. I just get thirsty often and try to keep a drink handy at all times. Of course, as with all medications, Effexor can cause many other side effects in some patients.

For a while, I was on a very high dose of Effexor, 450 mg. At that time, my blood pressure become elevated and for a while I had to take medication to treat high blood pressure. However, I am currently on 300 mg Effexor and my blood pressure is perfectly normal.

Effexor is available in both an extended release version and a non-extended release version. Most people take that extended release version because it only needs to be taken once a day, which of course is more convenient that taking a medication three or four times a day. I used the extended release version for a long time, but after I had gastric bypass surgery, I was advised to switch to the non-extended release version because gastric bypass patients do not absorb extended release drugs correctly. My only complaint about the non-extended release Effexor is that it tastes terrible. I swallow the tablet as quickly as I can but it still touches my tongue, and the taste is very unpleasant and it lingers in my mouth even after I swallow it.

Perhaps the biggest downside to Effexor that I have found, personally, is the discontinuation or withdrawal symptoms. The manufacturer of Effexor warns that the drug should not be discontinued abruptly; it needs to be tapered off slowly to prevent, or at least minimize, symptoms of withdrawal. Once I came off Effexor too quickly and I experienced horrible muscle and joint pain, nausea, fatigue, and dizziness, as well as worsening symptoms of depression.

Of course, different people may respond differently to any medication. I’ve been very pleased with Effexor, though. I really think it saved my life.

Sources:

Web MD. http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-1836-Effexor+Oral.aspx?drugid=1836&drugname;=Effexor+Oral. Effexor Oral.

Drugs.com. http://www.drugs.com/effexor.html. Effexor.

Effexor XR. http://www.effexorxr.com/about-effexor/discontinuation-withdrawal.aspx. Managing Discontinuation.