My (mostly) positive experience. Thought I would share pros/cons.

I’ve noticed quite a few horror stories on here, so I thought I’d share my positive experience because I know there’s some folks out there who can benefit.

My personal experience:

I struggled with negative intrusive thoughts, anxiety, panic, low appetite and weight loss. I started my half dose (37.5mg) and eventually bumped up to 75mg XR, a few weeks in is when I began to notice a significant difference.

I don’t get nearly as wound up as I once did, things feel a bit slower/easier to digest. I do still have moments, but in combination with CBT reworking your psyche feels much more obtainable. My intrusive/suicidal ideation has essentially disappeared.

I had been on Effexor for roughly two years before deciding to taper off, a year later I decided to refill my prescription due to some conflicts in my life at the moment. Its made all the difference.

Now, cons. I don’t have many, but I will list them below:

• Brain zaps (stay consistent with your dosage times and this is completely avoidable)

• Initial sexual disinterest, I am still able to perform although sex drive is lower than usual. After a couple months you’re back to normal (it will take you longer to reach orgasm, though).

• Weight gain, I personally welcomed this side effect as I’m quite thin and my appetite was low but I thought it would be worth mentioning. I gained roughly 5-10lbs over 3 months (with regular exercise).

• Body temperature, I’m typically a person who runs cold but since starting I’ve become more sensitive to the heat. Sweating a bit more than usual, especially at night.

There you go! I hope this information can help someone on here, it’s not all doom and gloom! It’s not for everyone, but give it a few months before you call it quits and taper off.