Although muscle twitching is a less common side effect, some members of the Venlafaxine Forum often complain of muscle twitching, muscle cramps or spasms, muscle pain or stiffness.
Here’s one account:
I’m a 26 year old male and have recently been diagnosed with Anxiety (GAD)/ Depression. Anxiety is my main issue. I noticed a year ago that I was getting a lot of shoulder pain(with no knowledge of an injury), my trap muscles felt really tight. I went on anti inflam meds, creams and physio, it helped but the discomfort always returned. Last November I started having difficulty falling and staying asleep. My doctor give me Ambiem, which helped for the first few weeks but the effect wore off. I also began to notice that I got worked up over little issues, I became forgetful and irritable,unable to stay focused, felt fatigued and losing interest in things I usually enjoy doing. I saw my doctor a week ago and give her all my symptoms, she said I had Anxiety and Depression and recommended I tried Effexor XL 75. She explained that this drug has had success treating Depression in high doses, but is used to treat Anxiety in lower doses. She also give me Zopiclone 7.5 (x 2 at night) for sleep.
I’ve been on Effexer XL six days now. I batted with nausea and constipation for the first couple of days (and nearly give up!). But I stuck with it and thankfully these awful effects wore off as my body got used to the drug. It has diminshed my libido (doc warned it might). I usually take it between 1pm-2pm with food. I’ve heard some people take it before bed???
If you’ve experienced similar Venlafaxine side effects, please share them here.