Although brain shivers is a less common side effect, we’ve got several members of the Venlafaxine Forum often complain of brain shivers, zaps, and headaches in general.
Steve says:
Been getting what I can only describe as “brain shivers”, a dizzy type sensation which I get on and off through the day? I’m sure that I have heard this discussed - anybody had this?
Byllyc says:
I had them for about 2 and 1/2 weeks after stopping effexor. yes, that dizzy type sensation and the frequent “ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ” going through my head. at times i was afraid to stand in a puddle as i thought i would fry myself from all the static electricity i felt in my head. (just kidding) it did get better and i was completely free from the shivers and zaps after about 3 weeks. did you just stop taking effexor?
If you’ve experienced similar Venlafaxine side effects, please share them here.
One of the more common side effects of Venlafaxine is its effect on the libido. In general sexual desire decreases and some of the members of the Venlafaxine Forum have shared that their orgasms come late or not at all:
It’s a great starting point for those who wonder why Venlafaxine increase the mood but also decrease the sexual satisfaction. It seems that SSRIs and SNRIs have this side effect in common even if some are known to have less impact. Sexual disfunction is not only annoying, but may also affect the relationship quality with a partner and this side effect certainly play a crucial role in the mental well being of one’s life if he must take an AD for a long period of time.
Venlafaxine is 4 part Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibator and 1 part Norepinephrine Selective Reuptake Inhibitor. The molecule is known to have a superior affinity with the post synaptic serotonine receptor if compared to other SSRIs. The thing is, Wyeth chosen to market Effexor as an SNRI while some other common SSRIs also acts on those two receptors as well. Even Cymbalta witch is supposed to be better balanced show a better affinity with 5-HT receptors (witch uses serotonin as neurotransmitter) than NE (witch uses norepinephrine..).
If you’ve experienced similar Venlafaxine side effects, please share them here.
According to official research, Venlafaxine (Effexor®) has been shown to cause weight gain but not as severe as has been reported with the SSRIs paroxetine (Paxil®), fuoxetine (Prozac®), and sertraline (Zoloft®).
Despite this fact, members of the Venlafaxine Forum have serious issues with weight gain:
been on effexor 11 years varying from 75mg and 150mg. at the moment im on 75mg. no one seems to want to help just want to keep me on them. have taken 2 overdoses in the last 2 years. when i have treis to come off effexor i get terrible feeling of ‘not being here’ blurred vision and headaches. also if the doctor gives me less amount tablets i end up doubling up the tablets ! so im not coming off them at all!! do i need hospitalization to come off effexor as it has been so long? last time i tried to come off was one of the suicide attempts. please help!!! Also, it seems that I gain weight slowly but surely …
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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.