Venlafaxine is an antidepressant medication. It affects chemicals in your brain that may become unbalanced and cause depression. Effexor is an SSRI.

Specific Uses for Effexor:
Venlafaxine is used to relieve symptoms of depression such as feelings of sadness, worthlessness, or guilt; loss of interest in daily activities; changes in appetite; tiredness; sleeping too much; insomnia; and thoughts of death or suicide. Venlafaxine is also used to relieve symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder.

Effexor Side Effects:
Anxiety, constipation, delayed orgasm, depression, difficulty breathing, dizziness, dry mouth, itching, loss of appetite, loss of strength, nausea, nervousness, problem urinating, sedation, skin rash, sleepiness / sleeplessness, sweating, tingling hands / feet, tremors, vomiting, unusual dreams, weight loss, or weakness, Abnormal speech, bleeding / irritated gums, chest pain, dry skin, ear pain, hair loss, excessive salivation, migraines, seizures, sensitivity to sun, soft stools, stomach irritation, suicide attempts, taste disorders, tongue discoloring, thyroid changes, or problems with vision.
(If you experience any of the above serious side effects, stop taking Effexor and seek emergency medical attention or contact your doctor immediately)

Prescription Drug Warnings for Effexor:
Effexor can cause severe withdrawal symptoms. Do not take more than the prescribed amount of medication or take it for longer than is directed by your doctor. Withdrawal effects may occur if Effexor is stopped suddenly after several weeks of continuous use.

Do not take venlafaxine if you have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor ( MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) in the last 14 days.

Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol may increase drowsiness, dizziness, and confusion while you are taking venlafaxine.

Venlafaxine is in the FDA pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether venlafaxine will harm an unborn baby. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant.

Do not stop taking venlafaxine without the approval of your doctor. It may be 4 weeks or more before you begin to feel better, and you may require continuous treatment for quite some time. Talk to your doctor before you stop taking this medication.

Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardous activities. Venlafaxine may cause dizziness or drowsiness. If you experience dizziness or drowsiness, avoid these activities.

Alternatives to SSRI:
If you are considering taking an SSRI like Effexor, I would ask that you give an alternate solution a try. SSRI’s did nothing for me but make me dependant on them and when I tried to stop taking them, I sank into very deep states of depression for weeks at a time. When you stop taking the SSRI, it will really mess up the chemical balance in your brain. Remember, by taking an SSRI, your brain is synthetically forced to create the chemicals in the brain that help to rebalance your condition. When these chemicals are no longer being forced into your body by the SSRI, the results can be hazardous and dangerous. If you start taking an SSRI, plan on taking it for a very long time as it is very hard to quit and stay sane. In addition, you will literally spend thousands of dollars on prescription costs over the years you have to take the drug.

There are a few excellent alternative solutions out there. Remember that chemical balancers like Effexor, or even alternative medicines can help relieve the symptoms, but they can’t help you to cope with your emotions. Developing proper coping techniques to identify and address feelings related to anxiety and depression is the best way to find permanent, long term relief.