Symptoms: Brain zaps, emotional blunting, cognitive impairment, suicidal ideation, severe anxiety/panic, GI disturbances, hypoglycaemia, constant abdominal pain, food sensitivities
In 2019 I was prescribed Effexor for anxiety. I took the lowest dose (37.5mg) for only two months. I have never been more ill in my life. I had constant nausea, constant stomach pain, diarrhea, constant hypoglycaemia no matter how much I ate. Sometimes I was close to passing out. My anxiety and depression were worse. Out of desperation to feel better, I stopped cold turkey after two months.
About eight months after that, I was still dealing with all of those symptoms to a lesser degree. To this day, now seven years later, I have food sensitivities I've never had before. I still deal with random nausea on a regular basis. My appetite still does not feel like it did before I took Effexor.
When my doctor prescribed it, she didn't mention it has a black box warning. If I'd have known, I would have never taken this medication. I found that out later.