Effexor

[Judy7469]

I have been on Effexor XR 225 mg. daily for 8 years.  While it has effectively reduced my depression, I am experiencing severe mental fog.  I cannot concentrate, my short and long term memory are seriously affected.
I know I am getting worse every day and it is affecting my marriage.
Is anyone else having the same problems?

[Painter397]

I had the exact same situation early this year plus rising levels of irritability.  I was on 150 mg for 4 years.  In early May I started to taper down to 75 and in June 37.5.  I have been completely off for 45 days.  Recently the fog and memory have gotten better, but I also started to taper my caffeine down by half in that same time so what made the difference is unknown to me.  In my case, I think caffeine dependence compounds my matters greatly.  

I decided to go off the med rather than go up to 225.

So far it has been a rough rough ride but It also took 3 months of pure misery to get used to the medicine.  I have every reason to think getting off the med will be just as hard and long.  I took the medicine for anxiety which was related to mostly job stress.  I never had depression until I started to take the med in that first 3 months. That was about as bad as it gets.

Anyway please keep me posted on how you are doing.

  

[MMahon]

Memory loss is a known side effect of Effexor.  see

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venlafaxine#Memory_loss