effexor xr has been a good med for me. No problem with weight gain. does aid with pain relief

I took Effexor for about a year & then switched to generic Zoloft b/c I was still feeling really low. Getting off Effexor made me absolutely evil & every single thing bugged me! It was really tough for about 10 days, but it was around Christmas time, so I felt like a jerk for feeling so icky! I've been on Zoloft for the last 3 yrs or so; a low dose of 50mg. This past fall, I was really feeling down, so I asked for my Dr. to up the dosage, which he did, to 100 mg per day. It hasn't adversely affected me & I don't feel so down. This winter w/ all the snow, but mostly no sun, has been tough, but seeing my Spring bulbs peeking out tells me that warmer, sunnier weather is on the way! Good luck w/ whatever you choose! ~R

That’s odd … Lithium isn’t necessarily for depression … perhaps your neurologist can suggest a psychiatrist/neurologist?

I have been taking Effector XR for 22 years. I love it, but it isn't helping anymore. I need a new one, but docs at the hospital kept pushing Lithium. I won't take that.

My daughter, 31, and I have been on Effexor (it has another name too, maybe the generic) for mild Anxiety at different times in our lives. My doctor said it is one of the safer drugs, rarely has any side affects. Could be fine on it for a long time. However it is one of the harder drugs to wean off of if you want to try being drug free. Go through a little bit of a withdrawal. I eventually switched to Welbutrin (Bupropion is the Generic). Easier to wean off of or reduce dose and go back up when needed. Need to wean off Effexor slowly by reducing amount of pills per week. Doctor can help with that schedule. Daughter likes the Effexor. Got her through her Wedding year!