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Yes.

Yes, I felt very anxious.

Very, very negative effects!

Day #3 of Effexor for me. I've noticed the social anxiety has decreased, but depression and a lack of motivation still lingers. I delayed in taking it today and had a bad headache. Also nausea and some dizziness. I'm not sure if I will continue on it.
My markers are COMT V158M rs4680 A/G+-

@CW6118 - I am also +/- for rs2032583
and your story + results on those meds sounds much like my experience. I was curious what finally led to or was the determining factor for your Autism diagnosis? After years of trying to get over my depression with what seems like literally every medical, natural, cognitive/behavioral, and even spiritual approaches imaginable without success, your post caught my attention. Any additional info is appreciated!

My report says I have increased odds of responding to treatment of depression with Elavil, Paxil, Effexor or Celexa, due to GA (+/-)genotype for rs2032583 compared to people with other genotypes. Other clinical, genetic or environmental factors may influence this outcome.
HOWEVER, I had a long history of treatment for depression starting with Prozac (Made me a nervous wreck), then Effexor (turned me into a zombie - still depressed, just didn't care and stopped complaining, so psych loved it!) and finally Seroxat (Paxil, which I can only describe as making me feel psychotic with terrifying and chaotic thoughts).
I actually made my breakthrough with CBT, coupled with good nutrition and careful management of stress. Now I'm supplementing Vitamin D and also taking Tyrosine as a precursor to Dopamine. Both of these seem to be helping. My genotype was flagged through silverberrygenomix.com as being susceptible to very low Vitamin D, as well as some B Vitamin deficiency and Choline deficiency.

I also recently had a formal diagnosis of Autism, which presumably went undetected as I was 'high functioning', high IQ etc, but it does explain many of the social problems I've had, which probably fed into development of ... More

My report says I have increased odds of responding to treatment of depression with Elavil, Paxil, Effexor or Celexa, due to GA (+/-)genotype for rs2032583 compared to people with other genotypes. Other clinical, genetic or environmental factors may influence this outcome.
HOWEVER, I had a long history of treatment for depression starting with Prozac (Made me a nervous wreck), then Effexor (turned me into a zombie - still depressed, just didn't care and stopped complaining, so psych loved it!) and finally Seroxat (Paxil, which I can only describe as making me feel psychotic with terrifying and chaotic thoughts).
I actually made my breakthrough with CBT, coupled with good nutrition and careful management of stress. Now I'm supplementing Vitamin D and also taking Tyrosine as a precursor to Dopamine. Both of these seem to be helping. My genotype was flagged through silverberrygenomix.com as being susceptible to very low Vitamin D, as well as some B Vitamin deficiency and Choline deficiency.

I also recently had a formal diagnosis of Autism, which presumably went undetected as I was 'high functioning', high IQ etc, but it does explain many of the social problems I've had, which probably fed into development of depression.

Key note here is that genetics are a beginning to identifying possible approaches, but the field is still in its very early stages. I definitely prefer to use it to identify and target possible deficiencies in natural nutrients rather than picking drugs to play with. Good healthy diet and environment along with good sleep and social support are most effective. Genomics has just helped me recognise some of the potential vulnerabilities I need to guard against. Less

I was on it for less than 2 weeks. In this short time all stress and anxiety had left. I was a walking dead person. I was almost in a car accident and couldn t have cared less. I went off cold turkey and had the most miserable night of my life...nightmares, hallucinations, aextreme anxiety. I would never touch that again.

I have been on it for years and it works really well for me. I have heard a lot about how bad the withdrawals are to come off of it though. If it comes time to come off I would just do it slowly and see how it goes!

Yes. I took it years ago and no problem but was prescribed recently and had leg swelling and hives.

I was on the highest dose of Effexor. It nearly ruined my life.

I Prefer Pristiq over the Effexor. They are mirror image compounds. The Pristiq has minimal side effects for me compared to my trying Effexor. Pristiq had been amazing and works wonders. But coming off either of them is very difficult process for sure.

I was only on it for 2 weeks. I couldn't stand it and went off cold turkey because it caused me not to care about any thing. I was completely flat lined. What a mistake going off cold turkey though.....Horrible anxiety...just off the charts. One of the worst nights of my life.

Had horrible withdrawal effects from Effexor XR. swishing sound when I looked right to left, dizzy, nausea/vomiting, difficulty concentrating. It was horrible and I was on a low dose.

I was on it for 10 years at the lowest possible dose, carefully withdrew over 12 months and had a terrible backlash and was forced to start it again because of crippling anxiety. I am once again lowering the dose to 37.5mg and hope to be successful. I have no genetic issue with it re this gene. @CK1268 am interested as to how you came up with the antihistamine

Although I did have a horrific withdrawal experience with Effexor, I found a solution that made life bearable again. It sounds too crazy to have worked, but it did. Antihistamines. Seriously. I did some internet research, and that's what I came up with, so I tried it. I figured what could it hurt. And it worked! I wasn't miraculously returned to pre-withdrawal bliss, but I could speak and think and even go back to work.

Yes. Mild psychosis. Was not cool. Only tried it twice. (Two of my best friends did have "positive" experiences with Effexor... but when they tried to wean off of the drug experienced horrific, disabling side effects.)

Effexor has been a miracle for me. I tried to get off of it once and had horrible withdrawal symptoms, but getting back on my meds has given me a life free of daily torture. I have lost a lot of my creativity and fluency as a result, but it has been more than worth it to me.

I have taken effexor for years and have never had any negative reaction.

yes! It tried to kill me! I've never taken anything with such extreme side effects in my life. I was on the lowest dose available. Effexor XR. I literally passed out in the shower the first day of taking it. I was sick as could be. I am +/- on this marker but I know from SNPedia that I have double mutation for ALL of the ABCB1 markers which is the transport gene for this and many other antidepressants.

My report says I should respond positively, and yet each of these meds rendered me unable to function, most specifically slowed all mental processes which were already an issue or I would not have been desperate enough to take the meds in the first place. Obviously other factors are in play.