"i have been on pristiq now for about 15 months. i started on 50mg, which only worked for part of the day, i had to be bumped up to 100mg. i can&#039;t remember any immediate side effects, apart from maybe a little headache and dilated pupils due to a sudden burst of energy. they give you a burst of adrenaline. now the medication has well and truly settled into my system, my body and mind now rely on it for me to actually function. if i miss a morning pill, by mid afternoon i am grouchy, prone to mood swings, tired and sleepy. if i miss two days, i am severely tired, sad, prone to rage and severe swings of depression. i have severe photosensitivity if i miss a pill. i have tripled the freckles on my body, my eyes cannot deal with bright lights."