"started on pristiq after my dad passed away two years ago, and i was to the point i couldn&#039;t handle life.  it was great; i was happy, i could cope, i didn&#039;t gain too much weight (a little maybe, but i wasn&#039;t &quot;obsessed&quot; with food). my sex drive was pretty much gone though.  because of lack of sex drive, and sudden migraines, i went off it after a year.  tried to start taking it again, and it just wasn&#039;t working anymore.  the number one thing i would warn people about is that it&#039;s really hard to stop taking this medication. the side effects with the withdrawals are brain shocks, depression, blurry vision, confusion, exhaustion.  "