"i&#039;ve been on effexor for about 2 years. it&#039;s changed my life completely. before i went to rehab and before i was on it, i couldn&#039;t get out of bed for days at a time. it gives me energy and motivation! however, the withdrawal symptoms are horrific. if i miss a dose, i get severe headaches. i feel like there are fireworks going off in my head. last year, i had to go the er because i couldn&#039;t breathe or stop shaking after 3 weeks of cutting it cold turkey (due to an insurance error). this is definitely not the drug for people who regularly miss doses or have problems with addiction pills. it&#039;s not for everyone, but works great for me."