I have been taking this drug for years after trying many that did not work. When taking it all is well it has actually been a life saver for me. What people do not realize before taking it that you sign up for life with it. I do not think gp's should be allowed to prescribe it to just anyone. This is not a drug you simply stop taking as I believe it changes your brain chemistry permanently.without it I am worse than before I started. With it I am better than ever. Nobody really knows what damage this drug causes over the long term. My memory is terrible now with or without it. Although I never would have been able to complete two college degrees without it. My depression and anxiety would have made that impossible. It is a trade off and a risk that needs to be known before ever taking it. Disontinuing this drug cold turkey can literally kill you. Had I known this I probably would have made a more informed decision before taking it. In my opinion drugs for depression and anxiety need great improvement. Do I think a lawsuit is warranted for damages this drug causes. in my opinion it's not so much the drug but more the lack of information that doctors know or give to patients before prescribing it. All drugs carry risk but I simply did not receive any information about the risks when I started it so long ago. Mental healthcare is a complete joke in the United States. It is a total failure as far as support goes and many are left behind to figure it out for themselves. I am sure that I know more about Effexor now than the physician that originally prescribed it to me. They readily admit they don't know how it really works. It's all trial and error. It seems when there are errors and there are many it is just written off the same way an engineer writes off a design flaw and the part or person in this case is thrown in the garbage.
I think there is a serious broken system here, it starts with the lack of research and studies with the pharmaceutical companies, these drugs are thrown onto the market fast, and innocent people are the victims. The lies, flawed studies and information, discontinuation syndrome is a nice way to say "Hey you will get really addicted to this, and its hard as hell to ever break free. We have got you by the balls, so we can continue to make money from your vulnerabilities, and if you live through taking this stuff, Hell that's great. ! Even if you try to get off, you will have permanent damage. The companies have every thing nicely covered up, discontinuation syndrome, (addiction) Its not the right drug for you, if you feel suicidal, its your illness not the drug, hell no. Its the drug, making you depressed and sick. I agree some Doctors and Psych's, do not have a clue, how dangerous these drugs are, its criminal. If they don't know, don't give them out. There heads are clearly in the sand, cause they are possibly getting paid by the drug companies, and listening to false marketing. Unless you have lost a loved one, to suicide from anti depressants or lost your whole family, people don't listen. The whole system is killing people and breaking apart families. Children are dying. I think now 60 to 70% of the whole world is on anti depressants. I just have to talk to people on a daily basis, and learn more and more people are on them, not by choice, they were given them to easily, and now they are hooked, marketed as a happy pill, and not a dangerous psychological highly possible homicidal or suicidal killer ! I know of three people that have killed themselves while on antidepressants, all via hanging. Another friend just recently spoke of having continued thoughts of tying a noose, they are on Efexor xr. The companies continue to spin their evil marketing tactics to make billions. Research what you are shoving down your throat, its your body, and don't believe what your Doctors tells you. Anti depressants is like another form of genocide.
Thanks! Debra
Please get in touch with me about this!!! I began tapering last a week ago. I was on XR 150mg for 5 years due to Depression and General Anxiety Disorder and was cut down to 75mg. The first day on that dose, I was beyond angry and irritable. I am the calmest person you will ever meet and being angry was extremely out of character. I told my dr the following day and i was bumped up an additional 37.5 mg. I was also getting the zaps, weakness, nightmares, crying fits, etc.
I am hurting and struggling more than I ever had on any other medications (and that's a lot)
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Get on youtube....do a search for effexor withdrawals. Most Doctors aren't clear on just how slow you need to decrease. I can't be any clearer than to say: BABY STEPS...This is going to take time. I know as well as any of you how badly you want to stop taking it and get it out of your body. But if you want to succeed you have to slow down the process. Even with that being said, it's going to be difficult but you have to take it slow. There's no other way. There are things that can help you through it and you'll hear all about it on YouTube. Don't spend time being agry about it. Work towards keeping yourself as calm as possible. Anger feeds many other physical symptoms and you don't need that right now. I started out looking to make someone pay for the damage that's been done to me. That time would have been better spent getting well again. Being angry all the time about it will make you physically and emotionally worse. Make a decision that is best for you and go slow.
I'm very interested in joining any law suit against Effexor. I weened myself off this pill for months. The day of my final dose, my stomach turned to Armageddon. I couldn't possibly have weened myself more slowly. I'm on loperamide (immodium) and have remained on it for months. Even so, I'm still riddled with side effect, long lasting sinus infections, throat infections, and my stomach is a complete disaster. I'd love to sue Wyeth/Pfizer back into the stone age.
This is the age of whistleblowers and with a pill this bad, I wonder where the whistleblowers are.
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Hi I just started taking Effexor 75 mg a few mths ago for fibromyalgia / depression / anxiety , I am very interested in speaking to you. Thank you so much , I have lots of questions and I am now very concerned bout this medicine.
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While on the medication, I do not experience obvious side effects but then again I've been on it since 2001 so I may not notice the side effects anymore. And, I am only taking 37.5 MG (extended release) or 75 MG (non-extended release) depending on what is prescribed, which isn't a clinically effective dose. I continue to take it to hold off the terrible withdrawals. Your dose of 75 mg is on the low end and since you have only been on it for a short period of time it might not be as difficult to wean off of it if you and your doctor decide to take another route in your treatment.
I have not. There is little information on Google and I don't know the who's or how's in this type of situation. I periodically search for news articles regarding Effexor but not much in terms of legal actions taking place.
I suspect this is a site set up for the purpose of keeping track of the damage being done to human beings and to try to discourage anyone from thinking there's any legitimacy to their claims. The only hope of getting a group together like that of Australia, will be through a different format of social media.