I have been on Effexor for 9 years and decided to get off of it because I had no short term memory. Someone could tell me something and I would forget it within minutes. My doctor started weaning me off and within a week, I was in the hospital with severe panic attacks that were coming every 20 minutes or so, very high blood pressure and horrible body jolts, which is different than the brain zaps. I started out on 300mg and am down to 37.5. I have never been so sick in my life. I'm dizzy, nauseous, horrible headaches, brain zaps, confusion, eyes aren't working together, if that makes sense, crying at all times of the day, feel worthless and confused, panic attacks and feeling that my family would be so much better off if they didn't have to deal with this. My doctor has me on 300mg of Wellbutrin to help with the side effects, but I don't feel like it's helping too much. This is the worst drug I have ever taken and feel that it should be illegal, or that doctors at least do their research before subjecting their patients to it. I was looking into starting a lawsuit against this company, when I found this forum. Can anyone give me any information on whether this is going forward?
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Please contact me...my son has been taking this horrible drug on and off since he was 17 1/2....he's 27 and we have all been living a nightmare. His last attempt to go off of the drug resulted in 10 days in a,psych ward. He's been home for 7 days and is checking back in today. The Doctors still prescribe this medication. I feel like the general practitioner who originally prescribed this drug should be in jail! No joke.
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Please get off that sh*t... It's probly making you worse,...I was on for 6 years ,.. Recently detoxed from it & I feel so so much better
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I removed myself from Effexor because of the brain zaps among other side effects I was experiencing. I quit cold turkey and it was the hardest thing I have done in my life. However I experience the zaps still after 6 years plus muscle spasms as well as the fact that this drug chamge my mental state of mind for life, yet is was supposed to help me! I would love to get this drug off the shelves. If anyone can assist me so I can help the cause. Please do
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Hi I am a 51 year old male who wound up on Effexor due to a unwanted side effect in another anti depressant I was taking, due to an out of state move and odd hours I was working I ran out and decided I wasn't feeling ANY better with these meds that I was going to stop them. I soon found out about what I was referring to as a electrical pulsing in my brain that's almost constant while awake and invade you dreams with VIVAD Nightmares, Nobody seem to know anything about what I was talking about. They tried weaning with no progress so I found that I could take the original one at a reduced dosage for the rest of my life, because within 27 hours from the last dose I will be in brain shivers again. its funny that recently I was called a liar from someone in the phych. field about this about this! I am currently have stopped cold turkey on my 19th day and hoping to die soon from it, the pain is to much!
I have much to say on this subject and at the point of surrender, tell me where to sign on!
I have much to say on this subject and at the point of surrender, tell me where to sign on!
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I have been on Effexor 225mg for 20 years and I aldo treie to come off only to br crying all the time and nervoius so I went back on it and I was prescribed a higher dosage to 150mg, I started at 75mg but as time went by I would start feeling down in a hole and I would start crying so I was up to 225mg 2 years ago, but I;m felling really sad and want to cry all the time, I I go 3 days without my Effexor my whole body just shuts down. My Drs. sa iy is a 2 week coming off phase, but it doesn't work like it use to and I don't know what the max is on this drug. another dr. put me on celexa and it was awful I would fall because of weakness in my knee and my feet actually would itch terribly so I told my dr and he sais I was having a panic attack, so I just went back on my Effexor because I don't know what else to do, someone told me that if my levels of folate were low that could cause problems with the dopamine and serotonin levels not getting through. so I have no idea from here what to do
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Just started weaning off this dug two weeks ago. Debilitating. Had to see doctor. Dizzy, brain zaps, high blood pressure. It's horrid.
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Hi, I am currently going through hell trying to get off of Efexor. I woul like to have more information
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Hi Lisa, I am on my 4th day of cold turkey after reducing my Venlafaxine dosage gradually for the past 6 weeks from 75g/day. I don't know if the tapering has made much difference as I constantly feel nauseous, dizzy, have these brain zaps/shivers and am very tearful. After reading other people's awful experiences and how long it takes to come off this poison I also feel strongly that someone has to pay for our misery. I spend alot of the day driving my 3 kids to school/nursery/football whilst feeling so sea sick and am scared that they are at risk. I feel like I need to be housebound and be told not to drive but have no one that can take over my duties and for how long, some women are mentioning these awful side effects last for weeks even months. I am angry at my GP who I no longer see as I moved house who never told me about these hideous withdrawals and another who dropped my dosage too quickly where I ended up in such an emotional and physical state I had to call my husband to pick my youngest up from nursery as I felt like I was dying. I really feel this is on the same level as PPI claims. I wouldn't have touched these pills if I'd read these forums in advance. I only switched from Fluoxetine as a pharmacist said they were the reason for my intrusive thoughts but they are still going on over 2 years later. I wonder if Citizens Advice would be able to help. I don't have money for a lawyer but if enough people come forward there is bound to be someone who would take it on for free.
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Your email address does not show up in your post about a class action lawsuit. I am also talking to a potentially interested attorney. How can I contact you?
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We all have trouble with this....we aren't aloud to post our email address or contact info. Makes it rather difficult for any of us to contact eachother. I suppose one could do a search on FB?
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I too have been on Effexor for 2 years. I am now experiencing withdrawal side effects while still taking the medication! I'm miserable! The brain zaps are becoming unbearable. Not to mention the increased heart rate, the hot flashes, headaches, blurred vision, nausea, and increased anxiety. I'm on the highest doseage and want off of this drug! If I'd have known the withdrawal side effects were so bad (and would present themselves while taking the drug regularly), I would have NEVER started.
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I have been having the same thing happen to me! And my period stopped... I'm coming off the medication now and I'm glad the first few days are over. I'm hoping the withdrawals continue to weaken.
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HANG IN THERE!! Any distance you can put between you and the drug is progress!! The longer you use it the worse it is! I took Effexor for 15yrs and I'm almost a year Effexor free. I'm STILL having terrible effects from the drug but I won't give in. This drug is dangerous!
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