effexor side effects & class action suit

I was forced to stop taking Effexor xr 150 mg two weeks ago and am not doing so well. I am in if you are doing a class action. Just let me know whatever you need. This is an evil drug made made by evil people. John

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Hi John,
Why were you forced to get off the drug? The drug is horrible. Hope you got my other email. Let me know if you didn't. I forwarded your information to Michael, who is organizing the class action suit.
I got off the drug taking out 1 bead a day and using some natural things to help. The suffering that has gone on with this drug is just unbelievable. It must be stopped.

Please, I am desperate. I stopped taking Effexor a week ago Monday and my life has been hell. I had no clue what was happening to me b/c I had no idea a person could have withdrawal symptoms from a prescribed anti-depressant which were THIS bad. It started with my temper. Anything and everything seemed to set me off. Then came the nausea and diarrhea. Then the headaches - these have been beyond awful for me. I don't have a history of having many headaches, but these are more painful than I could have ever imagined. They make me sick to my stomach, and I feel "stuck" inside my body and just have to ride it out until the extra strength tylenol (or whatever I take) starts to work. I have brain "zaps" which I feel throughout my body, and almost like it hurts my soul (if you've had them, you know what i mean). I'm in the O.R for work every day, and need to be clear and focused. Right now I am the antithesis of that. I will get hit suddenly with extreme exhaustion which I have no choice but to lay down somewhere and sleep. I've also had anxiety to the point where I cry because I feel so guilty over every little thing in my life. I considered quitting my job b/c I felt so bad about taking my kids to daycare.
This isn't just a small annoyance to me. It's affecting my life in almost every single way possible. Physically I'm in hell, emotionally I'm unstable and don't trust any feeling I have. Mentally I'm in a fog and I'm terrified that I'll either lose my job because of it, or worse - hurt an unsuspecting patient in the process b/c of my fogginess.
People should be warned of this!! It's absolutely unacceptable that no one told me there were "withdrawal symptoms". I feel like a heroin addict! My psychiatrist told me that I should feel better by week 2... I'm keeping my fingers crossed because the more pages like this that i encounter, the less faith I have that I will come out of this unscathed - if I even come out of it at all.
Please let me know if I can join the lawsuit. I need to know that something is being done and we're not all suffering alone in silence.

Mook,

I was able to get off of the effexor, but I did it very slowly. How many mgs. were you taking? I was taking 75 mg. I took out 1 bead a day till I was down to none. I also had help from a naturopathic dr. who gave me natural things for depression and anxiety as I got to the end of the effexor. It probably would be good if you could go back on it and slowly take out 1 bead a day. I normally wouldn't tell you to do that, but it probably won't work otherwise. I can't believe the advice your psychiatrist gave you.....this just doesn't work. I tried it and it didn't work. Can you go back on it and then start removing 1 bead a day....it is worth it, believe me. With the help of the natural meds I had no side effects.

I am in touch with Michael Fearon, who is forming a class action suit against effexor. Would you like to join the many people who are interested in doing this? I am so sorry you are having such a rough time. It is typical when you get off of it too fast. If you try this method, belive me it will work. Going back on it is only temporary and you slowly wean yourself off of it. My dr. is willing to do phone consultations if you are not in the Pittsburgh area. She has been a great help to me.

Please get back to me and let me know your thoughts.

Terry P.

help please! been on effexor about 12 yrs, and never been able to wean off of it. using 'road back program' under my dr.'s supervision, am trying once again. gradually reducing dosage and taking many supplements since 1st of march. have had severe, persistent diarrhea since beginning...often afraid to leave house for long periods of time. MANY of side effects going on...life, in general, miserable.

would like any advice you may have and very interested in class action lawsuit. (very anti-lawsuits and never thought i would consider taking part in one...but the lack of warning about withdrawal was criminal...in my opinion. thx

normie geske wrote:

Terryann wrote:

I had been on effexor for 12 years and had tried to get off of it ending up in failure.  But I have been off of it for 2 months....there is a way to do this without side effects.  Anyone who is interested, please contact me.   My short term memory has been damaged and without the help of a dr. I would be suffering from anxiety and depression right now.  But I am finally feeling normal, except I also feel unfocused, which I blame on it too.

I am in contact with someone who wants to file a class action suit.  A lawyer would only charge for this if he wins the class action suit.   Anyone who is interested, please contact me.

I want to help people to get off of this drug since I have been successful without all the side effects.  I will be glad to talk to anyone who needs that help.

Terry

help please! been on effexor about 12 yrs, and never been able to wean off of it. using 'road back program' under my dr.'s supervision, am trying once again. gradually reducing dosage and taking many supplements since 1st of march. have had severe, persistent diarrhea since beginning...often afraid to leave house for long periods of time. MANY of side effects going on...life, in general, miserable.
would like any advice you may have and very interested in class action lawsuit. (very anti-lawsuits and never thought i would consider taking part in one...but the lack of warning about withdrawal was criminal...in my opinion. thx

You have been on it for as long as me. I was able to wean myself off taking out 1 bead more each day. I also had the help of a natural dr. who gave me natural things for depression/anxiety, which has really helped. I have had no side effects. We are forming a class action suit...need your full name and where you live. We need to get this dangerous drug off the market.
It is good you are taking supplements....did you get them from a good dr who has good supplements...that makes all the difference.
I agree...lack of warning about withdrawal is criminal.
If you have any other questions, please contact me again.
Terry P

terryann wrote:

normie geske wrote:

Terryann wrote:

I had been on effexor for 12 years and had tried to get off of it ending up in failure.  But I have been off of it for 2 months....there is a way to do this without side effects.  Anyone who is interested, please contact me.   My short term memory has been damaged and without the help of a dr. I would be suffering from anxiety and depression right now.  But I am finally feeling normal, except I also feel unfocused, which I blame on it too.

I am in contact with someone who wants to file a class action suit.  A lawyer would only charge for this if he wins the class action suit.   Anyone who is interested, please contact me.

I want to help people to get off of this drug since I have been successful without all the side effects.  I will be glad to talk to anyone who needs that help.

Terry

help please! been on effexor about 12 yrs, and never been able to wean off of it. using 'road back program' under my dr.'s supervision, am trying once again. gradually reducing dosage and taking many supplements since 1st of march. have had severe, persistent diarrhea since beginning...often afraid to leave house for long periods of time. MANY of side effects going on...life, in general, miserable.
would like any advice you may have and very interested in class action lawsuit. (very anti-lawsuits and never thought i would consider taking part in one...but the lack of warning about withdrawal was criminal...in my opinion. thx

You have been on it for as long as me. I was able to wean myself off taking out 1 bead more each day. I also had the help of a natural dr. who gave me natural things for depression/anxiety, which has really helped. I have had no side effects. We are forming a class action suit...need your full name and where you live. We need to get this dangerous drug off the market.
It is good you are taking supplements....did you get them from a good dr who has good supplements...that makes all the difference.
I agree...lack of warning about withdrawal is criminal.
If you have any other questions, please contact me again.
Terry P

terry, thx for your reply. am cutting my dosage under my dr.'s care and taking top grade, pure supplements. think my dr. has had little experience w/ this and my dosage reductions have been too big. she has been shocked at severity of side effects, but working very closely w/ me to make adjustments.. as a dr., she obviously was never given necessary info for helping patients discontinue this drug and seems appalled.

will be more than happy to give you my name, address, etc, but hesitate to do so publicly on this post. please let me know how i can safely get it to you. will do everything i can to help w/ c/a suit..

Comming up to 2 weeks since taking my last dose of Effexor. On it for about 12 years, this is my 3rd attemp of getting off of it. Please add my name to your class action lawsuit. Terrible insomnia, chills, brain shocks and shortness of breath. Yesterday terrible back pain. My Dr. told me last week that the drug has already left my system, and that if I am experiencing symptoms, it means that the depression has returned! I feel very much alone and abandoned by the medical system.

Please contact me if you are interested in getting involved in a class action suit. You have many good reasons to do this. I got off of it by removing 1 bead more each day and am some natural products for depression and anxiety that are really working.

If you want to get involved in the class action suit, please give me your fullname and where you are located. If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Terry P

i am in withdrawal process which has been horror story...symptoms similar to yours. i am now, with the help of my dr., following THE ROAD BACK program which you can find on line and getting some relief the program is extreme and expensive, but beats the alternative. no luck finding way to connect w/ c/a lawsuit. if you find info, please post.

Terryann wrote:

i am ready!

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nini6 wrote:

Terryann wrote:

I had been on effexor for 12 years and had tried to get off of it ending up in failure.  But I have been off of it for 2 months....there is a way to do this without side effects.  Anyone who is interested, please contact me.   My short term memory has been damaged and without the help of a dr. I would be suffering from anxiety and depression right now.  But I am finally feeling normal, except I also feel unfocused, which I blame on it too.

I am in contact with someone who wants to file a class action suit.  A lawyer would only charge for this if he wins the class action suit.   Anyone who is interested, please contact me.

I want to help people to get off of this drug since I have been successful without all the side effects.  I will be glad to talk to anyone who needs that help.

Terry

i am ready!

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Please write again as most of what you said was removed.
Terry P

i am ready to do anything i can to expedite a c/a suit against effexor. would like to talk w/ you about it but can't find a way to do so!

Hi. I knew class action was coming soon. I have been on Effexor XR for 5 years. I started on 150 mg twice a day. I am currently on 150 mg once a day. I am working with a doctor to reduce my dose so I can somehow get off without withdraw. I stopped taking it one day and was off for 3 days. On the third day I was so sick that I had to go to the hospital so I just started back on it. I have extreme urinary retention, urge incontinence, urinary hesitation, and the worst, urinary frequency. I hate the urinary frequency...it disrupts me at work and I cant sleep at night from it. I really want off of this!!!! Im sick of the urinary symptoms but I cant make it threw withdraw.