Effexor XR class action lawsuit

Pristique and Effexor XR are the same drug except for one minut detail and that is how Weyth was able to keep a patent on the drug. When light is passed through one of the crystals, light bends in one direction consistently with one drug, and in the other light will bend in either direction with no consistent pattern. This is what my doctor told me.

I have read many of the horror stories of the poor souls that were subjected to Effexor. I was on Effexor XR for 10 years and have suffered brain/neurological damage from being on it for so long.

I would have to say that for 8 years, I suffered no apparent side effects other than insomnia and zero sex drive from Effexor XR. Then I began to forget things like why I walked into the kitchen or what I wanted to say to someone. Then words became difficult to find, sort of like someone that had suffered a stroke and had aphasia. Then my anxiety level began to raise for no apparent reason. I began sleeping less and got to a point that I could not complete a sentence. I began to have involuntary muscle movements. Some were so mild I did not notice them, but my husband did. Many were so strong they would wake me from a deep sleep. I am not talking about restless leg syndrome. My whole body was affected.

I took myself off of the drug. I began weaning myself off the drug by reducing my daily dose every three days by 150 mg. I did this for 2 weeks. Then by reducing my daily dose every two days by 150 mg for 2 weeks. Then for 2 weeks I took 300 mg every other day, and 150 mg on the days. (Sun:300, Mon:150, Tues:300, Wed:150, Thurs:300, Fri:150, Sat:300) Then Sunday was dropped to 150 for 2 weeks, and so on until I was at 150 mg/day. At this point, I had spent 12 weeks weaning. I spent another 14 weeks weaning off the rest. So, I spent 6 months coming off the drug. I did not suffer any withdrawal symptoms.

Once I began to wean myself, I began to think more clearly and did not suffer with the horrible anxiety. I am able to complete sentences and hold my train of thought, most of the time. I still have the involuntary muscle movements, but not as frequently or as severe. I don't have as hard a time searching for words, but I am sorry to say that is still a problem. I can no longer multi-task. I am a bookkeeper, one of my many talents, and I cannot do bookwork and talk at the same time anymore. I have to tell my friend to leave me to do her books and if I have a question or need help, I will ask. I am not able to take a paying job that would require me to multi-task or with dead lines because of effexor. My brain no long has the capacity to function at that level anymore. Which stinks because I have been unemployed for over a year and I have a child with type 1 diabetes and other health issues, one child with a left brain injury that has left her with sensory/auditory processing issues as well as behavioral disabilities. My husband has a great job that pays well, but not well enough to keep up with the medical bills and ordinary household repair and auto repair. I earn extra money by cutting grass and pulling weeds in 90 plus degree weather with heat indexes in the 100's. We will never get out from under our debt or medical bills because I can no longer function in a position paying $30,000.00/yr thanks to what effexor has done to me.

Pristiq is the same drug as effexor xr. They do warn against some of the side effects I have suffered, but I do not think the benefits outweigh the risks. I don't know anyone that would opt for brain damage or neurological damage from a drug.

I am on board with a class action suit.

Hello everyone,

I too have taken this disastrous medication. I had terrible side effects while taking Effexor XR and even after I discontinued taking it as well. I still find that some of the side effects are still with me! I don't know if it's too late to join in on this lawsuit but hopefully it's not, I am hopeful that I can be a part of it. This poisonous medication nearly ruined my life and marriage. Even now as I type this, my poor husband and I are still trying to mend our ever so fragile marriage! This medication is just plain awful and there aren't enough words to describe how bad it is. I'd tell anyone considering starting this medication **DON'T**, if your doctor mentions putting you on this medication **RUN AWAY FAST AND FIND ANOTHER DOCTOR QUICK** I don't understand how this medication is still being prescribe to many innocent people out there. They have no idea what's in store for them and I cringe even now as I think about how awful their life is about to become.
First of all I was prescribed this medication because I was having some anxiety issues (I was going through some stressful stuff at the time) and it was only supposed to be temporary. Sure at first you think it's making you feel better and not worry about things or not care about the stressful stuff. Yeah it works great, I say this w/sarcasm. You get to the point where you just don't care period! You care about NOTHING, you don't care about ANYONE or ANYTHING, and you do not want to do ANYTHING AT ALL. You don't care about your home, your family, yourself, NOTHING! In a nutshell, you end up being off somewhere on planet "I'm just existing" and become totally numb to everyone and everything. That's just the beginning because then there's the insomnia, the fact that your mind races non-stop, the brain zaps, the twitching, the shakes, the weight gain, the fatigue & being exhausted all day, the random impulses, the weird, strange, horrifying nightmares that occur on a regular basis, the fact that you wake up from one of these horrifying nightmares go back to sleep just to have another one and another one and another one, and say goodbye to any and all desires for sex! Did I mention that I read on a different blog that someone had posted that the people at her doctor's office refer to this "medication" as poison?! I could go on and on but I won't.
This medication will not only ruin your life but any loved ones around you as well! I only hope and pray that anyone who reads this will learn from this awful experience I have had. Perhaps by sharing this w/others it may help anyone else avoid the hell I've been through and still continue to due to this poisonous drug. It has not been an easy fix and even now I am still trying to heal from the harm this medication has caused me, my husband and my kids. Unfortunately some of the side effects I fear will stay w/me FOREVER! Something has to be done about this terrible drug!!!!

Helen

I would like to sign this petition, I was on this drug for 5 years. I suffer everyday with all the withdrawals. I thought it was just me.

I am having persistant symtoms after weaning from Effexor 1 1/2 years ago. I'm now on disability. I'll sign the petition. This drug is horrible. I try to warn people not to take it, and they don't believe me.

Now have constant insomnia and constant anxiety. Never had those problems b-4 effexor xr. My like is Hell. Please if you have info, ANY info, could you let me know. Thanx

I just talked with a lawyers office in Coral Cables FL. I hope the phone number gets posted three zero five two zero zero five two eight one. I told them I have talked to pfizer/wyeth, my "condition". It was really difficult as my words kept getting mixed up. Call them!!!!

I'm sure this lawsuit is over now but if by chance it;s not I want in! Effexor has ruined the last 10 years of my life!

Hi, I have been taking Effexor XR for 8 years and it almost completely destroyed me  - my memory that is - neurological damage and 1 miscarriage I have suffered. I am definitely onboard to suing Wyeth/Effexor for the damage they have inflicted on me. I am not working now since my health has deteriorated to a point my anxiety went through the roof, I am an insomniac, I experience suicidal thoughts from time to time due to the miscarriage and abortion I went through. 

count me in i suffer from brain shivers

kunnie58 wrote:

Quote:

Pristique and Effexor XR are the same drug except for one minut detail and that is how Weyth was able to keep a patent on the drug. When light is passed through one of the crystals, light bends in one direction consistently with one drug, and in the other light will bend in either direction with no consistent pattern. This is what my doctor told me.

I have read many of the horror stories of the poor souls that were subjected to Effexor. I was on Effexor XR for 10 years and have suffered brain/neurological damage from being on it for so long.

I would have to say that for 8 years, I suffered no apparent side effects other than insomnia and zero sex drive from Effexor XR. Then I began to forget things like why I walked into the kitchen or what I wanted to say to someone. Then words became difficult to find, sort of like someone that had suffered a stroke and had aphasia. Then my anxiety level began to raise for no apparent reason. I began sleeping less and got to a point that I could not complete a sentence. I began to have involuntary muscle movements. Some were so mild I did not notice them, but my husband did. Many were so strong they would wake me from a deep sleep. I am not talking about restless leg syndrome. My whole body was affected.

I took myself off of the drug. I began weaning myself off the drug by reducing my daily dose every three days by 150 mg. I did this for 2 weeks. Then by reducing my daily dose every two days by 150 mg for 2 weeks. Then for 2 weeks I took 300 mg every other day, and 150 mg on the days. (Sun:300, Mon:150, Tues:300, Wed:150, Thurs:300, Fri:150, Sat:300) Then Sunday was dropped to 150 for 2 weeks, and so on until I was at 150 mg/day. At this point, I had spent 12 weeks weaning. I spent another 14 weeks weaning off the rest. So, I spent 6 months coming off the drug. I did not suffer any withdrawal symptoms.

Once I began to wean myself, I began to think more clearly and did not suffer with the horrible anxiety. I am able to complete sentences and hold my train of thought, most of the time. I still have the involuntary muscle movements, but not as frequently or as severe. I don't have as hard a time searching for words, but I am sorry to say that is still a problem. I can no longer multi-task. I am a bookkeeper, one of my many talents, and I cannot do bookwork and talk at the same time anymore. I have to tell my friend to leave me to do her books and if I have a question or need help, I will ask. I am not able to take a paying job that would require me to multi-task or with dead lines because of effexor. My brain no long has the capacity to function at that level anymore. Which stinks because I have been unemployed for over a year and I have a child with type 1 diabetes and other health issues, one child with a left brain injury that has left her with sensory/auditory processing issues as well as behavioral disabilities. My husband has a great job that pays well, but not well enough to keep up with the medical bills and ordinary household repair and auto repair. I earn extra money by cutting grass and pulling weeds in 90 plus degree weather with heat indexes in the 100's. We will never get out from under our debt or medical bills because I can no longer function in a position paying $30,000.00/yr thanks to what effexor has done to me.

Pristiq is the same drug as effexor xr. They do warn against some of the side effects I have suffered, but I do not think the benefits outweigh the risks. I don't know anyone that would opt for brain damage or neurological damage from a drug.

I am on board with a class action suit.

count me in i suffer from brain shivers

I'm on board for an class action suit as well. I had to go off on sick leave from work since I started forgetting appointments, it was hard for me to multi-task and I suffered from major brain fog to a point I was not able to analyze things correctly anymore in my currenty position where I earn a very generous living.. I also suffered from aphasia and words became difficult to find. It was like I had suffered a stroke. things like why I walked into the kitchen or what I wanted to say to someone. Then words became difficult to find, sort of like someone that had suffered a stroke and had aphasia. Then my anxiety level began to raise for no apparent reason. I began sleeping less and got to a point that I could not complete a sentence. I have regular involuntary muscle movements.

I would love to be contacted reguarding effexor lawsuits or class action lawsuits.facebook crystal tucker snohomish

Please give me the info for the class action suit...I was on effexor xr for more than 10 years at 300 mil a day....at age 46, i was diagnosed with chf, almost totally destroying my heart....I am now going into stage 4 and my health is quickly deteriorating... went off it cold turkey because of the damage and the withdrawals were absolutely horrible, lasting for several years...it has become almost totally impossible for me to function both mentally and physically....plus I was a single parent, struggling to make ends meet on social security....I was never able to recover and found ourselves homeless, time and time again...Going from a County Official to living on the streets only progressed the deterioration more quickly...

All of these posts seem to be old. Is there really no progress on the lawsuit with so many thousands of sufferers?

If anyone hears of any, please let me know. Diane

I am going through many horrible side effects from trying to wean off of Effexor.  I wasn't even told I was being given a strong anti-depressant.  My oncologist prescribed this post breast cancer treatments to relieve hot flashes.  After 10 years on this horrible drug, I am determined to slay this dragon.  Someone needs to be held accountable!!

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I was on Effexor XR for a few years.  I had minimal withdrawal when getting of the drug, but it was still terrifying and took too long.  I am now realizing I've had increasing systems over the past 5 years since being free of the drug.  I am recently having what seem to be neurological symptoms that I am trying to get a diagnosis for.  I am seeing similar symptoms like these listed here as well as the memory loss, permanent loss of sex drive, and trouble concentrating.  I don't feel like I have been the same person since stoping this medicine.  I would like to be included in the lawsuit.  Please let me know how to proceed.