Effexor XR Long Term Effects - After stopping the drug

I have been on this evil,"goats pill" for 10 yrs plus. I have been to every specialist possible,a side effect I have been having: is my body is not digesting it. Noticed this when dr. Up dose to 325mg. Gave me all kind meds for IBS. I noticed little white beads in stool,along with diarrhea,bloating all the symptoms.
This would happen monthly,my thought,because they r extended release. They little beeds inside capsules DO NOT DIGEST! I agree there needs to be a lawsuit filed!! I went my GP/OBGYN/neurologists/&now a physiatrist,None of these"specialist" can figure it out!! Blood test after test! Stool samples,sonograms,MRI,EKG,EGG!
So now,I am on 2nd day of weening my self of after all these years!! To top it off I have short term memory loss!! Blood work all out of wack! Much more!!
This medication has ruined years of my life!!! This needs to be OFF the market!

I weaned off Effexor 2 months ago and my whole body aches. Going to see my primary because something is definitely wrong.

This is the story of my life, been weaning and forgot it one day and I just want to give up.

I did not recover. I took it for 10 years and I have been off it for 10 years. I feel all alone and I can't talk to anybody else period I was not like this before. I am a hermit.

I have taken Effexor xr 75 for about the past 15 years for severe depression and taking a dose of 300mg for the past few years. Most of the posts here have one thing or another in common with what I have gone through over the years. I could not handle the zombie feeling any longer. With Dr. Supervision I have been able to come off of the Effexor. The difference this time is that I started taking cymbalta at the same time as I started down from the Effexor. Amazingly enough 4 weeks off the Effexor completely I have felt very few side effects aside of the vertigo flashes for a few days before they went away. The past 3 weeks have been better than anytime in the past 10 years. I pray that I don't fall again, but it is always in the back of my mind.
I remember a TV addabout 10yrs ago claiming a cure for depression, I checked it out and surprise surprise, it was a promofour you guessed it, Effexor.
I wish all of you the best of luck. Especially given that depression is something I wouldn't wish on an enemy.

I have had silmilar symptoms- gastrointestinal issues, nausea, joint pain, headaches, and now I have a sensitive to gluten. I am more severely depressed too. There is something wrong with this medication.

Just over six months since I stopped Effexor ; I have gone from being severely depressed to just feeling flat . Know this is withdrawal . Slowly beginning to once again savour simple pleasures - a hot shower , the daily crossword and speaking with family and friends .But I am nowhere near back to base line . And am aware I am using nicotine to self medicate . I am giving myself a year to see how I go . It is so very , very hard to wait for the body to readjust .

I feel like I am headed this direction, but I don't want to be a hermit. how are you now?

I feel like I am headed this direction, but I don't want to be a hermit. how are you now? (pls ignore my previous guest reply - was not logged in)

How long has it been now? I quit 7 months ago am wondering how long this will last... don't like it at all

My mother has been on this drug for 14 years and is experiencing severe memory loss. I have heard this drug causes this. Is this true?

I stopped taking it over a year and a half ago. I weaned off slowly. It was hell. So bad. I now have developed a painful bladder disorder that is apparently in my head. I have severe panic and anxiety now that I never had before. The bladder pain started about a week after my last dose and has progressively gotten worse. No explanation just nerve pain. I believe the Effexor did something to the wiring in my brain. It redirected something.

Hi there
So sorry for your awful experience with quitting this drug, I can totally relate. I stopped cold turkey 4 months ago after 10 years. As. Result my hair has fallen out and Iam now experiencing the exact symptoms that you have described in your blog. It's awful and I feel that I can't connect with anyone either. Iam hoping your symptoms have eased off a little x

I would love to join a class action lawsuit. I stopped taking it a year ago I have massive anxiety now and still get brain zaps when I get over stressed. I hear strange noises that go on for minutes to hours and now I'm starting to hear voices. Venflaxine (Effexor) ruined my life. I feel like I will never be normal again.

Im freaking the f**k out theres something majorly wrong with effexor i stopped it around a year and a half ago. Had been on it about 2 years. I felt great for about 2-3 months then BAM outta the blue felt weird like ive never felt before. Memory loss brain fog extreme anxiety most the time for no reason at all to this day. i dont feel me its like my soul to my brain has been taken away if that makes sense. I feel screwed and lost doctors have no clue just say sounds like depression... I say ive had depression for 10 years i never felt this way. The drugs are pure evil theyve ruind my life its been over a year the symtoms are still here. Im seriously freaked out this is permanent. My brain litterally feels like somethings been removed .