Wyeth: Drug Company Faces ERISA Lawsuits

Posted by
Colin
on August 8, 2011

" Pristiq already comes with a warning about a risk of suicidal thinking and behaviour in children, adolescents and young adults and critics of the drug argue that it is unnecessary, given the range of antidepressants already on the market "

They omitted one significant disclosure issue, it effects adults in the same way " Ask Dr. David Healy, World expert. The attorney general of the U.S needs to open a criminal investigation

Why have no U.S lawyers filed a Class-Action. I know a young man in small town who took his life on " Effexor " he often told me that the drugs would kill him.


Taken from the Effexor Petition!

by Leslee » Wed Feb 22, 2006 12:42 am

Some of the stories from the Effexor Petition
5890. Judy Biluk I spoke to my doctor several times about the side effects and she accused me of taking street drugs, I told her I had become physically violent and she told me to increase the dose. I had to enlist the intervention of a psychologist to get off the effoxor. IT IS DEADLY, AND SO IS THE APATHY OF THE DOCTORS PRESCIBING IT . Thank you. Canada
5866. Michele Katzenmaier
Effexor almost ruined my whole life/marriage because of the side effects.It made my depression worse and as it worsened the doctors kept `upping ` the dosage. I eventually ended up in a mental facility. No one would change dosage or type of drug at my request. After I left the facility, I ended up weaning myself off it on my own, without my doctor`s support; I experienced a MAJOR withdrawl. I now feel 100% better ; hardly any depression now and I lost the 35lbs I had gained on Effexor, without dieting. No one believed me when I said that I was getting worse on Effexor- they said it was all in my head! Canada
5859. James F. Webb
It's hard for me to fully express how incredibly angry I am right now. I was not warned of the possible side effects of this horrible drug and am only now finding out that others have suffered the same side effects that I have. When I was tapering off my dosage of Effexor, I had no idea what was happening to me. After a while, I finally made the connection that the wild sensations in my head were due to withdrawal. However, I had one night (at 2:30 am) that turned out to be the worst experience of my entire life, by far. I literally thought I was in Hell! I could only describe it as being in a place totally devoid of God, absolute despair and hopelessness. I AM NOT EXAGERATING!!! I thought it was not going to end. My wife called our pastor and together they prayed with me and helped me through it. In all honesty, I would not wish this experience on my worst enemy. I cannot emphasize enough that THIS DRUG COMPANY MUST BE STOPPED!!! USA
7345. Leah Hamm, 34 My doctor gradually reduced my dosages of Effexor, allowing me nearly six weeks to quit taking the drug completely. I am now on my 11th day without Effexor; not to mention my 11th day out of work! My withdrawal symptoms are still debilitating and include: nausea, vomitting, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, severe dizziness, hotflashes(which I have experienced since I began taking the drug), night sweats, Migraine headaches, a constant feeling of intense pressure behind my eyes, unusual sensitivity to light and loud noises,violent mood swings that turn from bouts of gut-wrenching sobbing (for no apparent reason) to sudden outbursts of rage, then on to moments of heart-racing anxiety, depression, thoughts of hopelessness that these symptoms are permanent, and the contemplation of suicide just to end my suffering. My mental, emotional, and physical health were much better BEFORE I began taking Effexor...and even then my life was on a downward spiral. Georgia, USA

7324. Gina I thought I was going crazy....Until I read what others are experiencing. When will it end? USA
7319. Chris Sommers WOW I found this sight and cant believe what I have read. I thought I was crazy now I know I am not the one. The thing is you actually have to waste a holiday for it. Thailand
599. Ruby Susanne Wilson My friend tried to kill herself during withdrawal USA
6579. Marco Almeida I've 3 separate statements: I do experience what can be described as severe cases of (agitation) or "periods-of-agression", anxiety (e.g. feeling lumps in my throat, scared, paranoid), and withdrawal. I've also taken effexor for approximately 2.5 years. I'm very suspicious of what the drug has caused in changing my mental and physical nature. Winnipeg, MB, CANAD
6576. Kerry Leon I have seen extreme changes in behavior in my husband. He actualy has become more anctious and his anger has worsened. He has become very unpredictable, almost scary. United States
6575. Brian Jason Camacho All antidepressants I think are dangerous and shouldn't be taken. I am having problems stopping Lexapro--just 2 days after stopping it I started to feel very depressed and have violent thoughts and I have this other problem where I feel this shock starting from the core of my head spreading thoughout my body...I don't remember reading anywhere about this. I am also feeling nausea and its very annoying. This has been going on for 3 days and getting worse. I hope it goes away and I hope I did not do any damage to my brain. I have more to say but you get my drift USA
7252. Benjamin K. Earle Starting Effexor was the worst decision I made, and the more I expressed my discontent to my MD, the more he told me to up my dose. I am now at 225mg/qd, and after 6 months tried to come off of it, with 75mg/qd, then 37.5mg. On the 3rd day of being Effexor-free, I essientially had a psychotic breakdown and woke up in scalding bathwater contemplating suicide. I began Effexor again immediately and all of my symptoms disappeared. I am now back on 225mg/qd and am faring well, but was NEVER, BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION informed the dependency-liability of this drug, and believe that it should receive at least an FDA black box warning, if not total market removal. USA
7251. Judith A. Hardy
7221. Brenda Ellah I had only been taking effexor for a few months, when I started experience a lot of the side effects. I searched the web, and found this site. I signed it once, the day I stopped taking my medication. This is my second signature, this time, after two weeks of not taking my dose at all. I didn't believe the withdrawal symptons could be this bad. Extreme dizziness, head fogginess, brain "zaps", memory loss, time lapses, where I cant remember even going to the washroom.I am extrememly agitated and tempermental at work when I have to deal with people and problems. How long will this last, not sure what to do. I have been using the withdrawal symptoms as an excuse for my change in behaviour at work, but that will only last so long and my fellow employees seem to be a little skeptical as to believing thats what the problem is. This is not me, generally a very happy person, only given drug for stress and anxiety, now it seems I have more than ever. Help!
7159. Mr. Clark Panic attacks for the first time in my life coming off effexor -- when will this end? US
7158. Bernadette Tonner On 225mg of venlafaxine I was sweating, grinding teeth and clenching hands. Tapering off, these symptoms were lessened but I have become suicidal and have very aggressive thoughts. England
7136. Sheryl Maudal I began taking Effexor in mid August,2004, to relieve some anxiety that had been causing me to awaken early and not be able to go back to sleep. I weighed 142 pounds when I started taking it and I now weigh 178 pounds. The anxiety disappeared almost immediately after I began taking the drug. I had no symptoms of depression previous to this. I got married August 28, to a man that I have loved for 12 years. Two days before we returned from our honeymoon on September 14, 2004 I ran out of Effexor. I experienced overwhelming feelings of grief and would begin to cry for no apparent reason. I refilled my prescription the day we got home and the saddness disappeared. Early in November I started to experience depression. It became increasingly worse and on Dec.31,2004 I tried to kill myself. USA
7134. Sandra Cushway Effexor has wrecked my life and sanity
7133. Gregory Lee Doak Convicted of murder and attempted murder while on the prescribed drug Effexor. Also had attempted suicide. Trumbull
7123. julie enos I have lost my ability to think since taking and quitting effexor. My eyes went crossed and had seisures for over a month. Once in the hospital they did every test they could think of. Finally, they said it was the effexor. I got off it and my eyes went back and the seisures went away. But I have suffered from fatigue and short memory since. USA
7121. William Hannah United States
7120. at first i thought this drug was really helping me, but then it started to make things much much worse. i wanted to kill myself, i was violent towards others, i had nightmares that haunted me even during waking hours, and when I went off of the drug, I experienced shocks every two seconds...to say the least it was horrible i wouldnt wish my experiences with this drug on any other human being. USA
7061. april jaynes my doctor wont even help me with the anxiety. i cant stop this medication because it is the only thing i have found that actually works. i have missed so much work due to the headaches and at times i just want to kill everything breathing. United States
7058. Alison Francis Exeffor made me insomaniac and severely depressed and suicidal. USA
7002. cindy veazey Effexor withdrawals are living hell. I thought I was losing my mind and would have to be on this forever. If I can ever, ever get off, I will never ever try this crap again.
6990. Lollie Benham I tried to slowly come off Effexor and became agitated, irritable, suicidal,fits of rage, crying, shaking, I am still on it for the time being. I grind my teeth at night something I never did before taking Effexor. I am also on other medications because of the Effexor. Had I known the truth about the side effects I would have never taken it. The truth needs to be made known.
6989. Jack Hendryx jr.
6982. Anne K. I was put on effexor for mild depression, not knowing that it would highten my anxiety disorder tenfold. I am currently attempting to get off of effexor. I am exausted all the time, I have digestive problems, headaches, "brain zaps" , hightened allergies, hightened severe irrational fear of death, memory problems, trouble speaking, violent/ suicidal thoughts, strange and troubling deams, extreme difficulty waking up in the mornings; ectect- EVERYTHING. I feel ill and i am exausted and tired. I should not have to go through this. I am just a teenager- please help me enjoy life. Don't make it a living hell for me. USA
6966. L. Sue
6965. Karen Mashek Not only was I not informed about the side effects (which I am experiencing now since stopping at the end of Nov. '04 after taking it for 6 months: dizziness, angry episodes, foggy dull brain, altered sense of taste & smell [food tastes like cardboard], no libido, debilitating headaches....I was also given it while breast-feeding my daughter! God knows how that affected her? Only time will tell. I also have a lump in my left breast which I am told is nothing to worry about! But the event that made me want to get off this drug Effexor-XR was the severe tachycardia I experienced in October '04 - which frightened me as it lasted 15 mins. and I was home alone with my baby. I had to call 911. That was the last straw, I decreased the dosage and got off it completely during a bout of gastroenteritis (end of Nov.) USA
6930. Janet Beachem I started on 75mg and gained 25lbs. in about 9 months. Switched to 37.5mg for the past 1 1/2 years and still have weight issues. Also, have short-term memory loss, brain zaps, and OCD behavior. Depression is starting to return and am very scared to get off Effexor...even after missing one dose I'm angry and have foggy thinking. USA
6884. Kristin Effexor, Manufactured by the devil himself Canada
6883. Herc Fede This drug is SATAN in a capsule USA
6849. allie this drug is bad-withdrawals disgusting,side effects evil. Have struggled to cope with withdrawals such as unbelievable rage, depressionetc Australia
6839. Raney Michael Depression was better than this medication. My husband and I both tried this medication and almost divorced during that period. This drug changed our personalities, we were argumentative with each other and our families who tried to tell us we didn't seem right. After ending this medication we and our families saw an ubelievable improvement. USA
829. tiffany molanders I had extreme drowsiness, paranoia, and a horrifying hallucination as a result of this drug. usa
6811. dawn There is no way to come off this drug other than going cold turkey! I did that one year ago after 3 miserable years on it. I tried many times to reduce dosage, but it was impossible. I was on over 300mg and my Dr said the only way to get off realistically is with supervision in HOSPITAL!!. I declined and did it myself by reducing by 75mg every four days. It was the most terrible thing i have ever had to endure. However, after approx 4 weeks, I started feeling better and my life literally began again from there. I have suffered major depression since my teens and I am now 44 years old, and I fight every day with that. But at least I know I now have choice, whereas before there was none, as I was too drug induced to make clear decisions. My Dr to this day still thinks Effexor is the best drug available. If it is, all I can say is God Help Us. England
3949. Helen Was put on Effexor RX 6 months ago in an attempt to control burning mouth syndrome. Didn't work any better than all the other drugs we've tried. Effexor however, really messed me up - vision problems, headaches, bad dreams just to name a few. Today is Day 1 of no effexor. Went on uncontrollable rage rampage at a long time friend - same rage that happened 4 weeks ago when I last tried stopping after slowly decreasing dose. I'm going to persevere without Effexor this time. Having a day of feeling mentally and physically numb. Scary drug, that's for sure. Australia
3897. christine gollinger the worst drug i have ever taken.. withdrawl is hell, my marriage is on the rocks. virtually no sex life.. my husband thinks i am crazy and now i'm not so sure im not. usa
3895. Marilyn Hendrix My daughter was prescribed this by her Primary Physician, our life is a nightmare. She is presently in a hospital where she was taken after putting her hand thru glass, she cannot get off this drug without serious side effects. USA

3889. Kim Szilagyi I am currently weaning off of this drug. I thought you could quit with no side effects WRONG!!!! I almost died - severe anger, irritability, confusion, projectile vomiting for hours, heart palpitations, and couldn't walk. The capsules can be tapered by opening them up and taking out a few beads at a time. Going off is hard & scary. Go to prozactruth.com -
3878. anne minesinger Caused serious amnesia, and personality disorder usa
3877. Bill A family member (16-years-old) was beaten in the face and maced on the floor of his own home in front of his mother and grandmother because he yelled and was uncooperative police. He had just stopped taking effexor. Has anyone examined the link between effexor and mania or bipolar disorder? It should be illegal to prescribe it to a bipolar patient. It induces mania worse than anything our family has observed! Where are the lawyers and the class action suits regarding this damned poison and the incompetents who prescribe it, especiallly to kids? Women beware! It's now being hailed as the cure for menopause! USA
3876. Kathryn My blood pressure was always normal, but while taking effexor, I had to be treated for hypertension and was told I was in danger of suffering a stroke. Since discontinuing the effexor, my blood pressure has returned to normal. Worse, however, is the story of a relative who was administered effexor intermittently from 7 th through 11th grade. THis individual was constantly suspended from school and ultimately expelled. When his physician was informed of the patient's worsening behavior, the family was told that the effexor could not possible be making the child hyper and aggessive. The same child threw a tricycle through a glass storm door while on effexor. Several years later, after this young person was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a psychiatrist in a hospital began administering effexor against the family's wishes to this same young patient. WHile in the hospital, this person threw an office chair into a hospital window and broke it and began carving his arms up with staples . USA
3805. Fayaad Effexor has been the worst thing that has ever happened to me in my life. I have been on it for about 2 years and there is no way for me to get off it without getting severe side-effects. The worst side-effect is the "whoosing" sound in my head. It feels as though there are electrical shocks going through my head and i become ill and cannot do anything. Those are the side-effects when I try to come off it. The side-effects of being on it is even worse. My entire life has changed for the worse. I have no feelings or emotions inside me for anything. I became a horrible person with no love, affection and mercy to other people. I am in the process of losing my wife because of this drug. I have absolutely no feelings for here since i started using it. My libido hasnt just decreased, but has completely disappeared. I have absolutely no relationship with my family since Effexor, I am rude, do not care what happens, and i feel as though I am going insane and that i will never be normal again. South Africa
I have been Effexor free since October, 2003 and am close to losing my car and completely ruining my credit as I have been unable to work while on the damn medication. All I did was cry and want to kill myself and the doctor kept increasing the dose! Wyeth makes several medications and OTC meds that we have got to boycott! DO NOT buy any product made by this company. My heart goes out to all of you. We should have a reunion or something for Effexor survivors! Here's to health and happiness! USA - Maine
3790. Naomi McDaniel My 16 year old daughter is now in residential treatment center to wean off of Effexor without harming herself in the process. This is extreemly costly, using up all of her and her sister's college money savings. ( $12,000 per month). She has already been hospitalized 2x and has exhausted her insurance benifits for 2004. We are at the end of our resources. USA
3776. Linda G. Rowe Unable to work, uncontrollable crying, suicidal USA
3766. Catherine J. Stuart Stopped cold turkey for about 5 days, during that time I forgot to take it because I had strep. I had hypomania big time, mood swings, muscle twitches, insomnia etc. I thought it was because I had strep. But I am better but I still feel these symptoms and it occurred to me it is this stuff. I cannot believe all the postings and websites about the pain of withdrawl with this drug. I am also a recovering RX addict, so yeah, this is just great (sarcasm)
3743. Andrea Gregory I just wanted to add that I'm only 19 years old, I don't want to be feeling like this for a long time. I can only hope that this goes away... I have a lot of life ahead of me. Also, I read about others having problems with suicidal thoughts... I have too, and it's really quite disturbing.
3742. Kelly McKeown USA
3741. Russell Watson started to have problems like suicidal thoughts and more
731. Rob Thoms Serios agitation, dizziness, and vertigo after the discontinuation of Effexcor
3725. Amanda Stanley Effexor is a drug I would like to get off all together, however even if I miss a single dose I suffer disturbed sleep, vivid colour nightmares and wake up with a racing heart which throws me into a panic attack, coupled with vivid paranoia and hallucinations which can last for up to an hour. I also have uncontrollable crying fits and strange noises in my head-this is a horrific drug to miss a dose of let alone stop taking. UK
3722. jane busuttil violent outbursts during withdrawal were very frightening. Australia
3668. Kathleen P. Cozad My brother (age 42) and I (age 45) have been taking Effexor XR for about 2 years now. He has had fits of rages upon reducing his dosage, and we both have had nightmares. I have felt almost like I was hallucinating when I've missed my dose. It was a incredibally scary feeling. My mother (age75) was unable to tolerate it at all because of the level of agitation. I wish I would have known about this sitiation before I started taking this drug. USA
3648. shirley oates brother took his own life ten days into Effexor UK
3624. Fliss Snalam This drug doesn't work. I've been on it about a year now and have had to have the dosage increased because it was having no effects. I'm now on 150mg and feeling just as bad as ever. My self-harm which was once under control has got worse and I cannot drag myself out of bed for lectures in the morning or at any time of the day. I ended up in hospital the other day due to self-harm but no one believed me when I said I thought it was due to the Efexor. Why won't medical professionals listen to us? I was prescribed Efexor when i was 17; it has now been banned for under 18s in the UK. What is the difference between being 17 and 11 months and 18 and a month? NOTHING! Therefore Efexor has been noted to be dangerous. I know it is and so do others. UK
3612. Lindsey Steffes I couldn't understand why my life was falling apart, why I couldn't get out of bed, why I couldn't go to school, and why I felt so out of touch with reality. I have asked my doctor if this could be the effects of my effexor and he absolutely blew me off. He reduced my prescription to 150mg from 200 when I complained of serious anxiety (which I expressed as a concern even before being prescribed this medication.) My psychiatrist has been irresponsible in prescribing me medication. I have been on Effexor for almost 11 months and I finally have confirmation from all of you, that this medication is a very probable cause for this giant mental mess I'm in. I'm very angry at my doctor. He has told me specifically that he things that my problems can't be solved with medication, yet he continued to prescribe me Adderal, Effexor, propinal, clonzepam, etc. I just want this all to stop. I've read the books and seen the therapists. And I'm in worse shape than a year ago. USA
3610. Heather Seehagel This drug ruined 4 months of my life and put me in the pysc.ward canada
3600. Beth Badock My husband mixed this drug with alcohol and suffered blackouts which resulted in injury to other people, The only warning was that it would cause drowsiness. Not complete blackouts United States
3587. roy.r coming off this drug made me try and commit suicide on 17/11/03. i was taking it as part of the treatment for chronic pain and not depression. UK
3585. Lisa Gloag Started taking Effexor for major depression - I am now suicidal. This never happened while I was taking other prescription antidepressants. I am going to stop cold turkey, as I am afraid if I continue I may harm myself and I have a husband and baby to take care of. I am soooo scared, and soooo tired. USA
3550. Patty I have just been through HELL WEEKEND with my brother, who ran out of effexor 4 days prior. Nothing could so drastically change his personality as the withdrawels from this drug did. He is back on it at the present time. Could the phrase "Going Postal" and the approval by the FDA of effexor to go on the market possibly coincide? USA
3511. Flo Withdrawel is terrible, and I have only taken this crap for two months. I am too embarrassed to even say what a stupid thing I did while going through withdrawel. I was totally spaced out. I only hope I will feel better. The nausea I feel, especially upon moving my eyes from side to side is terrible. My head hurts, and I feel so afraid for anyone who has been on this drug for a long time. Canada
3502. hypomanic state that has had me scared every day since canada
3495. Elaine Mc Gonigle I started on 75 mg Effexor for 4 weeks,Ifelt so ill that I stayed in bed for almost a week,after that I felt wonderful,but couldent eat,I lost 10 lbs in the first month then 2 weeks into the second week it all went downhill,I had the brain shocks as soon as i woke up and felt sick and unreal, I was staggering all over the place, after 8 weeks i stopped the pills for 2 days and felt as though i was dying,calles the doc in floods of tears and in a hell of a depression,and was told to start taking them again,then my dose was cut to 37mg and i felt the withdrawels instantly,now down to half every second day and it's hell. I cant concentrate and the brain zaps are hell,the zaps are all through my body and cant move my eyes from side to side for fear of falling over,I dont think i will ever be normal again,these pills are worse than any type of depression and should be banned,the side effects are to many to list,but we all seam to be going throught the same hell,hardley a coincidence. Scotland
3492. info@baumhedlundlaw.com Effexor related suicide or suicide attempts --- http://www.baumhedlundlaw.com/pharmaceuticalcases.html 3337. C Kelly Tried to taper effexor, which led to insomnia and hypomania, hospital admission, diagnosis of bipolar disorder and loss of job. All of which was worse than the initial depression that the drug was supposed to treat. Have now been on effexor for 8 years and am quite rightly scared of discontinuing. Canada
3306. Cedric Knight Needs much more honest labelling, and caution in use. A friend lost his marriage and home as a result of venlafaxine-induced mania, and the withdrawals weren't pleasant either.
3255. Melany Sorge Tapering off Effexor XR contributed to an extreme psychotic episode landing me in the Emergency room and hospitalization for 10 days!!! Canada
3193. Kaitlin Kenny My 15-year old daughter was prescribed Effexor. While on this drug, she exhibited extremely uncharacteristic feelings of hostility and anger and was hospitalized for suicidal thoughts and actions. USA
3159. Alison Aitken Effexor triggered severe hypermania in me, the results of which have had a devestating effect on my life. Australia
3086. randall wilson vivid, violent nightmares; tremors; headaches; mood swings; irritability; smoking more; generally at odds with the world. took eleavil before without problems. dr though this might be "better" HA! took paxil too and that was crappy too. usa
3063. Rhett White Effexor caused an attempt at suicide that nearly worked, shaking like an old man, nasseau, continuous mood swings, high heart rate and blood pressure, and extreme anxiety .. now that I am off, I over-heard from a doctor on the phone about effexor having many side effcts. It intrigud me enough to read up on the so called anti dpressant .. I had a horrible home life on the 2 months i was on the drug, and being only 17 at the time, I felt insane, as did my mother think the same thing .. Hopefully the dug is re-called because I have yet to hear a "success story" US
3036. Beth Ransom My 13 year old daughter developed anxity & suscidal reactions USA
2872. Amie H. Smith I AM MRS. JEKYLL & HYDE - Being on this medication for the past 4yrs has been the worst 4 yrs of my life! I gained over 50lbs in less than a year(which just depressed me MORE),I've become manic,violent,hateful and overwhelmed. I have suffered numerous emotional and nervous breakdowns. I became suicidal and bitter. I can't even begin to imagine the pain and turmoil that I have caused my husband and two young (special needs) children. I FEEL LIKE I'VE LOST MY MIND !! USA

Psychosis -A person's nervousness may reach a psychotic level when the overstimulation of the nervous system is severe. People can become paranoid, extremely depressed, suicidal and dangerous to others around them. They may behave in bizarre ways. Prozac's ability to induce mania in patients has been documented in a number of medical journal. Dr. Breggin holds the position that a drug's therapeutic effects and its toxic effects are simply a matter of degree in the same continuum. In fact, says Dr. Breggin, "Many patients who swear by Prozac are probably experiencing imperceptible or barely perceptible degrees of mania.".
In April 2001, then 16-year-old Cory Baadsgaard took a rifle to Wahluke High School in Washington state and took 23 classmates and a teacher hostage. Baadsgaard was held in jail for 14 months. Based on expert testimony by psychiatrists about the adverse reactions to the drugs he was taking, he finally was released from jail under community supervision for five years. Baadsgaard has no memory of his violent actions toward his classmates, which took place exactly 21 days after he had been cold-turkeyed off Paxil and switched to a high dose of Effexor (an SSRI) to treat "situational depression."

Cory's father, Jay Baadsgaard, says, "The morning that Cory went to school and did what he did, my wife and I just knew that it had to be something with the drugs. That morning he had taken about 300 milligrams of Effexor, and I thought it was something about him going off one of the drugs and then the high dose of the other. One of Cory's friends told us that Cory was yelling and then he just stopped, looked down and saw the gun in his hand and woke up."

Dr. says non-habit forming. I trusted my Dr. Effexor didn't energize me and make me happy- it made me complacent with my depressed feelings and lack of will. It lost my job. Now after running out for several days, the Dr. is right- I don't crave more of it, but the withdrawal effects are horrendous! Head zaps,ringing of the ears,indigestion, increased thirst,aural hallucinations,paranoia,terrifying dreams,deep, strange, almost mystical dreams that make you feel like you opened a part of the universe you should not have- I'm not being sarcastic. Feel free to e-mail me, because this is a travesty and I don't recommend the drug to anyone. There has to be a better answer and someone held accountable for the deceit and damage of this drug.
increased sex drive,nightmares,vivid dreams,night sweats,skipping periods for months at a time,dramatic mood swings,unfounded anger or sudden un provoked rage,numbness zombie like state when pill is not taken,dizziness,upset stomach,tremors,hallusinations,headaches,severe sensitivity to light,trouble concentrating,emotional highs and lows like a roller coaster from hell.weight gain and weight loss over the years. This drug is like a narcotic once you put it into your system it will make you feel so much better and take the world off your shoulders by freeing you from everyday worries and letting you float through life without giving a damn about anything anymore,soon you will come to realize it has consumed who you are and all that you cared about before it will not matter anymore,I think that is the scariest thing about this drug it changes you and makes you stop caring and when you understand this it is to late because you are hooked I have attempted to stop so many times in the past 8 years with no success,this drug has made me happy and also made me wish for death,I worry about if I have enough pills to last me more often than I worry about my own children,I am terrified of running out because of the painful and terrifing withdraw I will have to live through if I run out,each year I take them makes it that much harder to think about stopping.If you put this drug into your system it will help you but,be warned the happiness it gives you does come with a very high price.Would I recommend them to you? Hell No! F 30 8 years


7644.
cheryl
I have been tryinto get off this oct 20 04, i was taking 150mg a day for 3years...I've managed to get down to 75mg every other day......... ,sounds good, but it has been pure hell, the nightmares are terrible, had the flu like stuff, but the worst thing for me is the serious anxeity attacks, well i call

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More TRUE Stories from the Web

by Leslee » Wed Feb 22, 2006 2:28 am

7640.
John P Murphy
3 pills @37.5 mgs brought a trance-like state with halucinations, followed by a prolonged period of leg-pain and depression more severe than the level originally intended to be treated. A virtual poison let loose in the guise of progressive health care.
USA


7591.
Susan L. Zappa
Effexor XL, 75 mg. dosage caused me to become homicidal. My behavior scared me to the point of discontinuing the drug to prevent myself from seriously harming someone. When I went off Effexor, I became suicidal. It was a living hell!
US

Aust N Z J Psychiatry 1998 Apr;32(2):291-4

Withdrawal reactions associated with (Effexor/Efexor) venlafaxine.

Parker G, Blennerhassett J.

http://www.effexorfx.freeuk.com/index.htm

University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this paper is to describe discontinuation syndromes associated with abrupt and tapered withdrawal fo venlafaxine, and to document that withdrawal symptoms may occur after missing a single dose.

CLINICAL PICTURE: We report on two patients prescribed venlafaxine. One developed a broad range of serious side effects after reaching a dose of 300 mg a day, and a severe withdrawal syndrome (including hallucinations) during a slow taper regime. The second had severe discontinuation symptoms during and aborting a slow taper regime, and described withdrawal responses after missing a single dose of venlafaxine.

CONCLUSIONS: As for the short-acting, selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors, severe discontinuation reactions may occur with venlafaxine, seemingly marked most distinctly by headache, nausea, fatigue, dizziness and dysphoria, and may make cessation of the drug extremely difficult.

PMID: 9588310 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]


I have personal experience with these symptoms and more. In the early days of my treatment with this drug, I was sloppy about getting prescriptions refilled and about taking the pills on time every day. Two or three times of missing doses taught me a harsh lesson that Effexor is NOT a drug to be trifled with. The worst thing is that my emotions go absolutely haywire. I am not in control of anything that I feel or how I react. Physiologically, my body gets flu-like symptoms (aches, tingling, etc.) and neurologically, it's like an acid trip gone terribly wrong: hallucinations both aural and visual, weird colors and distortions coming and going and the disquieting sensation of voices whispering nonsensically in my ears. On top of all this is the phenomenon called "Brain Shivers" which is detailed in the last link in the paragraph above. All in all, it's an unbelievably nasty experience, and I apparently am one of the "lucky" ones who gets more than a few of the symptoms at once.