Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has issued a “Dear Doctor” letter to health professionals warning them that its antidepressant drug Effexor (venlafaxine) is not effective in treating depression in children and teenagers. Recent studies have found increased reports of “hostility and suicide-related adverse events,” such as thinking about suicide and self-harm, among children and teens taking Effexor.
Comment Wire reported that, “In one of the studies, 2% of children with major depression reported suicidal thoughts with a further 2% displaying hostility – more than double the proportion of children receiving placebo. In an additional study 1% of children with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) showed abnormal or changed behavior versus none with placebo. However, no children in the trials committed suicide.”
This warning comes after U.S. and British regulators in June 2003 issued a similar warning against prescribing the popular anti-depressant Paxil to children for depression, because it could increase the risk of suicide or suicide thinking in young people.
(via CommentWire)
{ 54 comments }
After reading this article about children and effexor I don’t agree the symptoms described from the drug are unique to children. Last summer I was on the drug effexor. I experienced more incidents of hostilility and suicidal thoughts on the drug than I ever did without it. I could not sleep and felt “out there” all the time. After being at 300mgs for four weeks we started the process of ending my use of effexor. I am 38 years old. I think these effects can happen to anyone – It just depends who you are.
I was prescribed effexor at the age of 15, 1 month after a severe suicide attempt. I was taken off a medication I had been on for years (which I was not taking for several months prior to that attempt) and the dr, after meeting me once, chose to give me effexor instead of the drug which had worked because the company provided his with free samples and advertising crap…As a result I became an insomniac and begin self injuring worse than I ever had in my life. After less than a year I could not stand the medication any more and quit taking, but never told my parents. Snce then I have not been suicidal and my depression has improved dramatically. This drug obviously is not safe for children, or possibley some younger adults, so why are these companies still advertising to doctors who treat teenagers and children???
My daughter in law was on effexor and started having seizures while taking it, they took her off this drug and within a month of getting more depressed, she took her own life, she was 31 years of age. Something has to be done, but how do you fight a drug company that makes 2.1 Billion a year on this drug alone.
After less than one week on Effexor, my 14 year old son vocalized suicidal thoughts and the following day displayed total lack of judgement by allegedly committing an aggressive (hostile) act against another student and is facing criminal charges. His actions were described by all as “totally out of character”. Are there similar experiences? Where can I look to find information in order to defend him?
I read a news article in my local newspaper today with total fear about adverse effects of Effexor in children. My 15 year old son was diagnosed last summer (2003) with clinical depression. Because he has insomnia (probably related to depression), the first anti-depressant he was prescribed was Remeron, because it contains a sleep aid. He was also prescribed Effexor at the same time. Over a period of 4 months, we “experimented” under the supervision of his doctor with the mg he needed daily. Recently, I took him to my Primary Care Physician (first time for him to see my son) and I tried to explain to my doctor that although I haven’t noticed any particular adverse reactions from this drug in my son, but it just didn’t seem to be handling his depression in a way that I was pleased with my depression medication (Zoloft). I asked my doctor if he would consider taking over my son’s depression medicine needs and if he would change his medication. He told me that he prescribes Effexor to many of his patients and has great success with the drug. He chose, rather than changing my son from Effextor, to keep him on Effexor and add Wellbutrin. My son is now taking Remeron (30 mg), Effexor (300 mg) and Wellbutrin (150 mg) daily. That seems like an awful lot of medication for a 15 year old, and I still do not feel it is benefiting him as it should. However, my main focus now is whether or not my son’s life is in danger with possible adverse side effects and what do any of you suggest? Thanks
Find an attorney, people. The pharmeceutical company has known for YEARS of the “side effect” or “adverse event” of suicidal ideation that Effexor causes – not just in pediatric studies, but in adults, as well. You just need to do a little research. The studies they report to the FDA are public record. You can force the issue by subpeonaing all their studies! I know this because I am dealing with a suicide issue connected to Effexor XR. My 10 year old son commited suicide after taking Effexor XR for less than a month. They started him out on a low dosage (37.5) then adjusted the dosage upwards. They said the side effects would subside at 225mg. He took 225mg for exactly one day. We have since discovered that Wyeth had placed a physician’s assistant in the office and even though we reported problems with it and the fact it had never been approved for that use or on pediatrics, she kept bumping the dosage. He had problems even at the low dose – not sleeping, anxiety, fidgeting, severe headaches, felt like his brain was rattling in his head, dizziness, feeling faint, nearly passing out. BTW, he was taking it for ADHD even though we reported suicidal thoughts being vocalized! Suit currently pending in Texas. Be safe.
My father died last April and after some blackout experiences my doctors decided to prescribe effexor. I was taking the drug for one month and was very suicidal, after trying to kill myself on the 19th March 2004 I came off the drug and am slowly getting myself back together. I am so angry with the drug company and my doctors for not warning me about the side effects as this has had a terrible effect on my family. They’re scared for me to be alone, even though I tell them that I don’t have the same suicidal thoughts since coming off the drug. What can we do to get this medication withdrawn from the market?
My 8 year old daughter started having stomach aches over a month ago and has lost 10 pounds since then. (She wasn’t overweight to start with) At her first dr. appointment, her pediatric doctor suggested a psychiatric consult (but she answered “no” to all of his “do you worry about…” questions. The psych saw her for 15 minutes and even though she verbalized no “worries” he said, she needs to go on Zoloft…and I very politely said that she, in fact, WOULD NOT be going on Zoloft. We have more appointments with a gastroenterologist–stomach ulcers, colitis, crohns disease all run in my family. I’m not ruling out anxiety in my daughter, but I don’t think it’s fair to diagnose anxiety when not that many medical tests have been run first. The fact that this highly reccommended psychiatrist was ready to dispense an SSRI so quickly just pissed me off and I’m sure he thought poorly of me when I vehemently stated that I wasn’t giving my daughter the meds. period. I would sure appreciate any support or information from any parents out there that want to comment on what I’ve written or have a child who has some anxiety issues and how they handle it without medication.
My 9 yr old son was having problems in school staying on task and focusing on his work. It would take him hours to do homework that should have taken 30 minutes. He was forever forgetting homework or his books or whatever. The school suggested testing him for ADD. He was borderline. I then took him to a psychologist who after asking him a few questions and having him draw a house and a person, diagnosed him with Generalized anxiety disorder and handed me a pack of effexor. He said get him started on these and see me in 3 weeks!! Not what I was expecting! I was desperate to help my son, but this didn’t seem right. (What really makes me mad is the bill for a $300.00 evaluation!) I took him to another doctor who took the time to talk to both my husband and me and my son. He had him pegged. He said he didn’t think that he needed medication. He said he needed structure both at home and school. He went to this doctor about 5 or 6 times. He is doing much better now. His grades have improved and so has his emotional state. Then I started reading about the problems with this drug and it makes me so angry!! I think it is negligent to so freely prescribe these drugs without a thorough mental and physical evaluation. I wasn’t even told about the side effects. Thank God I didn’t give him those drugs. I’d like to complain to somebody about this doctor and his practices. Does anybody have any suggestions?
My 11 year old daughter has been on effexor for a few weeks, in this time she has had a total personality change: violent outbursts, broken dishes, thrown things at family members and hurt herself. I am disgusted! I am calling her doctor to find out how we can safely take her off this medication! Don’t put your child on this drug!
I have had the worst side effects on Effexor. I went on Effexor trying to prevent depresssion and after just a few weeks my personailty changed for the worst, I hated everyone could not stand my self and others, then to top it all of when i went to get off the pill I had the worst with drawl symptoms I felt like some kind of Herion addict when the come off their stuff, not being able to sleep, and legs hurt really bad. This happend on Effexor xr 150 mg so take caution before you take this devils drug
Do you display any positive results from Effexor? I have Generalized Anxiety Disorder and for several years found it difficult to work with others without getting angry and avoided doing certains tasks because I was afraid to do them–for no reason. These were tasks that I had done well in the past. I tried Paxil (which helped, but caused such insomnia I couldn’t tolerate it) and Wellbutrin (which didn’t help me.) I then tried Effexor and had wonderful results. I was more focused, not anxious and not as irritable. Within one day of starting the med people commented on what I good mood I was in. My sister has had the same result. So this drug is not “the devil’s drug” as one person put it. It has helped a number of people.
I have been taking effexor for 2.5 years for a post traumatic stress disorder after a near fatal car accident. After asking my doctor continually to get me off effexor, I did it myself. I have never felt better, I have stopped drinking, am excercising daily and can deal with life much better on my own. These stories are heart breaking, I can only encourage you to get off this evil pill. Look at how many people post negative reports on this website. Life is full of hurdles, we can deal with them on our own without contaminating our systems. Ring up a friend, go for a walk or dance around like crazy. Hate to sound cliche but life wasn’t meant to be easy. After stopping taking this pill I have lost weight, I had the runs for a couple of days but that was it.I wished after the accident that I had died as I suffered bad injuries. I wouldn’t dare leave my family and friend’s now. Suicide is so selfish, I have had several friends do it and its devastating the effects it has on loved ones, for a very bloody long time.
Best wishes to you all, you can do it on your own and succeed. Love Rebecca
GOOD DAY TO YOU ALL
MY DOCTOR PUT ME ON THE MEDICATION CALLED EFFOR XR AND MY GOSH THE PROBLEMS IT HAS CAUSED IN MY LIFE ARE UNREAL.
IT HAS CAUSED ME TO BE A COLD FISH IN THE BEDROOM AND I DIDN’T KNOW IT TILL MY NEICE TOLD ME IT WAS FROM THE DRUG EFFOR.
I SAW MY DOCTOR ALL ALONG AND HAVE TOLD HER ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND SHE SAYS IT WILL ALL WORK OUT JUST TO BE PATIENT.WELL MY MIND IS VERY FORGET FULL,MY LOVE LIFE IS DOWN THE TOILET,I CRY ALLOT AND YES I HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT KILLING MYSELF BUT MY GRANDSON COMES INTO MY MIND AMY TWO SONS COMES INTO MY MIND ABOUT BEING ALONE AND HOW MUCH IT WOULD EFFECT THAEM SO I JUST LAY AND CRY MYSELF TO SLEEP.
I FEEL THEY SHOULD TAKE THIS DRUG OFF THE MARKET AS THE YKNOW IT HAS UGLY SIDE EFFECTS THAT ARE LIFE THREATING
BUT THE DOCTORS KNOW THIS AND PAY NO NEVER MIND TO OUR COMPLAINTS AS THEY GET A KICK BACK ON ALL SCRIPTS THEY WRITE.
IF THIS HELPS YOU AT ALL FEEL FREE TO WRITE TO ME.
SINCERLY
JUDY
AUGUST 11,2004
I have taken effexor for almost 2 weeks, the only side effects I have noticed was dry mouth. My mood have improved although I haven’t moticed a change in my depression, I am feeling a little. I must say don’t take this drug unles you’ve had a psychatric consult/mental eval., I’m going to continue to take my medication as the Doctor I’m seeing is going to gradually going to up the medication. Medication’s react with people in the same way you have to realize we all are not the same,along with therapy medication can’t treat your problems alone with the several attempts at suicide, taking efferox has been the best thing for me so far.
I am 30 years old and I’ve been off Effexor for 3 full days now and I’m going crazy. If I could find the pill right now I would take it. I am addicted to it. The withdraws are awful. I just hope I make it. I was on it for 3 years. I made a comment to my dr. that if I miss one pill I’m sick, dizzy, throwing up, diarrhea, shaking, and having the worse headache ever. She (my doctor) told me that was no reason to say on the drug. Cause I can’t tell it has help me. So she decided to take me off of it. I told her I needed to taper off of it. She gave me enough to do 2 weeks of 75mg and then 2 weeks of the 37.5mg now after the 3rd day of being off of the pill, I can’t even function. I’m dizzy, headaches constant, throwing up, having diarrhea, the shakes. One minute I’m burning up the next I’m freezing to death and shaking uncontrollable. I’ve read if you taper off then you don’t have the problems. I just want to warn everyone young and old to think twice. My doctor is still saying it is all in my head. I have thought and visually walked myself through attempting suicide. I can see myself doing it. I’m just praying that I don’t and keep thinking of my family. It was suggested to go back on the effexor, but I don’t want to start this all over again.
I am like many of you that have experienced adverse side effects. I spent a week in a hospital after a suicide attempt in 4/2003. This was before some of the warnings etc. that have come out recently. I personally feel that I deserve a settlement for was has happened to me. But, I and it is my opinion, that a person should approach Wyeth and file a claim directly. I have the iformation , you can email me. I believe that lawyers are very helpful, but a class-action could take many years and you share could be disappointing. Wyeth does consider claims. They like anyone or any company will review med records and make a descision. Food for thought. It is a desciaion that each must make after careful research and of course hearing a lawyer out.
I’ve been on Effexor for about a year now. I want OFF NOW! I went to my doctor because I’d been having a bad bout of clinical depression and needed some meds. Normally I take Prozac, which has always worked fine for me. Yes, it kills my libido, but that’s a fair trade off in my opinion for ridding myself of the depression and usually a few months on the drug is plenty, then I can stop taking it and I’m fine.
My doctor told me she wanted to try me on something new. I told her no Paxil, nothing that would or could cause withdrawal symptoms. She gave me Effexor. I can’t begin to vocalize how incredibly angry and scammed I feel. I’m hooked. I’ve missed doses before (by accident) and by the next afternoon I’ve got that ‘brain shock’ feeling and I’m dizzy, irritable, sad and feel very sick and untethered. I’m getting married in less than 2 weeks and I’ve just started my own business so obviously I don’t have days, weeks or months to cater to the withdrawal symptoms. What on earth can we do? Wyeth should NOT be allowed to get away with getting people hooked on this crap drug of theirs.
In addition to the withdrawal symptoms I’ve also noticed that I STILL have brief periods of depression more intense and scary than ANYTHING I’ve ever felt while on Prozac or nothing at all.
This is all so messed up. I want to hire an atty to file a suit against Wyeth AND my Doctor, but I feel I wouldn’t have a case. After all, it’s my word against my Dr’s about not wanting to be prescribed anything addictive and Wyeth is making a small fortune off this ‘legal heroin’ and I’m sure they have some great lawyers on their side. So what do we do about this? I’m not the type to bother with law suits but this is awful. I feel trapped and right now I can’t see a way out. Please email me if anyone can help or has any suggestions.
I’ve took effexor for 2 years for depression. It was a miracle drug for me. With that said, I also want to tell of my experiences with effexor. I experienced most of the side effects that others mention. Including sweating, shaking hands, frequent urination, insomnia, just to mention a few. I am glad I was put on the drug because it helped me through a really rough time. But, it is so deceitful for the drug company to state that the drug is not habit forming. I remember my doctor stating that the drug was not habit forming when she prescribed it to me. What a joke. My symptoms when I missed a dose were very much like the way I feel when I don’t get my morning coffee. Not a pretty situation. I tried 2 times to get off effexor before I was successful. I had severe flu like symptom for 2 or 3 days and then felt terrible for around 2 weeks. THe drug company should be honest and let people know what to expect. Knowing what I know now, I still might take it if I needed it. I just want to have honest accurate information so that I can make an informed decision.
I took Effexor for about 3 months, and I wanted off of it. The suicidal thoughts that were supposed to be cured by taking this “wonder” drug only intensivied. I was horrified. My mom started to notice my new suicidal tendancies and rushed me to a doctors, at the time against my will. I took my about 4 MONTHS to get over ALL of the withdrawls that came along with this drug. I was miserable and would forget simple things like turning the cold water on in the shower and would burn myself. PLEASE IF YOU ARE UNDER 18 OR HAVE A CHILD UNDER 18 TAKING THIS DRUG BE CAREFUL!
I have been prescribed 300mg effexor of for about 5 months now,along with 300mg of seroquel, 600mg of tegretal, and 2mg of pazonsin. I have been diagnosed bipolar,ptsd,brderline split personiality,and I have to agree with everyone here that says that effexor is addicting..I missed a few doses before and everytime i get sick nervous vomitting diarahea,sweating, toataly week that i get get up off the floor after vomitting. I was put on all these drigs after i attempted suicide may 30 by hanging myself.. The doctors at the mental hospital i went asked me why did you hang yourself why not take pills most woman take pills after listening to this harping for at least an hour. I looked at them and asked them why havent they popped pills to commit suicide then after going into the evaulation room to be evaulated. They asked me what is about trying to commit suicide do i regret and i told them that not having a back up plan is what i regretted.. they dont understand how our minds work they just prescribe us a bunch of pills that make us so uncoherent that we want to die because opur life is actually worse from all the drugs they pu you on..It makes living alot harder for us. SInce then i have been in a mental hospital twice and dont feel like i have been helped at all..if anyone has any input they could give me to help me i would greatly appreciate it,, I would love to have business back that ended up loosing through all this.please write to shorter33@msn.com
I BEEN ON EFFEXOR FOR 5 MONTHS,AND I CAN SAY IT IS A VERY EVIL DRUG,RECENTLY THEY UPED ME TO 225MG A DAY,SINCE THEN EVERYONE HAS NOCTICED A CHANGED IN ME,THE WAY I ACT,THE WAY I THINK,IT HAS VERY BAD SIDE EFFECTS,SHACKING,SWEATING,NOT SLEEPING.I GOT HURT AT WORK ON FEB 11,2004 DISLOCATED MY RIGHT ELBOW,2 WEEKS LATER IT GOT WORST INSTEAD OF BETTER,IN APRIL 2004 I WAS DIAGNOIS WITH A CHRONIC DISORDER CALLED RSD,THERE IS NO CURE FOR IT.I STAY IN PAIN 24/7.SO I WAS PUT ON EFFEXOR FOR DEPRESSION.BUT ITS NOT HELP ITS MAKING THINGS WORST FOR MY LIFE.THANK GOD I HAVE A WONDERFUL BOYFRIEND WHO STANDS BY MY SIDE.I’M 40 YEARS. NOW THAT I’M ON THE EFFEXOR I HAVE TO TAKE 30MG REMRON,AND 10MG SONATA AT BEDTIME TO SLEEP, HOPE THIS HELP SOMEONE.
I had taken effexor about a year ago. What a nightmare. I walked around like a zombie, not caring or wanting to do anything but sleep. I weaned off the drug and like a monster with claws I’d feel myself freaking out and had to go back on it and that was just to do cope with traumatic stress. But then when I finally felt that could cope and deal with life, that monster of a pill woudn’t let me go. I struggled through the withdrawal with brain shivers which was the worse. I seriously warn anyone never to try effexor no matter what.
Hello all,
I have been prescribed over the past few years different anti anxiety/depression medications. Then 7 months ago, guess who was given Effexor XR.. You got it! Then I was suffering with even more insomnia, feeling zombyish (is that a word), but my mood was better, so I continued it. Then my Dr. increased my ambien to 15 mg a night for my increased insomnia, then I started experiencing what seemed to be restless leg syndrome, so my Dr. put me on Meriplex (which is for people with parkinsons disease for the shaking) and he failed to mention that it wouls make me drowsy even into the next day. So I go back and tell him , I don’t think this is working well enough, that I am falling asleep in the middle of the day anytime I get still. So he increases my dosage of meriplex and adds klonopin to relax me to help me sleep. Then told me I could take another 15mg of Ambien if my legs wake up. Then I told him I was still falling asleep in the daytime, which is totally out of character for considering I have the hardest time falling asleep anytime. So I mentioned I saw a article in Readers Digest about Provigil (Never take this or Effexor Xr), he gave it to me after waiting one more week to see if increasing Meriplex again, ambien and Klonpin would help me get more sleep, when it hadn’t I recieved Provigil samples. Provigil is speed you can eat and sleep on if you make yourself stop, to actually do it, if you can. After being on all of thse meds. In one week I Lost 7 lbs, which is 7% of ME (Not Good). (also I was on; Zyrtec, Entex ESE, nasonex, and antibiotics), My husband was telling me I wasn’t right, but I would just get mad at him and go on about my business. Then my boss told me I was a different person and I could not return to work till I went to a Psychiatrist, to find out what was going on. She is a nurse and thought I was Bi-polar, and so did the Psychiatrist I went to until we went into all the meds I was on. I was Diagnosed with Polypharmacy (on too many meds,more than 4, especially mind altering meds) I had to be detoxed off
everything but 5m of Ambien, and some Klonopin to deal with stress, and sleep issues. The hardest thing to get off of is Effexor XR. (I have now been off completely for 3 weeks) I am experiencing bouts of anger, crying, and lightning bolt like feelings going through my body constantly, and the Dr. and Pharmacist all say there is nothing, but time that can help. My question is…. who is at fault for all of this… Efffexor XR who gave me all the side effects that lead to my having polypharmacy, and making me have all these withdrawals keeping me from conducting my life as normal, My Dr. for treating my symptoms with more drugs instead of the problem (obviously Effexor XR), myself for not reading up enough or my pharmacist for finding some kind of red flag, who has talked to me about it since and can totally see where it all went wrong but never said I am sorry we should have seen this and questioned it. What do I do.. I was allowed back to work after 2 1/2 weeks, then fired the next day, with her saying, “It wasn’t me that they were restructuring the situation and I was not needed, that they will still call me for projects or occassinal work and will give me excellent references” BTW for them I was a housekeeper, personal asst, household asst, helped with animal care, etc.., 2 full days a week, my other clients I simply clean house for bi-weekly or on occassion. I can barely stand myself right now, I don’t want my kids to see me like this, I am short fused, my husband bless his heart, is trying but can only take so much, I can’t stand to be alone, but everything gets on my nerves or makes me cry. All the while I am having these electrical feelings going through my body feeling like I’m being slowly killed electrocution. I really feel I am hurting my family by being here, either not handling them well, or just crying all the time. Suicide is constantly in the back of my mind. I feel like no one understands. Any comments, ideas ANYTHING please e-mail me directly. Thank you
Cindy
Attn: “Ken”
You said you know how to contact Wyeth (the correct people to deal with at Wyeth) and to email you to get the info, but it doesn’t have your email available on your post. Please click on my name below and e-mail me the info. Thank you Cindy.
Re: Effexor XR – I had effects such as: an “electric shock” feeling that ran from my heel to the top of my head; an “electric shock” feeling that I had when I turned by head too far to the right; carpal tunnel-tingling/numbness; elevated blood pressure; fast heartbeats; and fatigue — and the depression/generalized anxiety that the Effexor was supposed help got worse — All of those medical symptoms are gone since I was taken off of Effexor XR and changed to Celexa. Of course, along with those medical symptoms came a lot of “down time” and I ended up with a lot of bills for medical tests to rule out the possibility of any major medical problems.
My 20 yr old son was killed in an auto accident on 4/11/02 after taking Effexor two weeks for anxiety from his first semester at college. He acted out of character after taking the RX and took a friend’s car and took off. The death certificate indicates his death was a suicide. I can only believe that if it was, his thought process was dramatically changed when he took the Effexor two weeks and suddenly quit.
It appear this drug is worse than paxil many people such as my sister-in-law developed what exactly like neuroleptic malignant syndorme-catatonia, I have the same horible neurological disorder from taking paxil. The PET test must be done but good luck in find a doctor to help my sleep eeg was recorded by the doctors on my Ontario Medical care billing as neoplasms of the brain-yes brain cancer; the husband of a good friend just dies from the exact same thing his doctor told him it was fibre mialga-he told me that he had neoplams of the brain, as it do. Good luck all the damage all starts in the endocrone system the thyroid damage of many orgens as the thyroid moderates the whole body.
May the government take action soon againts the many doctors whom have persatcuted us through the years because EEG, and PET’s were not available too prove we spoke the truth.
Terry Walker, BBA, Certificate in computer studies
I have been off Effexor for eighteen months I have my mind back, but my body is still being attacked by the pain. The pain is so bad. My hands, and feet the nerves in my whole body on fire. if any body knows how to stop it please tell me. I was on 300mg for five and half years.
I was on Effexor for 2 years never any problems I liked It. About 3 months ago I had the doctor take my off of it I thought i didn’t need it after being off for 1 week I tried to kill myself right in front of my two babies. I was in the hospital for 2 weeks where they put me back on Effexor I have been back on it and have had nothing but problems I am also on 5 other meds just to counter act the side effects I want to come off of it my doctor refuses to wean me off and i don’t know what to do. So far being on this drug has caused me to gain 50 pounds it sucks if any one has any advice please E mail me
I had an acute alcohol problem and nearly died because of it and my doctor put me on a detox course of Diazepan. These tablets confused me so much that I ended up taking too many one day and not enough another day and eventually took more and more until they all were used up. My doctor refused to give me any more and my body went into shock syndrome. I was absolutely freaked out for about a month, unable to function, did not know where I was, what I was doing, and felt that I was in Hell. I eventually went back and she put me on Effexor and I had dreadful side effects for a week, sleepy in the day, unable to sleep at night and everything that everyone else said.
However, I have made a fantastic improvement since then and feel betternow than I ever have. This a year on and even though sometimes I feel sleepy in the day, I feel that life is really worth living now. I did think of coming off them as I really would like to be drug free but hey- why knock it if it works. I have had twenty years of depression (first brought on by having a baby – post natal depression) and I think I deserve a little bit of life. Any comments from anyone.?
I am stunned by what I’ve read on this site. I have been taking Effexor XR 300 mg for almost three years now. I’ve been to the doctor several times for one thing or another. Not realizing they were side effects of the Effexor. My file is very thick. Reading all your stories hurts my heart. All the symptoms except suicide I’ve had. They take their turn, one seeming more apparent than the other. I’ll have headaches then the next day or week I’ll have the electrical shock in my head and so on. When I’m having the electical shock feeling sounds are almost unbareable. Someone walking in the room will send a jolt right through me. Conversation is irritating because the feeling won’t stop till it’s quiet again. The doctors have put me on Amitryptiline 25mg, Ambiene 10 mg so I can sleep at night. I’ve been put on Toprol XR for blood pressure 50mg, Lipitor 40mg for high cholesterol, Protonix 40mg for my stomach problem, and I’ve always taken Minocycline for my light acne. Sleeping is not restfull anymore and hasn’t been for a long time now. I just know that when I lay down for the night I won’t sleep and have to have at least one ambien and half of another if I’m going to sleep through the night. The Amitryptiline is really bad stuff I’ve learned and I’m trying to wean myself off of it right now. I took half a pill the other night and when I put it on my tongue to swallow it the pill numbed the tip of my tongue for an hour or so. I feel nervous almost as if my insides are buzzing (for lack of a better way to put it). Heart palpitations or frequent and sometimes so hard it scares me. I’ve had an EKG done and the results are normal. I was leaving the store one afternoon and felt one so hard I blacked out for a few seconds while driving out of the parking lot. I can’t remember things and it’s hard for me to concentrate. When to many things are happening at one time, like the TV on, my daughter trying to talk to me, I’m thinking about dinner on the stove and countless other things I wonder off in my mind. Finding myself not hearing what was just said to me. I love in Texas. Houston to be exact. We have a cancer center, multiple hospitals and countless doctors offices available here but you never hear of mental illness, chemical embalance, bipolar or other facilities or resources available to people who need it like us. Just commercials on medicine. I think I would be interested in a class action lawsuit. I hate to do that but mental illness does not have a voice and it needs one. If this is what it takes then it needs to be done to make people who suffer with this disease aware of the good and bad that is out there then so be it. You can email me if you’d like. Good luck to you all and I hope one day we can all feel like normal human beings and function without being in fear all the time. Sincerely, Peggy
ive been on effexor xr for about two years i think well now im diabetic and im pretty sure the medicine was the cause i am not on the medicine now and my head is constantly fuzzy and dizzy anyone else experience this thank you
I was on effexor for about six monthes. At the start this drug helped considerably; i had more energy, a positive outlook, and could sleep more regularly at night. towards the end of the treatment i began “spacing out” during the day and having panic attacks. I felt like i couldn’t come in contact with part of my mind, that a cloud had been dropped over my head. I was informed by my doctor that i was dysthimic( sp? ) and he was going to prescribe me effexor as a means to treat a “moderate and highly treatable case of depression”. With this in mind i just quit taking my med cold turkey. Within a day i was suffering from some electric-like shock in my head when ever i exerted myself, turned my head or concentrated on anything. All though this condition stopped most of my functionality throughout the day, i was sure that it would start to wear off. Well, after about a week and a half of this i started failing some classes and was a true asshole to people that did not deserve the attention so i decided to start taking it again. It was all good for awhile, the “spacing out” and panic attacks started again. If i took the med, i went crazy, if i stopped, it was horrible. So i started busting the caps and taking more mild doses trying to “ween” myself off without any professional help. It seemed as all was well and i was almost down to taking no medicine without any side-effects. The day after i stopped completely, the side effects were just as tremendous as going from a full dose to nothing. I didn’t know what to do so i just rode it out. I am a straight “A” student, and during the time coming off effexor i recieved two “C’s”, and two “B’s”. Phys. ed. which all know is not too hard to pull an “a” in, got marked for a “C” on my report card. It took more than a month for me to return to myself. It took a month for the shocks and panic attacks to dissipate. Never again will i try government medication to treat anything short of cancer.
I’m crying as I write this. I have been on Effexor for about 6 months now (I have been on Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil previously).
About once a week I go through agonizing sinusitis and dizziness. It took me a while to realize this happens whever I miss a dose of effexor.
I had been going through my house trying to find what I am so allergic to that I get so sick, and here it is the pills that are supposed to be helping me.
I’m gaining weight, I feel awful, and the pain in my head is driving me to suicidal thoughts.
Today I finally decided that anything that makes me this sick getting off of it, is surely poison to take in the first place. I have halved my dosage today & I intend to wean myself off of it.
I decided to google for the awful withdrawl effects I have been feeling & here I am.
Bless your hearts. I only wish I knew then what I know now. Suicidal or not, I will never take an antidepressant again.
I asked my doctor to prescribe Effexor for me after my hysterectomy. I took HRT for one year and then stopped “cold turkey” because of the adverse findings. I did some research on the internet and it seemed Effexor was an anti-depressant that in 60% of cases reduced hot flashes significantly. I had such horrible flashes, insomnia, depression, etc. after giving up HRT, that I needed something to help me. I tried for 2 years different combinations of herbal remedies to no avail. After being on Effexor for several months, my hot flashes descreased quite a bit. Now, they are back with a vengence and my head hurts and I feel like a zombie. I forgot 3 days of this drug and I thought I was dying the withdrawals were so bad. I am speaking with my Dr. in two weeks and ask to be taken off the drug slowly. I believe HRT would be less deadly.
I have been on effexor for almost 1 year and have the “dizzy” side effect if I am a few minutes late taking it. I want to stop taking it, but after reading of these posts, I am afraid. I am going to the doctor today, I am going to tell her I want off. I would love any advise on how to ease the withdrawl symptoms.
I am so glad to have found this site. The symptoms I am experiencing are echoed over and over again in the postings. However, only one mentioned diabetes. Did anyone else experience hypoglacemic symptoms, hives after eating anything sugary, or pre-diabetic symptoms?
WOW! I can’t believe people suffering the same lasting side effects or permanent damage from Effexor as myself. I must of been on it for 6-9 months and started to feel like a living zombie, decided to quit. At first the drug helped and even other people would comment on the change in my mood, etc. I stopped Effexor cold turkey, this was before they decided to publish the info about the side effects from withdrawals. Thought I was dying and was so uncomfortable I wanted to die!! After some thorough web surfing I found out others has experienced the same problem. My GP put me on Effexor and when I discontinued I decided to go back and see my shrink. He put me back on 300mg of Wellbtrin XL, which is about the only anti I can tolerate the side effects. About a year later I started havine terrible muscle ache pain in my right arm, MRI showed a herniated disc that I had removed. Still in a lot of pain and suffer from bad nightmares, extreme anxiety that makes it impossible to leave the house sometimes. My thought processes seem backwards and say things out of order. Seems this drug has messed a lot of people up.
Wow….I thought I needed to go back on effexor after being on 75mg for close to a year then tapering of to 35mg for one month…then experiencing the side effects I am experiencing now at this very moment. I stopped a few days ago, of course with the advice of my doctor. I have no patience with my kids and am very irritable. I can not sleep at night. I have had a headache for 3 days now. If I knew the side effects of stopping this medication were going to be so bad I would have never started in the first place. I started using this to get me through I rough time in my life…if I knew the side effects were going to be like this I would not have started this medication in the first place.
I too had major damage done by effexor. We must help others through our experience.
Hi I read your article.. I was actually doing some research about phychiatric drugs because one of my friends is in the hospital and I believe that it’s because of the Paxil and Effexor that her doctor (more like drug dealer) prescribed to her.
The good news is that we can now do something about this and put an end to this pharmaceutical fraud that is litteraly killing people. Please visit this site http://www.cchr.org
You’ll be glad you did.
Chris
Oddly enough, I found this forum searching for the side-effects of ephedra being taken with effexor. It would appear ephedra, when taken responsibly, is much nicer than effexor.
I have been on effexor for alittle over 4 years, I think. 3 would be the minimum. I used to be a real bitch, everything would piss me off, the tile on the floor would make me so angry I’d cry. I never went to a shrink, only my GP, who gave me free samples of effexor, and said it was non-habit forming.
While taking effexor I’ve been alright, aside from heart palpatations from taking a higher dosage than I should have, supposedly. If I miss a day, ignore me for the next 24 hours b/c, if I’m lucky, I’ve doped up on cold medicine to sleep off the side ffects until my pills kick back in.
It is the most horrifying dimensia when you miss it. It’s the only thing I’m on, b/c I refused to take depecote b/c of it’s possible damages to a fetus. I’m almost 21 now, and though I’m not planning on reproducing soon, no need to have it in my system.
I wonder if effexor would hurt a fetus, and if the fetus would be addicted to it the way we are all and be in withdrawl it’s first few weeks of life. How horrid.
I’m not sure that being “nicer” is worth this. I have had cronic back achs for the last few years, i never thought effexor might have something to do with it.
I did go off of it once, when I had mono and slept for 3 weeks, literally. I was fine then.
I really hope there’s an alternative to going into hibernation…
I’m late on my dose for today, and I can already feel the headache coming on.
Bless your hearts, those of you who have written here while withdrawing, I couldn’t even find the keyboard, much less type, while withdrawing.
Sign me up for being pissed off about effexor!
My nephew was sent to a boot camp due to behavioral and criminal issues …. he advised he advised he was taking effexor – given to him by the people at that camp. When he came home and told me of this drug – I told him to stop using it ….. without knowing what kind of drug it was —- I just felt it had to be some type of mind altering drug …. now his sister, and Aunt’s are complaining that is his bad behavior is starting again ….. I wonder if it is the side effects or is he just a bad kid. I love my nephew – and I want him to be a good boy … if he does not take the drug what else can he do? He was also taking metadate, does anyone know anything about that drug.
Please help me.
I took effexor for a couple days and i felt like a zombie all the symptoms that people have decribed I also did experience.It was a bad experience for me and I was only on 75 mg I had to go back on xanax to get back to feeling my self again and I only took the effexor for 2 days. I took Paxil and Zoloft and the Effexor was the worse. I had tremors I was cold and hot shaking,dizzy sick to my stomache and vomitted I had no appetite and I lost 3 lbs in a couple days. I sat and giggled at nothing… I am not taking any of them any more, i would rather be down in the dumps then sucidial an I felt that way after a few days of being on effexor. I thought i was having an out of body experience. People sounded like Charlie browns teacher and I wanted togo in a room and sit alone. it was the worse feeling I have every had and there has to be a better way to treat depression and anxiety I had a total personality change. My doctor was concerned and sent me to a Medicine Specialist to get my meds straightened out before they killed me with the meds. I am feeling a lot better but it did take me a week to get back to myself again. I hope any one that is taking effexor GO TO A MEDICINE SPECIALIST and get the meds right you don’t have to feel like shit to feel good
I have been on 150mg of Effexor for about 4 years now. I first tried Paxil and Zoloft which didnt work for me. Effexor is the only thing that has helped me. Yes, if i happen to forget to take the pill you dont want to be around me until i can get the meds in me and they kick in. I get a headache and it feels like my brain is literally throbbing. I also sleep until the meds kick back in. I have a friend that is worried about how much i am taking. I was wondering if there are any long term effects. My gynocologist told me that if i were to get pregnant that he didnt see any reason for me to come off of it. I am happy being on Effexor right now. It has totally changed my life for the better. I am concerned about long term effects of being on the drug however.
Just over a year ago, I started taking Effexor XR 37.5mg to treat severe hot flashes related to perimenopause. I had immediate results. The hot flashes don’t completely disappear, but diminish significantly, which is great, because I want to be aware of when and if my hot flashes subside. I do experience the same effects(dizziness, nausea, headache) that others have if I miss a dose, so I am aware of the need to wean myself off the drug when the time comes, but in the meantime, it has been a lifesaver for me. My quality of life has changed drastically, for the better. The downside for me has been quite a large weight gain. I’m not sure if it’s caused by the Effexor, or the reduced estrogen level due to perimenopause. The weight gain seemed to coincide with the use of Effexor, though. I’d like to hear from others with this same condition.
Effexor is garbage.
I was on it for two years, and it has nearly destroyed my life. Unable to pursue work, because I was a zombie, terrible convulsions as I would fall asleep, ghastly nightmares, auditory hallucinations, ringing in the ears, dizziness were my lot. The doctors did not implicate Effexor but went on a wild-goose chase after the symptoms. Finally, I quit while switching to Paxil. Boy, did I have the worst convulsions ever, like somebody on an electric chair (sorry for the simile, but its the closest analogy). I came to realize Paxil was evil, only less so. I’m on Prozac now, and slowly rebuilding my career and finances.
A year later,I still have the occasional convulsion as I fall asleep at night; I hope it wears off in a few years.
Effexor messes with your emotions and personality. It causes lots of problems I need to get off it I always feel like a walking zombie. I am not sure if I should just stop immediately taking my dosage tomorrow. I am on 75 mg a day.
I have been on Effexor XR 175MG a day, for about two years now. In total I have stopped Effexor once and tried others; busbar, celxa and zoloft. The only one that actually helped me with my G.A.D was Effexor I was medication free for about six months after going through all the other trials and resumming with Effexor. Effexor gave me side effects but not as bad as some have explained on this web site. I begain taking it again because I relized I do have a condition that needed to be treated. Not because I was going crazy due to withdraws from my medication! The only continious side effect I experiance is occational mild twiches. Yes, I do experiance irratabilty and go through with draws when I go a day or two with out my meds, but I have to take responsiability for my own actions. just because you want to be short and rude, and not get out of bed, does not meen that is what you do. Medication is just part of treatment for depression and anxiety, counceling and therapy should accompany it.
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