Posted by Sean9 on March 24, 2003, at 15:26:06
In reply to Re: Effexor's future ..., posted by mi5fit on March 24, 2003, at 13:08:30
I agree Effexor is effective in treating depression and I’m sure it will stay on the market. I also understand how some people have taken Effexor and quit and never experience a withdrawal symptom they would deem abnormal or excessive.
But the fact is, there are many people out there that have experience what they call severe withdrawal symptoms from quitting this drug (even when they wean off). And when it comes down to it, these are the people that need help and information.
This issue is about informed consent and degrees of risk associated with taking drugs. Do the manufacturer of Effexor and the medical community effectively communicate the range and depth of withdrawal symptoms an average person will experience from quitting this drug?
Apparently not, given the fact that so many people are reporting what they consider to be inappropriate levels of physical pain in association with the withdrawal of Effexor. And the fact that many people report the same withdrawal symptoms, even without reading about them in advance, points to the fact that this is more than just mass hypnosis or coincidence. Over 1500 people have signed a petition in support of the above sentiment. How many more voices are there out there that have not even been heard yet?
So in the interest of the free speech we all love so much, here's my two cents worth:
I’ve done some research on the subject, and can offer opinion but not legal or medical advice on how to quit Effexor if you want to quit. Effexor is effective in treating depression, but it is very, very, very difficult to stop taking. I don’t think the makers of Effexor or the medical community have even begun to make this degree of risk of painful withdrawal apparent to the average consumer. So here’s how to quit:
First point: Don't quit cold turkey, make a tapering off plan with your doctor.
Second point: Take Benadryl to relieve your withdrawal / discontinuation symptoms. It apparently gets rid of most dizziness, nausea, brain flashes, and sensory overload feelings within an hour of taking it. I do not know if this is recommended by the medical community, rather I heard about this cure on a newsgroup. I've also read that other antihistamines (like Allegra), doctor prescribed anti-vertigo medication, and low dosages of doctor prescribed Prozac all help with withdrawal symptoms of Effexor.
Third: Effexor is really dangerous. In researching the Internet, a lot of people experience the exact same withdrawal or discontinuation symptoms and these are severe, but no one was fully informed in advance.
Fourth: There is something you can do. File a report with the FDA. They regulate Effexor (which is made by Wyeth Laboratories Inc. in Philadelphia.). Help the next generation of Effexor users to be better informed by doctors and the manufacturer. You can submit a complaint to the FDA online at https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/medwatch/
The more people that report this problem, the better response we will get. You can also call in your complaint to an FDA state office (here are each state’s telephone number)
http://www.fda.gov/opacom/backgrounders/complain.html
You can also sign the petition: http://www.petitiononline.com/effexor/petition.html
Finally: Note - This is not medical or legal advice, it is only my opinion based on experience and research. I do not take Effexor, but I know someone who does, and they were not fully informed how seriously difficult it would be to stop (even through slow tapering off).
poster:Sean9
thread:55894
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030319/msgs/212238.html