Posted by john1022 on November 13, 2003, at 15:58:52
In reply to dark thoughts, posted by estorianna on November 13, 2003, at 15:35:56
I am terribly sorry to hear that estorianna. you are right about some of these medications causing severe suicidal ideation or even causing a person to commit suicide in some cases when they normally wouldn't have if not taking the medication.
Effexor once worked for me, but the next time I took it 3 years later (2 months ago) it caused extreme suicidal ideation when I was on it, where there had previously been NONE whatsoever at any point in my life. luckily it was causing all kinds of other side effects so I was able to stop it quickly, and then all the suicidal ideation lifted immediately. Same thing happened again with the next med I tried Elavil.
It is terrible that some of these companies manufacturing the meds won't at least admit that it can cause suicide and suicidal thoughts in at least SOME patients. the companies always defend the product and say that suicide and suicidal thoughts most likely come along with the depression even before the medication is started. well I can tell you that certainly isn't the case with me. although I had slight depression and anxiety before the meds, never in my life had I had suicidal thoughts before taking effexor the second time. and when I was having the thoughts I was having them I was having them badly.
I am not sure I would be here right now if I had continued taking either one of them. I stopped the effexor, and the thoughts went away immediately. started elavil, they came back again and then I stopped that and they were gone. scary stuff. some of these meds work wonders for a lot of people, some of them can make things worse for certain people although they probably help more people than they make worse (it might not just be effexor, there have been problems like this with prozac, paxil and most of the others as well).
it is truely a shame. because of this problem I think all patients should be warned about possibly feeling worse and having these thoughts before they are put on the meds, especially because stories like your own along with mine are happening so often with these medications. best of luck to you and your family. take care
poster:john1022
thread:279442
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031111/msgs/279450.html