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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by jvalori1 on March 16, 2001, at 22:22:19
In reply to Re: anyone been on effexor xr for more than 1 year, posted by crylt73 on March 10, 2001, at 12:51:59
Hi, just found this info and have been reading posts. I have been on 300 mg of effexor xr for two years. Prior to that I had been on the non-time release effexor between 17.5 mg and 150 mg for about 3 years. I've been with two different doctors, both warned me about withdrawal symptoms. My sister was on effexor too and couldn't take the withdrawal symptoms and got switched over to prozac. It has, in all honesty, been like a miracle for me for my last bout of depression was quite debilitating. I have very mixed feelings about having to take medication and the more depressed I am, the worse I feel about taking medication. The doctors tell me everyone has ups and downs and I'm actually glad to still feel things while on the medication. I'm in the midst of a small down-swing right now. My doctor has suggested wellbutrin in addition to the effexor if the down-swing gets too severe for me to handle, which is actually how I found this - searching for info on wellbutrin.
My sister swore effexor made her gain weight and made her hair curly. I have found that after two years, my hair is curly and I have steadily gained weight. My husband says pet adoption was a side effect of effexor and I have adopted 4 pets over the last 5 years. I also have a low tolerance to heat and high humidity. My blood pressure is a little higher than it used to be. I will start to get a headache if I am really late in taking my daily dosage. But I've always gotten headaches and overall I think I've had headache relief on effexor.
I tried to wean myself off once, when I got down to 17.5 mg and the withdrawal symptoms were minimal. But eventually the depression came back and I'm up to 300 mg daily now.
But basically I'm thankful there is a medication to take.
I'm glad to hear of others' experiences.
Posted by Dolphin on March 17, 2001, at 17:42:00
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
Suffering terribly, Effexor XR Symptoms. My Doctor put me on Effexor about 8 months ago. My body began to twitch and I have "Brain Shivers" also called "Electric Shock-like sensations. My Doctors didn't know what it was. Through my research, I have found that Doctors are unaware of what Effexor does to people and they think these symptoms are Neurological (which is exactly what happen to me). I told my doctor of my symptoms and he increased my dose and sent me to a neurologist. They did an MRI and EEG and found nothing. I have been searching the Internet for months trying to find my own answers. I finally found the answer. Effexor cause SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome causing severe intolerable symtoms. While on the medication I suffered from the twitching and electric shocks. I cannot endure this anymore, so I have decided to take myself off of the drug completely. It has been a week now and I am suffering terribly. The electric shocks are brutally intense. I feel as if I keep getting shocked every few seconds. I am very tired and very sick nausea feeling. I do not recommend this drug to anyone. Anyone who wants to get off of it because of the side effects, has to suffer even more severely. I have read that the syndrome shouldn't last more than 3 weeks. I am suffering now, but hopefully in 3 weeks I will be over this living hell. Doctors do not know what they are doing to people.
Posted by willow on March 17, 2001, at 18:27:46
In reply to Re: I've had success. Why won't you print that? » Noddie, posted by Leo on March 16, 2001, at 17:21:15
I've been on effexor for almost six months. I've been on disability and finally am confident enough in my abilities that I had applied for a casual position and was hired. I too at first lost my appetite but now am slowly getting it back. I will have to start eating more healthily though because I am starting to gain weight which I've never done before.
Willow
Posted by Lynn V on March 17, 2001, at 22:51:46
In reply to Re: 4 Weeks off Effexor » Leo, posted by Janie on March 15, 2001, at 11:11:08
> Leo and All
> I am now into my 3-4 week of weaning off the Effexor XR,I am very interested in feedback on joint pain, mentioned above. I have been on aspirin for many years for arthritis. The joint pain became worse while I was taking Effexor, and I have recently been placed on Celebrex to control my arthritis. Have others experienced complications involving the joints? I did not make the connection until reading this post.
My daughter (18yo)had been on 300mg for 2 years. I am weaning her off slowly and she is now down to 150mg. She has muscle and joint pain. It is so bad she has to sleep on 3 layers of feather mattress covers. She never had this AT ALL until Effexor XR. Since she has been weaning down it is starting to get a little better. She can not do very much. She had to take her GED and she can't work. She recently has started aquatherapy to get some strength back. I TOTALLY blame Effexor XR for ruining my daugters life. We thought is was so wonderful in the beginning to. Then her health deteriorated. I made the connection only by accident. The thought of suing has crossed my mind.Weaning so far is ok I guess. Lots of stomach problems. She is having to take Compazine for severe nausea. I have to force her to eat most of the time. She has lost 35 lbs. in 6 weeks.
Posted by blazer on March 18, 2001, at 10:16:08
In reply to Suffering from Effexor, posted by Dolphin on March 17, 2001, at 17:42:00
> Suffering terribly, Effexor XR Symptoms. My Doctor put me on Effexor about 8 months ago. My body began to twitch and I have "Brain Shivers" also called "Electric Shock-like sensations. My Doctors didn't know what it was. Through my research, I have found that Doctors are unaware of what Effexor does to people and they think these symptoms are Neurological (which is exactly what happen to me). I told my doctor of my symptoms and he increased my dose and sent me to a neurologist. They did an MRI and EEG and found nothing. I have been searching the Internet for months trying to find my own answers. I finally found the answer. Effexor cause SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome causing severe intolerable symtoms. While on the medication I suffered from the twitching and electric shocks. I cannot endure this anymore, so I have decided to take myself off of the drug completely. It has been a week now and I am suffering terribly. The electric shocks are brutally intense. I feel as if I keep getting shocked every few seconds. I am very tired and very sick nausea feeling. I do not recommend this drug to anyone. Anyone who wants to get off of it because of the side effects, has to suffer even more severely. I have read that the syndrome shouldn't last more than 3 weeks. I am suffering now, but hopefully in 3 weeks I will be over this living hell. Doctors do not know what they are doing to people.
How long after you started taking it did you get the Brain Shivers? I have only been on it for 3 days and I am starting to feel real strange. Head tingling and so forth.
Thanks
Posted by Janie on March 18, 2001, at 10:40:41
In reply to Re: 4 Wks off Effexor-/joint pain » Janie, posted by Lynn V on March 17, 2001, at 22:51:46
> > Leo and All
> > I am now into my 3-4 week of weaning off the Effexor XR,
>
> I am very interested in feedback on joint pain, mentioned above. I have been on aspirin for many years for arthritis. The joint pain became worse while I was taking Effexor, and I have recently been placed on Celebrex to control my arthritis. Have others experienced complications involving the joints? I did not make the connection until reading this post.
>
>
> My daughter (18yo)had been on 300mg for 2 years. I am weaning her off slowly and she is now down to 150mg. She has muscle and joint pain. It is so bad she has to sleep on 3 layers of feather mattress covers. She never had this AT ALL until Effexor XR. Since she has been weaning down it is starting to get a little better. She can not do very much. She had to take her GED and she can't work. She recently has started aquatherapy to get some strength back. I TOTALLY blame Effexor XR for ruining my daugters life. We thought is was so wonderful in the beginning to. Then her health deteriorated. I made the connection only by accident. The thought of suing has crossed my mind.
>
> Weaning so far is ok I guess. Lots of stomach problems. She is having to take Compazine for severe nausea. I have to force her to eat most of the time. She has lost 35 lbs. in 6 weeks.WOW!!! My complications pale in comparison to what you describe above. So far, my withdrawal has been tolerable, but then my daily dose was only 37.5 mg. Is there a correlation between severity of withdrawal and daily dosage? I don't know. My joint pain was most severe in the lower back, but I just felt achey all over, and had no motivation to work out in the gym...joints or apathy? Who knows. Lynn, how long was your daughter on Effexor before you noticed a deterioration in her health?
Posted by Noddie on March 18, 2001, at 14:39:31
In reply to Re: I've had success. Why won't you print that? » Noddie, posted by Leo on March 16, 2001, at 17:21:15
Thanks Leo, I will keep that in mind. My older sister has been taking Effexor (not XR) for about five months along with Paxil and Xanax and since adding the Effexor to the mix has had very bad dreams. No other problems so far. I have had weird dreams, but not bad dreams. If you are reading this, maybe you want to share with me your experiences. Thanks!
Posted by Noddie on March 18, 2001, at 14:45:55
In reply to Re: I've had success. Why won't you print that?, posted by willow on March 17, 2001, at 18:27:46
Good, Willow, I'm glad to hear that you are having success too. Sounds like some people aren't. But meds affect everyone differently. My dad tried Wellbutrin and it worked great for him, so I tried it but it was a nightmare for me. Felt like I was on speed. So, just because others had bad side effects doesn't mean we all will. Good luck!
Posted by willow on March 18, 2001, at 18:25:36
In reply to Re: I've had success. Why won't you print that? » willow, posted by Noddie on March 18, 2001, at 14:45:55
> Good, Willow, I'm glad to hear that you are having success too. Sounds like some people aren't. But meds affect everyone differently. My dad tried Wellbutrin and it worked great for him, so I tried it but it was a nightmare for me. Felt like I was on speed. So, just because others had bad side effects doesn't mean we all will. Good luck!
Posted by Jana on March 18, 2001, at 20:54:55
In reply to Everyone's different, but..., posted by Racer on October 24, 1999, at 22:14:55
I've suffered from depression for about 10 years. My doctor has had me on everything from Prozac to Celexa without great success. Last summer i admitted myself to the hospital because the depression became overwhelming to the point where i was suicidal.
The doctor in charge of my case reduced the amount of Celexa i was on until i was free of the drug. He tried Paxil with no success and then put me on Effexor XR 75mg, .5 mg of Clonazepam as needed, 100mg og Trazodone at bedtime and 5-10mg of Nitrazadon when needed for sleep. Did i feel over drugged...you know it, but at the time my attitude changed, i slept through the night for the first time in years and i was actually social again. At the time i never asked and was never told about the effects of these drugs, especially the Effexor. Prior to being put on Effexor i had an accessment done by a psychologist and therapist and their feeling was that i needed therapy and not drugs. The doc agreed but still wanted my on the meds.
I don't anything but the Effexor unless absolutely needed.
A few weeks ago, due to a change in doctors i went for 11 days with the Effexor. I wouldn't wish those days on my worst enemy. Now i learn that even tho Effexor is not addictive, the side effects from withdrawl are horrendous (which i know) and the length of time to get off this med is longer than any other. Having read some of the posts on this board, i wish i had just suffered through the withdrawl and gotten the stuff out of my system, but when i did get a script and immediately started being in control again i shelved the idea of stopping.
Now i'm faced with a choice...do i want to be on Effexor forever (NO!) or do i want to be reliant on a drug that makes me incredibly tired, decreases my attention span to that of a 5 year old and has taken my libido and given it to someone else?I'm approaching my doctor this week with some of the information that i've learned here and on other sites, but i have a question for those who have been on Effexor.
Even with proper clinical checkups and reduction of the med, are the withdrawls still horrendous or is it worth going through them to have some control back in your life??HELP!
Posted by Dolphin on March 18, 2001, at 21:40:00
In reply to Re: Suffering from Effexor, posted by blazer on March 18, 2001, at 10:16:08
It was about a month before the Brain Shivers started. The twitching started right away. After your body gets used to the drug, it goes into these and other withdrawl symptoms if your body is not satisfied with the amount of drug in your system. Get off of it while you can before your body becomes dependent.
Posted by Leo on March 18, 2001, at 23:05:54
In reply to Re: I've had success. Why won't you print that? » Leo, posted by Noddie on March 18, 2001, at 14:39:31
Noddie,
My experiences are posted in previous posts. If you would like, please feel free to read through them. If you have the time, try to read through all the posts.......good and bad. I think if you do this that you will find that about 90% of what is written about effexor is extremely negative. I have visited several sites on the internet that post information and comments about effexor. They all share one common demoninator about the drug. They warn people about the drugs devistating effects....short and long term. Hope things continue going well for you. Good luck with your treatment.
Posted by JennyLynn on March 19, 2001, at 7:11:46
In reply to Re: Suffering from Effexor, posted by blazer on March 18, 2001, at 10:16:08
I took effexor only one time, last April to be exact, and am still to this day suffering with these strange chest sensations, which are followed by high anxiety, as I explained in an earlier post I sent to the list. I think it definitely caused some kind of neurological damage, but of course the dr. cannot find anything wrong, they are trying to put it off as stress. But I still believe it is way too coincidental that the one time I took the drug, and had horribly bad side effects, that these chest things have been there ever since that night. It is so scary because I feel like it will never go away, and it is even more discouraging that my dr. cannot find out why these things won't go away. If anyone has had similar chest convulsions, please email me. Or if anyone has been properly diagnosed with this, and has found something to counteract what the Effexor caused, please let me know. I don't want to have to live the rest of my life like this. I am now on Xanex for when these chest sensations kick in really bad, because it makes me so terrified and anxiety ridden, that I get all freaked out. At least I know now that I am not the only one to experience a weird side effect from a drug I only took one time!!
JennyLynn
> > Suffering terribly, Effexor XR Symptoms. My Doctor put me on Effexor about 8 months ago. My body began to twitch and I have "Brain Shivers" also called "Electric Shock-like sensations. My Doctors didn't know what it was. Through my research, I have found that Doctors are unaware of what Effexor does to people and they think these symptoms are Neurological (which is exactly what happen to me). I told my doctor of my symptoms and he increased my dose and sent me to a neurologist. They did an MRI and EEG and found nothing. I have been searching the Internet for months trying to find my own answers. I finally found the answer. Effexor cause SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome causing severe intolerable symtoms. While on the medication I suffered from the twitching and electric shocks. I cannot endure this anymore, so I have decided to take myself off of the drug completely. It has been a week now and I am suffering terribly. The electric shocks are brutally intense. I feel as if I keep getting shocked every few seconds. I am very tired and very sick nausea feeling. I do not recommend this drug to anyone. Anyone who wants to get off of it because of the side effects, has to suffer even more severely. I have read that the syndrome shouldn't last more than 3 weeks. I am suffering now, but hopefully in 3 weeks I will be over this living hell. Doctors do not know what they are doing to people.
>
> How long after you started taking it did you get the Brain Shivers? I have only been on it for 3 days and I am starting to feel real strange. Head tingling and so forth.
>
> Thanks--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you want to change anything, please do so in the box into which you typed
> > Suffering terribly, Effexor XR Symptoms. My Doctor put me on Effexor about 8 months ago. My body began to twitch and I have "Brain Shivers" also called "Electric Shock-like sensations. My Doctors didn't know what it was. Through my research, I have found that Doctors are unaware of what Effexor does to people and they think these symptoms are Neurological (which is exactly what happen to me). I told my doctor of my symptoms and he increased my dose and sent me to a neurologist. They did an MRI and EEG and found nothing. I have been searching the Internet for months trying to find my own answers. I finally found the answer. Effexor cause SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome causing severe intolerable symtoms. While on the medication I suffered from the twitching and electric shocks. I cannot endure this anymore, so I have decided to take myself off of the drug completely. It has been a week now and I am suffering terribly. The electric shocks are brutally intense. I feel as if I keep getting shocked every few seconds. I am very tired and very sick nausea feeling. I do not recommend this drug to anyone. Anyone who wants to get off of it because of the side effects, has to suffer even more severely. I have read that the syndrome shouldn't last more than 3 weeks. I am suffering now, but hopefully in 3 weeks I will be over this living hell. Doctors do not know what they are doing to people.
>
> How long after you started taking it did you get the Brain Shivers? I have only been on it for 3 days and I am starting to feel real strange. Head tingling and so forth.
>
> Thanks
Posted by Lorraine on March 19, 2001, at 9:11:05
In reply to Re: Suffering from Effexor, posted by JennyLynn on March 19, 2001, at 7:11:46
Do a search under discontinuation syndrome and you will find a lot of suggestions for how to alleviate it. Search the tips area. Short form is take a long half life drug like Prozac about 10 mg for little while--2-3 days.
Posted by blazer on March 19, 2001, at 10:01:42
In reply to Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by jp on October 24, 1999, at 14:59:14
> Hi there,
>
> Anyone care to comment on the use of Effexor? Anyone
> "happy" with it? I have tried Prozac (too much anxiety),
> Serzone (too sedating). I am currently on Buspar for anxiety.
>
> Been reading many different reports... Effexor seems
> to have a lot of success...
>
> please share your thoughts on this.What are the most common side effects??
Posted by Noa on March 19, 2001, at 11:40:38
In reply to Re: Suffering from Effexor, posted by Lorraine on March 19, 2001, at 9:11:05
I am very skeptical about discontinuation syndrome if you only took one dose of the medication, especially after 11 months.
What you are describing sounds a lot like a panic attack. It may be that the effexor triggered a panic attack. I think that it could be possible that once the panic attack was triggered, you experienced panic about the panic, and this what has hung around. I think it is common for people to feel panic about their panic symptoms.
This is assuming you have investigated all other possible reasons for chest discomfort (ruled out heart problems, etc.).
Panic attacks are real--they can come out of the blue, can be triggered by stress, can be triggered by medication, or by illness, etc. The physical manifestations are very real and can be frightening.
It seems plausible that the effexor set off a panic attack initially. But I would have a hard time believing the effexor is still having a direct contribution to these sensations, or that it is discontinuation syndrome, since you report only taking one dose.
I would suggest that you talk to your pdoc about either medication or therapeutic strategies for panic symptoms, or both.
Good luck.
Posted by McGuyver on March 19, 2001, at 13:51:59
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? , posted by blazer on March 19, 2001, at 10:01:42
Blazer,
I'm figuring out that some of the people on this sight are making way too much of this drug. For the first week or two I felt weird but now i'm just fine. I've got better things to do than sit around and worry. I smoke, used to drink a lot, and used to do a lot of other nasty things to my body, that last thing I'm worried about is effexor. People here are overanalizing it, and making thier own problems in their heads. I'm not one to believe in better living through chemistry, but in this case I couldn't go on without taking something. It seems to be working fine. I'm sure the withdrawl symptoms are no worse than the ones I've gone through with other substances. And I did that cold turkey with no medical supervision. Along with finding some good people to talk to. I guess the point I'm getting to is take anything these people say with a grain of salt, It might work for you, it might not. Just like anything else. Keep yourself busy, and let what happens happen. Trust me, the side effect are no worse than what thousands of others go throug every day without even realizing. Side effects shmide effects. Yeah so what you feel strange few days. Anyway Blazer, let me know what happens, maybe we can trade addresses. Again, don't believe everything your read. I don't know if your in the US or not, but media controlls everything. People just sit their and nod thier heads at whatever the newspeople say or right. Think for yourself, and maybe you won't feel all these effects.
McGuyver
P.S. As you can tell by my angry demeaner, I'm getting back to normal. It's bright outside, and I'm enjoying my day!
> > Hi there,
> >
> > Anyone care to comment on the use of Effexor? Anyone
> > "happy" with it? I have tried Prozac (too much anxiety),
> > Serzone (too sedating). I am currently on Buspar for anxiety.
> >
> > Been reading many different reports... Effexor seems
> > to have a lot of success...
> >
> > please share your thoughts on this.
>
> What are the most common side effects??
Posted by Lorraine on March 19, 2001, at 16:55:26
In reply to Re: 4 Wks off Effexor-/joint pain , posted by Jan Schmidt on March 19, 2001, at 15:51:18
Two thoughts on the muscle pain. First, Fibromylagia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome both involve muscle/joint pain and are frequently misdiagnosed as depression. It is possible that your daughter has one of these conditions and it hasn't been properly diagnosed. The other thought is that I had some hip pain while I was on Effexor. It went away when I got off it--I don't know how long it took. I never made the connection until I got back on it and the pain returned. Good luck.
Posted by Leo on March 19, 2001, at 18:06:54
In reply to Re: 4 Wks off Effexor-/joint pain » Janie, posted by Lynn V on March 17, 2001, at 22:51:46
Here's my update. Now entering my seventh week of no effexor. My mental state has improved remarkably sense discontinuing the drug. No depression, no anxiety, no agitation. All of which were dominating my daily life while on the drug. I still experience moderate to severe headaches and moderate fatigue. I am still experiencing what I call the "flashback syndrome" every few days or so. The joint and muscle pain is consistent, and at times, extremely painful. I have never experienced joint pain until getting off the effexor. Taking my doctors advice, I am now working with a physical therapist and nutritionists to rehab my physical body. I have absolutely no doubt that the effexor caused my severely degraded physical state. Only until getting off the drug, did I come to realize how bad off I was physically and emotionally. I have undertaken some in depth investigation about effexor. I am taking the posts on this site as well as several others and am compiling all the commonalities that are discussed. So far, what I have come up with is that between 80-90 percent of effexor users are all suffering from a wide variety of long term and permanent side effects. There are certain people on this site that try to neutralize what people are saying about this drug. However, there is absolutely no way these people can dispute, justify or explain why there are so many people complaining about the drug. I have interviewed several doctors, who have become aware of the severe problems directly related to effexor, especially the addiction aspect accompanied by the withdrawal, and no longer prescribe the drug to their patients. There is also action being taken against the drugs manufacturer. I have also notified two of the major TV network investigative reporting programs as to what is going on with effexor. They have been supplied with an abundance of information, both good and bad, about the drug and have been supplied with internet resources to see for themselves what the patients taking the drug are experiencing. Now, I know that there are Weryth-Ayerst employees that monitor and contribute posts to this site so I’m sure that what you are reading here is most likely old news to you but there are people who are suffering because of this drug. It is my goal to see that anybody who is taking this drug be made completely aware of what this drug is doing to their minds and bodies. Depression and anxiety are terrible, terrible diseases to have to live with day-in and day-out. I don’t think that those of us who have had to live through this and are having to continue to live with it now need a drug on the market whose side effects have not been fully disclosed by the company that makes it. Especially when, the condition of the majority of people who take it, seems to be inflamed by the effexor, not to mention the debilitating physical side effects of the drug.
Posted by blazer on March 20, 2001, at 8:53:57
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? » blazer, posted by McGuyver on March 19, 2001, at 13:51:59
> Blazer,
>
> I'm figuring out that some of the people on this sight are making way too much of this drug. For the first week or two I felt weird but now i'm just fine. I've got better things to do than sit around and worry. I smoke, used to drink a lot, and used to do a lot of other nasty things to my body, that last thing I'm worried about is effexor. People here are overanalizing it, and making thier own problems in their heads. I'm not one to believe in better living through chemistry, but in this case I couldn't go on without taking something. It seems to be working fine. I'm sure the withdrawl symptoms are no worse than the ones I've gone through with other substances. And I did that cold turkey with no medical supervision. Along with finding some good people to talk to. I guess the point I'm getting to is take anything these people say with a grain of salt, It might work for you, it might not. Just like anything else. Keep yourself busy, and let what happens happen. Trust me, the side effect are no worse than what thousands of others go throug every day without even realizing. Side effects shmide effects. Yeah so what you feel strange few days. Anyway Blazer, let me know what happens, maybe we can trade addresses. Again, don't believe everything your read. I don't know if your in the US or not, but media controlls everything. People just sit their and nod thier heads at whatever the newspeople say or right. Think for yourself, and maybe you won't feel all these effects.
>
> McGuyver
>
> P.S. As you can tell by my angry demeaner, I'm getting back to normal. It's bright outside, and I'm enjoying my day!
>
>
> > > Hi there,
> > >
> > > Anyone care to comment on the use of Effexor? Anyone
> > > "happy" with it? I have tried Prozac (too much anxiety),
> > > Serzone (too sedating). I am currently on Buspar for anxiety.
> > >
> > > Been reading many different reports... Effexor seems
> > > to have a lot of success...
> > >
> > > please share your thoughts on this.
> >
> > What are the most common side effects??Thanks alot McGuyver!!! At least your in the sun. Where do you reside? Send nme an email
Posted by kid47 on March 20, 2001, at 11:45:39
In reply to 7 WEEKS--EFFEXOR FREE, posted by Leo on March 19, 2001, at 18:06:54
> Here's my update. Now entering my seventh week of no effexor. My mental state has improved remarkably sense discontinuing the drug. No depression, no anxiety, no agitation. All of which were dominating my daily life while on the drug. I still experience moderate to severe headaches and moderate fatigue. I am still experiencing what I call the "flashback syndrome" every few days or so. The joint and muscle pain is consistent, and at times, extremely painful. I have never experienced joint pain until getting off the effexor. Taking my doctors advice, I am now working with a physical therapist and nutritionists to rehab my physical body. I have absolutely no doubt that the effexor caused my severely degraded physical state. Only until getting off the drug, did I come to realize how bad off I was physically and emotionally. I have undertaken some in depth investigation about effexor. I am taking the posts on this site as well as several others and am compiling all the commonalities that are discussed. So far, what I have come up with is that between 80-90 percent of effexor users are all suffering from a wide variety of long term and permanent side effects. There are certain people on this site that try to neutralize what people are saying about this drug. However, there is absolutely no way these people can dispute, justify or explain why there are so many people complaining about the drug. I have interviewed several doctors, who have become aware of the severe problems directly related to effexor, especially the addiction aspect accompanied by the withdrawal, and no longer prescribe the drug to their patients. There is also action being taken against the drugs manufacturer. I have also notified two of the major TV network investigative reporting programs as to what is going on with effexor. They have been supplied with an abundance of information, both good and bad, about the drug and have been supplied with internet resources to see for themselves what the patients taking the drug are experiencing. Now, I know that there are Weryth-Ayerst employees that monitor and contribute posts to this site so I’m sure that what you are reading here is most likely old news to you but there are people who are suffering because of this drug. It is my goal to see that anybody who is taking this drug be made completely aware of what this drug is doing to their minds and bodies. Depression and anxiety are terrible, terrible diseases to have to live with day-in and day-out. I don’t think that those of us who have had to live through this and are having to continue to live with it now need a drug on the market whose side effects have not been fully disclosed by the company that makes it. Especially when, the condition of the majority of people who take it, seems to be inflamed by the effexor, not to mention the debilitating physical side effects of the drug.
Hi Leo. Sorry you have had such a bad experience with FXR. I have been taking FXR XR @225 mg for about a year. I have tried alot of AD's. FXR is the first to offer any relief from my depression & anxiety. For me it has truly been a life saver. But as we all know your mileage may vary. No I do not work for any drug companies. I am an electrical engineer. There have been many drugs throughout history that have done a great deal of good for some & have harmed others. I agree that everyone should be made aware of potential risks of any med & I also believe it is a consumers responsibility to diligently check available info. My concern is that someone who potentially might be helped from FXR won't even consider the drug after reading your post. I know you are posting with the best intentions. I do believe you had a terrible experience involving FXR & you feel compelled to warn others. Maybe FXR should not be a first line AD. I don't know. What I do know is there are people like myself that were helped by FXR when all other meds failed. If I had seen your post before being offered FXR I might never have tried it. Please remeber as committed as you are to discouraging FXR's use, this also carries the responsibility of potentially depriving someone who is in a vulnerable frame of mind from exactly the right medication. Thanx for your attention.
Posted by Marilyn on March 20, 2001, at 20:27:07
In reply to Re: Suffering from Effexor, posted by JennyLynn on March 19, 2001, at 7:11:46
JerryLynn, I don't have your e-mail address, so please e-mail me! Mailto: idontwantthisanymore@usa.net
Marilyn
> I took effexor only one time, last April to be exact, and am still to this day suffering with these strange chest sensations, which are followed by high anxiety, as I explained in an earlier post I sent to the list. I think it definitely caused some kind of neurological damage, but of course the dr. cannot find anything wrong, they are trying to put it off as stress. But I still believe it is way too coincidental that the one time I took the drug, and had horribly bad side effects, that these chest things have been there ever since that night. It is so scary because I feel like it will never go away, and it is even more discouraging that my dr. cannot find out why these things won't go away. If anyone has had similar chest convulsions, please email me. Or if anyone has been properly diagnosed with this, and has found something to counteract what the Effexor caused, please let me know. I don't want to have to live the rest of my life like this. I am now on Xanex for when these chest sensations kick in really bad, because it makes me so terrified and anxiety ridden, that I get all freaked out. At least I know now that I am not the only one to experience a weird side effect from a drug I only took one time!!
> JennyLynn
> > > Suffering terribly, Effexor XR Symptoms. My Doctor put me on Effexor about 8 months ago. My body began to twitch and I have "Brain Shivers" also called "Electric Shock-like sensations. My Doctors didn't know what it was. Through my research, I have found that Doctors are unaware of what Effexor does to people and they think these symptoms are Neurological (which is exactly what happen to me). I told my doctor of my symptoms and he increased my dose and sent me to a neurologist. They did an MRI and EEG and found nothing. I have been searching the Internet for months trying to find my own answers. I finally found the answer. Effexor cause SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome causing severe intolerable symtoms. While on the medication I suffered from the twitching and electric shocks. I cannot endure this anymore, so I have decided to take myself off of the drug completely. It has been a week now and I am suffering terribly. The electric shocks are brutally intense. I feel as if I keep getting shocked every few seconds. I am very tired and very sick nausea feeling. I do not recommend this drug to anyone. Anyone who wants to get off of it because of the side effects, has to suffer even more severely. I have read that the syndrome shouldn't last more than 3 weeks. I am suffering now, but hopefully in 3 weeks I will be over this living hell. Doctors do not know what they are doing to people.
> >
> > How long after you started taking it did you get the Brain Shivers? I have only been on it for 3 days and I am starting to feel real strange. Head tingling and so forth.
> >
> > Thanks
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> > > Suffering terribly, Effexor XR Symptoms. My Doctor put me on Effexor about 8 months ago. My body began to twitch and I have "Brain Shivers" also called "Electric Shock-like sensations. My Doctors didn't know what it was. Through my research, I have found that Doctors are unaware of what Effexor does to people and they think these symptoms are Neurological (which is exactly what happen to me). I told my doctor of my symptoms and he increased my dose and sent me to a neurologist. They did an MRI and EEG and found nothing. I have been searching the Internet for months trying to find my own answers. I finally found the answer. Effexor cause SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome causing severe intolerable symtoms. While on the medication I suffered from the twitching and electric shocks. I cannot endure this anymore, so I have decided to take myself off of the drug completely. It has been a week now and I am suffering terribly. The electric shocks are brutally intense. I feel as if I keep getting shocked every few seconds. I am very tired and very sick nausea feeling. I do not recommend this drug to anyone. Anyone who wants to get off of it because of the side effects, has to suffer even more severely. I have read that the syndrome shouldn't last more than 3 weeks. I am suffering now, but hopefully in 3 weeks I will be over this living hell. Doctors do not know what they are doing to people.
> >
> > How long after you started taking it did you get the Brain Shivers? I have only been on it for 3 days and I am starting to feel real strange. Head tingling and so forth.
> >
> > Thanks
Posted by Marilyn on March 20, 2001, at 20:33:35
In reply to Re: 7 WEEKS--EFFEXOR FREE, posted by kid47 on March 20, 2001, at 11:45:39
Hi kid 47,
Just wait untill you wanna get off FXR!
Marilyn
> Hi Leo. Sorry you have had such a bad experience with FXR. I have been taking FXR XR @225 mg for about a year. I have tried alot of AD's. FXR is the first to offer any relief from my depression & anxiety. For me it has truly been a life saver. But as we all know your mileage may vary. No I do not work for any drug companies. I am an electrical engineer. There have been many drugs throughout history that have done a great deal of good for some & have harmed others. I agree that everyone should be made aware of potential risks of any med & I also believe it is a consumers responsibility to diligently check available info. My concern is that someone who potentially might be helped from FXR won't even consider the drug after reading your post. I know you are posting with the best intentions. I do believe you had a terrible experience involving FXR & you feel compelled to warn others. Maybe FXR should not be a first line AD. I don't know. What I do know is there are people like myself that were helped by FXR when all other meds failed. If I had seen your post before being offered FXR I might never have tried it. Please remeber as committed as you are to discouraging FXR's use, this also carries the responsibility of potentially depriving someone who is in a vulnerable frame of mind from exactly the right medication. Thanx for your attention.
Posted by Noddie on March 21, 2001, at 2:27:31
In reply to Re: Anyone had success on Effexor XR? » blazer, posted by McGuyver on March 19, 2001, at 13:51:59
Dear Mcguyver, I just want to tell you , you are SO right. I can't believe the overanalization that is occurring on this sight! No offense to anyone! I have taken things that have made me feel a lot STRANGER than Effexor. Besides, everyone is different. We cannot all benefit from the same medication, because not only are we all different, we are all taking it for different reasons! If I don't like it, I will simply stop taking it, heaven forbid. That's all,
Noddie
Posted by Leo on March 21, 2001, at 8:27:59
In reply to Re: 7 WEEKS--EFFEXOR FREE, posted by kid47 on March 20, 2001, at 11:45:39
I am very happy to hear that the effexor you have been taking has offered some relief against your depression and anxiety. I, like you, felt the same way when I first started taking the drug. It is only now, 5 years later that I have come to realize that the effexor, my little dose of 37.5mg taken everyday, had stopped offering relief against the depression and had only helped to maintain its misery. And yes, there have been quite a few drugs throughout history that people have raved about only to find out later that the effects of the drug had harmed them. Lets consider Fin-Fin. Trial studies were incomplete. It was rushed to market. However, as the drug became more widely used by what would become victims of its use, was discovered that it damaged the heart....a life or death organ. The manufacturer had a heads up on what was going on with their drug long before they were FORCED to pull it from the pharmacy shelf and failed to issue the appropriate warnings. Maybe, had that information been disclosed to the medical community and the end user, EDUCATED decisions would have been made as to its use. And yes, you are correct when you say that the consumer of any medication should be responsible and diligent in checking out whatever information is available about the medication they are taking. Lets just hope that the manufacturers are responsible and diligent enough to supply ALL the information about the drug being prescribed so the Doctor and his patient aren’t broad sided by side effects that they weren’t aware of. If you don’t have all the facts and you don’t have all the information……..you can’t make an EDUCATED decision. If these posts that I write, as well as the other ones on this site, help to educate and inform someone who is considering the use of effexor, then I and others out there are posting vital information about the drug that is not being disclosed by the manufacturer. This is information that a potential user should have so they can make an EDUCATED decision about whether or not they should go forward with taking effexor. Had this information been available when I first started taking the drug, I and my doctor would have most likely, being the responsible and diligent people that we are, and most assuredly looked at all the alternative options available in the treatment of depressive disease. The brain is, without a doubt, the most uncharted territory within the human body, yet it is the place where depression and anxiety do the most damage. Drugs specifically developed to alter brain activity in hopes of relieving a major disease should be thoroughly tested before being unleashed on the vulnerable people that you speak of. These people need to have all the facts so that they know that they are taking exactly the right medication. A medication that will help them. In the MAJORITY of people taking the drug, it is exacerbating the problem and creating a whole new set of problems that have to be dealt with. A major one of these problems is addiction. If you suffer from drug withdrawal....you have an addiction. As more people discontinue its use, there will come a reality as to a whole new regime of the long-term, harmful effects and problems caused by the drug that will have to be dealt with. Good luck to you. I hope you continue a successful journey to overcoming your disease.
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