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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by hageshe on April 4, 2003, at 18:06:33
Hi, I'm a 36yr male. Have been on Effexor XR for 3+ years. It is ruining my life. It was wrecked my sexual functions (no drive, no ejaculation, no orgasm...once in a while I can ejaculate but it is comes out whenever it wants...no control). And the bad part is that I don't really care about the sexual part. The other problems:
-Can't focus eyes (this is a documented problem)
-Can't get energized (seriously risking my employment)
- can't think/concentrate (my IQ is 165...and I am a internationally rated chess player; well I was before Effexor)
- high blood pressure (another documented problem) I was once ready to try out for the US Olympic bike team...rode 400 miles per day. My blood pressure was as good as it gets.
- weight gain (how about 100lbs? sound fun? I was 185lb...now 285.)
- No "zest" for life...didn't think of killing myself anymore after starting Effexor...but found I had no desire to get up in the morning anymore.There's more mind you.
Oh, and now that I have been working to get the heck off this terrible drug I am having withdrawal like nothing I could have ever imagined and the maker of the drug acts like there is no problem whatsoever with withdrawl. OH MY GOD! I can't believe that a person has posted that they are actually having to take apart capsules to remove individual balls one or two at a time over the period of several months AND THEY STILL HAVE WITHDRAWAL!
All I know is that today I read elsewhere in the web from a more organized source that people are having very long lasting withdrawls for even as long as a year. I can't believe this. Is this true? Many have said 4+ months. I can't even drive my car with these symptoms nor can I go to work. This is like a full disability.
I happen to have worked in the medical device manufacturing industry and know more than my share about clinical studies and trials, FDA submissions, etc. What I can't believe is that having read every Effexor XR clinical study document published and FDA submission document that virtually nothing is said about withdrawl. Having had near-death food poisoning and knowing what it is like to move in and out of conciousness for 5 days and having mind bending halucinations and complete loss of physical control of myself I can EASILY say that my current withdrawl (and, yes, I tapered off over a month!) is the worst I have ever felt in my life.
I am having constant "brain shiver" which I am glad someone took the time to coin a name for. Very strange thing to experience and I could not think of how to articulate a descriptive name. Brain shiver is not a perfect description but close enough. I am working hard to document my actions and symptoms for the benefit of those thinking of taking this risky drug or trying to get off of it.
Right now, when ever I make eye movement I have a sudden, fierce, black-out-like thing happening to me. I REFUSE to ever take another pill and can't believe that this drug has what amounts to an addictive side effect (sure, no cravings, but such severe withdrawl people can't get off the stuff). My eyes feel as though they can't "keep up" with my head when it moves. My ears ring for a 10th of a second or so every time I move my eyes. I move my eyes and feel as though I am falling from the sky for about 1/10 of a second and that I am not in control of myself. Funky bursty electrical "lightheadedness" feeling.
More to follow.
Posted by Jack Smith on April 4, 2003, at 18:17:33
In reply to Effexor XR - Very Dangerous drug??, posted by hageshe on April 4, 2003, at 18:06:33
> Hi, I'm a 36yr male. Have been on Effexor XR for 3+ years. It is ruining my life. It was wrecked my sexual functions (no drive, no ejaculation, no orgasm...once in a while I can ejaculate but it is comes out whenever it wants...no control). And the bad part is that I don't really care about the sexual part. The other problems:
> -Can't focus eyes (this is a documented problem)
> -Can't get energized (seriously risking my employment)
> - can't think/concentrate (my IQ is 165...and I am a internationally rated chess player; well I was before Effexor)
> - high blood pressure (another documented problem) I was once ready to try out for the US Olympic bike team...rode 400 miles per day. My blood pressure was as good as it gets.
> - weight gain (how about 100lbs? sound fun? I was 185lb...now 285.)
> - No "zest" for life...didn't think of killing myself anymore after starting Effexor...but found I had no desire to get up in the morning anymore.
>Then why did you stay on it for three years? Just curious because if a drug did that to me, I would not stay on it. Also, what dose were you on?
Three things re withdrawl:
1. Visit Dr. Bob's tips section for ways to deal with it.
2. A few doses of prozac will take care of withdrawl symptoms, I have not heard of anyone where this did not work. Prozac will inhibit the reuptake of seratonin, doing what effexor does, but unlike effexor has a half life of 5 or 6 days, rather than 4-10 hours.
3. Use Benadryl for relief of symptoms. But I suggest you contact your doc and get a few doses of prozac.
Jack
Posted by MaryG on April 4, 2003, at 23:12:59
In reply to Re: Effexor XR - Very Dangerous drug??, posted by Jack Smith on April 4, 2003, at 18:17:33
>
> Then why did you stay on it for three years? Just curious because if a drug did that to me, I would not stay on it. Also, what dose were you on?Well, I can't answer for him, but for myself - I've been reading this message board and am just now realizing that some of the changes I've gone through over the past couple years were probably related to the Effexxor, although I never would have thought about that connection myself.
One example of that is my extreme tiredness. I was falling asleep at work, sometimes 3 or 4 times a day, sitting at my desk - there were times when I actually slept for an hour. Scary.. I was so afraid I would get caught and lose my job. On weekends, if I gave in to the overwhelming urge to have a "nap", I'd sleep for about 5 hours! So I ended up seeing a sleep doctor, he put me on meds for narcolepsy, but now I wonder if it's really just the Effexor. I, too, had lost the ability to really think, and concentrate on anything.. I never would have associated that with the drug. I actually thought I had sleep apnea, and wasn't getting enough deep sleep, and that's why i was always so tired and couldn't concentrate.
This has been an eye-opening experience for me, because I had never really thought before about how powerful drugs really can be. Pretty scary...
Posted by stjames on April 5, 2003, at 18:25:38
In reply to Re: Effexor XR - Very Dangerous drug??, posted by Jack Smith on April 4, 2003, at 18:17:33
> Then why did you stay on it for three years? Just curious because if a drug did that to me, I would not stay on it.
I agree, why did you stay on it ? I have taken Effexor since 1995 and would not of put up this this level of side effects for very long.
Posted by Krissy P on April 6, 2003, at 0:46:42
In reply to Effexor XR - Very Dangerous drug??, posted by hageshe on April 4, 2003, at 18:06:33
Man, I so feel for you-I relate to the weight gain. Did you stay on the Effexor solely because it helped your depression?? You said that. I think it can be VERY hard-despite such horrible side effets you share here, to stop taking a med that is doing what it is supposed to do but making you physically sick.
I was on EffexorXR for years, stopped, went back on, and stopped FOREVER--cold turkey-I don't think I will ever take that med again.
I am so sorry and I hope you feel better!!!
Please keep us posted!
Kristen
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Hi, I'm a 36yr male. Have been on Effexor XR for 3+ years. It is ruining my life. It was wrecked my sexual functions (no drive, no ejaculation, no orgasm...once in a while I can ejaculate but it is comes out whenever it wants...no control). And the bad part is that I don't really care about the sexual part. The other problems:
> -Can't focus eyes (this is a documented problem)
> -Can't get energized (seriously risking my employment)
> - can't think/concentrate (my IQ is 165...and I am a internationally rated chess player; well I was before Effexor)
> - high blood pressure (another documented problem) I was once ready to try out for the US Olympic bike team...rode 400 miles per day. My blood pressure was as good as it gets.
> - weight gain (how about 100lbs? sound fun? I was 185lb...now 285.)
> - No "zest" for life...didn't think of killing myself anymore after starting Effexor...but found I had no desire to get up in the morning anymore.
>
> There's more mind you.
>
> Oh, and now that I have been working to get the heck off this terrible drug I am having withdrawal like nothing I could have ever imagined and the maker of the drug acts like there is no problem whatsoever with withdrawl. OH MY GOD! I can't believe that a person has posted that they are actually having to take apart capsules to remove individual balls one or two at a time over the period of several months AND THEY STILL HAVE WITHDRAWAL!
>
> All I know is that today I read elsewhere in the web from a more organized source that people are having very long lasting withdrawls for even as long as a year. I can't believe this. Is this true? Many have said 4+ months. I can't even drive my car with these symptoms nor can I go to work. This is like a full disability.
>
> I happen to have worked in the medical device manufacturing industry and know more than my share about clinical studies and trials, FDA submissions, etc. What I can't believe is that having read every Effexor XR clinical study document published and FDA submission document that virtually nothing is said about withdrawl. Having had near-death food poisoning and knowing what it is like to move in and out of conciousness for 5 days and having mind bending halucinations and complete loss of physical control of myself I can EASILY say that my current withdrawl (and, yes, I tapered off over a month!) is the worst I have ever felt in my life.
>
> I am having constant "brain shiver" which I am glad someone took the time to coin a name for. Very strange thing to experience and I could not think of how to articulate a descriptive name. Brain shiver is not a perfect description but close enough. I am working hard to document my actions and symptoms for the benefit of those thinking of taking this risky drug or trying to get off of it.
>
> Right now, when ever I make eye movement I have a sudden, fierce, black-out-like thing happening to me. I REFUSE to ever take another pill and can't believe that this drug has what amounts to an addictive side effect (sure, no cravings, but such severe withdrawl people can't get off the stuff). My eyes feel as though they can't "keep up" with my head when it moves. My ears ring for a 10th of a second or so every time I move my eyes. I move my eyes and feel as though I am falling from the sky for about 1/10 of a second and that I am not in control of myself. Funky bursty electrical "lightheadedness" feeling.
>
> More to follow.
This is the end of the thread.
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