I read the Associated Press articel aabout the homicidal warnings on EffexorXR. If there were over 19 miliion prescriptions of this last year, how many people with drug-induced homicidal ideas does that translate into, I mean, how many prescritptions per year does one person get?
The papers quoted IMS health reporting there were about 19,200,000 prescriptions for EffexorXR in 2005. If each patient onthe drug is issued a prescription every one to six months, that equates to anywhere from 1,600,000 to 9,600,000 on the drug. If homicidal ideation occurs in under one in a thousand, being conservative that could mean that anywhere from 1,000 to 9,000 people are getting homicidal ideation from taking Effexor XR. THese kind ofnumbers were reported inthe initial AP story that ran, and deleted from later issues.
EffexorXr and Paxil are both "SSRI" drugs, affecting serotonin, and Effexor also has "SNRI" properties, affecting norepinephrine. THeir labels carry identical warnings for suicidality and hostility, called a "class warning". Only effexor Xr now carries a homicide warning. It is reasonable to expect that this warning will eventually be extended to the whole drug class.
I have been taking 225 mg Effexor XR since 2003. Last year my doctor increased it to 300 mg due to my divorce. I was diagnosed with depression with anxiety (actually extreme agitation) and it seems to run in the family. If a person has a chemical imbalance, does the program help me get off these drugs (also Klonopin .5 mg bid and Remeron 15 mg at nite) and be able to find an alternative or will i have to take these meds all my life. It was great at first knowing there was something on the market that made me feel normal and not wanting to chew someone out all the time for no reason. thanks for your help. bjm
This story is just the tip of the iceberg. Please see our blogspot @ daring-to-tell-the-truth.blogspot.com for the tragic story of our son and his hellish ride on Effexor XR.
All of these drugs are SSRIs or SSNRIs - selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors or selective seratonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. They can all cause suicidal and/or homicidal thoughts and actions. They can CAUSE depressive symptoms to worsen, they can CAUSE extreme agitation, they can CAUSE horrible long-term damage. The FDA has issued "Black Box" warnings - the next thing to banning a drug - for children and adolescents due to these effects. In the meantime, the pharmaceutical companies are continuing to make their BILLIONS of dollars in profits from antidepressants every year! Google "antidepressant side effects" or "murder-suicide+antidepressants" and check out the tens of thousands of hits you get. Or go to antidepressantsfacts.com for more information.
My doctor put me on Effexor about 6 weeks ago. 37.5mg for 2 weeks, 75mg thereafter. I think I have taken naps in every Park&Ride and grocery store parking lot since. It came to a climax last week, I had to nap when walking from the bedroom to the livingroom. I slept 20 hours a day.
Thank you DRD. Both my husband and cousin think it is me. I went to my GP and he said stop immediately . . . .he found me sound asleep on his exam table (cold metal). I have an appointment with a new GYN.
These symptoms sometimes appear at the onset of withdrawal from Effexor rather than when the person is taking this drug. I have see firsthand how a perfectly normal, healthy person can be destroyed and plunged into mental illness by Effexor at withdrawal. It is SO important to withdraw over MONTHS and not days as recommended by Wyeth if you don't want to experience sometimes permanent changes to memory, thought processes, emotional stability, personality, etc. Psychosis is so very common with this drug. When someone is reaching an almost toxic threshold when taking it, notice they crave diet soda by the bucket even if you don't see other symptoms. If you are a loved one near someone who plans to stop taking it cold turkey, do everything you can to recommend a slow titration of 5-10% per week. Very often the first thing the patient will do is demonize those closest to them if the withdrawal is too fast. They will become unable to perceive actions and reactions correctly and you will no longer be able to help. 1000s of loving families have been instantly destroyed this way. I know. Someone who loved me very much one day, flipped within 4 days of cessation and is now walking the planet believing he always hated me - that is, when he remembers the relationship at all.
My husband was on SSRIs for years with few big reactions, but when his condition worsened, the doctors started a trend of poly pharmacy which ended in tragedy. Eventually (after about 8 months of experimentation by his psychiatrist), my husband was taking a combination of 225 mg Effexor XR(the maximum recommended amount), 150 mg Wellbutrin, 10 mg Zyprexa, and Ativan (3 times a day). He began having homocidal thoughts so he told his psychologist, who told his psychiatrist. The dr. did not move up his appointment or change his prescriptions. Five weeks later the psychiatrist increased the dose from 225mg to 300 mg of Effexor and doubled the Wellbutrin to 300mg. He was like a zombie most of the time. He was in bed about 20 hours a day and tortured when he was up. Eighteen days later, my husband drowned our 13 month old son in our bathtub. He is not a violent person and never had a criminal record before the homocide. Had Wyeth Laboratories done the right thing and disclosed this information when they discovered it, my baby would still be alive! Instead, he is in heaven and my husband is in prison!!!
Hi, I was on effexor sr 150 mg for about a year and half. My dose before that was higher and the doctor reduced it to 150mg. Even at the 150mg dose I still experienced side efects sych as nightmares, vivid dreams, hollering and talking in my sleep, flat like "No feelings inside". I thought to myself why even continue with this drug if it makes me feel so miserable. I thnk my depression may of been in remission and I actually did not need the effexor. I stopped taking it cold turkey, and boy was that a bad choice. I know you should not stop it abruptly and need to taper off it. After three days without it, I called my family doctor and was put back on it at a decreased dose for about two weeks. I have been off if completely for about three months. I feel so much better without it. If I ever have to seek medication treatment again for depression, I would plan on having it ordered by a specialist and not my family practice doctor. I felt angry and upset with my doctor because three months before I stopped the effexor, I went ot her and told her all my side effects, and how I thought I needed a med change, or get off it completely. She didn't listen to me and thought my depression was stable. I missed three days of work during the taper off period because I experienced head shocks, vertigo, nausea, upset stomah, uncontrolled crying bout, and emotional ups and downs. I now feel much better, my sex drive has come back, I don't feel blah and empty inside, and my energy level has increased.
just looking for a little help.my boyfriend has been on effexor xr for the last 10 years at 150mg.we are both in are 30's,and have been talking about starting a family.under a doc's care he has started to come off the med's and is haveing the worst time,i want to help him but i don't know what to do or if it is even worth him to come off it.ihate to see him in this much pain,but after all that i have read i'm not sure it's even safe for him to be on this.if any one has any answers thay would greatly appreciated..
In Jan. of 2005 I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. I went through the standard treatment, lumpectomy, chemo and radiation. All in all, I thought it went pretty well until the oncologist put me on Femara. Femara is the new cancer drug "one of the best" on the market. Unfortunately, "the best" causes extreme hot flashes, osteoporosis, severe joint and muscle pain, fatigue and a host of other side effects. My oncologist then prescribed Effexor, which is the only drug on the market which can be taken with Femara to help curb the hot flashes. Effexor makes me extremely nauseous, lightheaded, fuzzy and I seem to be unable to focus on important matters. Almost like a stroke victum. I've been steadily gaining weight and have problems sleeping at night. I also have zero sex drive and could sleep 20 hours a day if I didn't have to work for a living. I was unable to return to my former job because quite simply, I couldn't do the work and my doctors thought it would fatigue me to the point of total exhaustion. I switched family doctors because I couldn't find any relief and I was tired of hearing "you just need to get mor active, take a nice long walk, get some exercise". How can I accomplish this when every joint and bone in my body aches like I have an advanced case of arthritis. My new family doctor is open to anything that might help and recently prescribed Cymbalta. When I read the side effect to that, I thought, this sound worse than the Effexor. I am slowly weaning myself off the Effexor (my dose is 70 mg)by cutting it in half (per doctor). My question is: I'm feeling as bad or worse than I did a year ago when I was on chemo (actually much worse than when I was on chemo), the meds make me so sick I don't have any energy and my quality of life is almost non-existant. So given all of that, and the fact that no one can tell me what caused the cancer in the first place, why am I taking all of this medication anyhow. Am I better off taking my chances that it will come back and at least get back to my normal self or stay on this drug rollercoaster for the next 4 years and hope it doesn't do irreparable damage? Anyone???
Robbie, Cymbalta is posion. Don't take it. I took it for four months for pain, actually thought it helped for the first two months and then I felt worse than before I started.
No one warned me that you couldn't just stop taking it, one day I ran out and didn't take it. I was so sick. This must be close to what a herion addict feels going through the withdrawals, the only difference is you aren't craving the drug. In those four months I gained 20 lbs and a host of other weird symptoms including soaking night sweats and trouble remembering anything, bruising and lymph nodes in my groin and underarms and neck areas swollen and sore, and a scary irregular heartbeat along with high blood pressure that I didn't have before Cymbalta. The withdrawals to name just a few are: the most horrible headache ever that last for weeks, brain zaps, dizziness, violent throwing up, joint and muscle pain, and then the nerve pain, arms and legs falling asleep accompanied by pins and needles 1000 times a day. You feel like a stroke victim unalbe to think, or put words togther...scary! If it wasn't for "the road back" I don't think I could have made it through. Type in any search engine, "Cymbalta Withdrawals" and you can read it for yourself. Please, reconsider there must be something safer for you.
I have been on Effexor xr 75 mg for 1 month. My dr. put me on this because of axiety attacks and headaches. Well my sex drive is gone gone gone and I sweat like no other and I have no energy at all. I am going back to the Dr. tomorrow so we can see how the drug is doing I want to go off of this drug. Does anyone have any advice on what to do about the axiety attacks? my mother suffered with them her whole life untill she passed away with cancer and she took valium, I will not do that my Dr. did give me some xanax to take and that does work but I do not want to live on that the rest of my life either that is why we thougt we would try this effexor. HELP ANYONE thank you
Last February my Dr. put me on Effexor because I was going through the death of my 11 month old grandson, both my parents hospitalized and at at death's door for months, and discovering my husband of 20 years was having an affair at work and got caught and demoted, with a substantial cut in salary, all in 1 weeks time. My parent's problems were b/c of old age, but as for the rest, knowing my family didn't deserve any of these horrible things, was too much!! I was mad at God and the world. As if that wasn't bad enough, I suddenly began not getting along with my treasured adult children, and I became extremely, secretly, suicidal. Legitament reasons to need help with depression I suppose, soo although I don't like to take much medicine, but at my family's insistance, I saw my doctor and began with a 37.5 mg dose for a month or so and then to 75 mg. yet I had no knowledge of the trouble and side effects ahead. I first noticed the profuse hot flashes and sweating horribly. The Effexor phone questionare survey person said the sweating would go away once the medicine leveled off, but it never did. Also my ears started ringing or buzzing at a very high pitch, and I was told that wasn't one of the symptoms of the Effexor. (I know better.) The answers were supposed to be sent to my Dr. monthly, however my Dr. didn't discuss with me my results, or my tollerance of this medicine and my complaint of the ringing ears was ignored. The final straw was when I went on a 2 week trip, July 2-15, and left my Effexor at home by mistake, called the Dr. at about 6pm on the first day, hoping to have her call in a 2-week supply for me at my destination. She refused until the next afternoon when she was back at her office. By then, I was getting pretty miserable with sweating, experiencing loud ringing in my ears and these extreme flashes of noise in my head. I was becoming extremely emotional- crying, feeling argumenative, exhausted and agrivated. Right then I decided to get off this #%&@ medicine, and to stop taking it all together. I will admit I was scared of what was happening to me and of what might happen that I didn't know about, so I halved the little granuals in a few of my capsuls and took 37.5 mg? for a couple of days, and stopped taking it again. (FYI- there are 186 grains of medicine in one of those capsuls, or 93 in half.)It has been 6 days since I have taken any Effexor. I didn't go to my Dr. appointment yesterday b/c I am pretty disappointed in her level of care lately, and I relalize she knows little to nothing about how to care for me while giving me this medicine. While taking this medicine I have also experienced fatigue, weight gain, agitation, choking feeling, extreme thirst, craving carbs, itchy skin, impared concentration, lost sense of identity, decreased libido-yeah I know, who wouldn't under the circumstances--, and blurred vision. My question?? Will these side effects, especially the ringing ears EVER go away?? I figure it might take 2 weeks for this medicine to completely get out of my system. Then I expect to and hope to be feeling somewhat normal, and like my old (happy) healthy self. I wonder what my chances are? Has anybody tried this on their own? Comments?? I wish I'd never heard of effexor!! I don't reccomend it under any circumstances. Steer clear! and Beware!!
Before my husband died recently, he was given effexor as the dr. decided he "must be depressed" but did not do any tests. My husband was hallucinating every day and I told the doctor, absolutely, to take this drug away from him. The strange things that he "saw" disappeared, immediately. I haven't read all of the messages,here, though I plan to tomorrow, and wonder if anyone else had that problem. thank you for listening. Anonymous
I never wanted to take the Effexor. I was diganoised with GAD. My doctor told me that if I have high blood presure I would take the medicine for that so why not for GAD. I felt I was strong that that and didn't need it, however I gave in a took it for almost 2 years. Always increasing the dose. For personal and Spiriutal reasons I wanted to stop taking it. I weaned myself off showly but, I suppose not slowly enough, I spent all day in the ER yesterday (Satudray) only to be given Ativan and told to see my doctor Monday. I was felling so dizzy, nauses, extreme headache, unable to see or walk. I can not stop crying, my head hurts, my eyes feel like someone is pusing them in the shockets. My legs and arms are resless. I just want to go under a rock and cry. I'mm putting on a brave face for my children but, I want to just bust out in a whaling cry! It makes me so mad that this medicine had such a hold on me. I am a strong person and I am feel so helpless. I don't know what to do next. Taking this Ativan unti Monday is making feel like a zombie. What sould I do?
HELP IS AVAILABLE First, educate yourself. Second, go slowly coming of the drugs. Beware the helpful hand of docs who just want to switch you to another drug. Then get on some nutritional supplements as described at theroadback.org.You will eventually have to find a reputable alternative practitioner who will work with you instead of against you. However due to the lack of physician education, the vast majority of patients get themselves off the drugs.
i am now trying to wean myself off the effexor.....i feel like crap---the little zaps are the worst----i was so desperate for relief i took the effexor ----which turned into one of the most "dark" experiences of my life.... i think doctors are too quick to hand out pills without knowing quiet what it is going to do .......here take this and youll feel better----iwas so bad at one point my sis had to come babysit-------im 28------
I am desperate to get off of the Effexor. I have taken it for about 3 years (up to 150mg a day at one time) I am now at 37.5mg a day but I just don't want to be the person I am when I am on it. I am constantly screaming at my children and finding fault with everything they do. They are so confused; it is ruining their lives just because we cannot get along. One time when there was a problem with my insurance paying for my refill, I stopped taking it abruptly and I thought i was losing my mind. I just want to be the old me. I have been taking only 1 (37.5mg) every two days but I can't seem to go any longer so I have to take one about every 48 hours. I AM AN ADDICT -- I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING TO ME.
Hello, again. I am the anonymous from quite a few posts ago whose husband drowned their son in the tub. I suppose I have some good news--that you can get off of effexor and come out better on the other side. My husband's meds were changed when he went to prison. They took him off of Ativan, Wellbutrin, and Zyprexa (probably for economic reasons), but they kept him on the 300 mg of Effexor XR and added Risperdol. Then they added 1200 mg of Lithium per day! I thank God because eventually he developed lithium toxicity (He was incoherant and had extreme tremor, unable to eat or drink, confusion, uncontrollable arm spasms, etc). They took him off of ALL of his meds cold turkey because he was in such bad shape. He had to go in the hospital for kidney failure (which came first the kidney failure or the lithium toxicity?) and have dialysis. You are wondering where the good news is? He is out of the hospital (but still in prison) and is still not taking any psychiatric medicines. He has been clean for a month, and his mental condition seems BETTER without them! He has emotions again, and memory is returning. He has lost 40 pounds in 4 months and looks soooooo much better. I would not recommend going off the meds cold turkey, but he did pretty well. He had a lot of people praying for him, plus he had dialysis--I don't know if that may have helped or not. God bless all of you who are trying to get off of these medications. Yes, he is struggling now, but who wouldn't be when you finally regain the ability to feel and have to deal with the fact that your son is gone and you have a lengthy prison sentence to finish whether you are better or not. Please, if you have homocidal ideation or suicidal ideation, take it seriously because I do not think your minds have the ability to resist the thoughts while you are still taking the medication.
How similar are effexor XR and WELLBUTRIN WITHDRAWAL? I have been off the medication now for 5 days. Last night I had tightness in the chest and trouble breathing. How long will the side effects last? Thank You, Glenda
My husband was put on effexor in 2003 and killed himself 2004, he just went off the deep end. Do you think efferor could have had anything to do w/this
Sleep disturbance and insomnia Nightmares Vivid dreams Confusion Flu symptoms and general malaise Anorexia, agitation Irritability Crying spells Suicidal thoughts Memory and concentration difficulties Chills and hot flashes Lethargy Weakness Myalgia
Hallucinations can occur, and can make the you feel as if you are going crazy. You are not going crazy. You are experiencing withdrawal from a drug.
The FDA has required the Wellbutrin manufacturer to include label watnings that using Wellbutrin can increase the risk of suicide and deeper depression.
Drdolan: Please comment on Cymbalta. It is the newest evil among the antidepressants, SNRI drugs. The side effects, but more importantly the withdrawals look exactly like your post. Although, the maker states the withdrawals are unknown. I fear for anyone put on this new wonder "posion" and pray for them coming off of it. Like Neurontin it is being pushed for every disorder under the sun. Many off-label uses.
I was an effexor user plus methadone, lyrica, scelaxin,loritab all painkillers for my back. I am now getting a back stimulator and my Dr. weaned me off all this. By having the most wonderful dr. on earth and also the greatest faith in God I never had any problems coming off all this. My dr. could hardly believe how well I did but understood because he also has great faith in God. I have truly been blessed.By the way all this only took 2 weeks. I truly hope you believe my story because it is an amazing thing when we pput out lives in God's hands. He never fails us.
After being diagnosed with breast cancer, I was put on Zololt. After 3 years, I complained about the constant side effects. My dr switched me to Effexor. I started having panic attacks, I'd get lost going home. I couldn't remember anything. After 3 months, I switched back. I'm now weaning myself off according to the Road Back. I haven't felt this good in 4 years. Stay away from drugs. Cherries are great for sleeping.
was on effexor for 6 months then decided to end it, the side effects were something else, when I mentioned them to my dr she just looked at me and my husband like we were stupid. Her only suggestion was to go back on them. I went for 18 days with vertigo, nausea, brain zaps and just for laughs it felt like someone was gouging out the back of my eyes. Finally I agreed to go back on them as I could no longer control the emotional monster inside me, I am very rarely angry but suddenly I had rage. Have only been back on for a week and hate every minute of it. hopefully i can get the ingredients for tapering off here in australia.
Update again on my husband (who drowned our son, was sentenced for murder, almost died from his antidepressant meds, and was removed from them cold turkey): I am giving the glory to God because he is doing GREAT! Physically, mentally, spiritually--Awesome! I have not seen him like this in about 11 years! He has refound his faith in God and the joy and peace that comes with serving the Lord. I honestly think that psychiatric medications numb your spirit or put a wall around it so that it is almost impossible to worship in the way you were accustomed to before taking the medications. He had some so-so years while on Prozac and later Luvox, but now he is like he was when we were first married and without medication. Too bad he had to find out that he did not need the medications until AFTER being sentenced to life in prison, huh?
"Venlafaxine (Effexor) is structurally similar to phencyclidine (PCP) and thus should not be discontinued abruptly." Read about it at http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/PCP.html http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/506427_print Venlafaxine and Serious Withdrawal Symptoms: Warning to Drivers
I am in utter shock to hear about all these side effects! Last month I fainted and when I hit the floor I came to immediately......I'm 76 years old.
I was taken to the hospital emergency room and the cardiologist decided to keep me for 5 days to do a variety of heart tests. And 2 weeks later did an angiogram. He told me I had some minor damage to my heart and arteries that go with my age, but could not figure out why I fainted. He blamed it on my blood pressure being too low.
Well the palpitations and head zaps, etc. continued until one day I began paying attention to the pharmacists' serious adverse reactions. After looking up all this stuff on Google I came to a radical conclusion (WOW!) that I'm having some real dangerous side effects.
Having moved a great distance and was not in touch with a psychiatrist and won't be for another week before he can see me, I immediately stopped the effexor, cold turkey. Now I'm beginning to have many more side affects and feel truly ill.
I'm not sure if I should call an emergency number and have them check me into a psychiatric hospital immediately. But I am experiencing almost every side effect mentioned, never realizing it was the effexor.
I'm now beginning to panic as I live alone and it's 12:45 AM. Yes, I will call an emergency number.
I am 63 and have been on effexor for 6 years for migrane treatment. It did help the migranes but now its time to get off of it. I was taking 75mg., then reduced to half that amount. I have every sympton possible and feel as if I am dying at times. The brain zaps are so awful I would rather have the migranes. I am raising my 12 year old grandson and have been so crabby that he is afraid. I feel like going to the doctors office and tearing it apart for them not telling me of the horrible side effects. No wonder people sue their doctors. I wonder how long this withdrawal will take and if I will ever stop crying and be alright. I urge everyone NOT TO TAKE THIS DRUG. Please pray for me. allick6@juno.com
Good God people, are we just going to sit here and take this? This is the drugging of America. We are turning into a bunch of zombies or going potal on our friends and family.
I just weaned off Lexapro and the withdrawal is very painful. Rage, crying jags, confusion, brain zaps, no motivation, sleepy yet sleepless. Had a total meltdown yesterday and called Dr that prescribed it. I had had two TIAs(mini strokes) in May and quit smoking at the same time and was anxious for the first time in my life. I allowed the Dr to talk me into taking Lexapro. What a mistake. DO NOT however go off cold turkey that is even worse. Cut them in half and then into quarters and then every other day. It does help somewhat.
The Dr wants me to go back on the Lexapro. What are they all crazy? I will not do that. He said well everything you are telling me sounds like depression. I said, yeah, which I never had in the first place. These drugs are dangerous folks and I for one intend on making a huge stink about it once I get through this tough time. Best of luck to all. Fight back for your health.
I tried since May 2006 to get off Effexor. Highest dose was 300mg. I tapered down and quit after I got to 10 beads. After a few days off I was a raging, angry lunatic...unable to control my emotions or self. The WHOLE experience (tapering & being off)was a NIGHTMARE. Way too much to put here. I am now currently on 37.5mg to be stable and 150 Wellbutrin XL. Right now I don't want to try and get off of it again. I just can't do it right now...no matter how badly I would like life without Effexor!
I can so relate to some of the experiences I've read about here. I've been taking Effexor XR for 3-4 years. (tried luvox and a few others prior) Until recently I thought it was the answer to my troubles. Now I just want it out of my system. My dr gives me samples of the drug, and I have run out a few times. Today is day 3 without. I didn't have suicidal thoughts going on efxr, but when I don't sleep for 2 days and jump out of bed in sudden terror from the mother of all panic attacks, a bottle of sleeping pills seems the kinder, gentler way to deal with it. Withdrawal of even just a few hours can be hell. Nausea, vomiting, empty-stomach wretching till my stomach fluids come up bloody, dizziness that sends me reeling, and nightmares. I don't even have to be sleeping for those. It is these times I wonder if depression and bitchiness might be better. Then there is that bottle of sleeping pills...
I just hit the web today trying to find out why I feel so horrible after quitting Effexor. I’m in the throes of withdrawal right now and having the following symptoms:
Strobe-like effect in my brain; akin to dizziness, but not really dizziness. Brain feels like a record that is skipping, then finally finding the groove in the vinyl. I’m experiencing this 4-5 times an hour, and it increases in length and severity when I smoke a cigarette.
Feeling of unreality…like I might crack and start hallucinating any second, however I have not hallucinated.
Had an absolute feeling of BLACK, BLINDING RAGE inside of me last night and screamed at my child. This is far and away not of my personality and make up. I cried for an hour afterward…not soft sobs, but wracking grief and pain.
No energy…go from loathing the sight of food to consuming huge amounts of fats and sweets.
Today, I’m going back to the psych to get back on the evil stuff. I can’t maintain a job and motherhood like this.
38 Comments:
I read the Associated Press articel aabout the homicidal warnings on EffexorXR. If there were over 19 miliion prescriptions of this last year, how many people with drug-induced homicidal ideas does that translate into, I mean, how many prescritptions per year does one person get?
How similar are Effexor XR and Paxil? Are homicidal thought possibly a side effect of Paxil?
The papers quoted IMS health reporting there were about 19,200,000 prescriptions for EffexorXR in 2005. If each patient onthe drug is issued a prescription every one to six months, that equates to anywhere from 1,600,000 to 9,600,000 on the drug. If homicidal ideation occurs in under one in a thousand, being conservative that could mean that anywhere from 1,000 to 9,000 people are getting homicidal ideation from taking Effexor XR. THese kind ofnumbers were reported inthe initial AP story that ran, and deleted from later issues.
EffexorXr and Paxil are both "SSRI" drugs, affecting serotonin, and Effexor also has "SNRI" properties, affecting norepinephrine. THeir labels carry identical warnings for suicidality and hostility, called a "class warning". Only effexor Xr now carries a homicide warning. It is reasonable to expect that this warning will eventually be extended to the whole drug class.
I have been taking 225 mg Effexor XR since 2003. Last year my doctor increased it to 300 mg due to my divorce. I was diagnosed with depression with anxiety (actually extreme agitation) and it seems to run in the family. If a person has a chemical imbalance, does the program help me get off these drugs (also Klonopin .5 mg bid and Remeron 15 mg at nite) and be able to find an alternative or will i have to take these meds all my life. It was great at first knowing there was something on the market that made me feel normal and not wanting to chew someone out all the time for no reason. thanks for your help.
bjm
This story is just the tip of the iceberg. Please see our blogspot @ daring-to-tell-the-truth.blogspot.com for the tragic story of our son and his hellish ride on Effexor XR.
All of these drugs are SSRIs or SSNRIs - selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors or selective seratonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. They can all cause suicidal and/or homicidal thoughts and actions. They can CAUSE depressive symptoms to worsen, they can CAUSE extreme agitation, they can CAUSE horrible long-term damage. The FDA has issued "Black Box" warnings - the next thing to banning a drug - for children and adolescents due to these effects. In the meantime, the pharmaceutical companies are continuing to make their BILLIONS of dollars in profits from antidepressants every year! Google "antidepressant side effects" or "murder-suicide+antidepressants" and check out the tens of thousands of hits you get. Or go to antidepressantsfacts.com for more information.
My doctor put me on Effexor about 6 weeks ago. 37.5mg for 2 weeks, 75mg thereafter. I think I have taken naps in every Park&Ride and grocery store parking lot since. It came to a climax last week, I had to nap when walking from the bedroom to the livingroom. I slept 20 hours a day.
Thank you DRD. Both my husband and cousin think it is me. I went to my GP and he said stop immediately . . . .he found me sound asleep on his exam table (cold metal). I have an appointment with a new GYN.
These symptoms sometimes appear at the onset of withdrawal from Effexor rather than when the person is taking this drug. I have see firsthand how a perfectly normal, healthy person can be destroyed and plunged into mental illness by Effexor at withdrawal. It is SO important to withdraw over MONTHS and not days as recommended by Wyeth if you don't want to experience sometimes permanent changes to memory, thought processes, emotional stability, personality, etc. Psychosis is so very common with this drug. When someone is reaching an almost toxic threshold when taking it, notice they crave diet soda by the bucket even if you don't see other symptoms. If you are a loved one near someone who plans to stop taking it cold turkey, do everything you can to recommend a slow titration of 5-10% per week. Very often the first thing the patient will do is demonize those closest to them if the withdrawal is too fast. They will become unable to perceive actions and reactions correctly and you will no longer be able to help. 1000s of loving families have been instantly destroyed this way. I know. Someone who loved me very much one day, flipped within 4 days of cessation and is now walking the planet believing he always hated me - that is, when he remembers the relationship at all.
My husband was on SSRIs for years with few big reactions, but when his condition worsened, the doctors started a trend of poly pharmacy which ended in tragedy. Eventually (after about 8 months of experimentation by his psychiatrist), my husband was taking a combination of 225 mg Effexor XR(the maximum recommended amount), 150 mg Wellbutrin, 10 mg Zyprexa, and Ativan (3 times a day). He began having homocidal thoughts so he told his psychologist, who told his psychiatrist. The dr. did not move up his appointment or change his prescriptions. Five weeks later the psychiatrist increased the dose from 225mg to 300 mg of Effexor and doubled the Wellbutrin to 300mg. He was like a zombie most of the time. He was in bed about 20 hours a day and tortured when he was up. Eighteen days later, my husband drowned our 13 month old son in our bathtub.
He is not a violent person and never had a criminal record before the homocide. Had Wyeth Laboratories done the right thing and disclosed this information when they discovered it, my baby would still be alive! Instead, he is in heaven and my husband is in prison!!!
Hi, I was on effexor sr 150 mg for about a year and half. My dose before that was higher and the doctor reduced it to 150mg. Even at the 150mg dose I still experienced side efects sych as nightmares, vivid dreams, hollering and talking in my sleep, flat like "No feelings inside". I thought to myself why even continue with this drug if it makes me feel so miserable. I thnk my depression may of been in remission and I actually did not need the effexor. I stopped taking it cold turkey, and boy was that a bad choice. I know you should not stop it abruptly and need to taper off it. After three days without it, I called my family doctor and was put back on it at a decreased dose for about two weeks. I have been off if completely for about three months. I feel so much better without it. If I ever have to seek medication treatment again for depression, I would plan on having it ordered by a specialist and not my family practice doctor. I felt angry and upset with my doctor because three months before I stopped the effexor, I went ot her and told her all my side effects, and how I thought I needed a med change, or get off it completely. She didn't listen to me and thought my depression was stable. I missed three days of work during the taper off period because I experienced head shocks, vertigo, nausea, upset stomah, uncontrolled crying bout, and emotional ups and downs. I now feel much better, my sex drive has come back, I don't feel blah and empty inside, and my energy level has increased.
just looking for a little help.my boyfriend has been on effexor xr for the last 10 years at 150mg.we are both in are 30's,and have been talking about starting a family.under a doc's care he has started to come off the med's and is haveing the worst time,i want to help him but i don't know what to do or if it is even worth him to come off it.ihate to see him in this much pain,but after all that i have read i'm not sure it's even safe for him to be on this.if any one has any answers thay would greatly appreciated..
In Jan. of 2005 I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. I went through the standard treatment, lumpectomy, chemo and radiation. All in all, I thought it went pretty well until the oncologist put me on Femara. Femara is the new cancer drug "one of the best" on the market. Unfortunately, "the best" causes extreme hot flashes, osteoporosis, severe joint and muscle pain, fatigue and a host of other side effects. My oncologist then prescribed Effexor, which is the only drug on the market which can be taken with Femara to help curb the hot flashes. Effexor makes me extremely nauseous, lightheaded, fuzzy and I seem to be unable to focus on important matters. Almost like a stroke victum. I've been steadily gaining weight and have problems sleeping at night. I also have zero sex drive and could sleep 20 hours a day if I didn't have to work for a living. I was unable to return to my former job because quite simply, I couldn't do the work and my doctors thought it would fatigue me to the point of total exhaustion. I switched family doctors because I couldn't find any relief and I was tired of hearing "you just need to get mor active, take a nice long walk, get some exercise". How can I accomplish this when every joint and bone in my body aches like I have an advanced case of arthritis. My new family doctor is open to anything that might help and recently prescribed Cymbalta. When I read the side effect to that, I thought, this sound worse than the Effexor. I am slowly weaning myself off the Effexor (my dose is 70 mg)by cutting it in half (per doctor). My question is: I'm feeling as bad or worse than I did a year ago when I was on chemo (actually much worse than when I was on chemo), the meds make me so sick I don't have any energy and my quality of life is almost non-existant. So given all of that, and the fact that no one can tell me what caused the cancer in the first place, why am I taking all of this medication anyhow. Am I better off taking my chances that it will come back and at least get back to my normal self or stay on this drug rollercoaster for the next 4 years and hope it doesn't do irreparable damage? Anyone???
Robbie,
Cymbalta is posion. Don't take it. I took it for four months for pain, actually thought it helped for the first two months and then I felt worse than before I started.
No one warned me that you couldn't just stop taking it, one day I ran out and didn't take it. I was so sick. This must be close to what a herion addict feels going through the withdrawals, the only difference is you aren't craving the drug. In those four months I gained 20 lbs and a host of other weird symptoms including soaking night sweats and trouble remembering anything, bruising and lymph nodes in my groin and underarms and neck areas swollen and sore, and a scary irregular heartbeat along with high blood pressure that I didn't have before Cymbalta.
The withdrawals to name just a few are: the most horrible headache ever that last for weeks, brain zaps, dizziness, violent throwing up, joint and muscle pain, and then the nerve pain, arms and legs falling asleep accompanied by pins and needles 1000 times a day. You feel like a stroke victim unalbe to think, or put words togther...scary! If it wasn't for "the road back" I don't think I could have made it through. Type in any search engine, "Cymbalta Withdrawals" and you can read it for yourself. Please, reconsider there must be something safer for you.
I have been on Effexor xr 75 mg for 1 month. My dr. put me on this because of axiety attacks and headaches. Well my sex drive is gone gone gone and I sweat like no other and I have no energy at all. I am going back to the Dr. tomorrow so we can see how the drug is doing I want to go off of this drug. Does anyone have any advice on what to do about the axiety attacks? my mother suffered with them her whole life untill she passed away with cancer and she took valium, I will not do that my Dr. did give me some xanax to take and that does work but I do not want to live on that the rest of my life either that is why we thougt we would try this effexor. HELP ANYONE thank you
Last February my Dr. put me on Effexor because I was going through the death of my 11 month old grandson, both my parents hospitalized and at at death's door for months, and discovering my husband of 20 years was having an affair at work and got caught and demoted, with a substantial cut in salary, all in 1 weeks time. My parent's problems were b/c of old age, but as for the rest, knowing my family didn't deserve any of these horrible things, was too much!! I was mad at God and the world. As if that wasn't bad enough, I suddenly began not getting along with my treasured adult children, and I became extremely, secretly, suicidal. Legitament reasons to need help with depression I suppose, soo although I don't like to take much medicine, but at my family's insistance, I saw my doctor and began with a 37.5 mg dose for a month or so and then to 75 mg. yet I had no knowledge of the trouble and side effects ahead. I first noticed the profuse hot flashes and sweating horribly. The Effexor phone questionare survey person said the sweating would go away once the medicine leveled off, but it never did. Also my ears started ringing or buzzing at a very high pitch, and I was told that wasn't one of the symptoms of the Effexor. (I know better.) The answers were supposed to be sent to my Dr. monthly, however my Dr. didn't discuss with me my results, or my tollerance of this medicine and my complaint of the ringing ears was ignored. The final straw was when I went on a 2 week trip, July 2-15, and left my Effexor at home by mistake, called the Dr. at about 6pm on the first day, hoping to have her call in a 2-week supply for me at my destination. She refused until the next afternoon when she was back at her office. By then, I was getting pretty miserable with sweating, experiencing loud ringing in my ears and these extreme flashes of noise in my head. I was becoming extremely emotional- crying, feeling argumenative, exhausted and agrivated. Right then I decided to get off this #%&@ medicine, and to stop taking it all together. I will admit I was scared of what was happening to me and of what might happen that I didn't know about, so I halved the little granuals in a few of my capsuls and took 37.5 mg? for a couple of days, and stopped taking it again. (FYI- there are 186 grains of medicine in one of those capsuls, or 93 in half.)It has been 6 days since I have taken any Effexor. I didn't go to my Dr. appointment yesterday b/c I am pretty disappointed in her level of care lately, and I relalize she knows little to nothing about how to care for me while giving me this medicine. While taking this medicine I have also experienced fatigue, weight gain, agitation, choking feeling, extreme thirst, craving carbs, itchy skin, impared concentration, lost sense of identity, decreased libido-yeah I know, who wouldn't under the circumstances--, and blurred vision. My question?? Will these side effects, especially the ringing ears EVER go away?? I figure it might take 2 weeks for this medicine to completely get out of my system. Then I expect to and hope to be feeling somewhat normal, and like my old (happy) healthy self. I wonder what my chances are? Has anybody tried this on their own? Comments?? I wish I'd never heard of effexor!! I don't reccomend it under any circumstances. Steer clear! and Beware!!
Before my husband died recently, he was given effexor as the dr. decided he "must be depressed" but did not do any tests.
My husband was hallucinating every day and I told the doctor, absolutely, to take this drug away from him. The strange things that he "saw" disappeared, immediately.
I haven't read all of the messages,here, though I plan to tomorrow, and wonder if anyone else had that problem. thank you for listening. Anonymous
I never wanted to take the Effexor. I was diganoised with GAD. My doctor told me that if I have high blood presure I would take the medicine for that so why not for GAD. I felt I was strong that that and didn't need it, however I gave in a took it for almost 2 years. Always increasing the dose. For personal and Spiriutal reasons I wanted to stop taking it. I weaned myself off showly but, I suppose not slowly enough, I spent all day in the ER yesterday (Satudray) only to be given Ativan and told to see my doctor Monday. I was felling so dizzy, nauses, extreme headache, unable to see or walk. I can not stop crying, my head hurts, my eyes feel like someone is pusing them in the shockets. My legs and arms are resless. I just want to go under a rock and cry. I'mm putting on a brave face for my children but, I want to just bust out in a whaling cry! It makes me so mad that this medicine had such a hold on me. I am a strong person and I am feel so helpless. I don't know what to do next.
Taking this Ativan unti Monday is making feel like a zombie.
What sould I do?
HELP IS AVAILABLE
First, educate yourself. Second, go slowly coming of the drugs. Beware the helpful hand of docs who just want to switch you to another drug. Then get on some nutritional supplements as described at theroadback.org.You will eventually have to find a reputable alternative practitioner who will work with you instead of against you. However due to the lack of physician education, the vast majority of patients get themselves off the drugs.
i am now trying to wean myself off the effexor.....i feel like crap---the little zaps are the worst----i was so desperate for relief i took the effexor ----which turned into one of the most "dark" experiences of my life.... i think doctors are too quick to hand out pills without knowing quiet what it is going to do .......here take this and youll feel better----iwas so bad at one point my sis had to come babysit-------im 28------
I am desperate to get off of the Effexor. I have taken it for about 3 years (up to 150mg a day at one time) I am now at 37.5mg a day but I just don't want to be the person I am when I am on it. I am constantly screaming at my children and finding fault with everything they do. They are so confused; it is ruining their lives just because we cannot get along.
One time when there was a problem with my insurance paying for my refill, I stopped taking it abruptly and I thought i was losing my mind. I just want to be the old me. I have been taking only 1 (37.5mg) every two days but I can't seem to go any longer so I have to take one about every 48 hours. I AM AN ADDICT -- I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS IS HAPPENING TO ME.
Hello, again. I am the anonymous from quite a few posts ago whose husband drowned their son in the tub. I suppose I have some good news--that you can get off of effexor and come out better on the other side. My husband's meds were changed when he went to prison. They took him off of Ativan, Wellbutrin, and Zyprexa (probably for economic reasons), but they kept him on the 300 mg of Effexor XR and added Risperdol. Then they added 1200 mg of Lithium per day! I thank God because eventually he developed lithium toxicity (He was incoherant and had extreme tremor, unable to eat or drink, confusion, uncontrollable arm spasms, etc). They took him off of ALL of his meds cold turkey because he was in such bad shape. He had to go in the hospital for kidney failure (which came first the kidney failure or the lithium toxicity?) and have dialysis. You are wondering where the good news is? He is out of the hospital (but still in prison) and is still not taking any psychiatric medicines. He has been clean for a month, and his mental condition seems BETTER without them! He has emotions again, and memory is returning. He has lost 40 pounds in 4 months and looks soooooo much better. I would not recommend going off the meds cold turkey, but he did pretty well. He had a lot of people praying for him, plus he had dialysis--I don't know if that may have helped or not. God bless all of you who are trying to get off of these medications. Yes, he is struggling now, but who wouldn't be when you finally regain the ability to feel and have to deal with the fact that your son is gone and you have a lengthy prison sentence to finish whether you are better or not. Please, if you have homocidal ideation or suicidal ideation, take it seriously because I do not think your minds have the ability to resist the thoughts while you are still taking the medication.
How similar are effexor XR and WELLBUTRIN WITHDRAWAL?
I have been off the medication now for 5 days. Last night I had tightness in the chest and trouble breathing. How long will the side effects last?
Thank You,
Glenda
My husband was put on effexor in 2003 and killed himself 2004, he just went off the deep end. Do you think efferor could have had anything to do w/this
Wellbutrin Withdrawal Symptom List:
Anxiety
Muscle and joint pain
Dizziness
Fatigue
Gait disturbances
Jolting electric "zaps”
Tingling sensations
Insomnia
dizziness
Restlessness
Tremors
Visual hallucinations
Headache
Aggression
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Blurred vision
Sweating
Fever
Abdominal discomfort
Sleep disturbance and insomnia
Nightmares
Vivid dreams
Confusion
Flu symptoms and general malaise
Anorexia, agitation
Irritability
Crying spells
Suicidal thoughts
Memory and concentration difficulties
Chills and hot flashes
Lethargy
Weakness
Myalgia
Hallucinations can occur, and can make the you feel as if you are going crazy. You are not going crazy. You are experiencing withdrawal from a drug.
The FDA has required the Wellbutrin manufacturer to include label watnings that using Wellbutrin can increase the risk of suicide and deeper depression.
Drdolan:
Please comment on Cymbalta. It is the newest evil among the antidepressants, SNRI drugs. The side effects, but more importantly the withdrawals look exactly like your post. Although, the maker states the withdrawals are unknown. I fear for anyone put on this new wonder "posion" and pray for them coming off of it. Like Neurontin it is being pushed for every disorder under the sun. Many off-label uses.
I was an effexor user plus methadone, lyrica, scelaxin,loritab all painkillers for my back. I am now getting a back stimulator and my Dr. weaned me off all this. By having the most wonderful dr. on earth and also the greatest faith in God I never had any problems coming off all this. My dr. could hardly believe how well I did but understood because he also has great faith in God. I have truly been blessed.By the way all this only took 2 weeks. I truly hope you believe my story because it is an amazing thing when we pput out lives in God's hands. He never fails us.
I am on both Lexapro and Wellbutrin. When I wake up my mouth is extremely dry Any solutions or recommendations?
After being diagnosed with breast cancer, I was put on Zololt. After 3 years, I complained about the constant side effects. My dr switched me to Effexor. I started having panic attacks, I'd get lost going home. I couldn't remember anything. After 3 months, I switched back. I'm now weaning myself off according to the Road Back. I haven't felt this good in 4 years. Stay away from drugs. Cherries are great for sleeping.
was on effexor for 6 months then decided to end it, the side effects were something else, when I mentioned them to my dr she just looked at me and my husband like we were stupid. Her only suggestion was to go back on them. I went for 18 days with vertigo, nausea, brain zaps and just for laughs it felt like someone was gouging out the back of my eyes. Finally I agreed to go back on them as I could no longer control the emotional monster inside me, I am very rarely angry but suddenly I had rage. Have only been back on for a week and hate every minute of it. hopefully i can get the ingredients for tapering off here in australia.
Update again on my husband (who drowned our son, was sentenced for murder, almost died from his antidepressant meds, and was removed from them cold turkey): I am giving the glory to God because he is doing GREAT! Physically, mentally, spiritually--Awesome! I have not seen him like this in about 11 years! He has refound his faith in God and the joy and peace that comes with serving the Lord. I honestly think that psychiatric medications numb your spirit or put a wall around it so that it is almost impossible to worship in the way you were accustomed to before taking the medications. He had some so-so years while on Prozac and later Luvox, but now he is like he was when we were first married and without medication. Too bad he had to find out that he did not need the medications until AFTER being sentenced to life in prison, huh?
EFFEXOR WITHDRAWAL
"Venlafaxine (Effexor) is structurally similar to phencyclidine (PCP) and
thus should not be discontinued abruptly." Read about it at
http://www.nida.nih.gov/Infofacts/PCP.html
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/506427_print
Venlafaxine and Serious Withdrawal Symptoms: Warning to Drivers
I am in utter shock to hear about all these side effects! Last month I fainted and when I hit the floor I came to immediately......I'm 76 years old.
I was taken to the hospital emergency room and the cardiologist decided to keep me for 5 days to do a variety of heart tests. And 2 weeks later did an angiogram. He told me I had some minor damage to my heart and arteries that go with my age, but could not figure out why I fainted. He blamed it on my blood pressure being too low.
Well the palpitations and head zaps, etc. continued until one day I began paying attention to the pharmacists' serious adverse reactions. After looking up all this stuff on Google I came to a radical conclusion (WOW!) that I'm having some real dangerous side effects.
Having moved a great distance and was not in touch with a psychiatrist and won't be for another week before he can see me, I immediately stopped the effexor, cold turkey. Now I'm beginning to have many more side affects and feel truly ill.
I'm not sure if I should call an emergency number and have them check me into a psychiatric hospital immediately. But I am experiencing almost every side effect mentioned, never realizing it was the effexor.
I'm now beginning to panic as I live alone and it's 12:45 AM.
Yes, I will call an emergency number.
I am 63 and have been on effexor for 6 years for migrane treatment. It did help the migranes but now its time to get off of it. I was taking 75mg., then reduced to half that amount. I have every sympton possible and feel as if I am dying at times. The brain zaps are so awful I would rather have the migranes. I am raising my 12 year old grandson and have been so crabby that he is afraid. I feel like going to the doctors office and tearing it apart for them not telling me of the horrible side effects. No wonder people sue their doctors. I wonder how long this withdrawal will take and if I will ever stop crying and be alright. I urge everyone NOT TO TAKE THIS DRUG. Please pray for me. allick6@juno.com
Good God people, are we just going to sit here and take this? This is the drugging of America. We are turning into a bunch of zombies or going potal on our friends and family.
I just weaned off Lexapro and the withdrawal is very painful. Rage, crying jags, confusion, brain zaps, no motivation, sleepy yet sleepless. Had a total meltdown yesterday and called Dr that prescribed it. I had had two TIAs(mini strokes) in May and quit smoking at the same time and was anxious for the first time in my life. I allowed the Dr to talk me into taking Lexapro. What a mistake. DO NOT however go off cold turkey that is even worse. Cut them in half and then into quarters and then every other day. It does help somewhat.
The Dr wants me to go back on the Lexapro. What are they all crazy? I will not do that. He said well everything you are telling me sounds like depression. I said, yeah, which I never had in the first place. These drugs are dangerous folks and I for one intend on making a huge stink about it once I get through this tough time. Best of luck to all. Fight back for your health.
I tried since May 2006 to get off Effexor. Highest dose was 300mg. I tapered down and quit after I got to 10 beads. After a few days off I was a raging, angry lunatic...unable to control my emotions or self. The WHOLE experience (tapering & being off)was a NIGHTMARE. Way too much to put here. I am now currently on 37.5mg to be stable and 150 Wellbutrin XL. Right now I don't want to try and get off of it again. I just can't do it right now...no matter how badly I would like life without Effexor!
I can so relate to some of the experiences I've read about here.
I've been taking Effexor XR for 3-4 years. (tried luvox and a few others prior) Until recently I thought it was the answer to my troubles. Now I just want it out of my system. My dr gives me samples of the drug, and I have run out a few times. Today is day 3 without. I didn't have suicidal thoughts going on efxr, but when I don't sleep for 2 days and jump out of bed in sudden terror from the mother of all panic attacks, a bottle of sleeping pills seems the kinder, gentler way to deal with it. Withdrawal of even just a few hours can be hell. Nausea, vomiting, empty-stomach wretching till my stomach fluids come up bloody, dizziness that sends me reeling, and nightmares. I don't even have to be sleeping for those. It is these times I wonder if depression and bitchiness might be better. Then there is that bottle of sleeping pills...
I just hit the web today trying to find out why I feel so horrible after quitting Effexor. I’m in the throes of withdrawal right now and having the following symptoms:
Strobe-like effect in my brain; akin to dizziness, but not really dizziness. Brain feels like a record that is skipping, then finally finding the groove in the vinyl. I’m experiencing this 4-5 times an hour, and it increases in length and severity when I smoke a cigarette.
Feeling of unreality…like I might crack and start hallucinating any second, however I have not hallucinated.
Had an absolute feeling of BLACK, BLINDING RAGE inside of me last night and screamed at my child. This is far and away not of my personality and make up. I cried for an hour afterward…not soft sobs, but wracking grief and pain.
No energy…go from loathing the sight of food to consuming huge amounts of fats and sweets.
Today, I’m going back to the psych to get back on the evil stuff. I can’t maintain a job and motherhood like this.
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