Effexor withdrawal ... holy crap!

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I do realize people often need medication and so I normally hold my 'tongue' (fingers from the keyboard) on the topic. However since we were asked about the issue...I have had serious and lasting side effects from something prescribed and so have loved ones. I'm speaking from my own experience, and every body (two words) is (literally) different.

The problem is in drugs rushed to market in my opinion. Scientists used to take a lifetime to perfect a drug. One only has to watch late night TV to see some drugs that were touted last year and yet prone to a lawsuit for serious harm this year. If doctors don't know why that is, they should practice more caution. There are usually older, more time proven drugs available for the same illnesses.

Doctors tend to prescribe the newest and most expensive drugs, and Big Pharma does gift them, which should be (in my opinion, is) a conflict of interest.

Patients do ask for a side effects list and are their own best and last protection but, are not always given a list, or are argued with at time of prescription, that side effects on that (official) list are not 'real' (see my prior post) or, are given an incomplete list. (That is a doctor absolving themselves of responsibility.) No law that I know of protects patients from such behavior. In fact laws have been before governing bodies recently which would protect Big Pharma and doctors from all legal action. I don't think the laws passed.

Patients need a so called bill of rights (patient-protection laws), and a full side effects list in their language, given them after every visit (upon a prescription). Also since I know from experience and have been told by someone who worked for the reporting agency, since illnesses are often written in words patients never heard of, said side effects sheet should be fully explained at time of visit. That is not likely to happen since most doctor visits last about ten minutes. What the heck is Sjorgen syndrome and why is it a side effect of an antibiotic? Is it serious? Is it permanent? Why is it on the list from the pharmacist but not the one from the E.R.? That type of thing.

(The powers that be should) At least arm patients with the information up front. At least give them options for other medications. At least give them a liver panel which would tell if they have enough Cytochrome P450 to metabolize that medication, since most medications need that to work properly. At least adjust dosages to each patient individually instead of one dosage fits all.

I obviously have strong opinions about it, because over 90 percent of doctor visits end in prescription yet only one course in pharmacology needs be taken to graduate med school. And, for the reasons I've already stated above. Over 100,000 deaths from Rx drug ADR in hospitals alone in the USA each year.

I don't want to scare anybody. But, people here are intelligent and it can't hurt to at least find a doctor who will listen and to report any side effects to the doctor immediately.

I do agree Popsicle.

We need to look after ourselves, for those of us who are happy to spend time researching and deciphering the information available that is fine. I actually do not feel I trust any doctor enough to supply a fully rounded appraisal and we have much less pill pushing here in the UK.

I do sypathise with those who operate on blind faith.

That is just a weird drug, it worked really well at first for me, but gradually became less effective while the side effects became more pronounced, and it really lets you know when you miss a dose. In my case, I'd get a strange disassociated feeling, along with random emotions and slight dizziness, not a good time generally speaking,

I am going to stay on it, because when I am on time with my doses (which with this exception, I have been for a year and a half) it works really, really well for me and helps depression, anxiety and my tendency to obsess over things.

I did want to say thank you to everyone who helped with information and their stories, and giving me advice. This is a pretty good example of empathy for a complete stranger from a bunch of people who supposedly have none, lol.

Glad you are feeling better now.

DOX Can I ask how long you were on this medication before you stopped?

neilson_wheels: Thank you.

girly_aspie: Glad you are feeling better.

About 2 years, give or take. In the beginning I felt better on it, but as the effectiveness waned, my doctor kept increasing the dosage, and the stuff just killed my sex drive, among other side effects.

Thanks. Did you find something that worked for you?
I feel very similar after 10 days.

Well! Let me tell you....

My first experience with SRRIs was Lexapro. When I first started having panic attacks and didn't know what was happening, the ER doctor gave me some. After 4 days on the stuff, my anxiety was through the roof, I had horrible chest pains and was suicidal. I dumped those out.

Another doctor finally diagnosed me with panic issues. She first put me on Xanax, which I took for about a month. I know now why people get on that crap and stay on it for years. I feel like complete $#!+ for weeks after I got off it -- mostly higher anxiety and terrible headaches.

I finally got on Effexor after that, and it changed my life. It controlled my anxiety like a charm, and I had no problems with getting used to it. It was a miracle drug to me after 3 years of fighting daily panic attacks. I was taking Effexor XR, which is time-released. It's much more expensive, but you don't get that sudden drop that you can get with the regular dosage. I didn't get Effexor side effects unless I was trying to wean off it or had run out due to lack of money. Mostly I got those crazy head zaps, although they mostly happened in my chest for some reason.

I had to move to generic Venlafaxine because of the cheaper price, but it didn't work quite as well. I started having breakthrough attacks, so the doctor tried to increase my dosage. All it did was give me a severe case of the shakes. This past January, it apparently quit working entirely, because I had the worst panic attack of my life.

Now I'm taking Paxil with a lorazepam chaser as needed. I was on 20 mg, but I needed too many lorazepams, so the doc increased me to 40 mg. So far so good...