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weesue
10-08-05, 23:42
Hi there.
I'm new to this forum and have not had a chance to look up the topics... (There are so many). I can see that this is a "good for people" web forum that certainly helps lots. I was wondering if there is anyone out there who has had any problems coming off the "nightmare drug", Effexor? I have had a very bad time and had only been on it for 6 months.

May I say that I have found this drug at least 10 times worse coming off than “Seroxat” was.
I was totally unaware of this and my psychiatrist must have been unaware also, because she told me to reduce the mg after a week and stop taking it”
In reality it has taken from April 2005 – July 2005 (3 months later) for me to finally reduce and stop the drug completely but to this day I am still suffering withdrawal symptoms.
I find the whole thing horrifying. Firstly that I was not warned about the possible side effects! And also that the psychiatrist did not seem to have a clue about the very bad withdrawals expected.
I have since checked the internet for forums and information and discovered that this is very disturbing and worrying problem that many thousands of people share!
I have signed a petition that more than 8000 people have signed Regarding:- Misleading the consumer and the medical community at large. This cannot continue.
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?effexor

Every time I tried to reduce it, miss a day, etc. All the symptoms returned with a vengeance.
Eventually I went to see my CPN (Community Psychiatric Nurse) and he was very sympathetic, told me to reduce from 150mg and take one 75mg one day then miss a day, to do this for about a week or so and then every 3rd day and do it very slowly. And then a half dose again (37.5) and told me to take as long as I wanted. I started to reduce them in April 2005
Now:-
I took my last dose 12 July 2005 I'm still having nightmares, sweats, agitation and Brain Zaps, but not as bad now. So that has been about 3 months, some people might get off them quicker or some might need longer...
I've taken Seroxat before and thought that was bad enough, but venlafaxine withdrawal was far far worse. I hate to think about the effect it was having on my body and mind, it certainly didn't help the depression - I feel better for not taking it because I’m so glad to have got off it, but physically drained. And some of the depression symptoms have come back. I was really worried that I could not cope with the withdrawals and might be forced to start taking it again!

“Fact of the matter is, if you stop taking Effexor, you will wish you were dead. But on an up-note, you'll be too sick to kill yourself”! (This is a quote from another web forum). Too true!


My problems coming off "Venlafaxine" and going back on to "Lofepramine". Were:-
Having all the symptoms... Sweats, anxiety, electric shocks, nightmares etc.
Tired just so tired all the time! When I’m off these I know I will be on the road to recovery... It just takes so long to finally be free of the horrible side effects... It's strange eh! We take the happy pills to get relief from depression... and then when we come off the pills we need other pills to help come off the first lot. Mmmm!

The problem is with the manufacturer’s (Wyeth) description of this drug’s side effects. They are not acknowledged because they are not so much side effects. “WHILE YOU ARE ON THE DRUG”. It’s when you’re coming off the damn thing that you mostly get all these problems and it is this that is not explained properly to either party, e.g. Your GP or Yourself!

The doctor's are not under the influence of venlafaxine and they have no idea how powerful it is. Brain shivers (shocks) run through your whole body right out to the tips of your fingers and toes. And back again. Very quickly!

Sorry for the rather large rant. But I do feel really angry with the medical profession and the drug companies who use people as guinea pigs, unknowingly!
Thanks for listening/reading...
Look forward to your comments

weesue
Born Ok The First Time!

LisaS
11-08-05, 12:25
Hi,
Just read this and wanted to add my fourpenneth! As a fellow Efexor (XR) taker and someone who is worried enough about this when my time comes to reduce my dose, I dont find it particularly inspiring to read this. I'm sorry you have had so many problems coming off this drug and I have also heard this about this drug however, there are people who do not suffer. I think it depends totally on the individual, what was wrong with you in the first place, how long you are on it, what dose you were on etc etc...
of course there are websites with people who have had bad experiences.. it is unlikely that those people who have suffered no side effects at all to feel the need to comment on how successful it was for them..
I totally agree that all GPs should make patients aware of the problems that can occur on withdrawal which is why you must always do it slowly and under strict guidance from your own GP. I trust my GP completely and dont believe she would have put me on these in the knowledge it will give me more problems later on.. I will find out one day i'm sure! I just wanted to make the point that it is not like this for everyone.
I also know that in my leaflet with my pills it does explain to come off slowly due to side effects that can occur.
I also have a couple of friends who have come off Seroxat with no ill effects.
I look forward to anyone else's views on this too.. Just wanted to offer a less doom and gloom opinion!!

Lisa
xxx

"do not fear to hope...Each time we smell the autumn's dying scent, we know that primrose time will come again"

Meg
11-08-05, 13:23
Hi weesue,

Welcome and thanks for stopping by.

Yes, its true that there are many more issues coming off these meds than previously thought and I agree that doctors are ill informed and therefore compound the situation by trying to get people off far too quickly.
The theory of half life influencing withdrawal seems to be be self forfilling as Venlaflaxine and Seroxat do have the shortest halflifes and also the most difficulty.

Many people do not suffer at all and can come off at speed having had both effective treatment and an easy withdrawal but for those it does effect it can be a long process.

I think that even the regime that your CPN suggested is quite fast for someone who is suffering badly.

I hope this passes now for you quite quickly and you can feel better soon.






Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

pinkscrumpy
11-08-05, 18:50
Oh God

I take this and now i am really worried. It is the only tablet that has helped me so had I better try coming off it now if its going to be a problem.

I find something that suits and now this ARGGGHHH!!

MANDIE XX

Meg
11-08-05, 19:18
Mandie

Do not come off it following reading this thread.
You keep taking it and reaping the benefits from it .

Cross the withdrawing bridge when you and your doctor decide it is right to do so. You may have no effects at all

Coming of now achieves nothing at all.


Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

pinkscrumpy
11-08-05, 23:10
thanx Meg

MANDIE XX

weesue
11-08-05, 23:53
Oh please Mandie, sorry for frightening you
Please do as Meg says and DO NOT COME OFF YOUR TABLETS.
If it's working for you then that's good and if and when it's your time to come off it you can do it very very slowly... But if it's working for you then stick with it.
It didn't work for me... I have been on many tablets and some worked and some didn't... Now I am going back to "Lofepramine" which is helping my anxieties better. And I don't suffer side effects on this tablet.

Hi Lisa
Please forgive me if I have alarmed you, with the doom and gloom... Even although this was bad for me... I know that not everyone will suffer these problems... I just feel that I had to get this out because it was really bad for me... And if I'd been told from the begining to take it slow, then it probably would not have been so bad... It is possible to do it really slowly... and I am getting better every day it is just taking a lot longer than I'd anticipated.

I am so sorry if I was so blunt with my posting... but how else could I have told my story? I know that not everyone suffers the same symptoms! I read a posting on "Lustral" and it was very negative and I had been on that for 4 years... I did not suffer any of the said symptoms! Even when I came off it!

I am on "Lofepramine" now on a high dose and have read on this web forum about people who have got problems with the side effects... I don't have side-effects on this drug, thankfully. I do understand that not everyone will be the same!
You are also very lucky to have a GP you can trust... I trust my GP also but they do not all specialise on mental health medication! I was talking about my psychiatrist who should make it her job to know better! She should have known that I had to come off it very very slowly! Don't you think! I would expect my psychiatrist to be updated as it is her kind of line of work! Eh!
But I don't apologise for saying what it has done to me and maybe it is ok for you or anyone else coming off... which is great. But facing facts if I'd read all about it before it was given to me I could then have had the choice to refuse to take it.

Your comment Lisa:- Quote "It is unlikely that those people who have suffered no side effects at all to feel the need to comment on how successful it was for them"..
People like me could be put off posting, (Because I feel so very emotional and insecure and mean no harm) who are suffering, or may feel that complaining or looking for support on these such web forums which are specifically for people who need that little bit of extra help and understanding... or may feel alone in their pain, eh! After all, what's the point in going to the doctor if you are not sick?
I read on this very forum after I had posted that a lady called "Sadie", had posted on her "bad side effects" on Effexor and she got just the support she needed to stay off them.... So there are positives come out of negatives. Eh!

Thanks for the welcome Meg. I really do hope I have not offended anyone... Sometimes I just sit and cry with the frustration of depression and the agitation that I suffer... I still don't know if the agitation is another side effect of Effexor, because I was never like this before... and please I do not look for sympathy only understanding...
Help me understand whats happening to me, please! If I've said the wrong thing I'm sorry and won't post again.

weesue
Born Ok The First Time!

LisaS
12-08-05, 09:43
hi weesue,
please dont stop posting!
I was just concerned for people like mandie and myself who are on this drug that the post was quite generalised.. i guess i was just trying to view another side that it does work for some people.
what i meant by "it is unlikely that those people who have suffered no side effects at all to feel the need to comment on how successful it was for them.." (i didn't word it very well!!) was not that they dont comment, but i meant it is understandable that there are websites and forums with people discussing the horrors of a particular drug, and not so common to find websites and forums purely about how people had positive experiences on a particular drug.. because if its worked you are unlikely to start up a discussion on how something has worked because you would be cured/better! I'm not doing this very well am i! but i hope you get the jist of it!
I am truly sorry you have had a horrible time and i totally agree that your psychiatrist should know better. I saw one for 30 mins and he prescribed me prozac which had terrible anxiety side effects for me as i was suffering anxiety rather than depression - he should also have known this wasn't the best drug for me. Thats why I trust my GP as she knows me better..
but weesue, i do support you and stick with it.. i'm sure it'll wear off soon..
love lisa
xxx


"do not fear to hope...Each time we smell the autumn's dying scent, we know that primrose time will come again"

pinkscrumpy
12-08-05, 11:48
Hi Weesue

Please don't stop posting.

Its me I panic at all health related things.

I was on lofepramine and was really poorly on it. so i guess we are all very very different

lots of love

MANDIE XX

Meg
12-08-05, 16:07
**I really do hope I have not offended anyone... Sometimes I just sit and cry with the frustration of depression and the agitation that I suffer... I still don't know if the agitation is another side effect of Effexor, because I was never like this before... and please I do not look for sympathy only understanding...
Help me understand whats happening to me, please! If I've said the wrong thing I'm sorry and won't post again.**

What is happening with you is that you have the dreaded SSRI withdrawal syndrome. The sad news is that it could probably been mostly averted if you had been advised differently and come off much much slower to start with but the good news is that you'll soon be done and feeling better.

As you already know you are not alone with this and slowly these sensations and symptoms subside of which agitation is one symptom.

I'm glad you searched through and found previous posts which helped.

Do educate your doctor as to the severity of this drugs potential withdrawal.

We are here to support you through this difficult time weesue.



Meg
www.anxietymanagementltd.com

Your anxiety is the human representation of the pictures that you paint using your many vivid colours of revolving and reoccurring thoughts.
How big is your gallery ?

weesue
12-08-05, 18:32
You all are so very kind! I might have jumped the gun a little too! I am so sorry. I haven't been like this (a little paranoid) before... Just a worrier, a bit like you mandie!
Lisas, don't worry I'm not very good at explaining myself too! I sat most of the night, "after" I had posted thinking "have I said that right"?
My goodness we are all just a bunch of dolly mixtures eh!
Meg thanks for your kind words and I know I am getting better... just slowly! Thank you so much for your support...
I feel like crying when people understand just a little of what I'm going through!
Lisa and mandie - you stick with it too if it is helping you both... You are fortunate that it's doing it's job and helping you's.
And I'm glad lofepramine is beginning to help me again.
Meanwhile I will have to try and distract myself from the tablets and their effects and start living again eh!
Best of luck to all of you's, and thank you again for your patience and kindness.
luv from

weesue
Born Ok The First Time!