Posted by Pamela on March 24, 2001, at 12:23:07
In reply to Re: 7 WEEKS--EFFEXOR FREE, posted by kid47 on March 20, 2001, at 11:45:39
> > Here's my update. Now entering my seventh week of no effexor. My mental state has improved remarkably sense discontinuing the drug. No depression, no anxiety, no agitation. All of which were dominating my daily life while on the drug. I still experience moderate to severe headaches and moderate fatigue. I am still experiencing what I call the "flashback syndrome" every few days or so. The joint and muscle pain is consistent, and at times, extremely painful. I have never experienced joint pain until getting off the effexor. Taking my doctors advice, I am now working with a physical therapist and nutritionists to rehab my physical body. I have absolutely no doubt that the effexor caused my severely degraded physical state. Only until getting off the drug, did I come to realize how bad off I was physically and emotionally. I have undertaken some in depth investigation about effexor. I am taking the posts on this site as well as several others and am compiling all the commonalities that are discussed. So far, what I have come up with is that between 80-90 percent of effexor users are all suffering from a wide variety of long term and permanent side effects. There are certain people on this site that try to neutralize what people are saying about this drug. However, there is absolutely no way these people can dispute, justify or explain why there are so many people complaining about the drug. I have interviewed several doctors, who have become aware of the severe problems directly related to effexor, especially the addiction aspect accompanied by the withdrawal, and no longer prescribe the drug to their patients. There is also action being taken against the drugs manufacturer. I have also notified two of the major TV network investigative reporting programs as to what is going on with effexor. They have been supplied with an abundance of information, both good and bad, about the drug and have been supplied with internet resources to see for themselves what the patients taking the drug are experiencing. Now, I know that there are Weryth-Ayerst employees that monitor and contribute posts to this site so I’m sure that what you are reading here is most likely old news to you but there are people who are suffering because of this drug. It is my goal to see that anybody who is taking this drug be made completely aware of what this drug is doing to their minds and bodies. Depression and anxiety are terrible, terrible diseases to have to live with day-in and day-out. I don’t think that those of us who have had to live through this and are having to continue to live with it now need a drug on the market whose side effects have not been fully disclosed by the company that makes it. Especially when, the condition of the majority of people who take it, seems to be inflamed by the effexor, not to mention the debilitating physical side effects of the drug.
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> Hi Leo. Sorry you have had such a bad experience with FXR. I have been taking FXR XR @225 mg for about a year. I have tried alot of AD's. FXR is the first to offer any relief from my depression & anxiety. For me it has truly been a life saver. But as we all know your mileage may vary. No I do not work for any drug companies. I am an electrical engineer. There have been many drugs throughout history that have done a great deal of good for some & have harmed others. I agree that everyone should be made aware of potential risks of any med & I also believe it is a consumers responsibility to diligently check available info. My concern is that someone who potentially might be helped from FXR won't even consider the drug after reading your post. I know you are posting with the best intentions. I do believe you had a terrible experience involving FXR & you feel compelled to warn others. Maybe FXR should not be a first line AD. I don't know. What I do know is there are people like myself that were helped by FXR when all other meds failed. If I had seen your post before being offered FXR I might never have tried it. Please remeber as committed as you are to discouraging FXR's use, this also carries the responsibility of potentially depriving someone who is in a vulnerable frame of mind from exactly the right medication. Thanx for your attention.Hi "Electrical Engineer" upset about Leo's comments,
I am sorry you're so naive that you think just because a drug is helping you that is should not be discouraged due to the horrendous side effects. It too helped me a great deal, but when coming off of it, I would rather be depressed (and yes..my depression was severe). You talk about discouraging a potential user in a fragile state, Wow.... guess who also was one of those "FRAGILE" people who wasn't told about the withdrawals. You talk about the consumer's responsiblity to check it out before consuming, you obviously didn't! "Fragile state" usually does not coinside with doing alot of research. It you are that okay you probably aren't that depressed.
I hope everyone who doesn't have "COMPLETE" knowledge and disclosure regarding the side effects from this drug to definitely "NOT" take it.
I have been off of it for 5 days (after weaning down below 37.5 for 2 months). Slow enough for you? I have been in bed every since. I am so scared that I pulled myself up out of bed this morning do that research I couldn't do before and here I am hearing the same exact thing from 100's.
I am so dizzy that I cannot stand up or sit up for more than a few minutes before the world starts spinning. My nausea is so bad that I cannot eat, yet I have gained 8 lbs in the last 5 days. Explain that one. Joint pain, (healthy as a horse prior to this med) headaches (had maybe 5 headaches in my whole life prior to Effexor), flu symptoms, sleeplessness, I can't speak well, my words come out jumbled, (and I am a speaker in a 6 figure position myself, or was) it is crazy.
My opinion is exactly the same as Leo's, only customized for me. Can you spend the rest of your life in bed or on the couch should you attempt to stop taking Effexor? I strongly suggest you stay on it forever....or... if you don't believe us try going off for a few days.
Who knows how long it will last? Do you? Who is going to pay my bills, my mortgage, who will be a wife to my husband. Better yet who will give me back my life? I have many years left to live and I want to be healthy.
What more do you want to hear? You are the type of person who allows this kind of thing to go on in this society, a little selfish maybe? Open your eyes before it's too late.
Leo, let me know where you go with this media wise or even class action. I am there. I am angry.
PG
poster:Pamela
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20010319/msgs/57387.html