This group is for dismantling FDA...Food & Drug Administration!! I have been put on many differant meds for dep,panic attacks & aniety.If I would have known how hard it is to come off of Effexer,,,I would have NEVER took the 1st pill,,was on 325 mg.1yr 5months ago..Been trying to slowly come OFF,Down to 75mg now.Lowered dose too fast at one time could NOT sleep,felt very Sick,Very Aggitated,Crying,Headaches,& more.Then went back & looked at calendar counted pills & realized it had only been 1 week since last drop in mg.So went back up to 75mg.& doing much better!!!It's a very slow process!!!In 2003 tappered off of Paxil & was Soooo sick,in bed for weeks,my mind was going crazy,I thought everyone was against ME,wrote a will & hid under mattress(didn't even remember doing that,was found months later when husband was flipping mattress)Went to a med clinic told them what was going on but they said I had the flu & sent me home with phenergan for nausea!!I was argueing with my husb.& kids for weeks.I was just slap CRAZY feelin..Ended up putting myself in a hospital to come off(was also a terrible experiance!!)The FDA approves too many meds that have very bad side effects or even death!!We must put a STOP to This!!Was on Viox,Bextra,Celebrex one or another each Dr. would change to the one i wasn't on yet!!Thank GOD my prim care Dr. kept a close watch on me,cause my blood pressure was sooo high was on 5 BP meds!!When they took those meds off the market,within 1yr.was down to 1 BP med.6 months later was off all BP meds!!!The FDA HAS to be STOPPED from approving these meds & NOT knowing what effects are going to be!!!I've been on about 10 or more differant antidepressants,in the past 20yrs.Got my Effexer down to 75mg. sooo far,but still on Lexapro,read that's hard to come off of also!!Guess I'll find out after I get all the way off the Effexer,been lowering that dose for over 3 months so far!!!Went thru HELL comming off Paxil (my family did also) Haven't been well since lowering dose on Effexer,But I will NO Longer take some of these meds.EVER AGAIN!!!When a Dr. writes me a script for now on will research Before I even get it filled!!!I know this sight is about Effexer Withdrawl but we ALL NEED to be AWARE of ALL MEDS & FOODS the FDA Approves for us to consume!!!THIS HAS TO STOP!!!We feel sick or have problems,Go to our Dr. & they say take this,so we have trust in them & do what they say.Then we(& our families) are the ones that have to go thru all the suffering to try to come off of the meds!!! Everyone PLEASE research ALL meds.Before you start taking ANYTHING!!!I also just came off of Tomoxifen,I'm 1 stage before breast cancer & BC runs in my family!!After research I found out this med. can cause Uterus cancer,Colon cancer,kidney & liver disease or damage among other things!!!Why take a med to stop breast cancer,when the same med. can cause other cancers, that could be worse than loosing a breast???I'm sooo confused how the FDA can Approve the meds. & foods that make us SICK or can even KILL us!!!
Hello Kelly
I think that you are not alone in having difficulties in coping with the withdrawal symptoms of some of these medications and especially Effexor. We have a full page of links to resources and information about Effexor withdrawals to get you through this grueling process. I can understand how you may feel angry, frustrated and potentially frightened by medications after your bad experiences.
But here I have to say that I do not agree that the FDA is totally to blame for this. They do a very important job and so we can't throw the baby out with the bathwater so to speak. For every person who has a bad side effect or a negative experience with any particular medication...there are countless others who have a good experience and the medication helps them. Could things be better? Absolutely, they always can improve. More information to patients about the possible side effects and such things as withdrawal symptoms should be a priority.
And just so you know my stance right up front...I am neither pro-pharma or anti-pharma. I am simply a patient who recognizes that there are different treatment options out there for depression including medications. I myself am not taking any prescribed medications for my depression. I take a supplement called SAM-e and this is working for me just fine. But just because it is "natural" I have to do my research just the same.
Your biggest point that I hope people do remember is when you say to research the medications before taking them. And this is where we can help on this site. But in the end it is up to the patient or consumer to make that choice and take the risk. Each time you take a prescribed medication or even a supplement or herbal product...you are taking a risk.
It is my opinion that attempting to dismantle the FDA is not going to help things. But being a strong patient advocate for other patients will.
Thank you for sharing your perspective and I do hope you will continue to share your experience with others. At the same time please do understand that everyone is different and may have a different opinion and possibly a different experience with the various treatment options including medications.