Complain about a product or service

Wyeth Effexor

Amelia of Norwalk CT (04/01/08)
Effexor was prescribed to me by my GYN to help with menopause symptoms and I was told it would help with IBS symptoms. I have been on it for about 2 yrs. I am currently trying to stop taking Effexor and, unbeknownst to me, the withdrawal side effects are making me violently ill. Just a few of the side effects: vertigo, stomach upset, nervousness, headaches, aches and pains and more.

Withdrawal side effects making me ill. I refuse to take any more of these pills just to get a quick fix in order to wean myself off. If I knew I would suffer like this, I would never have filled the first prescription.

J.l. of Hot Springs AR (03/06/08)
While I know many medications have side effects when one wishes to stop taking them, there is one antidepressant that exhibits a note worthy mention. I have been on Effexor XR for a little over a year. Due to side effects, (weight gain, bones aching and swelling, moody, short tempered, etc, etc, etc.) I ATTEMPTED to wean myself off the medication. The amount of side effects I have endured can only be described as the following:

1. A headache from hell, literally. 2. Nausea and vomiting like the worst morning sickness ever! 3. Pain in knees worse than before when taking the medication. 4. Emotional highs, lows, inbetweens, and just about every emotion heightened, one can experience.

Something needs to be done about this type of medication, and I do not mean just complaining. We need to formally contact Wyeth Pharmaceutical company and demand they take this drug off the market. And any other pharmaceutical company that produces the same. Notifying the general public what they can expect when taking the medication and what they might experience when attempting to stop taking the medication. And I do not mean in just tiny print, they need to alert the public by way of media, physicians, magazines, patients, handouts, TV interviews, and I might add, give help to the consumer when they wean themselves off this product.

Diane of Suffern NY (01/17/07)
I worked for Wyeth for 31 years, and I thought their drugs were reputable. Not to mention that when I took my Effexor it was free to me as an employee. Since I was let go from Wyeth in 2005 I tried to stay faithful to the drug, but at $120 a month, it was getting very difficult. With past experience with this drug as in missing a one day dosage, I would become violently ill, so I knew I had to be careful. My weaning process started at 150 mg, then 112.5 (75 +37.5) then 75, down to 37.5. I knew I would at least be ill with diarrhea and vomiting, so I planned my cut off on a weekend as to not loose time from work. During the time of being on the 37.5 I felt anxiety, nervousness, and I knew the 37.5 mg was not helping my initial concerns. On Friday, January 12 I took my last 37.5 mg.

With past experience with this drug as in missing a one day dosage, I would become violently ill, so I knew I had to be careful. My weaning process started at 150 mg, then 112.5 (75 +37.5) then 75, down to 37.5. I knew I would at least be ill with diarrhea and vomiting, so I planned my cut off on a weekend as to not loose time from work. During the time of being on the 37.5 I felt anxiety, nervousness, and I knew the 37.5 mg was not helping my initial concerns. By Sunday I was vomiting so bad I almost pasted out. I had diarrhea, dry mouth, memory impairment, spastic legs, vertigo, shakes, anger, crying, not to mention the buzzing in my ears. This is the worst anti-depressant my doctor could have choosen for me. And now that I've been out sick, I've lost a temporary to permanent position that was very rewarding to me and now I'm out of work due to the side effects of this drug.

Nancy of Englewood CO (05/05/06)
I took effexor for 11 years. When my insurance refused to pay for it, I decided it was time to come off so I gradually reduced my dosage over a period of 4 months. I was completely unprepared for how sick I would become. I took my last fraction of a 25mg pill a week ago. I've been sick with debilitating nausea, dizziness/vertigo -- the symptoms are too numerous to mention here. I had to stop working 3 weeks ago and I don't have paid med leave or a family to support me. I didn't figure out what was happening to me until just a few days ago.

I had to diagnose myself using info on the net. I've seen 4 doctors in the last month, all knew I was coming off effexor and all dismissed it as irrelevant and inconsequential. I had been bleeding continuously for 4 weeks straight when I went to a gynecologist who scheduled me for surgery to remove my uterus and ovaries--I was worried I had ovarian cancer! I don't blame the doctors--they have so much info to digest, esp about all the new drugs coming out. It's Wyeth's responsibility to come up with a treatment for EDS and until they do, Effexor should be taken off the market. In the meantime, consumers must be informed about the severity of EDS and possibility it may be permanent. If my doctor has told me I would be this sick when I went off effexor and that the sickness would last weeks, months, years, maybe for the rest of my life, I never would have touched it.

I haven't been able to work for 3 weeks now (and counting). I have medical bills from trying to find out what was wrong with me. I don't have paid medical leave or a family to support me through this. I'm worried that I'll never find relief from the horrible symptoms of EDS.

Lisa of Bellingham WA (08/15/05)
I began Effexor XR around July of 2002 and stayed on it until late November, early December of 2004. My decision to get off the medication was due to severe side effects that made activities of daily living a nightmare. It started with gigantic mood swings that I couldn't control, the worst was the deep, deep depressions that I would fall into. Then came the Alzheimer's like states where I would forget who I was, where I was, and what I was doing. I tried to self injure (I have not had any of those urges since stopping the medication!). I had times where I had a hard time controlling voluntary motor functions in my legs and arms (such as not being able to skate or deliver a curling stone). Every now and then my body would begin twitching, then just stop, out of the blue.

I became lethargic and had no energy to do anything. Not to mention times when I would have to refrain from driving due to the chance that I would drive into walls, poles, or other items in an attempt to end my life (I haven't had a period of that since going off the medication either). I also had intermitent periods of complete dizziness where I had to lay down or fall over. Getting off Effexor was a nightmare. I was sick constantly, even though I followed the strict weaning off schedule set by my doctor. I had headaches, stomach aches, low energy levels, lots of sleeping, and dizziness.

Now I still have periods where I wonder where I am, where I'm going, or what I'm doing. During periods of conversations I sometimes have a hard time completing a thought due to either my brain just shutting down or drifting off into nowhere land. I still am very lethargic and have little energy most of the time. My mind just doesn't seem to have that edge that it used to have before being on Effexor XR. I am now more shy around large groups of people and tend to become mentally overloaded easily. I also have what I would consider hyperacute hearing, to the point where high pitched sounds that do not bother regular people, are painful (such as young children's high pitched voices, high pitched music, dog whistles, etc.) I still feel like I am trying to get my coordination back to where it was beforehand also. During the withdrawl period, I did not eat anything more than usual, but gained quite a bit of weight which I am still fighting to lose. I'm sure there are other things that are just not coming to mind right now.

Shawna of Charlottetown Canada (08/12/05)
I was placed on the medication effexor at the age of 15, I am now 21 and trying to come off of it. I was told it was the wonder drug and that the side effects were minimal, and that was the biggest understatement.

instead of getting better, I have become more self - destructive. I have many hospital visits due to this. I cannot hold a job, I never want to eat which is the result of my weight of 97 pounds. My vision is rapidly declining. My moods are unpredictable and uncontrolable. Now trying to switch medications, I have what I describe as brain zaps it feels like jolts of electricity run through me every 30 seconds. I have diharea, heart problems, high blood pressure, tremors, no appetite, destructive thoughts, migraines, dizziness, weakness, emotional spells, aching muscles, 2 hospital visits in 3 weeks, seizuring,anxiety, irritability, poor concentration, and the list goes on. What happened to the miracle drug that I was supposedly put on. Why was I not warned of these possible effect. Am I going to be forced to resume back to effexor because I cannot handle this. It's ruining me. I am only 21, I am supposed to be enjoying my life not loathing it.

Eve of San Francisco CA (01/19/05)
Was prescribed Effexor XR. Was told only a small percentage of people have side-effects with this anti-depressant. After using for 8 months, decided to quit as side effects(sweating, nausea, headaches, vivid nightmares, dizziness, weight gain, inability to orgasm) were sufficient to affect my quality of life. Withdrawal has been horrible. All of the above side effects, plus extreme moodiness, gloom, short-temper, brain shivers, muscle aches and hallucinations. I feel more tests are needed on this drug to determine whether its potential for harm outweighs its possible benefits.

Kazia of Jenison MI (10/06/04)
I have been on effexor XR for the past 3 years and it does help with my depression but I have severe side effects even if its not taken at the exact time every day, im only on a 75 mg dose (resulting from a recent pregancy they lowered it)i have thrown up resulting in missing one day of this medication. i get so sick that i cannot move out of my bed and i have a 9 month old son and i know that i dont have the time to stay in bed for 2 weeks just to get off this medication i feel i have been on this long enough and dont even remmber the person i was when i wasnt drugged up. and my doctor had told me that this medication was not addictive i would say it is soooo highly addictive they shouldnt even prescribe it especially when i was only 16 years old. to be addicted to a drug is so hard and i hate it. I hate this medication!

Rachael of Orlando FL (12/12/03)
I went to Family Health Center East, an outpatient treatment center for anxiety. I was given the drug effexor xr without any blood tests, without any questions. I was told to take it for six months. I started on a low dose and steadily increased to a higher dose. A month after I began to notice that my hair was thinning. I also have terrible nightmares while on the drug, night sweats. The main thing that is scaring me is my loss of hair. It has now been about six months since I first took the pill. I fear for my hair so I have tried to stop but I can not get off of it. I have tried twice by just stopping the medication and going through the withdraw symptoms but they are so powerful.

I am addicted, I become nauseous, dizzy, very emotional, feverish, anxious, irritated, I can't even keep my eyes open and if I do close them I have horrible, vivid nightmares. These dreams are always about being chased or one of them was about me fishing my dead daughter out of a lake. I don't have a daughter but I will always have that dream with me. I frequently wake up screaming, crying, or sweating. Back to my hair, Six months ago, I had long curly, t hick hair. Now I barely have any. Each day it falls. I feel it on my back, my arms, it's on the floor. I have a bald spot on both sides of my head because of my hair rubbing on the pillow at night. I don't feel beautiful with a bald head.

Kendra of Woodstock GA (9/28/03):
My doctor prescribed Effexor XR and I took it for about 4 months. During that time I suffered from several of the side effects and also began exhibiting destructive behavior for which I had no remorse. After realizing the effect the drug was having, I tried to go off of it under my doctor's supervision. As the dosage was decreased, I experienced periods of dizziness/vertigo, nausea, crying spells, agitation, and extreme fatigue.

Once I stopped the medication completely, I experienced all of the above plus brain shivers and diarrhea at all times. It was so severe that I could not function well enough to take care of my 3 children and had no choice but to go back on the medication. It is stated in the information Wyeth provides about Effexor XR that it is not habit-forming. I think I am living proof that this is a false statement.

The physical damage I suffer as a result of taking this drug is the inability to function without it. It remains to be seen what type of long term damage will result.

Carol of Blakeslee PA writes (9/12/02):
I was diagnosed with anxiety disorder and prescribed the anti-depressant, EFFEXOR XR. I was told by my doctor that there was not much information on the drug because it was fairly new to her. The only side effects mentioned were nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, and constipation and I was told that all of the above would subside with time.

I asked if the drug was habit forming and she told me that I would only need to take for six months at which time I would be re-evaluated and could be taken off of the drug. She said that it was NOT habit forming. I am unable to live without this pill. I cannot go one day for the consequences of not taking it are horrible. My eyesight has dramatically changed since being on the drug and I chalked that up to age (even though my eyesight has always been perfect- which can be verified by my eye doctor). I have gained approximately thirty pounds and do not eat anymore than I did prior to the drug. I have daily indigestion, which I now have to take another drug for. I have constipation on a daily basis (which I think is the reason why I cannot lose weight) I feel my heart skipping a beat, I have dizziness, and confusion at times while driving and while on the drug. I sometimes have periods of zoning "daydreams" where I cannot think or hear anyone talking to me. My memory seems decreased. I have shocks through my body- mainly my head, and limbs.

I am scared. I noticed that the FDA update the warnings of this drug periodically which tells me no one really knows the effects. Especially the long term effects which is my main concern. The side effects of not taking the drug are too many to list now, however they include all of the above with the addition of not being able to function AT ALL without this pill. If I did not have health insurance, I do not know how I would be able to get the medicine.

The consequences are unknown but I feel that this is a danger to my health. This goes for physical consequence as well. Emotionally, I am scared. I have insomnia from the all too real nightmares that I have, and from constant night sweats. I am 36 years old and have never had night sweats before. I have vision problems which emotionally are upsetting because I have always had great vision and the problem seems to be increasing.

Carolyn of Buffalo NY (7/18/03):
I have been looking for people with similar reactions to mine to the anti-anxiety/anti-depressant drug Effexor XR and found a similar response here, thank God. I was prescribed it for depression and only took it for two weeks (the time that it is supposed to take before you notice a possible difference) and started having increased nervousness, nausea, nightmares, dizziness, a feeling of "surreality" (if that's a word) and paranoia. When I made the connection between the way I was feeling and the medication, I stopped taking it as I too, was told that it is not habit-forming.

Within 36 hours of stopping the medication, all of the above symptoms worsened and more emerged; such as tremor, memory impairment, confusion, rage, panic attacks, auditory hallucinations and crying spells; to the point of my being unable to function normally. I've been advised by my doctor not to work for two weeks to "stabilize" myself (for which I am not being paid, incidentally).

I have now been off of Effexor XR for a week and I have been given tranquilizers so that I don't feel as though I'm going to jump out of my skin or hurt myself or someone else. I still have the same "whooshing" noise in my head, regardless of whether I'm taking the tranquilizer or not; my head still feels like a 100 lb. pumpkin boinging around on a spring. I still get sudden rage and a feeling that I'm here but not here.

I am beginning to think this is permanent damage. I could sleep all day and all night, just to escape feeling this way. I'm horrified and I'm pi**ed off and I think for Wyeth to say that EffexorXR has a short "shelf life" in the body is a crock. It's still doing me harm somehow and I spend each day waiting for it to be time to go to sleep so I won't have to be afraid of how I feel. Even before I ever took an antidepressant, I never felt this out of control or scared or alone. I feel like I am out of my mind, LITERALLY! This is no way to live. Thank You Wyeth.

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