Complain about a product or service

Wyeth Effexor

Laura of Waverley, NS September 11, 2009

I have been taking Effexor XR for a year and a half. I did not know how bad the side effects would be trying to get off of it. Why do doctors not know about the medications they are prescribing? I cannot beleive the number of people whose lives are being ruined by these drugs. And we want to get cocaine off the streets? These drugs are just as bad. I have been weaning off my daily dose for a few months now and the side effects are terrible. Dizziness, Vertigo, Headaches, Weight gain, sick to my stomach all the time. I have been completely off for one week now and still I am having side effects. I hope they go away soon. I will be petitioning to take this drug off the market.

Stacy of Harrisonville, MO August 5, 2009

I was put on this drug for panic, anxiety and depression. Altho it works and does what it is supose to do, It is HORRIBLE. I have been on it for 3 yrs. I can not wean myself off of it. I get dizzy, my eyes roll back into my head. I want off of it. I cant afford it anymore.

I was never informed that this would effect me the way it does. And now my insurance at work is changing and I will have to pay the full 140 per month for a drug that I cant get off of because I would miss work due to the fact that I feel like a heroin addict that needs another hit. I would not reccommed this to anyone!

ROB of PLAINS, PA July 27, 2009

I was prescribed to take Effexor for the past 8-10 years approximately. (I had been on a few different anti-depressants prior) Although Effexor seemed to help the depression & anxiety, I immediately began to experience dizziness, namely when I was either near the time to take the next dose, or if I missed it. I experienced extremely vivid dreams, and a dizziness that is hard to describe. It felt like a mild electrical pulsing sensation, I once heard it described accurately as "ginger ale on the brain". I immideately reported this to my prescribing physician, I was told this is not a side effect and with the pill's half-life, there is no explanation for this. For years I lived with this, thinking it was me. I went for extensive testing, including x-rays, MRI's, ear nose and throat, gastro-intestinal, etc. I have always had a high metabolism, now I am overweight after taking this garbage. All tests turned up normal.

After reading some postings on the problems with Effexor, I decided it was time to get off of it. In the time I was on it, I did not feel that I needed it as much as I could not deal with the withdrawal. It also led to heartburn and my need to take two doses of Prilosec OTC daily. With physician's care, I recently went off Effexor. I WANT EVERYONE WHO IS TRYING TO GET OFF TO KNOW: You can do it, you need to cut the dose in half, half, and half again. Even though my doctor said the 7mg dose was insignificant, it fenned off the dizziness. The first week without the pill was purely out of hell. I reached a "crisis" day where I could not leave my house the dizziness was so bad. The dizziness (after years of suffering with it and thinking I was crazy) is linked to eye movement. If you are experiencing it, you will notice you get the pulse when you move your eyes left and right.

I called my doctor this day, he told me to tough it out. He was right, the 5th day was just outside the eye of the storm. All in all, it took about 2-weeks for the dizziness to end after quitting completely. The whole process took about 1 1/2 months to wean off. YOU CAN DO IT, STAY STRONG AND GET OFF THIS HORRIBLE DRUG.

a of trail, BC April 25, 2009

i used effexor for four months in 08, stopping because of vibrating vision. since stopping in june 08, i am left emotionless, can't drive, confusion, memory problems, can't seem to get the words out to talk, or i stutter. this drug was to make me feel again. but this drug has ruined my life.

Alison of Ocala, FL January 16, 2009

Alison of Ocala FL (01/16/09)
I need to know where to go and get some help. I was on Effexor in 2002- 2004 and expereinced the same side effects and same problems that the others have shared. I been to doctors and all kinds of herbalists and well as been hospiotalized for side effects from medications but havce no luck in getting over the dizziness as a result of the Effexor. I tried therapy and all kinds of things and still symptoms are there.. Can you suggest somethings for me.

Kenneth of Brandon, FL December 26, 2008

Kenneth of Brandon FL (12/26/08)
My wife's obgyn, after her C-section, gave her a sample drug, when she had told him she was having trouble sleeping (no sleep...and I told him that she was running around cleaning things and rearranging furniture, and had racing thoughts). The drug was called Effexor XR. We still have the box, and the warning included with the drug says that the drug SHOULD NOT be given to those with symptoms of mania...which I just told you we gave the doctor.

Anyway, my wife, then, has a manic break and needs to be put into the ER and, after, a mental clinic for a week. The ER person I talked to say that this drug likely worsened the condition.

She is, now, on Social Security disability for an anxiety disorder following all of this, having lost her 54 thousand per year job a little over 2 years ago.

Loss of my wife's work, and we have had to live off of Social Security Disability for the last year and a half (took about a year to get approved and get first payment). I (the husband) am currently schooling to take over as the primary income provider.

Ivonne of Kitchener, ON November 21, 2008

Ivonne of Kitchener ON (11/21/08)
I am a marrierd 36 year old mother of 2 teenagers. I began taking Effexor XR in 2002 after being diagnosed with depression. Effexor really helped me through the rough times, however I was never made aware of all the adverse and serious reactions that I am now being faced with. At the present time I am on disability; now completely away from work for the past 2 months. My credit history being destroyed for not being able to pay my owing credit cards in full, as well as loosing any sort of salary increment or advancement in my company.

On July 2008 I found myself experiencing awful incapacetating neurological dissorders that made Doctors believe I had MS and or any other Neurological or Antinmune illnes. After countless MRI's, CT scans, blood work, EMG's, Neurologists, Reumatologysts, etc.; Doctors have agreed that I have a toxic reaction to Venlafaxine. I did take dosis for up to 300 mg that I am weaning out now, and have gone through all the roller coster of loosing weigh, suicide and now gaining weigh without reason. I started in 2002 with a healthy 120 lbs., going down to 100 lbs, and now finally at 170 lbs. For no aparent reason or change in the amount of food I ingest.

I will name the countless symptoms and probably unreversable brain damage I am living with. There are good days in wich some of the symptoms won't arise for exception of the pain. Those are the days I can be a mother and wife but still the shadow of the energetic person I was. Back in July all the symptoms hit me all at once. Blury vision, dizzy, letargic, high pitch ringing in my ears, exhaustion, pain all over my body, joints and muscles. Muscle twitching, slurred speech, urinary incontinence at times, hair lose in patches. It is imposible for me to normally work at any type of job now. I have states where I would forget what I am doing. I have times in wich I have a hard time controlling voluntary motor functions in my legs and arms (such as not being able to write, open a botlle or carry anything). Every now and then muscles will begin to twitch, then just stop, out of the blue. I became lethargic and have no energy to do anything. Not to mention times or days when I can not drive due to the chance that I would have an accident beacuse of the sudden blury vision or dizzines that make it dificult to see. Not to mention when I suddenly forget where I am going or doing.

As of today, I am starting the last part of the weaning process, just 37.5 mg. I am still in constant pain. Constant nause, stomach aches, constipation, sleepy and dizziness. Lately l have periods where I wonder where I am, or what is what I was going to do or doing. For example when having a conversations I have a hard time completing a thought due to either my brain is just shutting down or drifting off into nowhere land. I still am very lethargic and have little energy most of the time. Sadly, my mind doesn't have the edge that it used to have; I feel mentally overloaded if two people talk to me at the same time. The constant beeping in both my ears (high pitched sound)makes everything around me sound noisy that sometimes gives me a headache. My life has changed completely. I need help to go grocery shoping, i need help when cooking, help when needing to make desicions. This drug has taken my life away.

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