Effexor Class Action Lawsuit

[ECALS]

I have been taking Effexor 100mg/daily for well over 10 years. I have tried to wean off of this drug even with doctors for years, and the withdrawal symptoms are excruciating. I have suffered, my children suffered, family has suffered worried about me, I have lost jobs [not from depression] but from trying to withdrawal from this drug with no success.

The drug specifics (the paper that comes with the drug that specifies the side affects, etc.) does NOT mention how difficult it would be to withdrawal from this medication.

I am madder than h***! My doctor never told me how difficult it would be to get off this drug ---- even being weened off for months!! I asked my doctor how do I get off this drug!?! Her response was, "you have to see a psychologist", baloney! The problem is not my depression, it's the withdrawal symptoms!! A psychologist isn't going to cure the feeling like I'm being "electrocuted" that last for months - to only give up and go back on this drug!

I have contacted an attorney and he thinks we possibly have a case here. I am forming a class action lawsuit, against the mfg. of Effexor - Wyeth Pharmaceutical.

I need as many people as possible to jump on this train with me. Please email me your name, address, telephone number and your withdrawal experiences. Please write to: effexor_class_action_lawsuit @ yahoo.com .

I feel it is almost impossible to get off this drug. I need your help to fight back, because I feel it is all about money to get the public addicted to this drug.

Thank you, I appreciate your help.
Anna
effexor_class_action_lawsuit @ yahoo.com

[Becky]

I'm sending you an email. I'm on board. I've been stuck on this drug for almost 14 years and would love nothing more than to bring an end to this drug's reign of terror. While monetary compensation would be nice and all, mostly I'd like to make sure that this drug DOES NOT CONTINUE TO BE PRESCRIBED TO NEW PATIENTS. It's bad enough that those of us who are stuck on it have to be (God, don't take it away he he) but WHY ARE THEY STILL PRESCRIBING THIS STUFF? It's all about the money. They know that once you start taking it, you're hooked for life. And that's BIG BUCKS for them.

My info's in the mail.

Thanks, and good luck!

[Miserable in DC]

I am also trying to withdraw from Effexor and would like to join any class action law suit.
Please count me in.

I have been detoxing for over 10 weeks and am still sicker than a dog.

This is horrible!

[Desperate]

This is my second time trying to get off of Effexor. I drove around for almost 3 hours tonight praying for God to kill me before I kill myself.

[zizi333]

I too, am trying to get off of Effexor and would love to join the fight against it. As I have come to find out via the www, the "brain zaps" are from antidepressants and I simply can not take anymore of the feelings of being electrocuted repeatedly when I try to stop, or miss a dose. I have been dealing with this for years. My doctor suggested a neurologist, not knowing that this is a side effect of the drugs. He also questioned me about MS symptoms, none of which I have. Now that I know that this is from the drugs, I want off of them. I have read that this may take up to a year to subside and/or may NEVER go away. It is unknown. I can't take it anymore and I am sick of being a lab rat, funding the cushy life of some drug co exec while I suffer. Enough is enough. Please contact me at [e-mail] and sign me up!

[Remnant]

Hang in there y'all! Reduce in time to 75 mg per day of Effexor XR. When the time is right, reduce to 37.5 mg per day. When the brain shivers weaken, then do 37.5 mg every other day. Get off this shit slowly, but don't go cold turkey. Be patient. You'll be fine!

[las32]

I was put on effexor to ween me off of the severe withdraws i was having trying to get off paxil. i finally had gotten off of that after a couple of years, went threw hell, and now am back on effexor 150mlg once a day. I gave in to the pill and will probably take it all my life. cant function without it. have been on several different kinds for 17 years off and on.

[Sophie]

I am in the process of trying to find a lawyer myself. Maybe it's better to join a class action against the maker of this drug. I have had the brain shivers, or zaps, for four years now, and they are getting worse. It used to be just at night, now I am hearin that damn "zap-zap", during the day. If that's not bad enough, sometimes when I get zapped real hard, some of my face muscles violently twitch. By the way, I have been off effexor for almost 4 years, which shows just how bad these effects are. The only way to get rid of the brain shivers that I know of is to go back on the drug, and I won't do that. If anyone else would like to discuss these shivers, please email me at: [e-mail]

[mills]

I was put in this crap for anxiety- only made it worse. To top it off I was pulled over with no license and put in jail and they wouldn't fill my script because the jail nurse
said no doctor would prescribe it for more than one month. Prescription or not she wouldn't get it filled so I had to go off cold turkey, I thought I was going to die, severe withdrawls on top of the stress of being in jail was no fun at all. Four years later I still get the "zaps" and although
an embarassing subject my erections are alot harder to get, keep, and are nowhere near as hard as they used to be. This alone has caused me more anxiety than I had before. Anybody with any advice please email me at [e-mail]

[Katie]

I have been thinking the same thing, about suing the company. I am 9 weeks pregnant trying to come off it, it is a nightmare...dont think I will be able to come off successfully without harming baby or driving myself and family insane :( I will definitely sign up...email is [e-mail]

[Rae]

If this thing actually takes off, I would love to be a part of it! I could care less about getting any money, but this drug is horrendous and should be removed from the market. I was put on 450mg of Effexor XR daily for panic disorder and it gave me horrible side effects. I lost my insurance and could no longer afford it, so I tapered down to 75mg a day and then stopped totally. I was sick as a dog for a couple of days. But it has been over a month off of it now and I am still suffering from it's residual effects. I have been suicidal off and on since I was put on the drug and remain so now. I was never depressed or suicidal before taking this drug. I have horrible mood swings and my panic disorder is worse than before. Of course, the psychiatrist that put me on the Effexor fired me for getting off of it and said that he had never heard of any of those things occuring with Effexor. But my ex-husband is a psychiatrist and he said that Effexor is a horrible drug that he refuses to prescribe to anyone and that a doseage of 450mg a day is malpractice and at the very least...unethical. I will email you my information. This whole experience with Effexor has caused me to lose my relationships with my family and almost lose my fiancee. Someone should be held accountable for allowing these drug companies to put poison on the market and call it a medication.

[Scared]

I have been on Effexor for about 3 months, i feel fine. but when i forget to take it, i want to die. horrid headaces, lightheaded, sick to stomach, the list goes on. i dont know what to do.

[yet another]

I've been on effexor for six years now, and even 10 hours after missing one dose, the withdrawl symptoms start. My psychiatrist will not even discuss taking me off of it because of the seriousness of the withdrawl.

[Effexor Addict]

I have been on effexor for 4 years now. I asked my psychiatrist last year if he would take me off the medicine, because I felt it no longer worked for me. He said this was the "BEST" drug out there for me and upped my meds instead. I was taking 300mg and he advised me to take 450mg a day. I tried that for awhile. The prescription was $500.00 every month and I still felt no change. I decided to go off the meds myself. I took one a day for almost 2 weeks and then stopped completely over the weekend. I'm on my 5th day and my head still feels foggy! I'm really dizzy, edgy, and teary!!
I am ready to explode over anything!! Thank goodness my husband is trying to be supportive. I've been in bed now for 4 days. He thinks I should be feeling better now!!
Please, please don't ever take this drug!! It's awful. I just want to feel like myself again, even though I'm not sure what that is anymore. I'm so scared!! Who do you trust, who do you talk to??
I don't want to loose it!!

[jeanie Campos]

My doctor prescribed effexer in 1995. I have been taking it everyday. My new doctor took me off of effexor 2 weeks ago. Now my 43 year old (was happy) marrage may end due to the withdawal symptons I am experiencing. it is like I turned into this beast from hell. My symptons are nervousness in the inside of my body to the outside. I scream and yell for nothing more then not having clean towels. Too much energy, can't sleep, am angry for no reason at all. Shaking, diZZines, forgetful, cry for no reason. My loving family does no know what to do. And yes, my doctor didn"t tell me about withdrawal symptons. I accidently found your site. The symptoms are much worse than what I have written. There is comfort knowing you are out there, telling your stories.

[CpCrl66]

I just found this forum and I am 100% on board with the class action law suit. I am sure that Effexor has helped some people - therefore I'm not suggesting it be taken off the market (especially since so many people are addicted and would go through the horrendous withdrawal effects) but SOMETHING needs to be done as far as educating doctors and patients about the REAL side effects and the near impossible withdrawal symptoms. I will email you my information. Thanks for doing this.

[donna08]

I have been trying to wean off of Effexor for
THREE YEARS!!! I have gotten down to less than
10 mg and still cannot stop it without the Horrible
withdrawal effects! We need to get together
and initiate a class action law suit.
I am SO there!!!

[Laura]

I'm in. I feel like I have become a complete alcoholic/drug addict. Has anyone else noticed an increase in the desire to drink and drink and drink once on this drug? I did not do this before. I could drink socially or not and felt just fine. Now, if I have one glass of wine, I want three more. When I told my doctor, she increased my dose. I feel completely out of control. I want to join the class.

[CpCrl66]

Laura wrote:

I'm in. I feel like I have become a complete alcoholic/drug addict. Has anyone else noticed an increase in the desire to drink and drink and drink once on this drug? I did not do this before. I could drink socially or not and felt just fine. Now, if I have one glass of wine, I want three more. When I told my doctor, she increased my dose. I feel completely out of control. I want to join the class.

My husband "jokes" that I've become an alcoholic since I've been on this drug too. It says not to drink while taking it but the desire to drink is overpowering. I know I'm not actually an alcoholic 'cause if I can't drink, it's not a problem... but the desire is still there. I always try to follow the "rules" when taking a prescription drug but this one contradicts itself. SCARY!

[donna08]

What do we have to do to initiate a class action
law suit? It is time to bring the pharmaceutical
companies to their knees and be accountable
for all the needless suffering they cause!!!