Stories of the Effuxed. "Effexor kills your marriage" by Rick.

Yet another story about how Effexor causes marital problems. I don't know how this one ended, but if they were talking about side effects then I believe there is a good chance they worked things out. I'll just choose to believe that.

Anyway, here's Rick's story:

Effexor kills your marriage by Rick

For 10 years, my wife and I have enjoyed a wonderful life togther. I LOVE MY WIFE SO MUCH IT MAKES ME CRY AS I WRITE THIS. We were always having fun, incredible sex, a true passion for each other mentally and physically. She was a gift from God. People often commented what a great relationship we had. We would complete each others sentences and at parties would often catch each others eye from across the room and we hated to be apart even for a few minutes. Then after a really bad two years at her new job, she went into depression and had to quit her job. About ten monhts ago, she went on Effexor. Then started a new job. I supported her every step of the way. Then it all started. First the night sweats. Then the weight gain and constipation. Quit the gym. Working rediculous hours. Then the blackouts when she drank alcohol, even in front of friends. FYI, we are both in our 40's, a little old to have drunken blackouts. Then she just seemed to drift away mentally and physically. The only time she will have sex that she enjoys is when she is drunk. If she is sober and I initiate sex, she just looks into space and looks empty inside. The passion in our marriage is almost gone. I have pleaded with her, tried to buy back her sanity with gifts and surprise gestures, tried anything anyone would recommend to get her to see what this drug is doing to her and our marriage. I even stopped drinking to set an example. I tried being harsh, I tried threats, I tried showing more love, doing more around the house, but it has all failed. I even asked her to chose between me and the Effexor and Alcohol...she did not pick me. That hurt. Nothing is working. She can't even shed a tear anymore. Her memory is so bad she forgot the two years of depression and how I was there every day for her. When she tried to defend herself, she makes no sense at all, but feels she is making sense. She just looks at me and says I am the problem. I think her doctor made a huge mistake and it may cost me the women of my dreams. I am so depressed now that I may need to try one of these drugs....definately not Effexor. I just want my wife back. I would give up everything to get her back. Does anyone have any suggestions or similar expeiences? Please!!!! Time is running out for us. I miss my wife. (Wed Oct 11 13:07 2006)

Here is a list my wife and I put together of all the side effects of using Effexor 150mg.

Effexor 150mg problems

Rating: 1=Minor 5=Serious

Tremor = 2

Restless Legs = 4

Constipation = 4

Night Sweats = 3

Texture Problems =3

Sexual Dysfunction = 5

Intimacy problems

Fatigue= 5

Lacking Self Awareness = 4

“Ticks” or other uncontrollable actions = 5

· Finger Nail clicking =5

· Scratching = 5

· Eyebrow pulling = 5

· Face touching = 4

· Nail biting = 5

· Picking at nails = 4

Weight gain = 3

Lack of emotion = 4

Inappropriate behavior = 3

Poor decision making = 4

Inability to prioritize = 4

Dry Mouth = 2

Startled Easily = 4

Warming sensation of the head = 2

Overwhelming Fear of missing a dosage = 5

Alcohol Related Problems = 5

· Memory loss = 4

· Blackouts or Pass outs = 2

· Poor judgment or decision making = 5

· Decrease in Tolerance = 5

· Constant stroking of hair = 4

(Thu Oct 12 9:59 2006)

Effexor: "Baddest of the bad."

Just ran across this article that claims that the British Medical Journal in 2007 found that people on Effexor were three times as likely to attempt suicide compared to those on other antidepressants.

Effexor, baddest of the bad? I believe it.  Part of the reason is likely the very short halflife of Effexor.  On the order of 18-20 hours.  Prozac in comparison is on the order of 3-7 days.  This makes discontinuation syndrome excruciating for most, if they choose to get off the drug.

Antidepressants: The baddest of the bad is revealed

08 February 2007

Antidepressants are a family of drugs that are bad and dangerous to know – and now researchers have named Effexor (venlafaxine) as the baddest of the bad. Patients are much more likely to attempt suicide while taking Effexor than any of the other antidepressants, a new study has found.

The news comes as no surprise to those who’ve already been exposed to the drug. It’s considered to be one of the most powerful antidepressants, and one of the hardest to tolerate. In fact, around 19 per cent of patients stop taking the drug early because they can’t stand the side effects, which include anxiety, sexual dysfunction, weight gain, high blood pressure and thyroid depression. One patient even reported a sudden change of hair colour.
They are the lucky ones. Once over the initial hurdles of life-destroying side effects, withdrawal symptoms are so severe that it’s almost impossible to stop taking the drug.

Thousands of patients who signed a petition to the drug’s manufacturer, Wyeth-Ayerst, claim the drug company knew about the side effects and the withdrawal problems, but failed to properly disclose the facts.
Most of the problems were slowly drip-fed into the public arena over a period of eight years after the drug was first licensed, they say.

Now the last piece of the jigsaw has been revealed. Researchers from RTI Health Solutions at Manchester Science Park analysed the safety records of 219,088 patients from the UK who were taking an antidepressant between 1995 and 2005. Patients taking Effexor were nearly three times as likely to attempt suicide compared with a patient taking another antidepressant, including Prozac (fluoxetine).

(Source: British Medical Journal, 2007; 334: 242-5).

Quick Links

Mish links to a Bloomberg article stating that half of Americans take at least one prescription pill a month. I agree with Mish's statement that: "Throughout grade and high school, I do not recall any kids with attention problems. How is it that attention-deficit disorder is now so widespread? Are kids today different? Why?"  Very good questions, Mish. 

I personally think kids are kids, and they should allowed to be kids. And if they have problems, it is likely something in their environment (*cough* parenting, or lack thereof) that is causing it.

Almost half of Americans took at least one prescription drug per month in 2008, an increase of 10 percent over the past decade, a U.S. study found.

One of every five children ages 11 or younger took at least one medication each month in 2008, led by asthma and allergy treatments, according to the survey released today by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among those ages 60 or older, 37 percent used five or more prescriptions per month.

The most common medications for adolescents were treatments for attention-deficit disorder, a condition in which people have trouble paying attention and engage in impulsive behavior.

For adults ages 20 to 59, antidepressants, including Eli Lilly & Co.’s Cymbalta and Pfizer Inc.’s Zoloft, were the most-used drugs. Cholesterol-lowering medications, including Pfizer Inc.’s Lipitor and AstraZeneca Plc’s Crestor, were the most common drugs taken by people ages 60 and over, with 45 percent of those in that age group on such therapies.

Also, this article from the NYT "Child’s Ordeal Shows Risks of Psychosis Drugs for Young" shows how some parents have gone full retard to deal with their kids.

“

Kyle at the time was very aggressive and easily agitated, so you try to find medication that can make him more easily controlled, because you can’t reason with an 18-month-old,” Dr. deGravelle said in a telephone interview. But Kyle was not autistic — according to several later evaluations, including one that Dr. deGravelle arranged with a neurologist. Kyle did not have the autistic child’s core deficit of social interaction, Dr. Gleason said. Instead, he craved more positive attention from his mother.

“He had trouble communicating,” Dr. Gleason said. “He didn’t have people to listen to him.”

After the neurologist review, the diagnosis changed to “oppositional defiant disorder” and the Risperdal continued.

Just 18 months old. Unreal.