Posted by Sufferfromeffexor on October 8, 2003, at 15:36:41
In reply to Re: Lawsuit Anyone?, posted by Salty_Dog on October 8, 2003, at 11:52:22
Where such symptoms occurred, they were usually self-limiting, but in a few patients lasted for several weeks. HAHAHAHA can I laugh at that?? A FEW patients and SEVERAL weeks, I think not. I am personally only running into all these people that keep asking the same question I do...how long will this last and responses aren't a couple of weeks. First of all, if I have read right, I don't think this was even enforced until the year 2000...I was on this for much longer than that-where was my warning than???? Where was my warning when I first took the drug???? I don't mean to be rude either but I think that is crap. Secondly, and I know I will get backlash for this, but who really reads these warnings??? They are printed on everything (including vitamins etc...) but the chances of getting a bad reation to something common may be few and far between...I seem to think that these happen QUITE more frequently than the manufacturers let people believe, why do they hide it? I agree that the docs are quite responsible when they start prescribing this crap and aren't educating their patients but I don't know if I could blame a pharmacists who is only filling a prescription and doesn't know the customer from anything. Sure they could answer questions, but are they gonna really put out huge warnings? I doubt it. I don't mean to wish to argue with anyone on this board, I really don't...it is just this gets me so worked up, especially because I am living the withdrawals as we speak and have been doing so for the past 11 days.
> I don't mean to be an a*&$#@, but the manufacture has specific indications for stopping Efexor-XR printed in the product information sheet found in the bottle. The Pharmacist is responsible for consuling the patient about the side-effects of both starting and stopping any medication they give the patient. Here it is in print:
>
> Discontinuation of EFEXOR-XR: Discontinuation symptoms have been assessed both in patients with depression and in those with anxiety. Abrupt discontinuation, dose reduction, or tapering of venlafaxine at various doses has been found to be associated with the appearance of new symptoms, the frequency of which increased with increased dose level and with longer duration of treatment. Symptoms reported included agitation, anxiety, confusion, dry mouth, fatigue, paresthesias, vertigo, hypomania, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, headache, diarrhoea, sleep disturbance, insomnia, sweating and nervousness. Where such symptoms occurred, they were usually self-limiting, but in a few patients lasted for several weeks. Discontinuation effects are well known to occur with antidepressants. There is also a report of a withdrawal syndrome, confirmed by two challenges in a 32 year old woman who had received venlafaxine 300 mg daily for 8 months. It is therefore recommended that the dosage of EFEXOR-XR be tapered gradually and the patient monitored. The period required for discontinuation may depend on the dose, duration of therapy and the individual patient (See DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION).
>
> None of the Medical professionals seem to have the time or interest in thoroughly reading the manufactures info.
>
> The Pharmacist who fills the prescription has been trained to consult patients on all aspects of the medications they dispense. They see more of the side-effects and deal with more prescriptions for any given product than any Dr.
>
> I think you need to chose your Pharmacist very carefully and ask questions when a new prescription is filled.
poster:Sufferfromeffexor
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20031004/msgs/266837.html