No matter what may be wrong with any particular person chances are that a doctor will prescribe a pill for it. Many times it is a prescription for anxiety or depression. More than 19 million Americans are diagnosed with depression each and every year. I wonder is life really this bad? So terrible we must take drugs. Prescription drugs are no different than illegal drugs. Neither of them are any good for your body and they both cause side effects. Some prescription drugs such as Effexor XR leave its users addicted and in withdrawal suffering from terrible side effects when it is not taken.

Just because your doctor gives you a pill does not mean it is safe. There are more and more wrongful death lawsuits filed against pharmaceutical companies each year. Be smart when taking new drugs given to you by your doctor. You have the right to know all the side effects that may or may not happen to you.

Effexor XR is a drug given to hundreds of thousands of Americans each year. It is also very expensive.

Patients who were prescribed Effexor XR were not fully informed about all the side effects that they would experience if they ever were to stop taking the drug. Effexor is not supposed to be habit forming but yet people who take this pill can not function on a daily basis without it. If they are forced to go without the medication for even 1 day they will go through very painful withdrawal symptoms.

It was not until a number of people died resulting from the use of Effexor XR that the company put out a warning and changed its labels to warn about the possible side effects.

Side effects and withdrawal symptoms from Effexor XR include:

1. Crying spells

2. Worsened mood

3. Low energy (fatigue, lethargy, malaise)

4. Trouble concentrating

5. Insomnia or trouble sleeping

6. Change in appetite

7. Suicidal thoughts

8. Suicide attempts

9. Anxious, nervous, tense

10. Panic attacks (racing heart, breathless)

11. Chest pain

12. Trembling, jittery,or shaking

13. Irritability

14. Agitation (restlessness, hyperactivity)

15. Impulsivity

16. Aggressiveness

17. Self-harm

18. Homicidal thoughts or urges

19. Confusion or cognitive difficulties

20. Memory problems or forgetfulness

21. Elevated mood (feeling high)

22. Mood swings

23. Manic-like reactions

24. Auditory hallucinations

25. Visual hallucinations

26. Feeling detached or unreal

27. Excessive or intense dreaming

28. Nightmares

29. Flu-like aches and pains

30. Fever

31. Sweats

32. Chills

33. Runny nose

34. Sore eyes

35. Nausea

36. Vomiting

37. Diarrhea

38. Abdominal pain or cramps

39. Stomach bloating

40. Disequilibrium

41. Spinning, swaying, lightheaded

42. Hung over or waterlogged feeling

43. Unsteady gait, poor coordination

44. Motion sickness

45. Headache

46. Tremor

47. Numbness, burning, or tingling

48. Electric zap-like sensations in the brain

49. Electric shock-like sensations in the body

50. Abnormal visual sensations

51. Ringing or other noises in the ears

52. Abnormal smells or tastes

53. Drooling or excessive saliva

54. Slurred speech

55. Blurred vision

56. Muscle cramps, stiffness, twitches

57. Feeling of restless legs

58. Uncontrollable twitching of mouth

Up to 78% of effexor users will experience withdrawal. Withdrawal can happen in as little as 1 day. Many people report the brain zaps or electric shocks felt inside the skull to be a common and immediate side effect if Effexor XR is not taken at the same exact time each day.

If you or someone you know is taking Effexor XR it is extremely important to never quit taking the medication cold turkey. You will need to be closely monitored by your doctor if you want to stop taking Effexor XR. Tapering off the drug is the only way to actually quit taking it and be successful at it. Many times the pains of withdrawal are too much for people to handle and they are left taking effexor forever or until something changes.

.Things that may help reduce the side effects

More help for Effexor users

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