Life Altering

I was prescribed Effexor after struggling with depression and anxiety. In the process I put on 25kg, was unmotivated, constantly sweating, restless, and my quality of life steadily declined over time. I was not myself.

I started drinking and smoking marijuana to help with insomnia. Over time the amount of these I had daily was very high and became my life other than work. It was as though the Effexor enabled me to drink and smoke more than someone who was not taking Effexor could. Similarly to how stimulants can sober someone up. Noting that the N stands for norepinephrine.

Eventually I became desperate with how bad my situation was, and after some research decided Effexor had to go. I saw my doctor who provided a plan to taper off 300mg over a 3 month period. The first taper being halving the dose.

I stuck with the plan. By day 4 I was sending psychotic emails to friends and family. This pursued until 1 month after my final taper.

As I tapered down I had insomnia, I could not sit still, I chain smoked cigarettes for several months. That and staring mindlessly was my existence. I could not work. I was so scared I could not leave the house. There was an overwhelming impending doom. I broke out in pimples eventually diagnosed with HS skin condition. I was in constant physical discomfort with it feeling like my nerves were sheering under my skin. I could not keep still although I was exhausted.

All my dreams were nightmares. I would awake in a saturated bed to the impending doom that my dreams were my reality. I lost touch with reality. I started thinking I was being stalked and acted out on my thoughts.

Each taper I could drink less alcohol and smoke less marijuana, with myself vomiting etc. This helped me wean off them too, as when I stopped the Effexor I also stopped smoking and drinking, indicating to me Effexor was causing cross addictions.

Once I came off I was suicidal. I had been throughout, however I was planning for it. My father saw I had been googling rehabilitation facilities and I got placed in one in a week. Whilst this helped by stopping me ending my life, I then got stuck in the 12 step community for 3 years using, although I had zero desire to drink or use drugs after coming off the Effexor. I felt I owed it to my family to continue with it and hoped it would help. However it was not until I saw a good psychologist who validated my experience with all this that I started to get better.

I still suffer from PTSD resulting from this experience. I have agoraphobia and struggle a lot in social situations when I used to be very approachable and enjoyed socialising. My nightmares only stopped the last 2 years.

I came off meds in 2018. It was not until the last 3 years that my skin has cleared up and that I feel happy with my life again, which required a total rebuild. I lost friends in the process from my psychotic emails who will never speak to me again. Many people have dismissed my experience as the result of drinking and smoking without consideration for what actually happened to me with Effexor.

This is a very short and written in 20 minutes version of my experience, however it is something I thought I had to share. I worked in mental health for a while and I have spoken with several other people who also experience similar life altering issues from Effexor.

I hope this helps your cause and anyone else who reads it.

Thank you