Posted by O'Ryan on September 26, 2003, at 13:44:56
In reply to Effexor Lawsuit, posted by kcg33 on September 26, 2003, at 5:43:29
Yes, I agree that you should take someone to court over this situation, but it should not necessarily be the pharmceutical companies in their marketing, manufacturing or insufficient scientific research into the effects of these drugs upon human life, but rather the individuals that promote the need for these drugs within our society in the first place. The very ones that argue, that without these valuble aids many people would suffer moreso! The true drug-lords and barons of the industry - Psychiatrists.
Now you'd have to look into this a bit deeper than just who made the drug(s). If you take the psychiatrist out of the picture here, with all the trappings - labels, etc., then the drug companies wouldn't necessarily have their cash cow available to them any more. Yes, maybe the government would intercede on behalf of the psychiatrist and manufacture its own labels, hence insuring the billion dollar cow keeps turning.
But if you handle the individuals that prescribe the drugs in the first place, sueing them for incompetence due to misinforming you of the effects of the drug, plus with-drawal problems, then this will inhibit mis-application of this drug as well as put the ethics in on the companies that manufacture it - forcing them to take a look at what it would cost them to have it stopped through your law suit.
But most of all it get the ethics in on the psychiatrist, who in general, takes it for granted that these things happen and will slap-happily prescribe another one to solve the first ones problems without doing right by you and finding out why this occurs in the first - re: the side-effects, withdrawal symptons, etc, etc, etc.
Side-note: You need to take some Cal-Mag formula to handle the withdrawal effects that you're feeling and going through. You also need to shovel down your Vit B group Sup's to handle any spin outs.
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> While I do recognize that Effexor XR helped my anxiety, and I acknowledge that for some people that know that they will have a problem with anxiety and depression their entire lives (chemical imbalances and other diagnoses), I am not in favor of this medication for anyone, not temporarily or perm. The pharmaceutical companies are thriving and making a fortune with these drugs, while for years, the complaints of the side effects and withdrawals go unanswered. If they really wanted to clean up their mess, they would take this crap back to the drawing board and find a way to correct the extreme side effects of not only taking the meds (outrageous weight gain, ringing in ears, nightmares, sinus headaches), but the withdrawals that come with ever trying to wean off of it, (brain shivers, excessive sweating, nausea, vertigo, vomiting, chest pain). I'm sorry I know that there are people on this medication that have suffered with depression and anxiety for so many years in their lives that feel like this medicine is a God-send, and maybe these side effects are okay with them, a decent trade-off for a little relief from the anxiety and depression, but for a short-term medication for anxiety and depression, my personal opinion, IT IS WRONG FOR A DOCTOR, PHARMACIST, OR PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY, to encourage a desperate person to take this medication and not advise that person what their life will become, or what will happen if they ever miss a dose or try to wean off of itlater. I have been sick as a dog for the past week, absolutely to the point of wishing death would stop flirting with me and just go on and get it over with! This medication has debilitated me to the point that I am not able to function at all during this period of withdrawal. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. It can't be healthy for the body, and I'll lay money down that eventually when Wyeth Labs wakes up and realizes they are culpable in this and they are forced to do some research and testing, we are all going to find out that there has been perm. damage done somewhere, just like with the rogue drugs Meridia and PHen Phen (and yes, I am aware they are weight drugs, but those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head, there are way more in the same category as Effexor) and others where serious investigations were not performed until AFTER thousands of people were suffering. If ever there were a justifiable reason for a class action lawsuit to force pharmaceutical companies to do more research on these drugs before marketing them, this would be the case. For those people who feel like they are having success on Effexor and have no complaints, just wait until you miss a dose by accident, or you try to get off it, then you will understand how severe the problem is with it. I personally intend to take the pharmaceutical company to task on this and as soon as I can stop holding the walls to walk and feeling like death warmed over, I will begin the business of collecting the horror stories and will find a law firm that will assist in bringing justice to the sufferers of this medication.
poster:O'Ryan
thread:13781
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030923/msgs/263525.html