Posted by NancyDenver on June 21, 2006, at 10:35:08 [reposted on June 23, 2006, at 0:10:56 | original URL]
In reply to Re: Effexor withdrawal, posted by slipknot on June 21, 2006, at 7:28:30
I'm so glad to hear your doctor stopped prescribing Effexor because of the severe discontinuation syndrome. I understand your reluctance to "buy into" the discussion of permanent damage, but I have found some information to support the possibility. See "PANES: Persistent adverse neurological effects following SSRI discontinuation." by Dr Ben Green. (http://www.priory.com/psych/panes.htm). Another article" "Venlafaxine--long term adverse effects" by Richard Lathe (http://www.priory.com/psych/venlafax.htm) Both doctors are British--for some reason the Brits are way ahead of the Americans on this, but I also found Harvard Dr Glenmullen (Prozac Nation) admitting in an interview the possibility of permanent brain damage from SSRIs. According to Dr Green, there seems to be a similarity here with the "the effects seen after benzodiazepine discontinuation (Ashton 1987)." Of course, doctors will be reluctant to admit that a drug they have prescribed for years may be maiming people for life. It's important to rememember, effexor discontinuation syndrome is "individual" (a word used in Wyeth's British label). Just because you didn't experience persistent neurological events, doesn't mean others aren't. Even Wyeth in their most recent drug label (June 2006) says in most cases discontinuation effects are "self-limiting"--meaning they will go away on their own, but in some cases they are "serious"--what does this mean? If they are not self-limiting, then permanence is implied. Unfortunately there are no controlled studies of EDS, and if we just rely on anecdotal evidence, we won't know for years. It took doctors 20 years to admit the permanent neurological damage caused by anti-psychotics in the 70s (see tardive dyskenesia). The discussion continues. You need to have an open mind if you are to understand EDS.
poster:NancyDenver
thread:660431
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/wdrawl/20060602/msgs/660433.html