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Sanity Junkie
Venlafaxine (Effexor)
by Vo2x
Citation:   Vo2x. "Sanity Junkie: An Experience with Venlafaxine (Effexor) (exp28139)". Erowid.org. Jun 28, 2007. erowid.org/exp/28139

 
DOSE:
300 mg oral Pharms - Venlafaxine (daily)
BODY WEIGHT: 170 lb
I'm now up to 300mg a day of Effexor. The withdrawals are pure hell. I have had a lot of addictive drugs in my days but this one has some shitty side effects.

I have been on it for quite some time now and soon I'm going to be put on 450mg a day. I can't stop this because of a standing order that I have anti-depressants or I get to battle for my sanity in court. Aside from that, this drug does help. At first. Then it fades away. Eventually, I'm sure I could take 2000mg a day and still lay in bed half the day.

I was diagnosed as being manic-depressive and borderline schizophrenic a few years back, maybe 3 or 4. I have been taking various mood stabilizers since then (Lithium, Trileptal, Tegretol, Depakote, Geodon, everything) but always have been on Effexor. Most of the time when I'm off it, if I have skipped a dose, I get the crazed sensation of being completely off the rocker. It causes an insane mania and tingling, electric pulsating sensations throughout the body. It makes it damn hard to sleep. I sweat and sometimes I feel worse than before I even took the drug.

I don't see how it is legal but it just shows how the pharmaceutical companies control the health system.

Exp Year: 2003ExpID: 28139
Gender: Male 
Age at time of experience: Not Given
Published: Jun 28, 2007Views: 7,439
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Pharms - Venlafaxine (191) : Health Problems (27), Addiction & Habituation (10), Medical Use (47), Various (28)

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