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Effexor Withdrawal: Side Effects, Lawsuit Concerns

Last Updated on August 29, 2022 by Carol Gillette

Effexor Lawsuit Concerns

Effexor lawsuit concerns for side effect damages are likely one reason the drug fell in 2007 from the sixth most prescribed antidepressant to the 12th spot in 2009.

effexor lawsuit concernsSNRI’s are designed to block serotonin and norepinephrine (excitatory neurotransmitters) from being absorbed into the nerve pathways. The chemical imbalance theory that marketing efforts focused on proffered that the buildup of these naturally occurring hormones can stimulate a lift in mood for those suffering from depression. Since the emergence and profound proliferation of antidepressants such as Effexor, clinical evidence has never proven this theory. A July 2002 clinical review was published by the Journal of Molecular psychiatry, that revealed no evidence for the “chemical imbalance” theory can be found.3

Effexor was the first SNRI drug to reach the market back in 1993, and many similar drugs have followed under different names, not only prescribed for depression but GAD (generalized anxiety disorder), insomnia, and other off-label applications.10

One wishes the advertised claims were valid. But according to many studies, it has been found that, in the main, antidepressants are no more effective than a placebo, except in extraordinarily severe cases of depression.

Aside from lack of efficacy, Effexor can produce adverse effects that are debilitating. Effexor withdrawals are so extreme for some, that patients have initiated lawsuits against Pfizer for damages. While it has been shown in clinical studies and research that all SSRIs and SNRIs can produce adverse effects upon discontinuation, Effexor withdrawals and drug side effects are considered to be the most severe of any other drug in its drug class.4-8,11,12

Effexor lawsuit concerns include the fact that in court proceedings, the drug manufacturer has attempted to shift the blame for these drug injuries to the prescribing doctors and away from the drug or the drugmakers. The strategy involves using what is termed “learned intermediary doctrine,” in an attempt to legally remove the drugmaker’s liability and place the blame on the prescribing physician. This has also affected prescribers who may decide not to prescribe medications that may harm the patient or a child born to a mother taking the drug, because doing so may result in the prescriber’s own bankruptcy.2,9

Perhaps the arranged marriage between the medical community and pharmacology-for-profit is breaking apart.

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Getting Off Effexor

Coming off Effexor should never be done abruptly, as to do so may invite symptoms that could require emergency treatment or hospitalization.

Effexor Withdrawal symptoms can include:
  • Deepened depression/apathy
  • Suicidality (black box warning for under age 25)
  • Neonatal withdrawal syndrome (infants born to mothers taking Effexor)
  • Delirium
  • Heightened anxiety
  • Headaches especially involving sinus areas
  • Insomnia, vivid nightmares
  • Mood shifts, i.e., irritability, crying spells
  • Tremors, shaking
  • Muscle twitching, shakiness
  • Twitches
  • Profuse sweat, hot and cold flashes
  • Disoriented or confused
  • Loss of libido
  • Rashes, hives
  • Nausea, digestion problems, diarrhea, stomach problems
  • Dizzy feeling
  • Body aches
  • Mental fogginess
  • Drunken feeling, vertigo, loss of balance
  • Severe Effexor Withdrawals can also include:
    • Frequent or continuous brain zaps, brain shakes, electric jolts
    • Severe mood swings including recurrent suicidal ideation
    • Serotonin Syndrome (a life-threatening condition)
    • Severe vomiting
    • High blood pressure
    • Cognitive impairment

How We Can Help

We cannot help you with your Effexor lawsuit concerns, but we can provide holistic tapering protocols and support you in your journey back to wellness. There are proven methods you can learn about antidepressant withdrawal that are much safer than trying it on your own. Please, call the number on this page to find out all the information you need about Alternative to Meds Center’s medication and Effexor withdrawal recovery programs.


1. Sabljić V, Ružić K, Rakun R. Venlafaxine withdrawal syndrome. Psychiatr Danub. 2011 Mar;23(1):117-9. PMID: 21448114. [cited 2022 Aug 29]

2. Kirsch N, Pacheco LD, Hossain A, Phelps JY 3rd. Medicolegal Review: Perinatal Effexor Lawsuits and Legal Strategies Adverse to Prescribing Obstetric Providers. AJP Rep. 2019 Jan;9(1):e88-e91. doi: 10.1055/s-0039-1678723. Epub 2019 Mar 19. PMID: 31041117; PMCID: PMC6424813. [cited 2022 Aug 29]

3. Moncrieff, J., Cooper, R.E., Stockmann, T. et al. The serotonin theory of depression: a systematic umbrella review of the evidence. Mol Psychiatry (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41380-022-01661-0 [cited 2022 Aug 29]

4. van Noorden MS, Vergouwen AC, Koerselman GF. Delirium bij afbouw van venlafaxine [Delirium during withdrawal of venlafaxine]. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2002 Jun 29;146(26):1236-7. Dutch. PMID: 12132141. [cited 2022 Aug 29]

5. de Moor RA, Mourad L, ter Haar J, Egberts AC. Onthoudingsverschijnselen bij een neonatus na blootstelling aan venlafaxine tijdens de zwangerschap [Withdrawal symptoms in a neonate following exposure to venlafaxine during pregnancy]. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd. 2003 Jul 12;147(28):1370-2. Dutch. PMID: 12892015. [cited 2022 Aug 22]

6. Fava GA, Benasi G, Lucente M, Offidani E, Cosci F, Guidi J. Withdrawal Symptoms after Serotonin-Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitor Discontinuation: Systematic Review. Psychother Psychosom. 2018;87(4):195-203. doi: 10.1159/000491524. Epub 2018 Jul 17. PMID: 30016772. [cited 2022 Aug 29]

7. Shelton RC. Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors. Handb Exp Pharmacol. 2019;250:145-180. doi: 10.1007/164_2018_164. PMID: 30838456. [cited 2022 Aug 29]

8. Fang L, Wang S, Cao L, Yao K. Early intervention of acute liver injury related to venlafaxine: A case report. Medicine (Baltimore). 2021 Dec 10;100(49):e28140. doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000028140. PMID: 34889278; PMCID: PMC8663904. [cited 2022 Aug 29]

9. Kirsch N, Pacheco LD, Hossain A, Phelps JY 3rd. Medicolegal Review: Perinatal Effexor Lawsuits and Legal Strategies Adverse to Prescribing Obstetric Providers. AJP Rep. 2019 Jan;9(1):e88-e91. doi: 10.1055/s-0039-1678723. Epub 2019 Mar 19. PMID: 31041117; PMCID: PMC6424813. [cited 2022 Aug 29]

10. Singh D, Saadabadi A. Venlafaxine. [Updated 2022 Jun 29]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK535363/ [cited 2022 Aug 29]

11. Fava GA, Benasi G, Lucente M, Offidani E, Cosci F, Guidi J. Withdrawal Symptoms after Serotonin-Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitor Discontinuation: Systematic Review. Psychother Psychosom. 2018;87(4):195-203. doi: 10.1159/000491524. Epub 2018 Jul 17. PMID: 30016772. [cited 2022 Aug 29]

12. Kelly JM, Rubenfeld GD, Masson N, Min A, Adhikari NKJ. Using Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors and Serotonin-Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors in Critical Care: A Systematic Review of the Evidence for Benefit or Harm. Crit Care Med. 2017 Jun;45(6):e607-e616. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000002308. PMID: 28338497. [cited 2022 Aug 29]


Medical Disclaimer:
Nothing on this Website is intended to be taken as medical advice. The information provided on the website is intended to encourage, not replace, direct patient-health professional relationships. Always consult with your doctor before altering your medications. Adding nutritional supplements may alter the effect of medication. Any medication changes should be done only after proper evaluation and under medical supervision.

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