SocialAudit discussion - SSRIs withdrawal hell

I've just found the SocialAudit discussion thread on "problems with Effexor withdrawal" that I've saved. I'm reading the comments and I'm trying to find among many some that could give an idea of what kind of problems were discussed. It's hard. But here are five of them and the last one is from "Anon" someone who used to help a lot answering some of the biggest concerns in 2005.
It's heartbreaking reading all this suffering. There was a thread for every SSRI but the complains were the same.

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By Roxan Brown on Tuesday, October 28, 2003 - 01:49 pm:

I have a nephew who was on efixor and he tried to commit sucide by hanging is this a side effect can any one tell me?
Thank-you
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By LEENA DUTRISAC on Tuesday, February 22, 2005 - 09:06 pm:

HELLO ALL - MY SINCERE PRAYERS FOR ANYONE WHO IS TRYING TO ESCAPE FROM THIS DRUG - WITHOUT PRE-WARNING FROM MY DR ABOUT THE POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS I WAS PERSCRIBED EFFEOR - MY DOSSAGE WAS 300 MLS A DAY... I AM 31 YEARS OLD WITH TWO KIDS. I HAVE BEEN FEELING BETTER IN MY LIFE AND HAD DECIDED LAST WEEK TO COME OFF THIS DRUG - WELL MY GOD - IF I HAD ANY IDEA WHAT THE CONSIQUENCES WERE I THINK I'D OF SHOT MYSELF LAST WEEK. LUCKY I HAVE KIDS SO I STILL HAVE TO BE HERE ON THE PLANET FOR A WHILE YET - TO MAKE THIS LONG TERRIBLE STORY SHORT I HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FROM CONSTANT SHOCKS, CONSTANT CRYING OUTBURSTS, SUICIDAL TOUGHTS, HORRIBLE VIVID NIGHTMARES AND A NUMBER OF OTHER TERRIBLY UNCOMFORTABLE SIDE EFFECTS. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CARE FOR MY CHILDERN AND NOW HAVE A FRIEND HELPING OUT. IF I HAD BEEN GIVEN INFORMATION ABOUT THE WITHDRAWL OF THIS EVIL DRUG I WOULD HAVE NEVER AGGRED TO TAKE IT. IT IS APAUING TO ME THAT DR.S JUST HAND THIS STUFF OUT......... I CAN GARUNTEE THERE WILL BE SUICIDES DIRECTLY RELATED TO THIS DRUG - IT IS A SAD STATE OF AFFAIRS......... THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE SHARED YOUR STORIES ON THIS SITE AS IF IT WERE NOT FOR ALL YOUR EXPERIENCES I WOULD HAVE DEFINATLEY LOST IT ............... TODAY IS DAY 4 AND I AM FEELING A BIT BETTER - LEENA
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By Anonymous on Sunday, March 6, 2005 - 04:03 pm:

I have been off Effexor for about five years now, yet I STILL have one symptom that appeared either while on it or going off it, I don't remember: when lying in bed going to sleep or waking up, I hear a sudden whoosh sound, maybe every half minute, not regular. I remember five years ago I was going off Effexor and was hearing the same sound triggered by moving my eyes suddenly. There were some other symptoms such as dizziness when walking. I was having so much trouble going to sleep one night that it suddenly occurred to me that it might be related to going off Effexor. I got up and got on the internet and did some searching, and I found hundreds of testimonials about symptoms like mine from Effexor withdrawal. It was a relief, and caused me to do the withdrawal more gradually. After I was completely off it, all symptoms except this ear whoosh sound stopped. The whoosh has never stopped. I'm reasonably sure it appeared while taking Effexor, and was severe at that time. I keep having the feeling that there is something I think about that causes it. This morning I finally identified what I believe is the trigger for the sound: beginning to fall asleep, or conscious attention beginning to relax. Have you ever been driving and almost fallen asleep and jerked awake? Have you noticed that that jerk is accompanied by a sudden whoosh sound in the ears? That is EXACTLY the sound I hear now when relaxing in bed in the morning, every 5-30 seconds. I believe it was caused by Effexor, although I can't be certain. It is also possible, however, that Prozac also causes this, because Prozac has been my antidepressant of choice, and though I'm not on it now, I was about 3 months ago. I don't notice this symptom being any worse, though, when I'm on Prozac. I think Effexor is dangerous. I tell friends asking about antidepressants to avoid that one like the plague.
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By Anonymous on Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - 07:30 am:

I recently discontinued using venlafaxine, after only nine months, due to certain impairments in my daily life such as; huge impairments in short term memory, complete loss of pleasure in reading when I used to be an avid reader, memory loss in the way of spelling and such, problems in recalling familiar words and speech issues (i.e. unablity to speak the words that I'm thinking of, occasional stuttering), and severe loss of inhibitions (i.e. no conscience), and reoccurances of psychotic episodes from childhood.
I've been about a off effexor for three weeks now and things aren't getting back to normal. Could this be frontal lobe damage or something and is this likely to be permanent? I am 18 thus my brain should be more elastic than someone older. Does anyone have any knowledge about this for it would be much appreciated.
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By Anon on Wednesday, August 31, 2005 - 02:35 pm:

Hello. The deficits you list have been experienced by many, many people. Some people are finding that they have to live with long-term damage, however you have only just come off the drug and are highly likely to be in the throes of withdrawal... and withdrawal symptoms show a great deal of overlap when compared with the side-effects: including the memory problems, feeling detatched or unreal, confusion or cognitive difficulties, auditory and visual hallucinations, murderous urges, and manic-like reactions.

Time may prove to be a great healer. Lots of people suffering badly, withdrawal-wise, concur in stating the worst was at the 3 month mark.

I had all the 'huge impairments in short term memory, complete loss of pleasure in reading when I used to be an avid reader, memory loss in the way of spelling and such, problems in recalling familiar words and speech issues (i.e. unablity to speak the words that I'm thinking of, occasional stuttering), and severe loss of inhibitions (i.e. no conscience)'... myself, whilst on this category of antidepressant. And more. A lot of what I found helped me, in the immediate aftermath, turned out to be eerily similar to the advice offered over here.

Could it be frontal lobe damage? Well these drugs can certainly cause long-term damage, but it is a little more difficult to pin down the where and the how. Many of the symptoms do tie in with that theory, but that's a long, long way from fact. Many of them also tie in with hormonal damage, and dopamine receptor damage, and no doubt a host of other unknowns... I think that although 'the truth is out there', it's going to take some finding, especially given the significant lack of research. The book which addresses many of these issues is Joseph Glenmullen's 'Prozac Backlash' (equally relevant to venlafaxine).

Other people have posted to this board describing long-term after effects, if you use the search facility at the bottom of this page, you will find them swiftly.

You've been off them only 3 weeks. No time at all. You may find significant improvement occurs over the coming weeks, as your body adapts to its non-drug environment. Try a little mild exercise, a good old-fashioned diet (staying away from the additives & artificial sweeteners), and attempt to let yourself relax at least once in the day... easy to say, not so easy to do... give yourself as many advantages as possible: good nutrition, the exercise endorphins, stress reduction, natural sleep.

And time.