Savvy patients have learned that it is essential to ask physicians and pharmacists about side effects before they take any medicine. Drugs can cause reactions that range from mild discomfort to life-threatening complications.
Even a thoughtful consumer may forget another crucial question: What will happen when I stop this medication? Many drugs can cause trouble if they are stopped abruptly.
The patient information on the back of an ad for the antidepressant Effexor XR has a heading, "What happens when I stop using Effexor XR?" When people stop suddenly, they may experience symptoms such as agitation, anxiety, confusion, diarrhea, dizziness, dry mouth, muscle twitching, headaches, insomnia, loss of appetite, nausea, nervousness, nightmares, poor coordination, seizures, sensory disturbances (like electric-shock sensations), sleepiness, sweating, tinnitus, tremor, unpleasant mood or vomiting.
That's hardly a pleasant prospect. We wonder if people review that list before they begin taking this drug.
Effexor XR is not the only medicine that can cause symptoms if it is stopped abruptly. Other antidepressants, such as Paxil or Zoloft, may cause similar problems.
READ MORE @ HARTFORD COURANT
Saturday, January 19, 2008
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