Venlafaxine or Effexor, one of its brand names belong to a group of antidepressant medications – the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) class. This drug is being prescribed to patients who are suffering from various types of psychological conditions. Some of the most popular are depression and GAD or generalized anxiety disorder.
The common side effects associated to the use of this drug is worth learning. It is important for you to know these side effects and for you to be warned by the manufacturer or by your attending physician. If you are not given any warning and you experienced the side effects upon taking the drug, you can pursue an Effexor lawsuit for compensation.
The instance of these common side effects occurring is more than 1 of every 1,000 patients. This only shows that the percentage this can occur is above 0.1%.
According to the manufacturer the most side effect of Effexor is headache. Statistics from clinical trials have revealed that it occurs in around 34% of all patients. Nausea and insomnia can also be caused by this antidepressant. They occur in around a quarter of all patients taking them, according to the manufacturer’s officially published statistics.
Men are most concerned about another common side effect of the Effexor drug – sexual dysfunction. This side effect can affect between 14% and 34% of all patients. Still, it is less likely to observe a decreased libido than an abnormal ejaculation in men. The latter is a more common occurrence according to statistical data gathered from clinical trials. These findings were later on published by the manufacturer of Effexor.
Side effects, which are also common, include dry mouth, sweating and dizziness. These occur in 10% to 20% of all patients. Decreased appetite is also commonly observed. Vivid and abnormal dreams may also be caused by the medication. According to clinical trial data, 3% to 7% of participants have experienced them. Other side effects from Effexor that occur in less than 3% of patients include constipation, vertigo, fatigue and anxiety.
Hypertension, which can be serious and lethal if ignored, is another common symptom in patients using Effexor. During the conducted clinical trials, about 4% to 5% of all patients developed this condition. As mentioned, if ignored, hypertension can pose a serious risk of heart disease. It may lead to heart attack and heart failure as well as stroke and other types of cardiovascular medical conditions.
In the US, the FDA asked all manufacturers of antidepressant medications, including the manufacturer of Effexor, to include the risk of hypertension in the prescribing data in 2006. This was not mandatory beforehand. Hence, you may be eligible to pursue an Effexor lawsuit, if you have hypertension or heart disease due to the drug and you have got the condition prior to 2006.
One potential side effect of taking Effexor is glaucoma. It may develop in patients who suffer from hypertension and, in turn, from increased eye pressure. For this reason, patients taking the medication are advised to have more frequent eye checks.
Even if studies about the ability of Effexor in promoting suicidal thoughts as well as behavior seem to be contradicting, this drug still carries a black-box warning on its label, particularly about the possible suicidal risks involved. There are also studies who have concluded the suicidal risk you may experience from taking this medication. The risks involved may be higher than using other antidepressant drugs. Later on, these findings were countered by other recent studies.
Several studies, including one in 2010, have concluded that this antidepressant medication increases the risk of miscarriage in pregnant women. There have been some cases, in which new born babies have been reported to have insignificant and short-lasting malformations due to their mothers taking the drug.
As for the risk of birth defects from the intake of Effexor, these are still not statistically significant. However, you can still pursue an Effexor lawsuit on these grounds.
If you want to file an Effexor Birth Defects Lawsuit for compensation, fill out a free compensation evaluation form and find out if you are eligible to pursue and win an Effexor Lawsuit.