PDR comparisons by your M.D.

The posting guidelines are very vague so if my "chat" is in the wrong place Just ignore it. My story is about a medicine for depression that I've been on for about 2yrs now. I also take about 8 other meds for Graves Disease, RA, high BP & cholesterol., RLS, & Panic Disorder. About 6 mo., ago my legs started to feel like lead whenever I went up a flight of stairs and this worsened as time when by. This past Sept I noticed my legs felt like they were getting weaker and if I went upstairs I would have to stop every 3 steps or my legs would give out. By Christmas, I could not walk through a Dept. Store unless I had one of the store carts to hold onto. My legs would just collapse on me. It felt like they were not attached to my body but a feeling of heaviness was in the back of my thighs and lower spine. I suspected one of my medications was causing this condition and I knew that if I complained about these symptoms the first thing they would do would be pull out the old PDR then say it couldn't be the meds. cause this symptom was not listed in the PDR. So I decided to stop ALL my meds then go back on them 1 by 1. I found out which med was causing my legs to give out and it was the EFFEXOR XR 150 mg cap. Generic brand Venlafaxine. I re-tested this three times so I could be sure and each time the weakness in my legs would go away after being off Effexor for just 3 days. Soon as I would start taking the Effexor the weakness would begin. This sym. Is not in the PDR and I would never have discovered the cause if I had not tested it myself. I DO NOT recommend anyone try this method but as for me it was the only way to prove it was that particular drug causing the leg weakness. (Sorry for any typo's my tablet is laying on my dog's back and she must be swimming in her dreams.)

You were brave to test yourself that way. I am glad, though, that you did track down what was the problem. I had a similar experience with a drug. I ended up being sent to a neurologist, but my primary care doc was the one who found the culprit: lamictal, of all things!

She said long-term use can be associated with what I was experiencing because I had developed a toxic level in my body. I had never read or heard that before.

I hope you did report your symptom, so it can be added as a possible side effect.

In my case, thing is, no one knows the long-term effects of many drugs, since the subjects in the studies aren't followed very long.

you a brave person stopping all meds , Effexor withdrawal alone should have floored you, well done