[starfish50]

I am starting Effexor which has horrible wffects if skipped even one day. Now I have to have a hernia operation and I am terrified about not taking effexor for a few days.

It made me wonder what are other life-situations where I (or anyone on a addictive drug) will have to go through sudden unplanned withdrawal with no choice.

Share any situations that you can think of where meds will have to be stopped with less than 4 weeks warning, so that people who start dangerous drugs like Effexor(or any SNRI) can be better prepared.

Egs:
Interactions with fever/cold/cough/general meds you will need atleast once a year
Insurance lapse
Sudden Intolerable side effects
ETC.

[-jimi-]

For me I only had one incidence with Effexor, there was some problem with distribution so my pharmacy got it four days late.

For the med I am on now which also causes withdrawals, there has been one occurance where I forgot to renew my prescription and I was unlucky to be hooked up with the stalker nurse who tossed my request in the waste basket and pretended I never called.

I was also to be tested for Sjogrens and then they demanded I cold turkey all meds that can cause changes in saliva and tear fluid, I would have cold turkeyed three addictive meds at the same time, for four days, to agree with their request. I said no, I simply cannot do that so we never did the test and I was thrown out of care for that for not being compliant.

There are TONS of situations that can cause meds to be taken away.

I've actually gone visiting someone overnight and realized I forgot my meds, twice. Lovely!

[simplydivine1030]

I took cymbalta last summer and it sent me into the worst manic episode I've ever had - it was really hard to get off of it because it gave awful "brain zaps" and just a general unwell feeling. I was literally so paranoid I was ready to build a panic room.

My husband had to be put on dialysis for kidney failure which pulled all his meds off his system in a few hours flat. Talk about sudden withdrawal. Four weeks notice would have been heaven. He was psychotic for a week.