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Can Venlafaxine cause Death??

Posted , 4 users are following.

frances22579
frances22579

Have any of you heard of Venlafaxine contributing to a death? I know their are always dangers with any medications.  I have recently had a family member die suddenly at the age of 46.  They were taking Venlafaxine(for a few years) along with a high blood pressure medication, and claritin.  Our family is at a loss, and are just trying to make sense of it all.   What to do next, and not wanting it to happen to anyone else.

1 like, 5 replies

5 Replies

  • betsy0603
    betsy0603 frances22579

    Posted

    I am so sorry to hear that. What a tragedy :-(  What kind of blood pressure medication?  You can check the interaction between drugs by doing a web search for drug interaction checker.  ven is a pretty serious drug that can affect all systems in the body.  I haven't heard of it causing death outright.
  • Guest
    Guest frances22579

    Posted

    Sorry to hear about your loss. I have never heard of venlafaxine contributing to death, I've been taking it for 20 years at high and low doses and never had a life threatening symtom of any kind. It can raise blood pressure. I think it is safer than a lot of antidepressant medications in overdose (accidental or otherwise). Most of the side-effects occur when the dose is being changed and I would think life-threatening dangers would occur during an increase in dose. 
  • Belinda7168
    Belinda7168 frances22579

    Posted

    Hi Frances22579, so very sorry to hear of your loss!

    While taking venlafaxine for 2 yrs, they didn't work that well for me, although not suicidely low, I was low! However, my blood pressure was getting out of hand so GP tapered me off venlafaxine over the period of 2 weeks and the kickback has been horrendous! All previous depression and anxiety has hit me twofold, I've even begun self harming again, first time since I was a child!

    Was your family member being tapered off? Or did they stop taking it?

    • frances22579
      frances22579 Belinda7168

      Posted

      Blood pressure meds were changed recently, but not the venlafaxine. Had recent allergy type symptoms and was told to take claritin by GP.  It was a sudden death. Went to work, started feeling sick, went to the restroom at work, colapsed, and died. Coroner said that he thinks venlafaxine produced a secondary chemical, which contributated to the death. Ruled accidental.  This person was very good about going to the Dr. regularly.  
    • Belinda7168
      Belinda7168 frances22579

      Posted

      In my condition at the moment, I would find it hard to accept accidental when it was GP that prescribed!

      Again I'm sorry for your loss, this must me devastating for you all

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