"i&#039;m 48 and in menopause. i&#039;ve suffered bouts of little depression through life but since menopause, it hit me like a brick. i had had a couple of panic attacks throughout the years and i couldn&#039;t shake this gradual depression that was coming over me. i&#039;ve always been able to talk myself through it but this time, i just couldn&#039;t. my doctor prescribed effexor. i took it 2 days. on the third day, i was driving to work and i suddenly felt like i couldn&#039;t breath. i was shaking, my heart was racing and i really thought i was going to die. i pulled over thinking i was having a heart attack. i called 911, throwing up on the side of a freeway. by the time the ambulance came, my heart rate had skyrocketed! worst experience of my life."