Side Effects:

Common Nausea, Vomiting, Dizziness, Insomnia (difficulty in sleeping), Decreased appetite, Anxiety, Constipation, Increased sweating, Sexual dysfunction.

Expert advice for Velaf Tablet ER
You may have to wait for 2 to 4 weeks to get the full effect. If your doctor asks you to stop Velaf, you should not discontinue it abruptly. Many patients tolerate decreasing 50% dose every 3 days however if the withdrawal symptoms emerge during tapering it would require more gradual tapering over few weeks. Inform your doctor if you have ever been diagnosed with any heart problems (heart attack, heart failure, slow or irregular heart rate). Inform your doctor if you have ever been diagnosed with kidney or liver problems. It can cause a sensation of restlessness or an inability to sit or stand still. This is most likely to occur within the first few weeks of treatment. You should tell your doctor if this happens to you. It may be more effective in some patients with depression who fails to respond to selective serotonin receptor inhibitors (SSRI) e.g. Fluoxetine.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Is Velaf a mood stabiliser?
No. Velaf is not approved as a mood stabiliser. It is used in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorder.

Q. Can Velaf cause sedation?
Yes. Velaf can cause sedation. You should inform your doctor if you are taking any other sleep inducing medicines before starting Velaf.

Q. Can I use Velaf as a painkiller?
No. Velaf is not a pain killer. It is used in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorder.

Q. Is Velaf a psychotropic drug?
Yes. Velaf is a psychotropic drug. Any medication capable of affecting the mind, emotions, and behaviour are called psychotropic drugs.

Q. Can I take Velaf twice a day?
Yes. The dosage schedule should be decided by the doctor depending on the type of disorder.

Q. Is Velaf a narcotic?
No. Velaf is not a narcotic drug. Narcotics are drugs with sleep inducing properties, usual derivatives of Opium like Heroin and Morphine.

Q. Can I take vitamin B complex along with Velaf?
Yes. Velaf can be taken with B complex vitamins. There are no known major interactions between these medications.

Q. Can I take Velaf with my Hepatitis B vaccination?
Yes. Velaf can be taken with hepatitis B vaccination. There are no known major interactions between these two medications. Consult your doctor before starting any medication or therapy while taking Velaf.

Q. Can I take Velaf with my Hepatitis C vaccination?
There are no known brands of hepatitis C vaccines in India. Consult your doctor before starting any medication or therapy while taking Velaf

Q. What is the Cmax of Velaf?
After taking immediate-release Velaf tablets, the peak plasma concentrations of Velaf is seen in 2 hours.

Q. Can Velaf get high?
No. Velaf is not known to cause high.

Q. Can Velaf cause weight gain?
No. Studies have shown Velaf causes weight loss when taken for several weeks.

Q. What is the half-life of Velaf?
The plasma half-life of Velaf is 5±2 hours.

Q. What is the difference between Velaf ER and XR?
Both are same medication. Velaf ER and XR both means extended release preparation which releases the medication slowly into the body and maintains a constant needed medications levels. The advantage of taking ER/XR tablets is the frequency of dosage can be decreased.

Q. Can I take mirtazapine along with Velaf?
No. There can be a serious side effect when mirtazapine is taken with Velaf. It can cause a serious condition called as serotonin syndrome. It is a potentially life-threatening can present as agitation, hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, tachycardia, labile blood pressure, hyperthermia and coma.

Q. Can I take Velaf with citalopram?
No. Citalopram and Velaf both increase serotonin levels. Avoid or use any alternate drug. It can cause a serious condition called as serotonin syndrome. It is a potentially life-threatening can present as agitation, hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, tachycardia, labile blood pressure, hyperthermia and coma.

Q. Can I take Velaf with sertraline?
No. Sertraline can not be taken with Velaf as it increases serotonin levels. It can cause a serious condition called as serotonin syndrome. It is a potentially life-threatening can present as agitation, hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, tachycardia, labile blood pressure, hyperthermia and coma.

Q. Can I take Velaf with duloxetine?
No. Duloxetine can not be taken with Velaf as it causes a serious increase in serotonin levels. This can lead to a potentially life-threatening condition called as serotonin syndrome.

Q. What is the relation between Velaf and p-glycoprotein?
P-glycoprotein is responsible for the expulsion of Velaf from the brain. Some studies have shown that Velaf and its metabolite inhibit the p-glycoprotein.

Q. Where is Velaf absorbed?
Velaf is absorbed from the intestine after being metabolised by the liver.

Q. When does Velaf expire?
The expiry date of Velaf is given on the tablet strip and provided by the manufacturer.

Q. When does Velaf produce the effect?
It takes time for Velaf to work and it depends from person to person.

Q. When should I take Velaf?
Velaf is a medication to treat generalised depressive disorder or depression. Consult your doctor before taking this medication.

Q. Which is the best time to take Velaf?
It depends on the type of tablet. If it is Velaf XR then it can be taken once daily else the daily dosage is divided into 2-3 times.

Q. Can Velaf cause high blood pressure?
Velaf treatment is associated with sustained increases in blood pressure in some patients. It is recommended that patients receiving Velaf should have regular monitoring of blood pressure. For patients who experience a sustained increase in blood pressure while receiving Velaf, either dose reduction or discontinuation should be considered.

Q. Can Velaf cause constipation?
Yes. Velaf is known to cause constipation in some patients.

Q. Can Velaf cause sweating?
Yes. Velaf is known to increase sweating in some patients.

Q. Can Velaf cause weight loss?
Yes. Velaf is known to cause weight loss in some patients. In research studies, a dose-dependent weight loss was noted in patients treated with Velaf for several weeks.

Q. Can Velaf cause addiction?
No. Velaf does not have habit-forming potential.

Q. Can I take Velaf tablet instead of a capsule?
You can take a tablet instead of the capsule but only under consultation or prescription of a doctor. You should not change it yourself as the different formulation of a medication may have a different action as drug release would be different in both. This can lead to an inappropriate treatment and may lead to side effects or even failure of treatment.

Q. Can I use phentermine with Velaf?
No. Phentermine can not be taken with Velaf as it increases serotonin levels. It can cause a serious condition called as serotonin syndrome. It is a potentially life-threatening can present as agitation, hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, tachycardia, labile blood pressure, hyperthermia and coma.

Q. Can gabapentin be given along with Velaf?
Yes. Gabapentin can be given with Velaf but only with a consultation of a doctor. They both, when given together, causes an increase drowsiness, sleepiness and decreased concentration in work. Take with caution.

Q. Can I take tramadol along with Velaf?
No. Tramadol should be absolutely avoided with Velaf. They both cause an increase in the levels of serotonin in the body increasing the chances of potentially life-threatening serotonin syndrome.

Q. What is the difference between Velaf and desvenlafaxine?
Desvenlafaxine is an active metabolite of Velaf. It is the same medication in an active form.

Q. Can fibromyalgia be treated with Velaf?
Velaf is not approved for the treatment of fibromyalgia. Some research studies have shown promising results of Velaf in the treatment of fibromyalgia. Consult your doctor before starting this medication.

Q. Can I take citalopram in place of Velaf?
Both Citalopram and Velaf are anti-depressants but their action is different. Citalopram results in an increase in the serotonin levels but venlafaxine increases many other neurotransmitters apart from serotonin. Consult your doctor before changing the medication.

Q. Can depression be treated with Velaf?
Yes. Velaf is a medication for the treatment of depression.

Q. Can I use Velaf for anxiety disorder?
Yes. Velaf can be used for the treatment of anxiety disorder.

Q. Can I use Velaf for a tension headache?
No. Velaf is not approved for the treatment of a tension headache. It is used in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorder.

Q. Can nerve pain be treated with Velaf?
Velaf is not approved for treatment of nerve pain disorders but some researchers have proved its efficacy in nerve pain. It is currently used off-label for nerve pain.

Q. Can I use Velaf for a migraine?
Velaf is not approved for treatment of a migraine but some researchers have proved its efficacy in the prophylaxis of a migraine. It is currently used off label for migraine.

Q. Can hot flashes be treated with Velaf?
Velaf is not approved for treatment of hot flashes. It is used in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorder.

Q. Which medication is best, Buspirone or Velaf?
Buspirone is an anxiolytic drug given for treatment of generalised anxiety disorder. Velaf is an antidepressant drug. Buspirone can be added to Velaf to augment the effect of Velaf. But this can lead to a potentially serious condition called as serotonin syndrome. It is a potentially life-threatening can present as agitation, hallucinations, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, tachycardia, labile blood pressure, hyperthermia and coma.

Q. Why does Velaf cause loss of appetite?
Velaf is known to cause changes in the neurotransmitters levels and chemicals in the brain which leads to decrease in appetite and this loss of appetite is dose dependent.

Q. Can Velaf be switched to desvenlafaxine abruptly?
No. You should not change or switch over to any other drug. It may lead to various adverse effects called as discontinuation symptoms. Talk to your doctor if you are not comfortable with Velaf and it should be tapered slowly and then stopped.

Q. What are good alternatives to Velaf, particularly when a side effect is reduced sex drive?
If you find any side effects like decreased sex drive or impotence talk to your doctor and then you can have some other drug. Do not stop Velaf by yourself it can lead to increased adverse effects.

Q. Am I dizzy because I stopped taking Velaf?
Yes. Dizziness can be due to Velaf. Velaf therapy leads to increased blood pressure so abrupt stoppage can lead to decreased blood pressure and can cause dizziness.