Side Effects:

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

Expert advice for Velax Tablet SR
You may have to wait for 2 to 4 weeks to get the full effect. If your doctor asks you to stop Velax, 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 Velax a mood stabiliser?
No. Velax is not approved as a mood stabiliser. It is used in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorder.

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

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

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

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

Q. Is Velax a narcotic?
No. Velax 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 Velax?
Yes. Velax can be taken with B complex vitamins. There are no known major interactions between these medications.

Q. Can I take Velax with my Hepatitis B vaccination?
Yes. Velax 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 Velax.

Q. Can I take Velax 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 Velax

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

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

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

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

Q. What is the difference between Velax ER and XR?
Both are same medication. Velax 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 Velax?
No. There can be a serious side effect when mirtazapine is taken with Velax. 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 Velax with citalopram?
No. Citalopram and Velax 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 Velax with sertraline?
No. Sertraline can not be taken with Velax 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 Velax with duloxetine?
No. Duloxetine can not be taken with Velax 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 Velax and p-glycoprotein?
P-glycoprotein is responsible for the expulsion of Velax from the brain. Some studies have shown that Velax and its metabolite inhibit the p-glycoprotein.

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

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

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

Q. When should I take Velax?
Velax 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 Velax?
It depends on the type of tablet. If it is Velax XR then it can be taken once daily else the daily dosage is divided into 2-3 times.

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

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

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

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

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

Q. Can I take Velax 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 Velax?
No. Phentermine can not be taken with Velax 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 Velax?
Yes. Gabapentin can be given with Velax 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 Velax?
No. Tramadol should be absolutely avoided with Velax. 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 Velax and desvenlafaxine?
Desvenlafaxine is an active metabolite of Velax. It is the same medication in an active form.

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

Q. Can I take citalopram in place of Velax?
Both Citalopram and Velax 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 Velax?
Yes. Velax is a medication for the treatment of depression.

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

Q. Can I use Velax for a tension headache?
No. Velax 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 Velax?
Velax 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 Velax for a migraine?
Velax 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 Velax?
Velax 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 Velax?
Buspirone is an anxiolytic drug given for treatment of generalised anxiety disorder. Velax is an antidepressant drug. Buspirone can be added to Velax to augment the effect of Velax. 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 Velax cause loss of appetite?
Velax 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 Velax 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 Velax and it should be tapered slowly and then stopped.

Q. What are good alternatives to Velax, 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 Velax by yourself it can lead to increased adverse effects.

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