Venlafaxine Usage

Venlafaxine is used in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorder.

How Venlafaxine works

Venlafaxine works by increasing the levels of chemical messengers (serotonin and noradrenaline), natural substances in the brain that help maintain mental balance.

Common side effects of Venlafaxine

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

Expert advice for Venlafaxine

• You may have to wait for 2 to 4 weeks to get the full effect.
• If your doctor asks you to stop Venlafaxine, 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ques. Q. Can I take Venlafaxine 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 Venlafaxine

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

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

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

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

Ques. Q. What is the difference between Venlafaxine ER and XR?
Both are same medication. Venlafaxine 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.

Ques. Q. Can I take mirtazapine along with Venlafaxine?
No. There can be a serious side effect when mirtazapine is taken with Venlafaxine. 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.

Ques. Q. Can I take Venlafaxine with citalopram?
No. Citalopram and Venlafaxine 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.

Ques. Q. Can I take Venlafaxine with sertraline?
No. Sertraline can not be taken with Venlafaxine 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ques. Q. Can I take Venlafaxine 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.

Ques. Q. Can I use phentermine with Venlafaxine?
No. Phentermine can not be taken with Venlafaxine 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.

Ques. Q. Can gabapentin be given along with Venlafaxine?
Yes. Gabapentin can be given with Venlafaxine 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.

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

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

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

Ques. Q. Can I take citalopram in place of Venlafaxine?
Both Citalopram and Venlafaxine 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.

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

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

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

Ques. Q. Can nerve pain be treated with Venlafaxine?
Venlafaxine 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.

Ques. Q. Can I use Venlafaxine for a migraine?
Venlafaxine 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.

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

Ques. Q. Which medication is best, Buspirone or Venlafaxine?
Buspirone is an anxiolytic drug given for treatment of generalised anxiety disorder. Venlafaxine is an antidepressant drug. Buspirone can be added to Venlafaxine to augment the effect of Venlafaxine. 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.

Ques. Q. Why does Venlafaxine cause loss of appetite?
Venlafaxine 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.

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

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