venlafaxine
Brand names: Venlafaxine
# Venlafaxine: What You Need to Know Venlafaxine is a prescription medicine used to treat depression, anxiety, and certain other mood disorders. It works by helping balance chemicals in your brain that affect your mood and emotions. This medication is taken by mouth, usually once or twice a day, and it can take a few weeks to start working. It's important to take it exactly as your doctor prescribes and not to stop taking it suddenly, even if you start feeling better, because stopping too quickly can cause withdrawal symptoms like dizziness, nausea, and tingling sensations. Before taking venlafaxine, tell your doctor about all your health conditions, especially if you have high blood pressure, heart problems, or a history of substance abuse. This medicine can increase blood pressure and may cause side effects like nausea, dizziness, or sleep problems when you first start taking it. If you drink alcohol, it's generally safe to have occasional drinks while on this medication, but you should still talk to your doctor about what's safe for you. Never take venlafaxine with other medications without checking with your doctor first, as it can interact with certain drugs. If you experience any serious side effects or thoughts of harming yourself, contact your doctor or emergency services right away.
Known Interactions
Drug Interactions As with all drugs, the potential for interaction by a variety of mechanisms is a possibility. Alcohol A single dose of ethanol (0.5 g/kg) had no effect on the pharmacokinetics of venlafaxine or ODV when venlafaxine was administered at 150 mg/day in 15 healthy male subjects. Additionally, administration of venlafaxine in a stable regimen did not exaggerate the psychomotor and psychometric effects induced by ethanol in these same subjects when they were not receiving venlafaxine. Cimetidine Concomitant administration of cimetidine and venlafaxine in a steady-state study for both drugs resulted in inhibition of first-pass metabolism of venlafaxine in 18 healthy subjects. The oral clearance of venlafaxine was reduced by about 43%, and the exposure (AUC) and maximum concentration (C max ) of the drug were increased by about 60%. However, coadministration of cimetidine had no apparent effect on the pharmacokinetics of ODV, which is present in much greater quantity in the ci
Source: FDA-approved drug labeling via openFDA
Most Reported Side Effects (FAERS)
- DRUG INEFFECTIVE9,708 reports
- NAUSEA8,840 reports
- FATIGUE8,004 reports
- HEADACHE7,325 reports
- DIZZINESS6,469 reports
- DEPRESSION6,235 reports
- ANXIETY6,039 reports
- OFF LABEL USE5,772 reports
- PAIN5,470 reports
- DIARRHOEA5,159 reports
Source: FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). Voluntary reports do not establish causation.
Check interactions with venlafaxine:
SafeCheck provides drug interaction information from FDA-approved product labeling (openFDA). This is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider before making medication decisions.