What is the most important information I should know about Effexor?
You must not use Effexor if you have an allergy to it. Effexor must not be used I conjunction with MAOI (Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor, e.g. Isocarboxazid (Marplan), rasagiline (Azilect), phenelzine (Nardil), tranylcypromine (Parnate) or selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam)).
You must be under your doctor’s observation for at least the first 3 months of treatment.
Call your doctor immediately if you notice any new symptoms or worsening of the old ones, such as anxiety, sleeping problems, mood and behaviour changes, panic attacks, or if you feel irritable, aggressive, agitated, hyperactive, impulsive, restless, hostile, being more depressed or having suicidal thoughts.
You should avoid drinking alcohol; it may worsen some side-effects of Effexor. Use of excessive amounts of this medicine in conjunction with alcohol may cause death.
Follow the directions for best results. The effect of taking Effexor is not rapid. It may require several weeks (i.e. 4 or more) before you will start feeling better. If you decide to stop the treatment, you must consult with your doctor first. You may experience various unpleasant side-effects if medication is stopped suddenly
What should I discuss with my healthcare provider?
As mentioned before, you should not use Effexor if you already use a MAO inhibitor, such as:
- isocarboxazid (Marplan)
- rasagiline (Azilect)
- phenelzine (Nardil)
- tranylcypromine (Parnate)
- selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam)
Use of Effexor together with any of these will lead to serious and sometimes lethal reactions. You must wait a minimum of 2 weeks after stopping MAOI treatment before you can use Effexor. You must wait for at least 1 week after you stop taking Effexor before you can start a MAOI treatment.
You must discuss with your doctor in advance if you are allergic to any drugs, or whether you have:
- High blood pressure
- Liver or kidney disease
- Bipolar disorder (manic depression)
- Seizures or epilepsy
- Glaucoma
- High cholesterol.
If any of these conditions apply to you, then you might not be able to use Effexor or your dose must be adjusted accordingly.
You must tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breast-feeding a baby. Effexor may harm an unborn baby; it also may pass through milk and harm a nursing baby. Do not use Effexor without discussing it with a doctor.
It is not allowed to give Effexor to persons aged under 18 without a doctor’s advice.
How should I take Effexor?
You are supposed to take Effexor according to the prescription. Do not take any amounts other than prescribed. Also, do not take it for longer than advised by your doctor. Based on results, your doctor may be changing your dose for better treatment.
Take every dose with a full glass of water. Effexor needs to be taken with food. The controlled-release capsule (Effexor XR) has to be swallowed without chewing or crushing it.
Try to take your dose at the same time each day.
The effect of taking Effexor is not rapid. It may require several weeks (i.e. 4 or more) before you will start feeling better. If you decide to stop the treatment, you must consult with your doctor first. You may experience various unpleasant side-effects if medication is stopped suddenly
Effexor has to be stored in a dry place at room temperature.
Effexor belongs to the SSNRi (Selective Serotonin and Nor-epinephrine Reuptake inhibitors) group of drugs. It was developed for treating anxiety and major depressive disorder. Effexor works by affecting specific chemicals in the brain which may get misbalanced and cause these illnesses.