Symbyax Side Effects

Symbyax may cause severe, adverse side effects. If you are taking Symbyax and experience any of the following, contact your doctor immediately:

Seizures
Increased depression or thoughts of suicide
Extreme mental variations such as increased anxiety or decreased ability to concentrate which may lead to Serotonin syndrom
Swelling of the hands, feet or ankles
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) commonly indicated by heavy sweating, variations in heart beat, breathing or blood pressure, and stiff muscles
Vomit with the consistency of coffee grounds, a sign of gastro-intestinal bleeding
Hives, swelling of the face, eyes, tongue or surrounding areas, or difficulty breathing which may be signs of a serious allergic reaction
Decreased libido or inability to have sex
Weakness of only one side of the body, which may precede a stroke
Irregular heart beat which may induce a heart attack
Raised fat levels in blood or extreme weight increase
Severe stomache aches or abdominal cramping
Infection causing a sore throat and fever
Jaundice, yellowing of the eyes and skin as well as darkened urine

Common side effects induced by Symbyax include:

Tiredness or lethargy
An increase in appetite which may lead to weight gain
Bowel dysfunction, such as diarrhea or constipation
Dizziness
Shaking or quivering of the body, or muscle spasms
Decrease in saliva production causing a dryness of the mouth

If any of these symptoms continue, contact your doctor promptly.

Warnings & Recalls for Symbyax

Symbyax is not approved for anyone under the age of 18. Similar anti-depressants have shown to increase depression or suicidal thoughts among patients of this age group. Depression is a serious disorder; if you have taken Symbyax and have worsened depression or thoughts of death, get help at once. Patients who have diabetes have an increased risk in elevated blood sugar levels while taking Symbyax. This may lead to an increased amount of acid in blood causing ketacidosis (dangerously low insulin levels), coma, or even death. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration,women who had taken selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as Symbyax after their 20th week of pregnancy had an increased their child's risk of developing persistent newborn pulmonary hypertension by six times that of mothers who hadn't taken antidepressants. If you are taking Symbyax, it is important to get your blood tested and weight checked frequently to monitor your health. Do not take Symbyax if you:

Have taken a Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitor (MAOI) in the past two weeks. Do not take any MAOI medication within 5 weeks of using Symbyax as this may be extremely dangerous.
Take Mellaril (thioridazine) and do not take this medication until after 5 weeks after ending your use of Symbyax. Mellaril in conjunction with Symbyax may cause irregular heart beats or death.
Take Orap or pimozide, an antipsychotic medicine

Elderly patients with mental disorders causing memory loss such as dementia, have an increased risk of death.

Symbyax Treatment and Use

Symbyax | Olanzapine and Fluoxetine Hydrochloride is a capsule manufactured by Lilly USA and is used as a treatment for acute bipolar disorder and depression 1 in adults.

Symbyax may also lead to an improvement in the following areas among patients:

Ability to concentrate
Mood and behavior
Ability to relax or sleep
Decreased anxiety

Symbyax is not for children, teens or young adults, as this medication may increase thoughts of suicide or depression in these patients.

How Does Symbyax Work?

Symbyax treats various mental illnesses in patients through a combination of olanzapine and fluoxetine hydrochloride. Olanzapine works as an antipsychotic medicine along with fluoxetine hydrochloride as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor or SSRI. Hydrochloride interferes with messenger signals sent to the brain (neurotransmitters) while simultaneously obstructing serotonin from reabsorbing in the brain causing the balance of chemicals to change. This process commonly leads to a positive increase in mood among patients.

Symbyax Dosage Information

The starting dose for treating bipolar disorder or depression 1 is Symbax 6/25 mg once daily. For patients with liver disease or low blood pressure, the dose may be decreased to Symbyax 3/25 mg once daily.

Symbyax should be taken orally once daily (usually in the evening) and may be taken with or without food.
To maintain a balanced level of Symbyax in blood, take Symbyax at the same time each day.
Do not stop taking Symbyax without first consulting your doctor.
Avoid consuming alcohol while using Symbyax as a treatment.

For optimal results, patients should be re-examined regularly to determine the proper dosage necessary.

Other Names for Symbyax

Brand name: Symbyax

Generic name: Olanzapine and Fluoxetine Hydrochloride