Effexor Side Effects

Effexor (venalfaxine) contains an FDA mandated black box warning due to an increased risk of suicidal thinking among children and young adults treated with this and other anti-depressant medications. The black box warning is a serious advisement placed on the packaging insert of medications to indicate possible serious, or life-threatening complications. In addition, the FDA sent a warning letter to the makers of Effexor in 2007 criticizing unsubstantiated claims of superior efficacy and minimized risk.Other Effexor side effects include:

Nausea
Headache
Drowsiness
Confusion
Anxiety
Loss of appetite
Fatigue
Sexual Side Effects
Flu-like Symptoms
Unusual thoughts
High Cholesterol
Changes in weight
Infections
Changes in hair color
Balanitis

One of the rarest and most life-threatening Effexor side effects is serotonin syndrome, a serious and sometimes deadly reaction to too much serotonin in the body. Symptoms occur within minutes to hours of onset and includes:

Agitation
Diarrhea
Fast or irregular heartbeat
Loss of coordination and Hallucinations
Over reactive reflexes
Tremor, or
Confusion

If you or someone you know has experienced a serious Effexor side effects, let us know about it. Doing so can pass on valuable information to other users.

Warnings & Recalls for Effexor

Antidepressant medications have been shown to increase the risk of suicidal thinking in children and young adults in some rare instances. Patients taking or who are going to take Effexor should be watched for worsening of depression symptoms or suicidal ideation.
Effexor is not approved for use in children.
Be sure to check with your doctor if there are any ingredients in Effexor that you may be allergic to.
A small percentage of those taking Effexor develop high blood pressure, therefore it is important for you to have your blood pressure monitored both before and after you begin treatment with Effexor.
Effexor may take several weeks to begin taking effect. It is important that you do not stop taking Effexor until you and your doctor have made the decision to discontinue the drug together.
Do not take Effexor and an monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) together or within 14 days of each other. Doing so may result in serious or life-threatening complications.
Taking Effexor with other seratogenic agents increases the risk of serotonin syndrome. If you experience any three of these symptoms together, or if you are bothered in any way by them, it is important that you seek medical attention immediately. You should also ask your doctor any questions you may have about the way that Effexor may effect you. Asking a few simple questions before beginning treatment may prevent you from having serious complications.

Effexor Treatment and Use

Effexor | venlafaxine is an anti-depressant of the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) class, not to be confused with the SSRI’s. It was first introduced by Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories in 1993 and is currently manufactured by the drug-maker Pfizer. Effexor was the first anti-depressant indicated for the treatment of short and long term generalized anxiety disorder (GAD).

This drug is also FDA approved for the treatment of panic disorder, social phobia, and major depression in adults. Off-label, Effexor is used for:

Bipolar disorder
Fibromyalgia
Arthritis
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
ADD/ADHD
Eating Disorders
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Effexor comes in an immediate release and extended release (XR) formula. Effexor XR is by far the most popular of the two due to a slightly lower instance and severity of side effects and a more level amount of the drug in the body (the contributing factor to the more favorable effects).

How does Effexor work?

Effexor works by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine. These are neurotransmitters, chemicals utilized in the process of sending messages from one nerve cell to another. When a message travels through a nerve, the nerve ending releases serotonin and norepinephrine. When these chemicals get to the next nerve cell in the chain, receptors are activated and the message continues along the line. The cell that released the serotonin and norepinephrine then reabsorbs any residual chemical that is in the gap. This is called “reuptake.” Under normal circumstances, this process occurs without any problems.

When there is not enough neurotransmitter between nerve cells, disorders such as anxiety and depression may occur. Effexor blocks the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine so that more of it remains in between the brain’s nerve cells. These neurotransmitters then have a better chance of activating the chemical receptors on the next nerve cell. This is believed to enhance mood and alleviate some of the symptoms of anxiety.

Dosing

Effexor is available in capsules o 37.5 mg, 75 mg, and 150 mg. For Effexor XR, the recommended starting dose is 37.5 mg-75 mg a day and is increased in increments. The maximum dosage of Effexor XR should not exceed 375 mg in a 24 hour period.

Effexor should be taken as a single dose with food at the same time every day. If you have trouble swallowing pills, you may open the capsule and sprinkle the medication on a spoonful of applesauce.

Other Names for Effexor

Brand name:

Efrexor

Generic:

Venlafaxine