Section Contents:- Avoid using other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold medicine, pain medication, muscle relaxers, medicine for seizures, other medication for depression or anxiety).(More...)
- Before starting EFFEXOR XR, tell your doctor if you're taking or plan to take any prescription or over-the-counter drugs, including migraine headache medication, herbal preparations, and nutritional supplements, to avoid a potentially life-threatening condition.(More...)
- We all know that taking prescription medication involves some risks and that with each medication some percentage of patients are likely to experience adverse results.(More...)
Avoid using other medicines that make you sleepy (such as cold medicine, pain medication, muscle relaxers, medicine for seizures, other medication for depression or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by Effexor.
[1] Effexor is used to treat major depressive disorder, anxiety, and panic disorder. Effexor may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide. Do not take this medication if you are allergic to Effexor, or if you are also using a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate).
[1] Do not stop using Effexor without first talking to your doctor. You may have unpleasant side effects if you stop taking this medication suddenly. Do not take this medication if you are allergic to Effexor, or if you are also using a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate).
[1] Effexor can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby. Do not give this medication to anyone under 18 years old without the advice of a doctor. Take this medication exactly as it was prescribed for you.
[1] If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use Effexor, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.
[1] Avoid drinking alcohol, which can increase some of the side effects of Effexor. Using too much of this medicine in addition to drinking alcohol can cause death. It may take 4 weeks or more for your symptoms to improve.
[1] FDA pregnancy category C. Effexor may be harmful to an unborn baby, and may cause problems in a newborn baby if the mother takes the medication late in pregnancy (during the third trimester).
[1] Effexor affects chemicals in the brain that may become unbalanced and cause depression.
[1] Effexor is an antidepressant in a group of drugs called selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SSNRIs).
[1] Swallow the controlled-release capsule (Effexor XR) whole, without crushing or chewing.
[1] You must wait at least 14 days after stopping an MAOI before you can take Effexor.
[1] Try to take Effexor at the same time each day. It may take 4 weeks or more for your symptoms to improve.
[1] Symptoms of a Effexor overdose may include dizziness, sleepiness, nausea, and numbness or tingling in your hands or feet.
[1] If you have any of the conditions listed above, you may not be able to take Effexor, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during treatment.
[1] An overdose of Effexor can be fatal, especially if taken together with alcohol.
[1] Your pharmacist has information about Effexor written for health professionals that you may read. Venlafaxine is available with a prescription under the brand names Effexor and Effexor XR. Other brand or generic formulations may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this medication, especially if it is new to you.
[1] Effexor XR is an extended-release capsule for oral administration that contains venlafaxine hydrochloride, a structurally novel antidepressant. It is designated (R/S)-1- cyclohexanol hydrochloride or (±)-1- -pmethoxybenzyl cyclohexanol hydrochloride and has the empirical formula of C 17 H 27 NO 2 HCl. Its molecular weight is 313.87.
[3] Antidepressants increased the risk compared to placebo of suicidal thinking and behavior (suicidality) in children, adolescents, and young adults in short-term studies of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders. Anyone considering the use of Effexor XR or any other antidepressant in a child, adolescent, or young adult must balance this risk with the clinical need.
[3] Effexor XR is formulated as an extended-release capsule for once-a-day oral administration.
[3] Healthcare professionals are advised to prescribe Effexor and Effexor XR in the smallest quantity of capsules consistent with good patient management to reduce the risk of overdose.
[4] Involvement of family in awareness of risk factors is highlighted in Wyeth information sheets on Effexor.
[4] On October 17, 2006 Wyeth and the FDA notified healthcare professionals of revisions to the Overdosage/Human Experience section of the prescribing information for Effexor (venlafaxine), indicated for treatment of major depressive disorder.
[4] Venlafaxine ( Effexor ) is an antidepressant of the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) class first introduced by Wyeth in 1993. It is prescribed for the treatment of clinical depression and anxiety disorders, among other uses.
[4] The development of a potentially life-threatening serotonin syndrome may occur with Effexor XR treatment, particularly with concomitant use of serotonergic drugs (including SSRIs, SNRIs, and triptans) and with drugs that impair metabolism of serotonin (including MAOIs ).
[4] Effexor is distributed in pentagon-shaped peach-colored tablets of 25 mg, 37.5 mg, 50 mg, 75 mg, and 100 mg.
[4] Events for which the Effexor incidence was equal to or less than placebo are not listed in the table, but included the following: abdominal pain, pain, back pain, flu syndrome, fever, palpitation, increased appetite, myalgia, arthralgia, amnesia, hypaesthesia, rhinitis pharyngitis, sinusitis cough increased urinary tract infection and dysmenorrhoea -- Incidence less than 1% Incidence based on number of male patients.
[5] Major depressive disorder: Effexor: Adults, 75 mg/day in 2 or 3 divided doses with food. It may be desirable to start some patients at 37.5 mg/day for 4-7 days to allow new patients to adjust to the medication before increasing to 75 mg/day.
[5] Effexor XR: 75 mg once daily with food, either in the morning or evening. It may be desirable to start some patients at 37.5 mg/day for 4-7 days to allow new patients to adjust to the medication before increasing to 75 mg/day.
[5] 
Before starting EFFEXOR XR, tell your doctor if you're taking or plan to take any prescription or over-the-counter drugs, including migraine headache medication, herbal preparations, and nutritional supplements, to avoid a potentially life-threatening condition. [6] Taking EFFEXOR XR with aspirin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, warfarin, or other drugs that affect coagulation may increase the risk of bleeding events.
[6] Talk to your doctor before discontinuing or reducing your dose of EFFEXOR XR. Pregnant or nursing women shouldn't take any antidepressant without consulting their doctor. Until you see how EFFEXOR XR affects you, be careful doing such activities as driving a car or operating machinery.
[6] You should notify your physician if you have a history of glaucoma or increased eye pressure. When people suddenly stop using or quickly lower their daily dose of EFFEXOR XR, discontinuation symptoms may occur.
[6] In clinical studies, the most common side effects with EFFEXOR XR (reported in at least 10% of patients and at least twice as often as with placebo) were constipation, dizziness, dry mouth, insomnia, loss of appetite, nausea, nervousness, sexual side effects, sleepiness, sweating, and weakness.
[6] We all know that taking prescription medication involves some risks and that with each medication some percentage of patients are likely to experience adverse results. We strongly feel however, that the risks involved with the usage of Effexor is greater than the medical community and the public realize, certainly greater than we were ever told, and that Wyeth-Ayerst knew of these risks but failed to communicate those risks to the consumer and their physicians.
[2] Effexor in many cases is not the "stand alone" remedy that it has been advertised to be. Patient in accepting treatment with Effexor are not being forewarned that by their use of Effexor -- sleeping medication, blood pressure medication, and anti-anxiety medication might become a concurrent necessity. The mis-informed consumer totally unexpectedly finds themselves being prescribed many more drugs than they ever anticipated needing.
[2] The Effexor Effexor Petition to Effexor's manufacturer, Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories was created by those experiencing difficulty with the prescription antidepressant, Effexor and written by Doug Tyler (dougdougtylercom). This petition is hosted here at www.PetitionOnline.com
www.PetitionOnline.com as a public service. There is no endorsement of this petition, express or implied, by Artifice, Inc.
Artifice, Inc. Artifice, Inc. or our sponsors.
[2] Effexor is not a tricyclic antidepressant or an MAO inhibitor. Venlafaxine seems to have the relative freedom from side-effects associated with the SSRIs and the impact on both serotonin and norepinephrine associated with the tricyclic antidepressants. It is hypothesized that the action of the venlafaxine molecule upon both serotonin and norepinephrine will cause venlafaxine to be a successful antidepressant for some people who have not responded to treatment with SSRIs.
[7] Venlafaxine (Effexor) is a new antidepressant with a novel chemical structure. Venlafaxine has a structure that does not resemble those of any currently used antidepressants.
[7] SSRIs/SNRI/Triptan and Serotonin Syndrome (7/2006) A life-threatening condition called serotonin syndrome (serious changes in how your brain, muscles and digestive system work due to high levels of serotonin in the body) can happen when medicines called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), such as Effexor, and medicines used to treat migraine headaches known as 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor agonists (triptans), are used together.
[8] Before you take Effexor and a triptan together, talk to your healthcare professional. If you must take these medicines together, be aware of the possibility of serotonin syndrome, and get medical care right away if you think serotonin syndrome is happening to you.
[8] 
