Venlafaxine is a prescription medicine licensed for the treatment of depression. This section of the eMedTV site explains how venlafaxine works and offers information on its effects, general dosing guidelines, and possible side effects.
Some of the venlafaxine side effects covered in this eMedTV article include common side effects like drowsiness and dizziness, rare side effects like acne or asthma, and more serious side effects to report to your doctor (such as chest palpitations).
What is venlafaxine used for? As this eMedTV segment explains, venlafaxine is used to treat depression in adults. Occasionally, it can also be used "off-label" to treat obesity, social anxiety disorder, or neuropathic pain, among other conditions.
The starting dosage of venlafaxine for treating depression is 75 mg daily. This eMedTV page lists factors that can affect your dosage (like other drugs you may be taking) and tips on taking the medicine (such as taking it at the same times each day).
A few of the drugs that can potentially interact with venlafaxine include alcohol, lithium, and indinavir. This eMedTV article describes how drug interactions with venlafaxine can change the levels of some drugs in the blood or cause side effects.
You should not take venlafaxine if you are also taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor. This eMedTV article offers more precautions and warnings for venlafaxine, including other people who should avoid the drug and possible side effects to look out for.
If you abruptly stop using venlafaxine, withdrawal symptoms (like insomnia or anxiety) may occur. This eMedTV page lists numerous other possible venlafaxine withdrawal symptoms and explains what a doctor may do to keep these symptoms from occurring.
If you take too much venlafaxine, overdose symptoms may include seizures, liver damage, or loss of life. This eMedTV segment lists other possible overdose symptoms and discusses various treatment options that are available for a venlafaxine overdose.
