Pristiq Dosage: An Introduction
The dose of
Pristiq™ (
desvenlafaxine) your healthcare provider prescribes will vary, depending on a number of factors, including:
- How you respond to Pristiq
- Other medical conditions you may have
- Other medications you may be taking.
As is always the case, do not adjust your dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
Pristiq Dosage for Depression
The recommended dose of Pristiq for treating
depression is 50 mg per day. In studies, higher doses (up to 400 mg per day) were used successfully; however, doses higher than 50 mg were no more effective and caused more side effects, compared to a dose of 50 mg per day.
Your healthcare provider may decide to increase your Pristiq dosage if you tolerate it well but have not achieved a satisfactory response to the medication. However, people with liver disease (such as liver failure, hepatitis, or
cirrhosis) should not take more than 100 mg per day.
As with most
antidepressants, Pristiq should not be stopped abruptly, as this could cause withdrawal symptoms. Your healthcare provider will instruct you on exactly how to stop taking the drug. Since Pristiq tablets cannot be split in half to achieve a lower dose, the only way to decrease the dose slowly is to take the medication less often, such as every other day or every third day.
