Depression
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Pristiq Dosage

The recommended Pristiq dosage for treating depression is 50 mg a day. Studies show that higher doses are also effective, but may increase your risk of side effects. If you tolerate the medication well, your healthcare provider may choose to increase your Pristiq dose. However, people with liver disease should not take more than 100 mg per day.

 

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.
 
(Pristiq Dosage Continued: Page 2)
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;