HWN Suggests

Just one mg at a time

For the past 10 months I've been taking Efexor XL (Venlafaxine), the much-hyped, wonder-drug antidepressant. I was put on this medication to treat various symptoms of anxiety and depression: panic attacks, chronic fatigue, insomnia, loss of appetite, poor concentration, no interest in going out, crying over the slightest thing, and worst of all, thoughts of killing myself.

The first few days on Efexor XL I felt like I'd been fitted with an IV drip that pumped freshly made espresso into my bloodstream. My GP had warned that the drug might have this effect: 'You might hit the roof on this stuff, let's be careful.'

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Articles of Interest

Dr. Drug Rep

I was quite familiar with Effexor, since I had read recent studies showing that it might be slightly more effective than S.S.R.I.’s, the most commonly prescribed antidepressants: the Prozacs, Paxils and Zolofts of the world.

Risk of suicide during treatment with venlafaxine, citalopram, fluoxetine, and dothiepin: retrospective cohort study

Venlafaxine use was consistently associated with higher risk of suicide compared with citalopram, fluoxetine, and dothiepin. Venlafaxine users had a higher burden of suicide risk factors, however, and adjustment for measured confounders substantially reduced the excess risks.

The Homicide Files: Effexor

Today sees Effexor in the spotlight. Effexor (Venlafaxine ) is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) and is an extremely difficult drug to wean off due to its short half-life.

What is venlafaxine: Everything you need to know

When prescribed for depression, most antidepressants can begin to work within the first couple of weeks of treatment – and venlafaxine is no exception. While you can expect to see minor improvements within the first two weeks, venlafaxine often takes up to four weeks or even longer to achieve its full effects on depression. For anxiety, venlafaxine can take longer to work. During the initial few weeks of treatment, you may also notice increased anxiety. Eventually, your anxiety will decrease, and you will start to feel better.

Wyeth Cautions Doctors on Effexor

Wyeth has become the second pharmaceutical company in the past two months to warn doctors of possible problems in prescribing an antidepressant drug to children because it may carry a higher risk of prompting them to think about suicide.

Resources

NAMI

Venlafaxine is an antidepressant medication that works in the brain. It is approved for the treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), panic disorder, and social anxiety disorder (social phobia).

StatPearls

Venlafaxine is a more potent inhibitor of serotonin reuptake than norepinephrine reuptake. Venlafaxine is essentially a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor at 75 mg, and with higher doses such as 225 mg/day, it has significant effects on the norepinephrine transporter in addition to serotonin.