What is Effexor?
Effexor is Wyeth Pharmaceuticals’ brand name for venlafaxine, a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) used as an antidepressant in the treatment of clinical depression, generalized anxiety disorder and certain combination depression and anxiety disorders.
How does Effexor work?
Effexor works by blocking the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine in the synaptic gap and thus making more of these neurotransmitters available to activate receptors.
What does Effexor look like?
Effexor is sold as orange pentagonal pills in a variety of strength ranging from 25 to 100 mg. The pills are imprinted with “W” and the strength in milligrams. It is also available in grey and orange capsules in a strength of 37.5 mg, in orange capsules with a strength of 75 mg and in red capsules with a strength of 150 mg.
Effexor dosing and administration
The standard starting dosage of Effexor is 75 mg per day divided into two or three doses. Your doctor may adjust this dosage if necessary. The highest recommended total daily dose is 225 mg, although some patients may need as much as 375 mg per day.
Adverse sexual effects from Effexor
Effexor is associated with a number of sexual side effects. These include ejaculatory problems including delayed ejaculation or inability to ejaculate. These effects were shown in one clinical study to occur in as many as 1 in 8 men taking higher doses of Effexor, but were much less evident at lower doses. About six per cent of patients experienced erectile dysfunction as a result of Effexor therapy. A similar number have reported a decrease in libido. This again is more common at higher dosages. Very rare reports of priapism have been received. If this occurs you should seek emergency medical treatment immediately.
Effexor warnings and precautions
You should tell your doctor before beginning treatment with Effexor if you have or have had bipolar disorder or a family history of this, a recent heart attack or unstable heart disease, hypertension, epilepsy, glaucoma, liver or kidney problems, a bleeding disorder or any kind of allergy. You should not take Effexor if you have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) within the previous two weeks. You should also refrain from taking any MAOI within seven days of ceasing Effexor. You should consult your doctor about MAOIs, but some of these included isocarboxazid, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline and tranylcypromine. Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant or who are breastfeeding should inform their doctor of this.
What if I take an accidental overdose of Effexor?
The symptoms of Effexor overdose may include excessive tiredness, seizures, tachycardia, bradycardia, blood pressure decrease, vertigo, liver damage, coma and death. Any suspected Effexor overdose should be treated urgently. If the overdose is recent, the physician will probably attempt to pump the stomach or induce vomiting. However, if the drug has been absorbed, treatment will be symptomatic and supporting heart and lung function.
Effexor withdrawal
If Effexor treatment is stopped abruptly, particularly from higher dosages, withdrawal symptoms may occur. These may include irritability, agitation, vertigo, generalized burning or tingling, anxiety, confusion, insomnia, tiredness and headache. These will usually recede over time without treatment. It is important when ceasing Effexor treatment to gradually taper the dose down to zero over a several weeks to avoid withdrawal.