People's Pharmacy

Effexor

Generic Name:venlafaxine

Revised:4/1/2000

Table of Contents

Side Effects and Interactions

The side effects of Effexor are similar, in general, to those of Prozac or similar antidepressants.

Nausea, headache, anxiety or agitation, insomnia, drowsiness, excessive sweating and loss of appetite were reported during clinical trials.

Appetite problems may result in weight loss, which could be serious for an underweight patient.

Dry mouth, constipation, tremor and blurred vision are other possible side effects.

Effexor may lead to increased blood pressure in some people, so blood pressure should be monitored.

As with other antidepressants, a small number of patients on Effexor have experienced seizures. Report any symptoms or suspected side effects without delay.

Because of the possibility of a life-threatening interaction, Effexor should not be taken by anyone also taking Nardil, Marplan or Parnate.

A person who has been taking one of these antidepressants (MAO inhibitor type) should wait at least 14 days after stopping it before beginning to take Effexor; after stopping Effexor, a person should wait 7 days before starting on an MAO inhibitor.

Tagamet can slow removal of Effexor from the body, and a person who must take both may need a dosage adjustment. This is most likely to affect individuals with high blood pressure or liver problems, and the elderly.

Certain other medications, such as quinidine, may increase blood levels of Effexor, but there is limited data on interactions, and there may be other drug interactions that have not yet been identified.

Ask your doctor and pharmacist to check whether any other drug or herb you take is safe in combination with Effexor.