Venlafaxine is an SSRI antidepressant.
In the article about the types of antidepressants, I already told you what they are, and scared you with the abbreviations SSRI, TCA, SNRI, etc. Let me briefly remind you what and how.
The body of a depressed person is very talented at harming itself. He produces serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, which would be very useful for depression, but he hops them! - and quickly disposed of it. So much so that we didn’t even have time to notice whether we had them or not. Antidepressants “give the body a hand” so that it does not become willful, they take away hormones that are already preparing to go into the trash, and send them where they need to be - into the blood, so that they do not allow us to drink away from melancholy.
SSRIs (escitalopram, paroxetine) take away only serotonin, tricyclic antidepressants (amitriptyline) take away all three hormones, but at the same time they also hit the body in the head so that it doesn’t become willful, which is why we then become dull and constantly want to sleep and eat at the same time. Eat a lot.
So - if serotonin alone is not enough for you, and without its faithful brothers you get apathy, and tricyclics make you sleepy on the move, then there are also SNRIs - selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors. This is our Velaxin.
This is by no means a first-line drug. It will be prescribed when everything else has been tried and it does not have the desired effect. Kind of like what happened to me. Since I’m becoming a vegetable from SSRIs, and from tricyclics I’m gaining 20 kg.
Venlafaxine: indications for use
- Depression, especially long-term and poorly responsive to other medications
- Generalized anxiety disorder (when you not only worry periodically, but live with this very anxiety around the clock)
- Panic disorder (you are afraid to leave the house in case you have a panic attack, you are afraid of stuffy small rooms and the subway, as well as certain situations - for example, being alone at home)
- Social phobias (you are afraid to communicate with people, do not want social contacts, and in general, would like to go into the forest as a hermit)
Venlafaxine: dosage
The drug is available in dosages of 37.5, 75 and 150 mg (there are also some rare generics, which, in my opinion, contain 225 mg).
Both tablets and capsules with a slow release of the substance are produced (the drug may have an addition to the name such as “prolong” or “retard”). Capsules are better because the substance is distributed there so that it enters the body gradually, without sudden attacks. It is best to take regular tablets twice, or even better, three times a day to maintain a stable concentration of the substance in the blood.
The biggest problem with venlafaxine is its rapid elimination from the body. Therefore, tablets must be taken several times a day, and it is not recommended to skip them - withdrawal symptoms may begin in just a couple of hours.
Usually doctors start with a dosage of 75 mg, but if you have previously found yourself having trouble withstanding the first days of taking antidepressants, then you should start with 37.5 mg - half a tablet 2 times a day. Increase once every 5-7 days.
Next we have an interesting dose-dependent feature of venlafaxine. Remember its duality - it preserves both serotonin and norepinephrine for you? Well, the latter begins to persist at a dosage of 150 mg and above, so at 75 mg you will get a regular SSRI drug. And if you raise it to 225 mg, then there will also be a bonus of dopamine added. That is, you will not only be cheerful and cheerful, but you will also begin to dream, strive for something and make plans.
There is only one problem - dosages above 150 mg are difficult to obtain from modern doctors. But if they prescribe it, don’t be afraid, try it. It's never too late to roll back if something goes wrong.
In a hospital, you may be prescribed 350 mg, but while at home, it is better not to take such doses. Although I know people who reached 450 mg and drank like that for months. But we won’t take an example from psychos, and clinical studies suggest that the most effective dose range for treatment is 75-225 mg.
The duration of use is standard - a year at an effective dosage, and then we look at the situation. You can quit completely, you can stay on a maintenance dose (37.5-75 mg), you can continue drinking for the rest of your life. It is better to discuss these issues with your doctor.
Description of the composition of the medicine. Release form
This drug is available in the form of oblong yellow tablets. What substance is the main active ingredient of Velafax? Venlafaxine hydrochloride in the amount of 37.5 or 75 mg per tablet (you can buy the drug in different dosages in pharmacies). They are placed in blisters of 14 pieces. The package usually contains two blisters, which means 28 tablets.
Naturally, the drug contains auxiliary components, in particular talc, magnesium stearate, yellow iron oxide (dye), sodium carboxymethyl starch, corn starch and microcrystalline cellulose.
Venlafaxine: side effects
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fainting, anaphylactic shock and sudden death are standard, almost any antidepressant gives this, and nervous individuals, after reading the instructions, then refuse to take it.
Due to the stimulating effect of venlafaxine, insomnia, increased blood pressure, tachycardia, aggression, and anxiety may occur. This usually goes away as you get used to the drug.
Venlafaxine reduces appetite, so if you are underweight, make sure that the wind does not blow it away, and do not forget to eat. At the beginning, you may feel weak and drowsy, so you should not take the drug and immediately go to work - there is a risk of falling asleep with your face on the keyboard.
The nausea will stop quickly, but if it bothers you, take Motilium, for example. Or ask your doctor for a tranquilizer for the first time, and you won’t be afraid of anxiety and insomnia. Sweating and trembling of the limbs are possible. Sweating, by the way, may not go away later (I had it the entire time I took it).
Well, the standard side effects of blood pressure are constipation and “incontinence” in males specifically. The first is treated by regular consumption of prunes (believe me, I myself never thought that this was such an effective remedy, but when nothing helps at all, and prunes do the trick in one go, you can’t help but believe it). The second does not happen to everyone, so I don’t recommend getting too scared in advance.
These instructions can be used to cover yourself at night instead of a blanket!
Other side effects are less common and are well described in the instruction sheet. You can read it in your spare time if you haven’t had anxiety attacks or panic attacks for a long time.
Venlafaxine: patient reviews
I wrote my review in as much detail as possible here. I also talked with other “patients”. They generally tolerate the drug well - especially after apathy from SSRIs. They talk about vivid cinematic dreams (I confirm - this happens). Velaxin pulls many people out of long-term depression when nothing helped.
But both men and women also complain about a decrease or complete absence of desire to have sex, and even if men do succeed, they then cannot finish for two hours. For some, this bothers them so much that they stop taking the drug. I agree with them - what is the joy of life worth without good sex?
