Desvenlafaxine
Description
Desvenlafaxine is an effective medicine to treat depression. This medicine affects the level of certain chemicals in the brain that is unbalanced in people with depression.
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Side effects
Major & minor side effects for Desvenlafaxine
- Suicidal thinking and behaviour
- Serotonin syndrome (agitation, hallucinations, seizures, nausea)
- Irregular heartbeat
- Shaking of the hands or feet
- Dizziness when getting up suddenly from a sitting position
- Chills or cold sweats
- Blurred vision
- Nausea and Vomiting
- Dry mouth
- Constipation
- Muscle stiffness
- Decrease in libido
- Difficulty in passing urine
- Rapid weight gain/loss
- Photosensitivity
- Ringing or buzzing in the ears
Uses of Desvenlafaxine
What is it prescribed for?
- Depression
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Concerns
Commonly asked questions
- Onset of actionThe effect of this medicine is cumulative and takes 7-8 weeks to show in most cases.
- Duration of effectThe time duration for which this medicine remains effective is 20-25 days.
- Safe with alcohol?Avoid or limit the uptake of alcohol while using this medicine. It is advised to refrain from driving vehicles and operating heavy machinery while using this medicine.
- Is it habit forming?No habit forming tendencies were reported.
- Usage in pregnancy?This medicine should be used by pregnant women only when the potential benefits outweigh the risks involved. Consult your doctor before using this medicine.
- Usage while breast-feeding?This medicine is not recommended for use by breastfeeding women. It is recommended to discontinue breastfeeding before starting the treatment with this medicine. Consult your doctor before using this medicine.
Allergy
This medicine is not recommended for use if you have a known history of allergy to desvenlafaxine or any other component present in the medicine.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI)
This medicine is not recommended for use while a MAOI (Rasagiline/Selegiline/methylene blue etc.) is being consumed. This medicine should be consumed at least 14 days after stopping the use of MAOI medicines.
Warnings for special population
Pregnancy
This medicine should be used by pregnant women only when the potential benefits outweigh the risks involved. Consult your doctor before using this medicine.
Breast-feeding
This medicine is not recommended for use by breastfeeding women. It is recommended to discontinue breastfeeding before starting the treatment with this medicine. Consult your doctor before using this medicine.
General warnings
Suicidal thinking and behaviour
Use of this medicine may cause suicidal thought and change the behavior of the user. This risk is increasingly high in young patients. It is recommended to screen the patient for such behavior before starting the treatment. Any change in behavior and thought process after taking this medicine should be reported to the doctor immediately.
Serotonin syndrome
Use of this medicine with other medicines to treat depression may cause nausea, agitation, seizures and hallucinations (symptoms of serotonin syndrome)
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome
Use of this medicine may cause Neuroleptic malignant syndrome characterized by high fever, muscle stiffness, extreme changes in blood pressure, excessive sweating and salivation. The use of this medicine should be stopped as soon as these side effects are experienced.
Hypertension
Use of this medicine is associated with a sharp increase in blood pressure levels. It is recommended to control hypertension using appropriate medicines before starting the treatment with desvenlafaxine.
Bleeding disorders
Use of this medicine may cause unusual bleeding and bruising and hence should be used with caution in patients suffering from bleeding disorders. Use of medicines that are known to cause gastrointestinal bleeding, (example: aspirin, paracetamol, ibuprofen etc), should be avoided while taking desvenlafaxine.
Glaucoma
This medicine should be used with caution in patients suffering from angle closure glaucoma. The symptoms of this disease may worsen upon using desvenlafaxine and hence caution is advised.
Seizure disorder
Use of this medicine may cause seizures and hence should be used with caution in patients suffering from epilepsy.
Manic episodes
Use of this medicine may cause agitation and aggressive behavior in some patients. The patient should be screened for bipolar disorder before starting the treatment course with this medicine.
Heart disease
This medicine should be used with caution in patients suffering from a heart or blood vessel disorder.
Hyponatremia
This medicine may decrease the sodium levels in the body and hence should be used with caution in patients taking diuretic medicines.
Bone fractures
Use of this medicine has been associated with an increase in the incidence of bone fractures. Report any incidence of bone pain to the doctor while taking desvenlafaxine.
Drowsiness and cognitive impairment
Use of this medicine has been associated with drowsiness and impairment of cognition. It is advised to refrain from driving vehicles or operating heavy machinery while taking this medicine.
Sexual dysfunction
Use of this medicine may cause sexual dysfunction. These dysfunctions may include a decrease in libido, erectile disorders, or unusual orgasm.
Withdrawal symptoms
Use of this medicine should not be discontinued abruptly. It is advised to gradually reduce the dose of this medicine.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitor drugs
This medicine should be used at least 14 days after stopping the use of MOAI drugs. Use of desvenlafaxine should stop at least 7 days before using the other medicine.
Pediatric use
This medicine is not recommended for use in patients aged below 18 years.
Use in elderly
This medicine should be used with caution in elderly patients as the risk of adverse effects is significantly high.
Missed Dose
Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If the next scheduled dose is 4 hours away, then the missed dose should be skipped.
Overdose
Contact a doctor immediately if an overdose with this medicine is suspected. Symptoms of an overdose may include agitation, hallucinations, convulsions, and nausea.
All drugs interact differently for person to person. You should check all the possible interactions with your doctor before starting any medicine.
Interaction with Alcohol
Description
Consumption of alcohol while using this medicine can cause an impairment in thinking and judgment. It may also cause dizziness, drowsiness, and lack of concentration.
Instructions
Avoid or limit the uptake of alcohol while using this medicine. It is advised to refrain from driving vehicles and operating heavy machinery while using this medicine.
Interaction with Medicine
Linezolid
Lithium
Sertraline
Warfarin
Aspirin
Methylene blue
Indinavir
Sumatriptan
Disease interactions
Kidney Disease
This medicine should be used with caution in patients with an impaired kidney functions. Suitable dose adjustments should be made based on the serum creatinine levels for moderate to severe impairment.
Glaucoma
This medicine should be used with caution in patients having narrow-angle glaucoma. The symptoms of the disease might worsen if this medicine is used in such patients.
Hypertension
This medicine may cause an increase in the blood pressure levels and hence should be used with caution in patients with hypertension. The blood pressure level should be constantly monitored before and during the course of treatment.
Food interactions
Information not available.
Lab interactions
Test for Phencyclidine (PCP) and amphetamine
Report the use of this medicine to the doctor if you are taking a screening test for Phencyclidine (PCP) or amphetamine. Use of this medicine may interfere with the test results.
Take Desvenlafaxine as instructed by the doctor. Do not use in smaller or larger than the recommended dose. The dose is likely to change over time based on your response and hence adherence to the changes is a must. Do not stop the use of this medicine abruptly.
Miscelleneous
How it works
This medicine works by affecting the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain by preventing the reuptake and thus increasing their activity.
Legal Status
Classification
Category
Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors
Schedule
Schedule H
DailyMed - Desvenlafaxine succinate tablet, extended release [Internet]. Dailymed.nlm.nih.gov. 2017 [cited 3 May 2017]. Available from:
Desvenlafaxine - DrugBank [Internet]. Drugbank.ca. 2017 [cited 3 May 2017]. Available from:
Desvenlafaxine: MedlinePlus Drug Information [Internet]. Medlineplus.gov. 2017 [cited 16 November 2017]. Available from:
Information on this page was last updated on 16 Nov 2017
Disclaimer
We’ve made all possible efforts to ensure that the information provided here is accurate, up-to-date and complete, however, it should not be treated as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Practo only provides reference source for common information on medicines and does not guarantee its accuracy or exhaustiveness. The absence of a warning for any drug or combination thereof, should not be assumed to indicate that the drug or combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for any given patient. Practo does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information provided above. If you have any doubts about your medication then we strongly recommend that you consult with your doctor, nurse or healthcare provider. See detailed T&C here.