What is Effexor?

Effexor is an antidepressant which comes under the group of selective serotonin and nor epinephrine reuptake inhibitors.

Uses

Effexor works by maintaining the natural amount of neural chemicals which helps in improvement of mood problems. Effexor is used to treat patients with depressive disorder and panic disorder. Anxiety is also treated using this medication. It might also be prescribed along with any other drug treat some disease.

How should I take Effexor?

Effexor is to be taken with a full glass of water. It is advisable to take Effexor with food intake along with it. For the Effexor XR tablet you have to swallow it whole. This is because it automatically releases preset amounts of drug along with time. Breaking, crushing or chewing the tablet will result in a lot of drug being released at one time.
Effexor should b taken the same time each day. You can ask your doctor about the timings of your dose.
A month may be used for the symptoms to improve. Do not stop using Effexor without informing your doctor first. You may face unwanted side effects if you suddenly stop the intake of this drug.

What happens if I overdose?

Get immediate medical help if you take this more than the prescribed amount.
An overdose of Effexor may be reflected dizziness, sleepiness, nausea, and numbness of the hands and feet.

Effexor side effects

Inform your doctor about any symptoms of the following side effects especially if they are new or are getting worse:

• Mood changes;
• Anxiety;
• Panic Attacks;
• Mania;
• Insomnia;
• Agitation or
• Suicidal thoughts.

In rare cases you might face serious side effects. These include:

Increased blood pressure;

Rigid muscles;

Overactive reflexes;

Severe rashes;

Nausea;

Vomiting;

Headache or Hallucinations.

If the above are faced by the patient then immediately stop using Effexor and inform the doctor immediately.
The patient might face side effects other than those listed here. If any unusual symptom is caused by the use of Effexor then contact your doctor immediately.

Proper storage of Effexor

Effexor is to be stored at room temperature. Room temperature: 68 to 77 Degrees F or 20 to 25o C. It is to be kept in a tightly closed container. Keep Effexor away from sunlight, heat and moisture. Do not place it in bathrooms. Keep Effexor out of the reach of children and away from pets.

General information

For more information about Effexor consult your doctor or pharmacist. If your symptoms get worse after using this drug then inform this to your doctor.
Effexor is to be used only for the person it is prescribed for. Do not share your medication.

What happens if I miss a dose?

If the patient misses a dose then take the missed dose as soon as possible. If the scheduled next dose is near then skip the missed dose. Continue the rest of the course as usual. Do not take any other medicine to cover up the missed dose.

Warnings

There is great risk of having recurring suicidal thoughts when you take Effexor XR initially, especially if you are younger than 24 years old. If the symptoms of depression worsen contact your doctor immediately.
If you are allergic to any ingredient found in Effexor XR do not take this medicine. If you are using a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) then you should NOT consume this medicine under any circumstances. In fact you will have to wait 14 days after you have stopped taking MAOI before you can consume Effexor XR. Likewise, you must wait 7 days after you have stopped consuming Effexor to continue using MAOI
If you suffer from bipolar disorder (manic depression), cirrhosis or other liver disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, glaucoma, seizures or epilepsy, a bleeding or blood clotting disorder; or high cholesterol you must not take Effexor XR at all.
The patient's family and other caretakers should be alerted of the patient's situation and not to be surprised by changes in mood etc. Regular medical checkups are essential, especially in the first 12 weeks of treatment. The caretakers are encouraged to be alert to the emergence of anxiety, agitation, panic attacks, insomnia, irritability, hostility, aggressiveness, impulsivity, akathisia (psychomotor restlessness), hypomania, mania, other unusual changes in behavior, in some cases the depressing state of patient may worsen.
Effexor XR may be harmful to a pregnant woman and unborn baby. Especially complication may arise in the third trimester of pregnancy. Effexor XR may harm a nursing baby.
Those who suffer from raised intraocular pressure or those at risk of acute narrow-angle glaucoma should be aware that Mydriasis has been reported in association with this medication.