Brand Name

Venlafaxine HCL ER {Pfizer}

Generic Name

venlafaxine hydrochloride, pronounced VEN la fax een HY dro Klo ride

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Drug Guide

The information contained in the following drug guide is intended as an educational resource only. This guide is not exhaustive and does not contain all available information about this drug.This guide is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatment.

The information provided in this guide does not replace the need for the advice and services of medical professionals or the need for medical examination. Always talk to your physician or pharmacist before taking any prescription medication or over the counter drugs (including any supplements) or before making any changes to your treatment. Only your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can provide you with safe and effective advice regarding your drug treatment.

The use of the information in this guide is at your sole risk. This information is provided "AS IS" with no warranties to accuracy or timeliness.

**All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

What is Venlafaxine HCL ER? Venlafaxine HCL ER is an antidepressant used to treat patients with depression, generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder and panic disorder with or without agoraphobia. Venlafaxine HCL ER may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Key Facts About Venlafaxine HCL ER

Venlafaxine HCL ER is an antidepressant in a group of drugs known as selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, or SSNRIs. Venlafaxine HCL ER helps people with major depressive disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and panic disorder, with or without agoraphobia by affecting the chemicals in the brain that are imbalanced which may have caused these conditions.

You should not take Venlafaxine HCL ER if you are currently taking desvenlafaxine (Pristiq), or an MAO inhibitor like furazolidone (Furoxone), isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), or tranylcypromine (Parnate). You could suffer from a dangerous drug interaction if you take any of the above medications along with Venlafaxine HCL ER.

When you first start taking Venlafaxine HCL ER you may have thoughts about suicide, especially if you are younger than 24 years of age. You must tell your doctor if you have these thoughts, and be sure to keep regular appointments with your physician, particularly for the first 3 months of treatment.

If you have any new or worsening symptoms, like mood changes, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, impulsiveness, irritability, aggression, hyperactivity, or thoughts of suicide or harming yourself tell your doctor immediately.

You should avoid drinking alcohol while you are taking Venlafaxine HCL ER.

Be aware that Venlafaxine HCL ER may impair your reactions or thinking. You should be careful when driving or doing anything which requires you to be alert, especially when you first start taking Venlafaxine HCL ER.

Before You Take Venlafaxine HCL ER

If you are allergic tovenlafaxine you should not take Venlafaxine HCL ER.

If you are currently taking desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) you should not take Venlafaxine HCL ER.

Tell your doctor if you are currently taking an MAO inhibitor like furazolidone (Furoxone), isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), or tranylcypromine (Parnate). You will need to wait at least 14 days after stopping your MAO inhibitor before you can take Venlafaxine HCL ER.

Tell your doctor if you want to stop taking Venlafaxine HCL ER, especially if you want to go back to taking an MAO inhibitor. You will need to wait at least 7days after stopping Venlafaxine HCL ER before you can take an MOA inhibitor.

If you have uncontrolled glaucoma you may not be able to take Venlafaxine HCL ER.

Tell your doctor before starting Venlafaxine HCL ER if you have liver or kidney disease, or high blood pressure.

You should inform your doctor if you have previously been diagnosed as manic depressive, bipolar, or if you have had a history of suicidal thoughts or drug abuse.

If you have seizures or epilepsy you should tell your doctor before starting treatment with Venlafaxine HCL ER.

Tell your doctor if you have a bleeding or blood clotting disorder before you take Venlafaxine HCL ER.

If you have high cholesterol you should let your doctor know before starting Venlafaxine HCL ER.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Venlafaxine HCL ER is in FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether Venlafaxine HCL ER will harm an unborn baby, however, it is known that Venlafaxine HCL ER can cause problems in a newborn if taken during the third trimester of pregnancy. You should not breastfeed while taking Venlafaxine HCL ER as it is known that this medication can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby.

No one younger than age 18 should be given Venlafaxine HCL ER.

Tell your doctor if you currently take medications which make you sleepy, such as cold or allergy medications, sedatives, narcotic pain medications, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, or medication for anxiety or seizures. If you take Venlafaxine HCL ER along with any of the aforementioned medications you may experience extreme sleepiness.

Venlafaxine HCL ER Drug Interactions

You should inform your doctor if you are taking any of the following:

• almotriptan (Axert)
• antidepressants like amitriptyline (Elavil), amoxapine (Asendin), citalopram (Celexa), clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac), fluvoxamine (Luvox), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), paroxetine (Paxil), protriptyline (Vivactil), sertraline (Zoloft), and trimipramine (Surmontil).
• aspirin
• cimetidine (Tagamet)
• ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
• diclofenac (Voltaren)
• diuretics (water pills)
• etodolac (Lodine)
• fluvoxamine (Luvox)
• frovatriptan (Frova)
• haloperidol (Haldol)
• ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin)
• indomethacin (Indocid)
• ketoconazole (Nizoral)
• linezolid (Zyvox)
• lithium (Lithobid, Eskalith)
• nabumetone (Relafen)
• naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn)
• naratriptan (Amerge)
• piroxicam (Feldene)
• risperidone (Risperdal)
• rizatriptan (Maxalt)
• St. John’s wort
• sumatriptan (Imitrex)
• tramadol (Ultram)
• tryptophan (sometimes called L-tryptophan)
• warfarin (Coumadin)
• zolmitriptan (Zomig)

Other drugs you take that are not listed may interact with Venlafaxine HCL ER. You should tell your doctor about all of the medications you use. This includes prescription drugs, vitamins, supplements and herbal products, and over the counter medications. You should not begin taking a new medication without telling your doctor first.

Directions for Taking Venlafaxine HCL ER

You should take Venlafaxine HCL ER exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Do not take Venlafaxine HCL ER in larger or smaller amounts, or for shorter or longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

You should take Venlafaxine HCL ER at the same time every day, either in the morning or in the evening.

Venlafaxine HCL ER should be taken with food, or a full glass of water.

It may take at least 4 weeks or longer before your symptoms improve while you are taking Venlafaxine HCL ER. Continue using Venlafaxine HCL ER as your doctor has directed you to do so.
Do not stop using Venlafaxine HCL ER without consulting your doctor, as you may experience adverse side effects if you stop taking this medication suddenly.

Swallow the controlled-release tablet of Venlafaxine HCL ER whole, and do not chew or crush it.

Venlafaxine HCL ER needs to be stored at room temperature, and away from light, moisture and heat.

If you miss a dose of Venlafaxine HCL ER you should attempt to take the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose do not take the missed dose in addition to your regular dose.

Venlafaxine HCL ER Side Effects

If you experience any of the following adverse effects you should stop taking Venlafaxine HCL ER and seek emergency medical help immediately:

• allergic reaction such as breathing difficulties, hives, swelling of your face, lips, throat or tongue
• aggressive, agitated or hostile behavior
• anxiety or panic attacks
• bruising easily or more often
• depression that has increased
• difficulty concentrating and memory problems
• feeling faint
• fever
• hallucinations
• headaches
• increased heart rate
• insomnia or trouble sleeping
• jaundice
• overactive reflexes
• restlessness or hyperactivity
• skin reaction that is severe and accompanied by a fever, sore throat, swelling of your face or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, and culminating with a red or purple skin rash that spreads in your face or upper body and causes blistering and peeling.
• stiff or rigid muscles
• trouble breathing or shallow breath
• suicidal thoughts or thought about hurting yourself
• unsteady gait or difficulty walking
• unusual bleeding

Less serious side effects of Venlafaxine HCL ER may include:

• blurred vision
• constipation
• decreased sex drive
• dizziness
• drowsiness
• dry mouth
• impotence
• increased sweating
• loss of appetite
• mild nausea
• nervous feeling
• strange dreams
• weight changes

It should be noted that this is not a complete list of possible side effects of Venlafaxine HCL ER. You should contact your physician for a complete list and medical advice regarding these effects.

Venlafaxine HCL ER Description and Dosing

Venlafaxine HCL ER is available in extended release tablets Venlafaxine hydrochloride extended-release tablets are available as:

37.5 mg tablets, which are round, pink and white colored, biconvex, bilayer, coated and imprinted with “760” with black ink on one side and plain on other side.

75 mg tablets, which are round, pink and white colored, biconvex, bilayer, coated and imprinted with “759” with black ink on one side and plain on other side.

150 mg tablets, which are oval, pink and white colored, biconvex, bilayer, coated and imprinted with “758” with black ink on one side and plain on other side.

If you suspect that you have overdosed with Venlafaxine HCL ER you should seek emergency help immediately.

Ingredients in Venlafaxine HCL ER

The primary active ingredient in Venlafaxine HCL ER is venlafaxine. Inactive ingredients consist of hypromellose, povidone, lactose monohydrate, methacrylic acid copolymer, talc, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, crospovidone, colloidal silicon dioxide, sodium lauryl sulfate, FD & C Red No. 40 Aluminum Lake, ethyl cellulose aqueous dispersion, mannitol, dibutyl sebacate, triethyl citrate, polysorbate 20, polyethylene glycol, polysorbate 80, and polyvinyl alcohol. The imprinting ink contains shellac glaze, iron oxide black, N-butyl alcohol, industrial methylated spirit, propylene glycol and isopropyl alcohol.

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The information contained in this drug guide is intended as an educational resource only. This guide is not exhaustive and does not contain all available information about this drug.This guide is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatment.

The information provided in this guide does not replace the need for the advice and services of medical professionals or the need for medical examination. Always talk to your physician or pharmacist before taking any prescription medication or over the counter drugs (including any supplements) or before making any changes to your treatment. Only your doctor, nurse or pharmacist can provide you with safe and effective advice regarding your drug treatment.

The use of the information in this guide is at your sole risk. This information is provided "AS IS" with no warranties to accuracy or timeliness.

**All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their respective owners.