Venlafaxine ER oral capsule: Side effects, dosage, and more - Medical News Today

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about venlafaxine ER oral capsule.

Does venlafaxine cause weight gain or weight loss?

Weight gain and weight loss weren't reported in people who took venlafaxine during clinical studies. However, adults who took venlafaxine during the studies commonly reported a loss of appetite. If you lose your appetite, it could lead to weight loss over time.

Depression and anxiety disorders, which venlafaxine treats, often cause changes in appetite and eating patterns. And both can lead to either weight gain or weight loss.

If you're concerned about weight gain or weight loss while you're taking venlafaxine, talk with your doctor. They can suggest ways to help you maintain a body weight that's healthy for you.

Is venlafaxine used for hot flashes, migraine, or ADHD?

Yes, venlafaxine is sometimes used for hot flashes, migraine, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). But these are off-label uses for this drug.

Off-label drug use means using a drug for a purpose other than those that have been approved. Doctors may prescribe a drug for an off-label use if there's evidence that the drug can be effective for that use.

In females, venlafaxine is used off-label to treat hot flashes due to menopause or the use of certain breast cancer treatments.* And in males, it's also used off-label to treat hot flashes due to certain prostate cancer treatments.*

Venlafaxine is also sometimes used off-label to help people who get frequent migraine episodes.

The drug is occasionally used off-label to treat ADHD in adults.

If you're interested in taking venlafaxine for any off-label uses, talk with your doctor.

* Sex and gender exist on spectrums. Use of the terms "male" and "female" in this article refers to sex assigned at birth.

How do you successfully come off venlafaxine?

If you and your doctor agree that you should stop taking venlafaxine, you'll need to slowly taper off the drug. If you suddenly stop taking it, you may have withdrawal symptoms.

When it's time to stop taking venlafaxine, your doctor will gradually reduce your dose, usually over several weeks. Doing so allows your body to adjust to not having the medication. And it can help you avoid withdrawal symptoms.

To read more about stopping venlafaxine, see the "Venlafaxine ER oral capsule withdrawal and dependence" section above.

What's venlafaxine's classification? Is it an SSRI?

No, venlafaxine isn't a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI).

SSRIs are a class of antidepressants. (A class of drugs is a group of medications that work in a similar way.) They work by increasing levels of a chemical in your brain called serotonin.

Venlafaxine, on the other hand, belongs to a class of antidepressants called serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). SNRIs work by increasing levels of two chemicals in your brain: serotonin and norepinephrine.

Will venlafaxine make me feel 'high'?

No, that's unlikely.

Taking venlafaxine to treat a mental health condition, at the dosage prescribed by your doctor, won't make you feel high. But it won't make you feel instantly happy or calm, either.

The drug works over a long period of time to help balance chemicals in your brain. Over time, this helps you get back to feeling like yourself again.

Will I need any screening or monitoring while taking venlafaxine?

Yes, you might. You doctor may screen you for certain conditions before prescribing venlafaxine for you. And they may monitor you for certain side effects while you're taking the drug.

For example, if you have depression, your doctor may screen you for bipolar disorder before prescribing venlafaxine. Sometimes an episode of depression is the first symptom of bipolar disorder. But if venlafaxine is used on its own to treat depression in someone with bipolar disorder, it could trigger mania.

So, your doctor will want to be reasonably sure that you don't have bipolar disorder before they prescribe venlafaxine to treat your depression. Your doctor will talk with you about any past mental health conditions you or your close family members have had.

While you're taking venlafaxine, your doctor may check your blood pressure from time to time. They'll typically do this after you start treatment and after any dosage increases. You may also need to have blood tests from time to time to check your cholesterol level. This is because venlafaxine may affect your blood pressure and cholesterol.

To read more about possible side effects from venlafaxine, see the "Venlafaxine ER oral capsule side effects" section above.

Should I be concerned if I see particles in my stool while I'm taking venlafaxine?

No, there's no need to worry if you see particles in your stool while you're taking venlafaxine ER oral capsule. These particles don't contain any active medication.

Venlafaxine ER oral capsules are an extended-release form of venlafaxine. Extended-release drugs release their medication slowly in your body. This is unlike immediate-release drugs, which release their medication more quickly.

Venlafaxine ER oral capsules contain pellets of medication that have a special coating around them. This coating releases the medication slowly over the day as the pellets pass through your digestive system.

The pellets themselves may not fully dissolve. But by the time they leave your body in stool, all of the medication will have been released and absorbed by your body.

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