Precautions and warnings

This medicine may increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in children, teenagers, and young adults with depression or other mental health conditions. Watch for worsening depression, signs of suicide risk, or unusual changes in behavior, especially when starting the medicine or changing the dose.

Serious conditions like serotonin syndrome or neuroleptic malignant syndrome can happen with this drug, especially if taken with certain other medications such as MAOIs, triptans, antipsychotics, or dopamine-blocking drugs.

If you need to stop the medicine, lower the dose slowly to avoid withdrawal symptoms. This medicine may trigger mania or hypomania, so use caution in people with a personal or family history of these conditions. Be careful in patients with glaucoma, high blood pressure, heart, blood vessel, cholesterol, or seizure disorders, as the medicine may make these worse. It may also raise blood pressure and cholesterol or increase the risk of bleeding.

There’s also a risk of low sodium levels (hyponatremia) or SIADH, especially in older adults, people taking diuretics, or those who are dehydrated. Rarely, it may cause serious lung problems like interstitial lung disease or eosinophilic pneumonia, particularly with venlafaxine (the original form of this medicine). Do not take other medicines containing venlafaxine at the same time.

Use caution if you have kidney or liver problems. The safety and effectiveness of this medicine in children have not been established. Use with caution in elderly people and during pregnancy. It is not recommended while breastfeeding.

Drug Interactions

Desvenlafaxine can reduce the effectiveness of Iobenguane I-123. It can also increase the side effects of other medications that depress the central nervous system (CNS). Taking desvenlafaxine with sibutramine or MAOIs (monoamine oxidase inhibitors) can increase the risk of serotonin syndrome, a serious condition caused by too much serotonin. Using desvenlafaxine with alpha- or beta-agonist drugs may cause a faster heart rate and higher blood pressure.

Desvenlafaxine may increase the level of drugs broken down by CYP2D6 (like desipramine), but lower the amount of drugs processed by CYP3A4 (like midazolam). Drugs that block CYP3A4 (such as ketoconazole) can increase desvenlafaxine levels.

Desvenlafaxine may boost the blood-thinning effects of nonselective NSAIDs, aspirin, and warfarin.

**Serious Warning:** Taking desvenlafaxine with MAOIs can cause life-threatening serotonin syndrome or a condition similar to neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). Do not take desvenlafaxine within 14 days of stopping an MAOI, and wait at least 7 days after stopping desvenlafaxine before starting an MAOI. There is also a higher risk of serotonin syndrome if sibutramine is used at the same time.

Contraindications

Do not use desvenlafaxine if you are allergic to it, venlafaxine, or any of the ingredients in the medicine. Do not take desvenlafaxine at the same time as an MAOI, or if you have used an MAOI in the past 14 days. After stopping desvenlafaxine, wait at least 7 days before starting an MAOI.

Mode of actions

Desvenlafaxine is the main active form of venlafaxine and works as a strong and selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI). Its ability to improve mood is believed to come from increasing the activity of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain. Desvenlafaxine does not block monoamine oxidase (MAO) and does not significantly affect other types of receptors, such as muscarinic, histamine, alpha-adrenergic, dopamine, GABA, glutamate, or opiate receptors. At the doses used to block serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake, it is unlikely to affect dopamine reuptake.

Dosage & Administration

Oral
Depression
Adult: 50 mg once daily. Doses up to 400 mg once daily have been studied and shown to be effective, but no additional benefit was observed with doses >50 mg once daily.

Renal impairment:
CrCl (ml/min)
30-50 mL/min 50 mg once daily.
100 mg/day are not advised.

Pregnancy & Lactation

Although animal reproduction studies have shown an adverse effect on the fetus and there are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women, but during pregnancy, this medicine can be used just when definitely required despite potential risks.

Mothers with a newborn baby who have used this drug during the last 3 months of pregnancy may seldom create symptoms including drowsiness, muscle stiffness or shakiness, feeding or breathing troubles, constant crying. If you notice any of these symptoms of your baby's particularly during their first month, tell the doctor immediately.

This medicine passes into breast milk. Talk to your doctor before breastfeeding.

Pack Size & Price