Venlafaxine
Drug Name(s): Effexor XR
Class: Antidepressants
Type: Serotonin-norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitor (SNRI)
Used off-label to provide relief of pain and symptoms of fibromyalgia.
Dosage
Form(s): extended-release capsule
60 mg once daily
Special Instructions
Do not drive or perform other potentially dangerous activities until you know whether the medication will impair your ability to do them safely.
Take with food.
Talk to your doctor before stopping the drug. Your dose may need to be slowly reduced.
Potential Side Effects
Dizziness or fainting; falls; itching; stomach pain; yellow skin or eyes, mania; urination problems; blisters; mouth sores; hives; suicidal thoughts; weakness; eye pain; eye swelling or redness; chest pain; shortness of breath
Be Aware
This drug can increase the risk of bleeding and bruising, especially if taken with aspirin or other blood thinners or NSAIDs.
Combining this or other SNRI drugs with alcohol or other depressants (including antihistamines, narcotics and some dental anesthetics) can make side effects more severe. Also, many of the medicines used to treat fibromyalgia work by boosting the amount of serotonin in your body. Taking two or more of these drugs together could lead to a potentially life-threatening condition called serotonin syndrome. Symptoms usually begin within hours of combining the drugs and include confusion, agitation, irregular heartbeat, unstable blood pressure, tremors, muscle rigidity, nausea and vomiting. If you have these symptoms, stop taking your medication and seek immediate medical help.
