Venlafaxine

Venlafaxine is an SNRI antidepressant that is commonly used to treat anxiety and depression. SNRIs like venlafaxine are thought to work by increasing levels of serotonin and noradrenaline in the brain. They can also cause an increase in venlafaxine in some areas of the brain. Depression, and other conditions like anxiety disorders, are not just caused by low serotonin and noradrenaline levels, but a rise in these chemicals can improve symptoms and help you feel better. 

Side effects are common when you start taking a new medication, some that might come with duloxetine include:

• headache

• feeling sleepy

• nausea

• dry mouth 

• constipation

• loss of appetite

• weight loss

• feeling nervious, anxtious, restless, agitated or tense

• lower sex drive

• sleep problems 

• feeling dizzy

These are only some of the most common side effects, if you have any questions please talk to your doctor.

An uncommon but important side effect to be aware of is thoughts of harming yourself, thinking about taking your own life or trying to take your own life. This may be symptoms of you illness, including depression, but may be a side effect of medication. If you experience these thoughts, contact your doctor to seek immediate support to keep yourself safe

Please do not worry about these side effects. Some people will not get any side effects at all. If you think you are getting side effects from taking venlafaxine, speak to your doctor or pharmacist. If you do get a side effect, please think about reporting it via the 'Yellow Card' system.

If you have taken more venlafaxine than the dosage recommended by the doctor who prescribed it to you, you must get medial help immediately - even if you do not feel any different.