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Effexor: Special warnings about this depression
medication
Effexor special warnings
 Effexor
should be prescribed with caution by your physician if you have high blood
pressure, heart, liver, or kidney disease or a history of seizures or mania
(extreme agitation or excitability). You should discuss all relevant medical
conditions with your doctor before taking Effexor.
Effexor may cause an increase in blood pressure. If this
happens you should contact your doctor immediately to reduce the dose or
consider discontinuing this depression medication. Effexor may also increase
your heart rate (especially at higher doses). You should use this
antidepressant with caution if you’ve recently had a heart attack, suffered from
heart failure, or have an overactive thyroid gland. Depression medication such
as Effexor may cause fluid retention, which is especially a concern if you’re an
older adult. It may also cause you to feel drowsy or less alert, and may affect
your judgment. Therefore, you should avoid driving and operating dangerous
machinery or participating in other hazardous activities that require full
mental alertness until you know exactly how this drug effects you.
Your doctor should examine
you regularly if you have glaucoma (high pressure in the eye), or if you are at
a relatively high risk of developing it. If you ever have been addicted to
drugs you should inform your physician prior to starting Effexor. If you
develop a skin rash or hives while taking Effexor, notify your doctor
immediately. Also, Effexor may cause bleeding or bruising of the skin.
You should not stop taking
this depression medication without consulting your physician. If you stop
suddenly, you may have withdrawal symptoms, even though this drug does not seem
to be habit-forming. Your doctor should taper you off this drug gradually rather
than stopping it suddenly.
The safety and
effectiveness of Effexor has not been established in children under the age of
18.
Should you take Effexor if
you are pregnant or breastfeeding?
The effects of Effexor
during pregnancy have not been adequately studied. If you’re pregnant or
planning to become pregnant you should notify your doctor prior to starting this
depression medication. Effexor should be used during pregnancy only if it is
absolutely necessary.
If Effexor is taken prior to
delivery of a baby it may suffer from withdrawal symptoms. It has also been
found that Effexor appears in breast milk and may cause serious side effects
when nursing an infant. You may have to choose between nursing your baby or
continuing your treatment with Effexor.
Information provided by
The PDR Pocket Guide to Prescription Drugs - Sixth Edition
Additional pictures of Effexor in the various dosages
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