Venlafaxin Orion
Venlafaxin Orion is a medicine that helps treat depression and anxiety disorders by balancing natural chemicals in your brain.
How to Use
Dosage
For depression, generalized anxiety, and social anxiety, the usual starting dose is 75 mg once a day. For panic disorder, treatment starts with a lower dose of 37.5 mg.
Method
Take the capsules whole with liquid, with food, around the same time each day (morning or evening). Do not open, crush, chew, or dissolve them.
For depression, the maximum daily dose is 375 mg. For generalized anxiety, social anxiety, and panic disorder, the maximum daily dose is 225 mg.
Possible Side Effects
- •Dizziness
- •Headache
- •Drowsiness
- •Insomnia
- •Nausea
- •Dry mouth
- •Constipation
- •Sweating (including night sweats)
- •Swelling of the face, mouth, tongue, throat, hands or feet, and/or itchy rash (hives), difficulty swallowing and breathing.
- •Seizures (krampanfall).
- •Serotonin syndrome symptoms: restlessness, hallucinations, clumsiness, fast heart rate, increased body temperature, rapid changes in blood pressure, overactive reflexes, diarrhea, coma, nausea, vomiting.
- •Signs of infection such as high fever, chills, shaking, headache, sweating, flu-like symptoms.
- •Severe rash with blisters and peeling skin, unexplained muscle pain, tenderness or weakness (rhabdomyolysis).
Important Warnings
- Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to venlafaxine or any other ingredient in it.
- Do not take this medicine if you are currently taking or have taken a type of antidepressant called an MAOI in the last 14 days, as this can cause serious or life-threatening side effects.
- Tell your doctor if you take other medicines that could increase the risk of 'serotonin syndrome'.
- Talk to your doctor if you have eye problems like glaucoma, high blood pressure, heart problems, or an irregular heartbeat.
- Tell your doctor if you have had seizures, low sodium levels in your blood, bleeding issues, or if you or your family have a history of bipolar disorder or aggression.
Show 8 more warnings
- This medicine can cause restlessness or an inability to sit still. Tell your doctor if this happens.
- Do not drink alcohol during treatment, as it can cause extreme tiredness and unconsciousness, and worsen your symptoms.
- If you have thoughts of harming yourself or suicide, contact your doctor or go to the nearest hospital immediately.
- This medicine may cause dry mouth, which can increase the risk of tooth decay. Maintain good dental hygiene.
- Venlafaxin Orion can affect your blood sugar levels. Your diabetes medication dosage may need to be adjusted.
- This medicine is generally not for children or adolescents under 18 years old.
- If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, planning to get pregnant, or think you might be pregnant, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using this medicine.
- Do not drive or use machines until you know how this medicine affects you, as it can affect your ability to drive or perform tasks requiring focus.
Use in Elderly Patients
Suitable for older adults, with specific precautions. Serotonergic. A significant adverse effect is low serum sodium level. Increases risk of falls. Consider the numerous potential interactions, especially with drugs that increase the risk of bleeding. Reduce the dose already in mild renal impairment. (updated 12.2.2024)