Venlafaxin Orion
Venlafaxin Orion is a medicine used to treat depression and anxiety disorders by increasing certain natural chemicals in the brain.
Form
depotkapseli, kova
Strength
225 mg
Active Ingredient
Venlafaxine hydrochloride
Manufacturer
Orion Corporation
How to Use
Dosage
The usual starting dose for depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and social phobia is 75 mg per day. For panic disorder, treatment starts with a lower dose of 37.5 mg. Your doctor may gradually increase your dose.
Method
Take the capsules whole with liquid, either in the morning or evening, around the same time each day, and with food. Do not divide, crush, chew, or dissolve them.
Important
For depression, the maximum daily dose is 375 mg. For generalized anxiety disorder, social phobia, and panic disorder, the maximum daily dose is 225 mg.
Possible Side Effects
COMMON
- •Dizziness, headache, drowsiness
- •Difficulty sleeping
- •Nausea, dry mouth, constipation
- •Sweating (including at night)
- •Loss of appetite
- •Feeling confused or unreal, trouble having an orgasm, lower sex drive, feeling restless or nervous, strange dreams
- •Shaking, tingling or numbness, changes in taste, stiff muscles
- •Blurred vision, wide pupils, trouble focusing your eyes
- •Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- •Fast heartbeat
- •High blood pressure, flushing (red face)
- •Shortness of breath, yawning
- •Vomiting, diarrhea
- •Mild skin rash, itching
- •Needing to pee more often, trouble peeing, or being unable to pee
- •Changes in periods (more or irregular bleeding), problems with ejaculation/orgasm in men, trouble getting an erection
- •Feeling weak, tired, or having chills
- •Weight gain or loss
- •High cholesterol levels
RARE
- •Swelling of the face, mouth, tongue, throat, hands, or feet, itchy raised bumps on skin (hives), trouble swallowing or breathing.
- •Chest tightness, wheezing, or difficulty swallowing or breathing.
- •Severe skin rash, blistering, peeling skin, unexplained muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness (could be rhabdomyolysis).
- •Signs of 'serotonin syndrome' like restlessness, seeing or hearing things that aren't there (hallucinations), clumsiness, fast heartbeat, high body temperature, quick changes in blood pressure, strong reflexes, diarrhea, coma, feeling sick, or throwing up. The most serious form can include fever, fast pulse, sweating, very stiff muscles, confusion, and high levels of muscle enzymes in blood tests.
- •Signs of infection like high fever, chills, shaking, headache, sweating, and flu-like symptoms. These may indicate a blood disorder that increases the risk of infection.
- •Signs of 'stress cardiomyopathy' like chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting, or an irregular heartbeat.
- •Coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath, possibly with a high fever.
- •Black, tarry stools or blood in stool (signs of internal bleeding).
- •Itching, yellow skin or eyes, dark urine (signs of liver problems like hepatitis).
- •Severe eye pain, or vision getting worse or cloudy.
- •Seizures.
- •Hyperactivity, feeling unusually excited or euphoric, confusion with seeing or hearing things that aren't there (delirium), or reduced need for sleep.
- •Withdrawal symptoms, such as thoughts of harming yourself, aggression, tiredness, dizziness, feeling like you are spinning, headache, trouble sleeping, nightmares, dry mouth, loss of appetite, feeling sick, diarrhea, nervousness, feeling confused, ringing in the ears, tingling or electric shock sensations, weakness, sweating, seizures, flu-like symptoms, vision problems, or high blood pressure.
- •Bleeding longer than usual, or unexpected bleeding like bleeding gums, blood in urine or vomit, or easy bruising, which could mean low platelets.
- •Abnormal breast milk production.
- •Aggression.
- •Very heavy vaginal bleeding shortly after childbirth (postpartum hemorrhage).
Important Warnings
- Do not take if you are allergic to venlafaxine or any other ingredient in this medicine.
- Do not take if you are currently taking, or have taken within the last 14 days, certain medicines called irreversible monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) for depression or Parkinson's disease, as this combination can cause serious or life-threatening side effects.
- If you stop taking Venlafaxin Orion, you must wait at least 7 days before starting any irreversible MAO inhibitor.
- Tell your doctor if you are taking other medicines that increase the risk of serotonin syndrome.
- Tell your doctor if you have eye problems, such as certain types of glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye).
Show 15 more warnings
- Tell your doctor if you have had high blood pressure.
- Tell your doctor if you have had heart problems.
- Tell your doctor if you have been told you have an abnormal heart rhythm.
- Tell your doctor if you have had seizures.
- Tell your doctor if you have had low sodium levels in your blood (hyponatremia).
- Tell your doctor if you have a history of bleeding disorders (you bruise easily or tend to bleed) or if you are taking other medicines that may increase the risk of bleeding (e.g., warfarin), or if you are pregnant.
- Tell your doctor if you or someone in your family has had mania or bipolar disorder (feeling unusually excited or excessively euphoric).
- Tell your doctor if you have a history of aggressive behavior.
- This medicine may cause restlessness or difficulty sitting or standing still during the first few weeks of treatment; tell your doctor if this happens.
- Do not drink alcohol during treatment with Venlafaxin Orion, as it can cause extreme tiredness and unconsciousness, and may worsen symptoms of depression or anxiety disorders.
- If you have thoughts of harming yourself or committing suicide, contact your doctor immediately or go to the nearest hospital.
- Dry mouth has been reported in 10% of patients and may increase the risk of tooth decay, so good dental hygiene is especially important.
- This medicine can change your blood sugar levels, so your diabetes medication dose may need to be adjusted.
- Medicines like Venlafaxin Orion can cause sexual problems, and in some cases, these problems may continue even after stopping treatment.
- Venlafaxin Orion is generally not for children or adolescents under 18 due to a higher risk of side effects like suicide attempts, suicidal thoughts, and hostility.
Use in Elderly Patients
Category C
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)