Pristiq how long does it take to work

Extended-release drugs gradually release their contents in your body over time. So, try to choose a time that works best for you. Doing so may change how the drug works. If you need help swallowing pills, take a look at these tips.

Your doctor or pharmacist might also be able to suggest ways to make taking Pristiq easier. Using more than this can lead to serious side effects. You can also call to reach the American Association of Poison Control Centers, or you can use its online resource. But if you have severe symptoms, call or your local emergency number immediately or go to the nearest emergency room.

Pristiq may cause drug discontinuation syndrome. This is a form of withdrawal that may happen when your body becomes used to Pristiq. When you stop taking the drug, you may experience certain side effects.

If you want to stop taking Pristiq, talk with your doctor. This will likely involve lowering your dosage, possibly over the course of several months. The sections above describe the typical dosages provided by the drug manufacturer.

Only take Pristiq exactly as prescribed. Talk with your doctor if you have questions or concerns about your current dosage.

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However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional.

You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.

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And you may wonder if Pristiq is used for certain other conditions. Pristiq can reduce how many hot flashes you have and how severe they are. One review of studies looked at people taking desvenlafaxine the active drug in Pristiq. They can discuss with you all of your treatment options and recommend which options are safest for you.

One review looked at the effect that desvenlafaxine the active drug in Pristiq had on anxiety symptoms in people with major depressive disorder. The review found that desvenlafaxine improved anxiety symptoms in people with depression much more than a placebo treatment with no active drug improved their symptoms. One small week study looked specifically at using Pristiq to treat social anxiety disorder.

However, this study was small and only included 63 people. Larger studies are needed to know if Pristiq would be effective in treating social anxiety disorder. Many other antidepressants, including venlafaxine Effexor XR , are used to treat anxiety. Venlafaxine is very similar to desvenlafaxine the active drug in Pristiq. Venlafaxine is approved to treat generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder.

They can recommend treatment options that are safe and effective to treat your anxiety. Some other antidepressants are approved to treat OCD.

With this condition, you may have obsessive repetitive thoughts that cause anxiety. You may do certain actions to help ease these thoughts and anxieties. They can recommend treatment options that are safe and effective to treat your condition.

Bipolar disorder formerly called manic depression is a mental illness that involves episodes of depression feeling sad or hopeless and episodes of mania having extreme levels of excitement and activity. People with bipolar disorder may have unstable moods over long periods of time. Antidepressants are sometimes used to treat depression caused by bipolar disorder.

However, the antidepressants usually have to be taken in combination with a mood-stabilizing drug. Otherwise, taking antidepressants alone can increase your risk of triggering a manic episode. If you do have bipolar disorder, your doctor may recommend other medications for you to take with Pristiq. However, some other antidepressants are approved to treat certain types of pain. Examples of these types of pain include nerve pain and fibromyalgia.

With fibromyalgia, people have long-term, widespread pain in their muscles and bones. One study looked at people with diabetic neuropathy. This is a painful condition resulting from nerve damage in people with diabetes. Two other studies looked at people with fibromyalgia. Stopping Pristiq suddenly can cause withdrawal symptoms. Doing so will help you avoid withdrawal symptoms. Drinking alcohol can increase your risk for having side effects from Pristiq.

These side effects include:. Drinking alcohol can also make your depression symptoms worse. Other drugs are available that can treat major depressive disorder. Some may be better suited for you than others. Other SNRIs and drugs from other classes of medications are also available to treat depression. They can tell you about other medications that may work well for you. You may wonder how Pristiq compares to other medications that are prescribed for similar uses. Here we look at how Pristiq and Effexor XR are alike and different.

Pristiq contains desvenlafaxine, while Effexor XR contains venlafaxine. Both drugs belong to a class of antidepressants called serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors SNRIs.

A class of medications is a group of drugs that work in a similar way in your body. Desvenlafaxine and venlafaxine are closely related. Venlafaxine the drug in Effexor XR is metabolized broken down by your liver. Desvenlafaxine is known as an active metabolite of venlafaxine. When you take venlafaxine, most of the antidepressant effect in your body is actually produced by desvenlafaxine. MDD is often called depression.

Pristiq is taken by mouth once daily. It should be swallowed whole, and it can be taken with or without food. Effexor XR comes as extended-release capsules. Effexor XR is taken by mouth once each day.

Effexor XR capsules can be swallowed whole. Or the capsules can be opened and sprinkled onto a spoonful of applesauce. The applesauce should then be swallowed without chewing, followed by drinking a glass of water to make sure the drug is completely swallowed. With either option, Effexor XR should be taken with food. Pristiq and Effexor XR are closely related. Therefore, both medications can cause very similar side effects. Below are examples of these side effects. One review of clinical studies found that, in general, these two drugs had similar effectiveness for treating depression.

Pristiq and Effexor XR are both brand-name drugs. There are generic forms of both drugs available. Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics.

According to estimates on GoodRx. Here we look at how Pristiq and Cymbalta are alike and different. Pristiq contains desvenlafaxine, while Cymbalta contains duloxetine. Pristiq is taken by mouth each day.

It can be taken with or without food. Cymbalta comes as delayed-release capsules. Cymbalta capsules are typically taken once or twice a day. They can be taken with or without food.

Pristiq and Cymbalta are both from the same class of drugs. These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur with Pristiq, with Cymbalta, or with both drugs when taken individually. But separate studies have found both Pristiq and Cymbalta to be effective for treating depression. Pristiq and Cymbalta are both brand-name drugs. There generic forms of both drugs available. You can also call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at or use their online tool.

But if your symptoms are severe, call or go to the nearest emergency room right away. Pristiq can interact with several other medications. It can also interact with certain supplements. Different interactions can cause different effects.

For instance, some interactions can interfere with how well a drug works. Other interactions can increase side effects or make them more severe. Below are lists of medications that can interact with Pristiq.

These lists do not contain all the drugs that may interact with Pristiq. Before taking Pristiq, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take. Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions. If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Taking Pristiq with these drugs increases your risk of a serious side effect called serotonin syndrome. Do not double your next dose or take more than what is prescribed. Avoid drinking alcohol or using illegal drugs while you are taking antidepressant medications. They may decrease the benefits e. If an overdose occurs, call your doctor or You may need urgent medical care. You may also contact the poison control center at Headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, dry mouth, increased sweating, decreased appetite, tremor, feeling nervous, restless, fatigue, or having trouble sleeping insomnia.

These will often improve over the first week or two as you continue to take the medication. Sexual side effects, such as problems with orgasm or ejaculatory delay, and blood pressure increases often do not improve over time. Increased heart rate, low blood pressure, increased salivation, irregular menstrual cycle, increased frequency of urination, changes in taste, increased liver enzymes, low sodium symptoms of low sodium levels may include headache, weakness, difficulty concentrating and remembering , teeth grinding, difficulty urinating, angle closure glaucoma symptoms of angle closure glaucoma may include eye pain, changes in vision, swelling or redness in or around eye , serotonin syndrome symptoms may include shivering, diarrhea, confusion, severe muscle tightness, fever, seizures, and death , hypertensive crisis severely elevated blood pressure , myocardial infarction heart attack , Stevens-Johnson syndrome rash.

To date, there are no known problems associated with long term use of desvenlafaxine. It is a safe and effective medication when used as directed. Desvenlafaxine should not be taken with or within 2 weeks of taking monoamine oxidase inhibitors MAOIs. Desvenlafaxine may increase the effects of other medications that can cause bleeding e. Sleep, energy, or appetite may show some improvement within the first weeks. Improvement in these physical symptoms can be an important early signal that the medication is working.

Depressed mood and lack of interest in activities may need up to weeks to fully improve. Depression and certain other psychiatric disorders are themselves associated with increases in the risk of suicide.

This risk may persist until significant remission occurs. In short-term studies, antidepressants increased the risk of suicidality in children, adolescents, and young adults when compared to placebo. Short-term studies did not show an increase in the risk of suicidality with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults beyond age Adults age 65 and older taking antidepressants have a decreased risk of suicidality. Patients, their families, and caregivers should be alert to the emergence of anxiety, restlessness, irritability, aggressiveness and insomnia.

Patients of all ages who are started on antidepressant therapy or when the dose is changed should be monitored appropriately and observed closely for clinical worsening, suicidality, or unusual changes in behavior such as becoming agitated, irritable, hostile, aggressive, impulsive, or restless.

Should these occur, report them to a doctor right away. Before taking PRISTIQ, tell your healthcare professional about all prescription and over-the-counter medications and supplements you take or plan to take including those to treat migraines and psychiatric disorders including other antidepressants or amphetamines ; to avoid serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition; aspirin, NSAID pain relievers, or blood thinners because they may increase the risk of bleeding.

PRISTIQ may cause or worsen some conditions, so tell your healthcare professional about all the medical conditions you have or had including:. Some people are at risk for visual problems such as eye pain, changes in vision, or swelling or redness around the eye.

You may want to undergo an eye examination to see if you are at risk and get preventative treatment if you are. Discontinuation symptoms may occur when stopping or reducing PRISTIQ, so talk to your healthcare professional before stopping or changing your dose. In clinical studies, most common side effects with PRISTIQ 50 mg were nausea, dizziness, sweating, constipation, and decreased appetite. If your pharmacy does not participate, you may be able to submit a request for a rebate in connection with this Savings Offer.

Please expect up to 4 to 6 weeks for reimbursement. Patients should always ask their doctors for medical advice about adverse events. You are encouraged to report adverse events related to Pfizer products by calling U.

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