Is Venlafaxine the Correct Medicine For Your Depression?

Depression is a word that has become common today. Several movements discuss the depressive state of mind. The World Health Organization states that over 350 million people all around the globe suffer from this condition. Depression can be difficult but it is also a reason for further chronic illnesses and can lead to heavy substance abuse.

So, what exactly is depression? It is not just feeling gloomy. All humans feel low, sad, or gloomy at some point in their lives, but a chronic state that causes extreme sadness and takes away the joy to live a normal life can be termed depression. It is a progressive mental illness and the symptoms may include a lack of energy and motivation and a feeling of worthlessness. A mood disorder, depression is medically called clinical depression or a major depressive disorder. The symptoms of depression can be triggered or just start gradually. Life with depression can be frightening and frustrating for both the patient and the caregiver. Depression can lead to problems in personal relationships, social relationships, and also in the professional world of the patient.

Depression is progressive and needs medical help from professionals. The help offered could be by various means, depending on the problem, the symptoms, duration, and severity. Motivational therapy session, behaviour therapy, some support groups along with medications can help the person come out of the state of depression and live a normal life.

Antidepressants can help many people who have depression. They are beneficial to relieve the symptoms of depression. They can also help to treat social anxiety disorder, other anxiety disorders, and seasonal affective disorder. Selective Serotonin and Norepinephrine Reuptake Inhibitors like Venlafaxine have proved to be beneficial to treat patients with depression.

What is Venlafaxine?

An antidepressant, Venlafaxine helps patients with depression. It alters some chemicals in the brain and balances these chemicals so that people with depression feel better. Venlafaxine is a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor.

Venlafaxine helps in treating

· Depression

· Anxiety

· Panic attacks

· Social anxiety disorder (social phobia)

It may also be used to treat nerve pain from diabetes and some other forms of chronic pain.

How does Venlafaxine work?

Venlafaxine works by blocking proteins for neurotransmitters, thereby increasing the levels of chemical messengers’ serotonin and noradrenaline. These are natural substances in the brain that help maintain mental balance.

Venlafaxine is beneficial to decrease anxiety, treat depression, and panic attacks, and improving your mood and energy level. It may help restore your interest in daily living.

How to take Venlafaxine?

The doctor decides the dosage based on age and medical condition.

It is advised to take Venlafaxine exactly as prescribed by your doctor.

Swallow the medicine whole, without crushing or breaking it.

It is recommended to take the medicine with food and preferably at around the same time each day.

Usually in adults, the dose can be divided every 8-12 hours and the total dose each day is 75mg/day

It generally takes 2 to 4 weeks for Venlafaxine to start working.

Never stop taking the medicine suddenly. That may lead to unwanted side effects.

Precautions Before taking Venlafaxine

Your doctor takes into consideration your age and medical condition, before prescribing the required dose.

Taking precautions is necessary before consuming any medicine.

All drugs interact with each other and also the food you consume. To be sure that the medicine is safe for you, it is crucial to discuss some matters with your doctor.

Let the doctor know if you have any contraindications for antidepressants. It is always beneficial to share your entire medical history and family medical history before starting any treatment.

Venlafaxine is found to have some side severe side effects when taken with certain other drugs. Inform your doctor about all the medicine you may be on and take regularly.

Consuming alcohol is prohibited during the treatment with Venlafaxine. Let your doctor know if you are habitual to its consumption.

All activities that need concentration like driving should be done with due precaution. The effects of Venlafaxine should be monitored before carrying out such activities.

Before taking Venlafaxine, you should tell your doctor if you

· have known allergies to Venlafaxine.

· have allergies or any of the ingredients in the medicine do not suit you.

· Any problems with your heart, liver, thyroid, prostate, or kidneys.

· If you have or ever had epilepsy (seizures or fits),

· Have diabetes or glaucoma

· If you are pregnant, planning to conceive, or breastfeeding

How is Venlafaxine available?

Venlafaxine is available in

· Tablet forms in strengths 25mg, 37.5mg, 50mg, 75mg, 100mg

· Tablet Extended-release in strengths 37.5mg, 75mg, 150mg, 225mg

· Capsule extended-release form in strengths 37.5mg, 75mg, 150mg

The prescription is based on individual case and diagnosis.

Venlafaxine is sold under the following brand names

· Venlor (Cipla)

· Veniz (Sun Pharmaceutical Industries)

· Venla (Eris Lifesciences)

· Venlift (Torrent Pharmaceuticals)

· Velax (Tas Med India)

· Venjoy (La Pharmaceuticals)

· Nutraport (Teknovations Life Science)

· Toplift XL (Ishjas Pharma)

· Genax (Zota Pharmaceuticals)

· Venish (Consern Pharma)

Side effects of Venlafaxine

All medicines have side effects, Venlafaxine is also known to cause some unwanted side effects. The side effects tend to fade off after some time, but you need to be alert. If you feel any discomfort, you must contact your doctor.

If you experience some allergic reactions like sudden swelling, hives, or skin rash, consult your doctor immediately.

Venlafaxine may cause side effects like the ones listed below.

· Increased heart rate

· Blurred vision

· Dryness in mouth

· Difficulty in urination

· Weight gain

· Constipation and orthostatic hypotension

· Increased heart rate

· Weight gain

· Dryness in mouth

· Constipation

· Difficulty in urination

· Orthostatic hypotension

Any severe side effects need immediate medical attention. Seek medical help in an event of severe side effects.

How to know if Venlafaxine is the correct drug for you?

In today’s world personalized medicines are taking the healthcare system to a new level. With precision medicines being the cornerstone of treatments, science has made it easy to know exactly the drugs that would suit an individual. We have the MEDNAwise pharmacogenetic test from Indus Health Plus that makes it possible to know if Venlafaxine is the correct choice of antidepressant for you.

Along with Venlafaxine, the MEDNAwise test can give you an accurate report for over 70 drugs across medical specialties. The MEDNAwise test tells you the efficacy of the drugs, the possible adverse effects, and the dosage suitable for your unique self. MEDNAwise is a single-time test, the results can be reused anytime when required. Your doctors would readily have information on the exact drugs and dosage beneficial for you to start the treatment.

How does MEDNAwise work?

As you know, genes play an important role in your life. Your genes determine several factors for you, including your response to medicines. You may find some medicines to work well for you and others not so much. Genes influence the response of your body to these medicines. MEDNAwise scans your genes and the genetic information makes it possible to record your response to various drugs.

Although this sounds difficult, the test is extremely easy. All you need to do is take a quick saliva sample from your mouth and send it to the labs for testing. You can take this test anywhere and anytime. It is a quick and easy test. Once the results are out, genetic counsellors help interpret the results and recommendations so that you can take informed decision for your health. An affordable test, MEDNAwise helps you to get the best treatment at a quick pace. Make a healthy lifestyle your mantra for this year! Take the first step and contact Indus Health Plus to sign up for MEDNAwise pharmacogenetic test today!