LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Effexor: Effexor Xr
built 641 days ago
For most patients, the recommended starting dose for Effexor XR is 75 mg/day, administered in a single dose. In the clinical trials establishing the efficacy of Effexor XR in moderately depressed outpatients, the initial dose of venlafaxine was 75 mg/day. For some patients, it may be desirable to start at 37.5 mg/day for 4 to 7 days, to allow new patients to adjust to the medication before increasing to 75 mg/day. While the relationship between dose and antidepressant response for Effexor XR has not been adequately explored, patients not responding to the initial 75 mg/day dose may benefit from dose increases to a maximum of approximately 225 mg/day. Dose increases should be in increments of up to 75 mg/day, as needed, and should be made at intervals of not less than 4 days, since steady state plasma levels of venlafaxine and its major metabolites are achieved in most patients by day 4. In the clinical trials establishing efficacy, upward titration was permitted at intervals of 2 weeks or more; the average doses were about 140 to 180 mg/day (see Clinical Trials under CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY).
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Effexor - generic Venlafaxine - is an antidepressant unrelated to the SSRIs (such as Prozac [fluoxetine] and Zoloft [sertraline]) or tricyclics (such as Elavil [amitriptyline]). It ... comes in an extended release form, Effexor XR. It appears to work by inhibiting the reuptake of serotonin, norepinephrine and (weakly) dopamine in the central nervous system. These neurotransmitters play a key role in determine a person's mood (see Messengers of the Brain). The extended release form, Effexor XR, is also prescribed for generalized anxiety disorder.
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Do not take Effexor XR if you have taken a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) in the last 14 days. Before taking this medication, tell your doctor if you have liver or kidney disease, heart disease or high blood pressure, or seizures or epilepsy. Do not take this medication without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding a baby.
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The efficacy of Effexor XR in the treatment of panic disorder was established in two 12-week placebo-controlled trials in adult outpatients with panic disorder (DSM-IV). The efficacy of Effexor XR in prolonging time to relapse in panic disorder among responders following 12 weeks of open-label acute treatment was demonstrated in a placebo-controlled study (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, Clinical Trials). Nevertheless, the physician who elects to use Effexor XR for extended periods should periodically re-evaluate the long-term usefulness of the drug for the individual patient (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION).
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Effexor is a member of a class of antidepressant drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRI's. Other drugs in this group include Prozac, Paxil, Wellbutrin, and Zoloft. Wyeth Pharmaceuticals released Effexor in 1993, and was succeeded by once-a-day Effexor XR.
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Effexor XR comes as a capsule to take by mouth. It is usually taken once a day and should be taken with food. Each capsule should be swallowed whole with fluid and not divided, crushed, chewed, or placed in water, or it may be administered by carefully opening the capsule and sprinkling the entire contents on a spoonful of applesauce. This drug/food mixture should be swallowed immediately without chewing and followed with a glass of water to ensure complete swallowing of the pellets.
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Effexor Xr