Pristiq

Pristiq is an antidepressant under the selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors group of drugs, used to treat depression by restoring the balance between natural brain chemicals, serotonin, and norepinephrine.

Instructions:

Read your medication guide and follow your doctor’s prescription at all times.

• Take Pristiq by mouth/orally before or after meals, once a day depending on doctor’s prescription.
• Do not break, chew, crush or mix this medication with water to prevent releasing all its content at one time, which may intensify the side effects of this drug.
• The dosage depends on your medical condition or treatment response. Do not adjust your dose without your doctor’s recommendation.
• Do not take MAO inhibitor drug 14 days before, during and 7 days after Pristiq treatment.
• Continue taking Pristiq on a regular schedule (same time of the day). Do not stop taking Pristiq abruptly without consulting your doctor to prevent withdrawal symptoms such as trouble in sleeping, mood swing, headache and unusual tiredness.

Inform your doctor immediately if your condition aggravates or does not improve.

Take your missed dose as soon as possible. However, make sure that the time interval between the missed and the next dose is not too close. Otherwise, stick with the regular schedule and leave out the missed dose. Do not double dose to cover up a missed dose. Record your missed doses and inform your doctor immediately if you missed several doses.

Interactions:

Pristiq may interact with:

• MAO inhibitors (i.e. isocarboxazid, phenelzine, procarbazine, selegiline)
• Sibutramine
• Phentermine
• Tryptophan
• Aspirin
• Clopidogrel
• Ibuprofen
• Heparin or warfarin
• Venlafaxine and
• Medications that increase level of serotonin (i.e. dextromethorphan, lithium, dihydroergotamine, street drugs like ecstasy, amphetamine)

Some drugs may either lessen the beneficial effects or worsen the side effects of Pristiq. Likewise, Pristiq may make some drugs less efficient or intensify their side effects.

Make sure to inform your doctor about all other drugs you are currently taking or using (prescribed and non-prescribed medications including vitamins, minerals, and herbal products) to check for possible drug interaction with Pristiq.

Never alter the doses of other medications while on Pristiq neither stop nor start any medicine without the doctor’s recommendation.

Side Effects:

There are no side effects known aside from a possible allergic reaction in people who have previous or unknown hypersensitivity to the drug.

Watch out for signs of allergic reactions such as:

• Rash
• Itching
• Swelling

Warnings:

Before taking Pristiq, tell your health care provider if you have/are:

• Any allergies to any substance, food or medication, particularly to Pristiq or to venlafaxine
• Medical history or a present condition such as:
  • Psychiatric disorder (i.e. bipolar disorder)
  • Suicide attempts
  • Glaucoma
  • High blood pressure
  • Heart disease (i.e. heart attack, heart failure)
  • Stoke
  • High blood cholesterol level
  • Kidney or Liver disease
  • Seizure
  • Low blood sodium level/Hyponatremia

• If you are pregnant, planning to get pregnant or currently breastfeeding a baby (Pristiq can harm the unborn baby and it can pass through breast milk that may harm the nursing child. The risks and benefits of using this medication upon pregnancy must be discussed well with your doctor.)