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Viibryd vs. Effexor

 

Are Viibryd and Effexor the Same Thing?

Viibryd (vilazodone hydrochloride) and Effexor (venlafaxine) are antidepressants used to treat depression.

Viibryd and Effexor are different types of antidepressants. Viibryd is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and Effexor is a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SSNRI).

Side effects of Viibryd and Effexor that are similar include vision changes, nausea, and sleep problems (insomnia).

Side effects of Viibryd that are different from Effexor include diarrhea and vomiting.

Side effects of Effexor that are different from Viibryd include dizziness, nervousness, constipation, headaches, anxiety, strange dreams, drowsiness, increased sweating, dry mouth, changes in appetite or weight, decreased sex drive, impotence, difficulty having an orgasm, increased blood pressure, and seizures.

Both Viibryd and Effexor may interact with alcohol, other drugs that make you sleepy or slow your breathing (sleeping pills, narcotics, prescription cough medicines, muscle relaxers, or medicines for anxiety or seizures), nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), other antidepressants, blood thinners, and migraine headache medicines.

Viibryd may also interact with diuretics (water pills), mephenytoin, St. John's wort, medicines to treat mood or thought disorders or mental illness, and medicines to treat ADHD or narcolepsy.

Effexor may also interact with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), cimetidine, ketoconazole, linezolid, lithium, haloperidol, risperidone, tramadol, and L-tryptophan.

Do not stop using Viibryd suddenly, or you could have unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

What Are Possible Side Effects of Viibryd?

Common side effects of Viibryd include:

  • diarrhea,
  • nausea,
  • vomiting, and
  • sleep problems (insomnia).

Contact your doctor if you have serious side effects of Viibryd including:

  • easy bruising,
  • unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum),
  • blood in your urine or stools,
  • purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin,
  • agitation,
  • hallucinations,
  • fever,
  • loss of coordination,
  • fainting,
  • overactive reflexes,
  • very stiff (rigid) muscles,
  • sweating,
  • confusion,
  • fast or uneven heartbeats,
  • tremors,
  • lightheadedness,
  • racing thoughts,
  • risk-taking behavior,
  • decreased inhibitions,
  • feelings of extreme happiness or sadness,
  • extreme thirst with headache,
  • weakness,
  • trouble concentrating,
  • memory problems,
  • confusion,
  • seizures (convulsions), or
  • shallow breathing.

What Are Possible Side Effects of Effexor?

Common side effects of Effexor include:

  • dizziness,
  • nervousness,
  • nausea,
  • constipation,
  • headaches,
  • anxiety,
  • insomnia,
  • strange dreams,
  • drowsiness,
  • increased sweating,
  • blurred vision,
  • dry mouth,
  • changes in appetite or weight,
  • decreased sex drive,
  • impotence,
  • difficulty having an orgasm,
  • increased blood pressure, and
  • seizures.

Abrupt discontinuation of Effexor may cause dizziness, headache, nausea, changes in mood, or changes in the sense of smell, and taste.

What Is Viibryd?

Viibryd is a prescription medicine used to treat depression. It is important to talk with your healthcare provider about the risks of treating depression and also the risks of nottreating it. You should discuss all treatment choices with your healthcare provider.

Viibryd is used to treat:

*Not approved for use in children

Talk to your healthcare provider if you do not think that your condition is getting betterwith Viibryd treatment.

What Is Effexor?

Effexor (venlafaxine) is an antidepressant used for treatment of major depression.

 

What Drugs Interact With Viibryd?

Viibryd is a prescription medicine used to treat a certain type of depression called Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). It is important to talk with your healthcare provider about the risks of treating depression and also the risk of not treating it. You should discuss all treatment choices with your healthcare provider. Talk to your healthcare provider if you do not think that your condition is getting better with Viibryd treatment.

It is not known if Viibryd is safe and effective in children.

What Drugs Interact With Effexor?

Effexor may interact with cold or allergy medicines, sedatives, narcotics, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, medicines for seizures or anxiety, other antidepressants, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), blood thinners, cimetidine, tramadol, L-tryptophan, or medicines to treat migraines.

Effexor may also interact with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), ketoconazole, linezolid, lithium, haloperidol, or risperidone.

 

How Should Viibryd Be Taken?

Take Viibryd exactly as prescribed. Your healthcare provider may need to change the dose of Viibryd until it is the right dose for you.

  • Take Viibryd with food. Viibryd may not work as well if you take it on an empty stomach.
  • If you miss a dose of Viibryd, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of Viibryd at the same time.
  • If you take too much Viibryd, call your healthcare provider or poison control center at 1-800-222-1222 right away, or get emergency treatment.

How Should Effexor Be Taken?

The usual dose of Effexor is 37.5-375 mg daily.