Viibryd vs. Pristiq

Viibryd (vilazodone hydrochloride) and Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) are antidepressants used to treat depression.

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

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

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

Side effects of Pristiq that are different from Viibryd include increased or excessive sweating, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, constipation, loss of appetite, tightness in your jaw, weight loss, nervousness, decreased sex drive, impotence, or difficulty having an orgasm.

Both Viibryd and Pristiq 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, diuretics (water pills), St. John's wort, blood thinners, and migraine headache medicines.

Viibryd may also interact with mephenytoin, medicines to treat mood or thought disorders or mental illness, and medicines to treat ADHD or narcolepsy.

Pristiq may also interact with linezolid, lithium, metoclopramide, midazolam, tramadol, L-tryptophan, antibiotics, antifungals, heart or blood pressure medications, and HIV/AIDS medicines.

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

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.

Common side effects of Pristiq include:

• increased or excessive sweating,
• dizziness,
• drowsiness,
• dry mouth,
• constipation,
• sleep problems (insomnia),
• loss of appetite,
• tightness in your jaw,
• nausea,
• weight loss,
• blurred vision,
• nervousness,
• decreased sex drive,
• impotence, or
• difficulty having an orgasm.

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:

• Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)
• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
• Bulimia Nervosa*
• Panic Disorder*
• Depressive episodes associated with Bipolar I Disorder, taken with olanzapine (Zyprexa)
• Treatment Resistant Depression (depression that has not gotten better with atleast 2 other treatments), taken with olanzapine (Zyprexa)*

*Not approved for use in children

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

Pristiq (desvenlafaxine) is type of antidepressant called a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) used to treat major depressive disorder.

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.

Pristiq 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, St. John's wort, tramadol, L-tryptophan, heart medications, or medicines to treat migraines.

Pristiq may also interact with diuretics (water pills), linezolid, lithium, metoclopramide, midazolam, antibiotics, antifungals, blood pressure medications, or HIV/AIDS medicines.

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.

The recommended dose for Pristiq is 50 mg once daily, with or without food.