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Desvenlafaxine

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Desvenlafaxine, Pristiq

  • See Also
  1. Venlafaxine (Effexor)
  • Efficacy
  1. May be less effective than Venlafaxine XR (Effexor XR)
  • Benefits (compared with Effetypxor XR)
  1. Easier to dose (only one dose) but as noted above, this is less effective than Effexor
  2. Touted to be better tolerated than Effexor, but studies do not bear this out
  3. Effexor XR will be generic in 2010 and is preferred
  • Dosing
  1. Dose: 50 mg orally daily
  2. Tapering (do not cut tablet)
    1. Week 1: Skip one dose
    2. Week 2: Skip two doses
    3. Week 3: Skip three doses
    4. Week 4: Stop medication
  • Adverse Effects
  1. Antidepressant Withdrawal
  2. Empty ghost capsule in stool (typical finding)
  • References
  1. (2008) Ann Pharmacother 42:1439 [PubMed]