Effexor Uses,Order Effexor
Friday, September 21st, 2007Effexor (venlafaxine hydrochloride) is a prescription medicine that has been licensed to treat depression.
Depression is more than just “feeling sad.” Some common symptoms of depression include:
Changes in sleep (sleeping too much or not enough)
Eating too much or too little (and weight gain or weight loss)
Having little interest in things that you used to enjoy
Physical pain
Feeling hopeless or worthless
Suicidal thoughts.
In large clinical trials, Effexor has been proven to help adults with depression. However, it is important keep in mind that many antidepressants (including Effexor) take several weeks to begin working. Sometimes, other people will notice an improvement in your depression symptoms before you do. Often, the physical symptoms of depression (such as pain or changes in sleep) will improve first, sometimes within the first few weeks of treatment. It usually takes at least four to six weeks before significant changes in mood occur. It is important to give Effexor a chance to work before becoming discouraged.
Counseling and therapy (see Psychotherapy for Depression) are often used along with antidepressant medication to treat depression. Ask your healthcare provider if counseling or therapy would be good options for you (see Depression Treatment).
Effexor is part of a class of drugs called serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, or SNRIs for short. SNRIs, such as Effexor, act on two specific chemicals within the brain, known as serotonin and norepinephrine. Serotonin and norepinephrine are two of several chemicals used to send messages in between nerves; but, when serotonin and norepinephrine levels become unbalanced, it can cause a variety of conditions, such as depression. Effexor helps to block the reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine, so that higher levels of these chemicals are available for the nerves in the brain, returning the serotonin and norepinephrine back to their “normal” levels.
Although it is not entirely clear how Effexor works for nerve pain, it appears that Effexor seems to help block the nerve pain signals in the spinal cord or brain. This helps to relieve the pain of peripheral diabetic neuropathy.
How Effexor Xr Works?
Effexor Uses in Children
Effexor is not approved for the treatment of childhood depression. Talk with your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of using Effexor in children with depression.
Off-Label Effexor Uses
On occasion, your healthcare provider may recommend Effexor for treating something other than the conditions listed above. This is called an “off-label” use. Off-label Effexor uses can include the treatment of:
Diabetic neuropathy or other neuropathic pain
Fibromyalgia
Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)
Hot flashes during menopause
Migraines (see Effexor and Migraine Headaches)
Obesity
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
Social anxiety disorder (social phobia).

