Venlafaxine extended-release oral capsule side effects: A detailed guide

Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved venlafaxine extended-release (ER)* oral capsule to treat the following in adults:

• major depressive disorder
• generalized anxiety disorder
• social anxiety disorder
• panic disorder

This article describes possible side effects of venlafaxine ER oral capsule. You’ll also find information on cost savings and coupon options for venlafaxine. You can explore this overview article to learn more about venlafaxine, including the drug’s uses, side effects, ways to save on cost, and more.

Venlafaxine ER oral capsule is a generic version of the brand-name drug Effexor XR. Venlafaxine also comes in tablets that you’ll swallow, but this form isn’t described in this article. To learn more about this form, talk with your doctor.

*Extended release (ER) means the drug is slowly released into your body over a long period of time.

Boxed warning: Risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors

Venlafaxine has a boxed warning for the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in certain people. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

For details, see the “Side effects of venlafaxine in detail” section below.

More common side effects of venlafaxine

Venlafaxine ER oral capsule may cause mild or serious side effects. Below are some of the more common side effects of this medication.

Commonly reported side effects of venlafaxine ER oral capsule include:

• nausea
• sleepiness
• dry mouth
• sweating
• delayed ejaculation or inability to ejaculate in males*†

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of venlafaxine in detail” section below.
† Sex and gender exist on spectrums. In this article, we use the term “male” to refer to a person’s sex assigned at birth.

Mild side effects of venlafaxine

Venlafaxine may cause certain mild side effects. Most often, mild side effects are temporary and can be easily managed. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have side effects that don’t go away or become bothersome.

Mild side effects of venlafaxine ER oral capsule that occurred in studies include:

• nausea
• sleepiness or insomnia (difficulty sleeping)
• dry mouth
• sweating, including night sweats
• loss of appetite
• constipation
• dizziness
• weakness
• feeling nervous
• tremor
• yawning
• mild allergic reaction*

Venlafaxine ER oral capsule may cause more mild side effects than those listed above. For details, see the drug’s prescribing information.

* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of venlafaxine in detail” section below.

Serious side effects of venlafaxine

Venlafaxine may cause certain serious side effects. If you have any serious side effects from venlafaxine ER oral capsule, call your doctor right away. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency or your side effects feel life threatening, take immediate action. Call 911 or a local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency room.

After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. Visit MedWatch’s website if you’d like to notify the FDA about a side effect you’ve had with venlafaxine.

Serious side effects of venlafaxine ER oral capsule that occurred in studies include:

• angle closure glaucoma
• high cholesterol
• high blood pressure
• increased risk of bleeding
• low blood sodium
• lung problems, such as interstitial lung disease
• seizure
• serotonin syndrome
• triggering of mania
• discontinuation syndrome*
• sexual side effects*
• risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in certain people†
• severe allergic reaction*

* To learn more about these side effects, see the “Side effects of venlafaxine in detail” section below.
† Venlafaxine ER oral capsule has a boxed warning for this side effect. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the FDA. To learn more, see the “Side effects of venlafaxine in detail” section below.

Common questions about side effects of venlafaxine

Here are answers to some common questions about side effects of venlafaxine ER oral capsule. If you have other questions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

Is withdrawal possible with venlafaxine?

Yes, withdrawal is possible with venlafaxine. Discontinuation syndrome (symptoms that happen when treatment is suddenly stopped) was reported in studies of venlafaxine.

To learn more, see the “Side effects in detail section” in this article.

Does venlafaxine cause long-term side effects?

Yes, in some cases, venlafaxine ER oral capsule may cause long-term side effects. These can occur if you take the drug for a long time or may last for a while after you’ve stopped taking the drug.

Examples of long-term side effects reported with venlafaxine ER oral capsule include:

• closed-angle glaucoma (if this occurs, it’s unlikely to go away even if venlafaxine is stopped)
• increased risk of bleeding (this risk goes away if treatment with venlafaxine is stopped)
• high blood pressure (this may or may not go away if treatment with venlafaxine is stopped)
• triggering of mania (if this occurs, it’s unlikely to go away even if venlafaxine is stopped)

Talk with your doctor to learn more about these side effects and how to manage them. Ask your doctor for more information about how long these side effects of venlafaxine may last.

Coupon for venlafaxine

Visit this page to access Optum Perks coupons and get price estimates for venlafaxine when you use the coupons. These coupons can provide significant savings on your prescription costs.

Note: Optum Perks coupons cannot be used with insurance copays or benefits.

Side effects of venlafaxine in detail

Below you’ll find details on some of the side effects of venlafaxine ER oral capsule.

Risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors

Like other antidepressant drugs, venlafaxine has a boxed warning for the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in certain people. Specifically, this risk is increased in children and adults ages 24 years and younger. (Venlafaxine is not approved for use in children). This risk is based on large studies of numerous antidepressants and is not specific to venlafaxine.

The risk for this side effect is highest when you begin treatment with venlafaxine and any time your dosage is adjusted. Symptoms of suicidal thoughts and behaviors include:

• expressing a desire that you wish you hadn’t been born or that others would be better off without you
• treating people as if you may not see them again
• avoiding social interactions with others

It’s important to note that suicidal thoughts and behaviors are also possible symptoms of major depressive disorder, which venlafaxine is prescribed to treat.

Ways to manage

Your doctor will likely have you stop taking venlafaxine should you experience this side effect. They can then review other treatment options for your condition with you.

Seek immediate help if you experience suicidal thoughts while taking venlafaxine.

Suicide prevention

If you or someone you know is in crisis and considering suicide or self-harm, please seek support:

• Call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
• Text HOME to the Crisis Textline at 741741.
• Not in the United States? Find a helpline in your country with Befrienders Worldwide.
• Call 911 or your local emergency services number if you feel safe to do so.

If you’re calling on behalf of someone else, stay with them until help arrives. You may remove weapons or substances that can cause harm if you can do so safely.

If you are not in the same household, stay on the phone with them until help arrive

Discontinuation syndrome

In studies, discontinuation syndrome was rare in people taking venlafaxine ER oral capsule. This side effect may be serious.

With discontinuation syndrome, you experience symptoms after suddenly stopping treatment with venlafaxine. Symptoms may include:

• feeling agitated or irritable
• mood swings
• electric shock sensations
• seizure
• ringing in your ears

Ways to manage

To help avoid discontinuation syndrome, you should not stop taking venlafaxine without speaking with your doctor first. Your doctor can design a drug taper. This means your dosage will be slowly lowered over time until you can safely stop taking venlafaxine. Your doctor can also review other treatments for your condition that you can try instead.

Sexual side effects

In studies, sexual side effects occurred in people taking venlafaxine ER oral capsule. These side effects are usually mild but may be serious for some people.

Sexual side effects reported with venlafaxine include:

• erectile dysfunction, which was rare
• libido loss, which was rare
• inability to orgasm, which was rare
• delayed ejaculation or inability to ejaculate in males,* which was common

† Sex and gender exist on spectrums. In this article, we use the term “male” to refer to a person’s sex assigned at birth.

Ways to manage

If you experience symptoms of sexual side effects, tell your doctor. They’ll likely recommend a treatment for your symptoms if one is available and safe for you. (For example, there are medications available to treat erectile dysfunction. But they’re not safe for use in certain people.) Your doctor may also recommend stopping treatment with venlafaxine and exploring other treatments for your condition.

Allergic reaction

For some people, venlafaxine ER oral capsule can cause an allergic reaction.

Symptoms can be mild or serious, and they may include:

• itchiness
• skin rash
• swelling under the skin, usually affecting eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
• swelling of the mouth, tongue, or throat, which can make it hard to breathe
• flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)

Ways to manage

For mild allergic reaction symptoms, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may recommend treatments to help manage your symptoms. They’ll also let you know whether you should keep taking the medication.

For severe allergic reaction symptoms, such as swelling or trouble breathing, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms require immediate medical care because they can become life threatening. If you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to venlafaxine ER oral capsule, your doctor may recommend taking a different medication instead.

Warnings for venlafaxine

Below are some factors you may want to discuss with your doctor before taking venlafaxine ER oral capsule.

Boxed warning: Risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors

Venlafaxine has a boxed warning for the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in certain people. A boxed warning is the most serious warning from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

For details, see the “Side effects of venlafaxine in detail” section above.

Other warnings

It may not be safe for you to take venlafaxine ER oral capsule if you have specific health conditions. These are sometimes called drug-condition interactions. Other things may also affect whether venlafaxine ER oral capsule is a safe treatment option for you.

Before taking venlafaxine ER oral capsule, tell your doctor about your health and medications you take. Things to consider include:

• personal or family history of bipolar disorder
• personal or family history of suicidal thoughts and behaviors
• high blood pressure
• heart condition
• stroke in the past
• high cholesterol
• glaucoma
• kidney condition, such as chronic kidney disease
• liver condition, such as liver cirrhosis
• low blood sodium
• epilepsy or seizures
• lung problems, such as asthma
• past allergic reaction to venlafaxine

Venlafaxine and pregnancy

There are risks to taking venlafaxine during pregnancy. But there are also risks with having untreated mental health conditions while pregnant. (Keep in mind that venlafaxine is prescribed to treat certain mental health conditions.)

If you and your doctor agree you’ll use venlafaxine during pregnancy, consider joining the drug’s pregnancy registry. This registry helps doctors learn about the safety of using medications for mental health during pregnancy. You can learn more or sign up for the registry by calling 844-405-6185 or visiting this site.

Venlafaxine and breastfeeding

It’s not known whether venlafaxine ER oral capsule should be taken while breastfeeding. If you’re breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor before using this medication.

Venlafaxine and alcohol

Venlafaxine ER oral capsule is not known to interact with alcohol.

However, the drug manufacturer recommends avoiding alcohol while taking venlafaxine. For some people, alcohol can worsen depression and other mental health conditions. Venlafaxine is prescribed to treat depression and certain other mental health conditions.

If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe to consume it during your treatment with venlafaxine ER oral capsule.

What to ask your doctor

This article describes common and serious side effects of venlafaxine ER oral capsule. If your doctor prescribes this medication, they can discuss possible side effects with you. Let your doctor know if you have concerns or questions about treatment with this medication.

Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:

• Do I have a higher risk of side effects from venlafaxine ER oral capsule than others?
• Is my risk of sexual side effects higher when I first start treatment?
• Does my venlafaxine dosage affect my risk for side effects?

Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.