Effexor — Generic Name: Venlafaxine

[seykota]

I have been taking Effexor for several years and recently read a topic on thai visa about the relatively easy availability of generic versions of the major anti-depressants in Bangkok.

However, I have inquired at numerous pharmacies in the Silom area and Wong Wian Yai (Klong San) area and have been informed that they only sell the "name" brands. Can anyone tell me the location of a pharmacy that sells Venlafaxine, via pm if you prefer.

Thanks

seykota

[Sheryl]

If it is still under patent, which I think it may be, you will only be able to get the name brand import, and, being imported, it will cost a bit more than back home.

[gunnyd]

Effexor was ok'd by the US FDA in Aug 2006, however this does not include Effexor-XR. If the generic is available in Thailand you should be able to get a pharmacy to order it for you. I have had the pharmacist at the Villa Supermarket order medication that they didn't have in stock with no problems. I just had to wait a couple of days.

Cheers

GunnyD

[seykota]

Thanks, GunnyD.

I will try there (Lumpini Park Villa supermarket?) and I guess ordering online from the USA is another option.

seykota

[naklang]

I have been taking Effexor for several years and recently read a topic on thai visa about the relatively easy availability of generic versions of the major anti-depressants in Bangkok.

However, I have inquired at numerous pharmacies in the Silom area and Wong Wian Yai (Klong San) area and have been informed that they only sell the "name" brands. Can anyone tell me the location of a pharmacy that sells Venlafaxine, via pm if you prefer.

Thanks

seykota

Try the 100mg Tramadol instead, just dont take more than that at a time or go over 400mg a day. And NEVER mix it with any other SSRI as it can give you serotonin syndrome (possibly fatal). The venlafaxine molecule is basically an amped up version of Tramadol to make it more potent, provide patent protection, and more money. Be careful of Effexor as coming off of that too quick can be big trouble (seizures and brain zaps). Taper very slow if you ever need to come off of it.

[Sheryl]

Try the 100mg Tramadol instead, just dont take more than that at a time or go over 400mg a day. And NEVER mix it with any other SSRI as it can give you serotonin syndrome (possibly fatal). The venlafaxine molecule is basically an amped up version of Tramadol to make it more potent, provide patent protection, and more money. Be careful of Effexor as coming off of that too quick can be big trouble (seizures and brain zaps). Taper very slow if you ever need to come off of it.

Tramadol is an opiate., used for relief of pain. Like other opiates it has a sedative effect and not safe to take with alcohol or to drive.

It is true that tramadol also decreases reuoptake of serotonon and norepinephrine but that does not make it equivalent to venlafaxine. Venlafaxine inhibits reuotake of serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, and unlike tramadol does not bind to opiate receptors,hence does not have the same deprerssive effect on the central nervous system.

Effexor (both plain and extended release) is available in Thailand. Don't mess about with tramadol in its place.

[gunnyd]

Try the 100mg Tramadol instead, just dont take more than that at a time or go over 400mg a day. And NEVER mix it with any other SSRI as it can give you serotonin syndrome (possibly fatal). The venlafaxine molecule is basically an amped up version of Tramadol to make it more potent, provide patent protection, and more money. Be careful of Effexor as coming off of that too quick can be big trouble (seizures and brain zaps). Taper very slow if you ever need to come off of it.

Obviously you never studied clinical pharmacology. Effexor has not been proven to cause seizures in healthy adults, seizure activity is only seen in heavy alcohol abusers in any statistically significant amount, the most common thing to watch out for is increased depression after the drug is discontinued, that is why ALL classes of anti-depressants are tapered off over 2 weeks.

seykota please ignore the above post, as Sheryl said Tramadol is a synthetic opioid pain medication. Using it would increase depressive episodes. Not to mention that it would be totally inappropriate.

Also I didn't word my earlier post well, generic Effexor is available as of Aug 2006. The XR [extended release] version is still under patent.

Any change in psychotropic medications should be taken deadly serious and under the supervision of a psychiatrist.

Take care,

GunnyD

Edited February 14, 2008 by gunnyd

[naklang]

Try the 100mg Tramadol instead, just dont take more than that at a time or go over 400mg a day. And NEVER mix it with any other SSRI as it can give you serotonin syndrome (possibly fatal). The venlafaxine molecule is basically an amped up version of Tramadol to make it more potent, provide patent protection, and more money. Be careful of Effexor as coming off of that too quick can be big trouble (seizures and brain zaps). Taper very slow if you ever need to come off of it.

Obviously you never studied clinical pharmacology. Effexor has not been proven to cause seizures in healthy adults, seizure activity is only seen in heavy alcohol abusers in any statistically significant amount, the most common thing to watch out for is increased depression after the drug is discontinued, that is why ALL classes of anti-depressants are tapered off over 2 weeks.

seykota please ignore the above post, as Sheryl said Tramadol is a synthetic opioid pain medication. Using it would increase depressive episodes. Not to mention that it would be totally inappropriate.

Also I didn't word my earlier post well, generic Effexor is available as of Aug 2006. The XR [extended release] version is still under patent.

Any change in psychotropic medications should be taken deadly serious and under the supervision of a psychiatrist.

Take care,

GunnyD

I have yet to hear of anyone taking Tramadol becoming more depressed. In fact, to the contrary.

http://opioids.com/tramadol/ultramantidep.html

And the horror stories about Effexor are rampant all over the net. Thousands of people have been irreversibly harmed by it. Of course any med change should be supervised by a physician, that is a given. Just alerting the OP to the molecular similarity and options available.

[Maestro]

...Be careful of Effexor as coming off of that too quick can be big trouble (seizures and brain zaps). Taper very slow if you ever need to come off of it.

I have limited my search to MIMS Thailand and its listing for Efexor-XR includes the following warning:

Discontinuation effects are well-known to occur with antidepressants, and it is therefore recommended that the dosage of either formulation of venlafaxine be tapered gradually and the patient monitored (see Dosage & Administration and Adverse Reactions).

This supports your advice to be careful when discontinuing the use of Effexor-XR.

--

Maestro

[naklang]

Try the 100mg Tramadol instead, just dont take more than that at a time or go over 400mg a day. And NEVER mix it with any other SSRI as it can give you serotonin syndrome (possibly fatal). The venlafaxine molecule is basically an amped up version of Tramadol to make it more potent, provide patent protection, and more money. Be careful of Effexor as coming off of that too quick can be big trouble (seizures and brain zaps). Taper very slow if you ever need to come off of it.

Tramadol is an opiate., used for relief of pain. Like other opiates it has a sedative effect and not safe to take with alcohol or to drive.

It is true that tramadol also decreases reuoptake of serotonon and norepinephrine but that does not make it equivalent to venlafaxine. Venlafaxine inhibits reuotake of serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, and unlike tramadol does not bind to opiate receptors,hence does not have the same deprerssive effect on the central nervous system.

Effexor (both plain and extended release) is available in Thailand. Don't mess about with tramadol in its place.

I would suggest that it is very unsafe to consume alcohol while taking Effexor as well. Alcohol's effect on the brain combined with the profound inhibition of neurotransmitter uptake by the Effexor is playing Russian Roulette with your sanity.

The dopamine pathway is the precise reason why Effexor is wreaking havok around the world. There are a few other well known substances that directly act on dopamine. Those might just be methamphetamine and cocaine. And no credible authority is suggesting those "dead ends" be used to treat depressive states. Just because Effexor is being pushed by big pharma doesn't make it any less destructive.

[gunnyd]

Effexor has been on the market in the US for since 1993. The problems being described above are not completely honest. Effexor has not been "Black Boxed" by the FDA (The FDA puts a black box warning on medications that cause known to cause harm). If there was definitive proof of harm coming to patients taking Effexor there would have been many lawsuits filed and It would have been pulled from the market, not approved for generic manufacture.

Effexor is an SNRI Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor and has very limited offect on dopamine.

The Internet is not the place to look for reliable information. Trust your psychiatrist. If you were going to have a problem with the medication it would have happened long ago. If Aspirin had to make it through the medication approval process in the US or EU it would not be on the market.

Comparing anti-depressants to cocaine or methamphetamine or playing Russian Roulette is alarmist and completely uncalled for.

If have a true concern seek the advice of a professional.

And F.Y.I. ALL anti-depressant medications have this warning attached:

Suicidality and Antidepressant Drugs

Antidepressants increased the risk compared to placebo of suicidal thinking and behavior

(suicidality) in children, adolescents, and young adults in short-term studies of Major

Depressive Disorder (MDD) and other psychiatric disorders. Anyone considering the use of

Effexor XR or any other antidepressant in a child, adolescent, or young adult must balance

this risk with the clinical need. Short-term studies did not show an increase in the risk of

suicidality with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults beyond age 24; there was a

reduction in risk with antidepressants compared to placebo in adults aged 65 and older.

Depression and certain other psychiatric disorders are themselves associated with increases

in the risk of suicide. Patients of all ages who are started on antidepressant therapy should

be monitored appropriately and observed closely for clinical worsening, suicidality, or

unusual changes in behavior. Families and caregivers should be advised of the need for

close observation and communication with the prescriber.

PLEASE don't listen to unfounded Internet B.S.

As always, with any medication, there are risks and all patients should weigh the benefits against the possible side effects.

Cheers

GunnyD

P.S. were you able to find generic Venlafaxine?

Edited February 15, 2008 by gunnyd

[naklang]

No need to argue the point further as it's his decision. He asked for alternatives and he got some. If his doc says it's OK to try the Tramadol and it works for him, great. He feels better and probably cuts his med costs by half compared to the generic effexor. Everybody wins..........except the drug companies.