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Can Fetzima Be Taken For Anxiety?
Question: I was taking Effexor for anxiety. I started at 37.5 mg and went up to 150 mg. over about one month's time. On the 7th day at the 150 mg. level I started having very rough side effects from the Effexor. My doctor has taken me off it and put me on 40 mg. of Fetzima. I've never heard of this medication, though what I've read it is in the same "family" as Effexor. Has Fetzima shown to be work better on anxiety than Effexor, especially if Effexor caused side effects?
Brief Answer:
fetzima can be used for anxiety.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to HCM.
I can understand your concerns.
Fetzima (levomilnacipran) has been recently approved for treatment of major depression.
It can be used for treatment of anxiety as well.
Yes it belongs to same family as effexor.
However, it is not necessary that fetzima will work better in those people who can not tolerate effexor.
You went from 37.5mg effexor to 150mg in one month. Probably, this was a relatively faster upward dose titration for you. A more gradual dose increment should have been considered.
Anyhow, I would suggest a gradual dose increment of fetzima for you (from 40mg to 120mg over atleast 6 weeks). Otherwise you may again experience side effects.
Kindly discuss this with your doctor.
Hope this helps.
Take care.
Thanks.
fetzima can be used for anxiety.
Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to HCM.
I can understand your concerns.
Fetzima (levomilnacipran) has been recently approved for treatment of major depression.
It can be used for treatment of anxiety as well.
Yes it belongs to same family as effexor.
However, it is not necessary that fetzima will work better in those people who can not tolerate effexor.
You went from 37.5mg effexor to 150mg in one month. Probably, this was a relatively faster upward dose titration for you. A more gradual dose increment should have been considered.
Anyhow, I would suggest a gradual dose increment of fetzima for you (from 40mg to 120mg over atleast 6 weeks). Otherwise you may again experience side effects.
Kindly discuss this with your doctor.
Hope this helps.
Take care.
Thanks.
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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