Pristiq (also known as desvenlafaxine, but Pristiq is much easier to pronounce!) is an antidepressant from a class known as SNRIs (serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor). It treats depression by helping the brain to restore chemicals like serotonin and norepinephrine. In multiple clinical studies, Pristiq was shown to be more effective at treating depression than what a placebo was.
How Long Does Pristiq Take To Work?
Pristiq is similar to other antidepressants in that it can take up to 2 months to reach a point where it is helping your depression. Some people have seen improvements in as little as 1-2 weeks, but it generally takes longer to feel its full effects.
Pristiq Side Effects
Unfortunately, with most antidepressants there is a long list of possible side effects. Some of the side effects you may experience from Pristiq include the following:
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Headaches
Constipation
Fatigue
Difficulty sleeping
Increased restlessness or nervousness
Decreased appetite
Dry mouth
Tremors
Increased sweating
If you are experiencing these side effects or more serious side effects then you should consult your doctor and discuss it with them.
Pristiq Sexual Side Effects
Unfortunately, you may experience some sexual side effects while taking Pristiq. This is for both men and women. These include a reduction in sex drive as well as problems getting an erection or reaching orgasm.
Does Pristiq Cause Weight Gain?
Studies have shown that less than 1% of people taking Pristiq will experience any significant changes in weight. The same study showed that short term use resulted in a small weight loss when averaged out across the study. So no, it is unlikely that Pristiq will cause weight gain.
How Long Do Pristiq Side Effects Last?
For a lot of people, the side effects of Pristiq will subside over a matter of weeks. Some people, including myself, will continue to experience the side effects for as long as they are taking the drug. Everyone is different, so there are no guarantees what your experience will be like. If you are having long term side effects while taking Pristiq, then you should be talking to your doctor about them. They will weigh up whether there is still an overall benefit of being on the medication, and may decide to switch you to something else with fewer side effects.
Pristiq For Anxiety
Pristiq is not FDA approved to treat anxiety, however it is sometimes used off label to treat various anxiety and panic disorders. If you are taking the drug for depression and also suffer from anxiety, it may give you the added benefit of treating your anxiety along with your depression. One study showed that Pristiq improved anxiety symptoms in people that had major depressive disorder.
Pristiq And Alcohol
Mixing alcohol with antidepressants like Pristiq is not a good idea and should be avoided. Alcohol increases the risk of suffering side effects from Pristiq such as dizziness and sleepiness. Alcohol is also a depressant, so if you are suffering from depression already then alcohol can make you feel worse, as well as interfere with the effectiveness of the medication.
Pristiq And Pregnancy
It has not been established what the safety is of taking Pristiq during pregnancy. If you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant then you should discuss it with your doctor. They will weigh up the benefits of taking the drug with any possible risk.
Pristiq Withdrawal Symptoms
To reduce the chance of experiencing discontinuation symptoms you should taper off Pristiq slowly over the course of 1-2 weeks and under the guidance of your doctor. Not everyone will experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking Pristiq, but some of the known withdrawal effects include:
Nausea
Vomiting
Headaches
Insomnia
Dizziness
Increased irritability
Zapping sensations (kind of like a small electric shock)
Agitation
How Long Does Pristiq Stay In Your System?
Pristiq has a half life of approximately 11 hours. This means that half of the drug has left your system after 11 hours. In around a week the drug will be untraceable in your system. Some factors influence how long Pristiq stays in your system which includes the dose that you were on, body mass, rate of metabolism and age.
Pristiq Vs Zoloft
Pristiq is an SNRI whereas Zoloft is an SSRI. Both can be effective at treating depression. Zoloft is available as a generic, so you will usually find that it is cheaper to be on than what Pristiq is.
From my experience with both medications I found that neither was effective for my depression and anxiety. I did tolerate Zoloft better and had fewer side effects than what I did with Pristiq. When it came time to stop taking them, I found that neither drug was particularly difficult to withdraw from if done slowly and carefully.
Effexor Vs Pristiq
Pristiq and Effexor are both SNRIs and work in similar ways. They also have a similar side effect profile.
Effexor is approved to treat anxiety disorders whereas Pristiq is not, but is often used off label to treat anxiety in those who have major depressive disorder.
In my experience from being on both drugs, I found that Effexor was a very difficult medication to withdraw from, whereas Pristiq was much easier and the side effects were less severe. It is important to note that my experience won’t be the same for everyone, as everyone is different and may experience different side effects or withdrawal effects.
Pristiq Review
Pristiq is just one of many antidepressants I have been on over the years. When I started taking it, I suffered from a constant headache that I could not get rid of as well as the occasional bouts of nausea and vomiting. The nausea and vomiting went away within the first few weeks, but the headache persisted the whole time I was on Pristiq. While it wasn’t a particularly bad headache, it became annoying and frustrating when it wouldn’t go away and only added to my irritability.
As I was on the drug for a while with no positive benefit, under my doctors advice we adjusted the dosage upwards. This still didn’t improve my mood, but at least it didn’t make the side effects any worse at all.
After a while the decision was made to discontinue taking Pristiq and switch to a different antidepressant. Although this won’t be the same for everyone, I did find that during the time I was tapering off the drug that I didn’t experience any withdrawal effects at all, so coming off it was pretty easy.
Why I Don’t Take Antidepressants Anymore
Eventually I just got sick of waiting for medication to work and gave up hope that I would find the antidepressant that would work for me. I’m glad I reached this point, because like a lot of people I was looking at antidepressants as a magic pill and was just waiting for them to work before I did anything to help myself. Once I realized that I need to help myself regardless of whether an antidepressant was working for me, things improved for the better.
I spent a great deal of time researching various ways of getting on top of my depression without relying on medication. During this research I came across a course called Destroy Depression. It claimed to treat depression without medication, had a lot of good reviews, and was quite cheap when compared to the cost of medication. It was exactly what I was after.
To this day buying that course was one of the best decisions I ever made when it came to my depression. I just wish I had discovered it at the start of my journey, so I wouldn’t have wasted 10 years trying out many different medications to help me.
I can happily report that I have been off antidepressants for quite a while now, and I am feeling better than I ever have in the last 10 years. That is all thanks to this course. It is one of the few products I promote on this website because I only promote products that have actually worked for me. You can learn more about Destroy Depression by using the link below.
Click here to learn more about Destroy Depression
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