Effexor (venlafaxine) and Zoloft (sertraline) are similar antidepressants that can treat depression and anxiety. Their main difference lies in their effects on certain neurotransmitters. Effexor can increase the effects of both serotonin and norepinephrine while Zoloft primarily works on serotonin.
About venlafaxine
Venlafaxine is a type of antidepressant often used to treat depression. It is also sometimes used to treat anxiety and panic attacks. Venlafaxine helps many people recover from depression, and has fewer unwanted side effects than older antidepressants.The usual starting dose of venlafaxine is 75mg a day. This might be gradually increased to a maximum dose of 375mg. If you have problems with your liver or kidneys your doctor might prescribe a lower dose. Venlafaxine tablets and capsules can be either immediate release or extended release.
Sertraline is a type of antidepressant known as a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). It's often used to treat depression, and also sometimes panic attacks, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Sertraline comes as tablets, which are available only on prescription.
It works by increasing and regulating the levels of two different neurotransmitters in the brain. These are norepinephrine, also called noradrenaline, and serotonin. At low doses, venlafaxine prevents serotonin reuptake. This means that it leaves more serotonin in the system.
Venlafaxine is used to treat depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and social anxiety disorder (social phobia). It may improve your mood and energy level and may help restore your interest in daily living. Venlafaxine is known as a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI).
Antidepressants sold in the United States that the study found to be most effective included:
- Amitriptyline.
- Effexor (venlafaxine)
- Lexapro (escitalopram)
- Paxil (paroxetine)
- Remeron (mirtazapine)
- Trintellix (vortioxetine)
Common venlafaxine side effects may include:
- nausea, vomiting, diarrhea;
- changes in appetite or weight;
- dry mouth, yawning;
- dizziness, headache, anxiety, feeling nervous;
- fast heartbeats, tremors or shaking;
- sleep problems (insomnia), strange dreams, tired feeling;
- vision changes;
- increased sweating; or.
These medications generally cause fewer bothersome side effects and are less likely to cause problems at higher therapeutic doses than other types of antidepressants are. SSRIs include fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva), sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa) and escitalopram (Lexapro).
Five Signs Your Antidepressant is Not Working
- You experience no relief from your depressive symptoms.
- Your depression gets worse.
- You experience a sudden surge of energy—while still battling the blues.
- You are overwhelmed by the drug's side effects.
- You start suffering from violent mood swings.
Sleep, energy, or appetite may show some improvement within the first 1-2 weeks. Improvement in these physical symptoms can be an important early signal that the medication is working. Depressed mood and lack of interest in activities may need up to 6-8 weeks to fully improve.
5 Best Natural Antidepressants
- Ginkgo biloba. If you're looking to take the natural approach to treating mild depression, you may want to give ginkgo biloba supplements a try.
- 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) This molecule increases levels of the mood-boosting brain chemical serotonin.
- B vitamins.
- S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAMe)
- Zinc.
For non-fatal poisonings the most frequently involved antidepressants were (in order) fluoxetine, citalopram, amitriptyline, paroxetine, venlafaxine, dosulepin, sertraline and mirtazapine (Table 1). These patterns were similar in both genders.
Like many other antidepressants, use of venlafaxine has been associated with weight gain. Weight gain caused by venlafaxine may be due to fluid retention, lack of exercise, increased appetite, or other factors.
Readers rate antidepressants
| Drug class | Effectiveness |
|---|
| Helped a lot | Helped somewhat |
|---|
| SSRIs (Celexa, Lexapro, Prozac, Zoloft) | 53% | 35% |
| SNRIs (Cymbalta, Effexor) | 49 | 36 |
| Bupropion (Wellbutrin) | 48 | 38 |
SEATTLE–Group Health researchers have found that bupropion (marketed as Wellbutrin) is the only antidepressant that tends to be linked to long-term modest weight loss.
The antidepressants most likely to cause weight gain include amitriptyline (Brand name: Elavil), mirtazapine (Remeron), paroxetine (Paxil, Brisdelle, Pexeva), escitalopram (Lexapro), sertraline (Zoloft), duloxetine (Cymbalta), and citalopram (Celexa).
Nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, dry mouth, constipation, loss of appetite, blurred vision, nervousness, trouble sleeping, unusual sweating, or yawning may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor promptly. This medication may raise your blood pressure.
Effexor (venlafaxine) is a selective serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) used for treating depression. Other drugs in this class include milnacipran (Savella), duloxetine (Cymbalta), and desvenlafaxine (Pristiq).
Vital Information: In a study on patients who suffer from major depression, the drug Effexor was more likely than Prozac or Zoloft to result in full recovery. Researchers suspect Effexor is more effective because it acts on two different brain chemicals that transmit messages and are thought to control mood.
Venlafaxine is used to treat depression, anxiety, panic attacks, and social anxiety disorder (social phobia). It may improve your mood and energy level and may help restore your interest in daily living.
Venlafaxine comes as a tablet or extended-release capsule to take by mouth. The tablet is usually taken two or three times a day with food. The extended-release capsule is usually taken once daily in the morning or evening with food. Take venlafaxine at around the same time(s) every day.
Effexor and Effexor XR may cause weight loss. This weight loss is usually small. Talk to your doctor about this if you're concerned or if you start losing too much weight. Alcohol can increase the feeling of drowsiness this medication may cause.
Venlafaxine and fluoxetine were well tolerated, with the most frequently experienced adverse events being nausea and headache. Venlafaxine therefore proved to be significantly more effective than fluoxetine in improving depressive symptoms and concomitant anxiety.
Other antidepressants
You should never take 2 different types of antidepressants, such as an SSRI and a TCA, unless advised by a doctor. This is because taking certain combinations of antidepressants can make you feel very ill and can be life-threatening.Their top 12 most popular and effective antidepressants were:
- Celexa (citalopram)
- Wellbutrin (bupropion)
- Paxil (paroxetine)
- Savella (milnacipran)
- Prozac (fluoxetine)
- Cymbalta (duloxetine)
- Luvox (fluvoxamine)
- Vestra (reboxetine)
