Pristiq

Before taking this medicine

Do not take Pristiq if you are allergic to desvenlafaxine, venlafaxine or any ingredient in the tablets. Angioedema (swelling) has been reported with desvenlafaxine. Do not take Pristiq with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor (MAOI) used for psychiatric disorders, or within 14 days of stopping one. Do not start an MAOI for psychiatric disorders until at least 7 days after stopping Pristiq. Do not start Pristiq while receiving linezolid or intravenous methylene blue. These combinations increase the risk of serotonin syndrome. Pristiq should be avoided in people with untreated anatomically narrow eye angles because of the risk of angle-closure glaucoma. High blood pressure should be controlled before treatment and checked regularly during treatment. Caution is needed in people with bipolar disorder or a history of seizures. Other medicines that affect serotonin increase the risk of serotonin syndrome, which can also occur with Pristiq alone. Aspirin, NSAIDs, other antiplatelet medicines, warfarin and other anticoagulants may increase bleeding risk when taken with Pristiq. Other precautions include low blood sodium, interstitial lung disease, eosinophilic pneumonia and sexual dysfunction. Stopping treatment can cause discontinuation symptoms; discuss stopping with your prescriber. Use during the third trimester of pregnancy may cause discontinuation symptoms in the newborn. People aged 65 or older have a higher risk of a drop in blood pressure when standing.