Pristiq vs Effexor

Due to insurance complications, my doc switched me from the generic of effexor to brand name pristiq. Everyone says they are the same medication but I seem to notice huge differences. My was much more managed on effexor the the pristiq. I feel like I've been running 100 miles an hour since starting the new medication and and more unfocused then ever. I'm super irritable with just the small things which is triggering my anxiety. Has anyone ever experienced switching the 2 medications.? I don't understand why if they are the same I feel so differently?

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Well, Effexor is venlafaxine and Pristiq is desvenlafaxine. They're both SNRI antidepressants, but like any antidepressants, one will work while the other may not. My guess is you're not going to have good results with Pristiq.

Pristiq is the active metabolite of Effexor with a longer extended release coating. It's a me too drug so Pfizer could get a new patent. I dunno why you would notice that much difference.

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I did go from Effexor to Pristiq before and did better on Pristiq. I don't know why.

I don't understand your insurance reasons as generic Effexor is much cheaper then Pristiq. You would think the insurance company would be glad to cover the generic rather then Pristiq.

My insurance only allows me to take 1 pill a day and I was taking two with effexor. I'm getting ready to switch insurance again and I think I'm gonna call the doc before i see him again because I can't take this anxiety. And the stupid stuff is seriously getting on my nerves.

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One pill a day??? That is the most ridicules thing I have ever heard. I pill could cost 30 bucks compared to two pills that cost 1 buck.

I have taken them both...Pristiq did nothing for me...been on Effexor XR about 2 years...it works rather well

See this thread. Quite aways into it I have along discussion with myself about the difference or if there is one.

http://forums.psychcentral.com/psych...-med-fear.html

You could just pay out of pocket for generic Effexor. It isn't that much. If you can afford it that is.

I had heard that desvenlafaxine was a watered down version of venlafaxine. Here is a PDoc's opinon on Pristiq.
Beware he has a creepy voice. He has an actual practice in Sparks, NV.

I did a lot of looking into it and determined there is a difference. It is hard to find info on pristiq though cuz it is so much newer.

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I am interested to know what differences you found! What did you find?

I am out of town on my phone but I will post when I get back to my computer.

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First of all desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) is an active metabolite of Venlafaxine (Effexor). Most articles say there is no difference between the two. Pfizer came up with Pristiq when the patent for Effexor ran out so they could market it as an expensive novel new drug. There are no studies that say Pristiq is any different than Effexor yet many people say they are different. And the gene test ChangeMyMind had puts Pristiq in the green and Effexor in the red.



https://www.pharmgkb.org/pathway/PA166014758

According to this Venlafaxine (Effexor) Produces 5 Metabolites.
Two pass the blood brain barrier, Venlafaxine and 0-desmethylvenlafaxine (Pristiq)
The 5 melatoblites could all cause side effects because there are different seratonin and norepinephrine receptors through out the body. They all preform different function ie, blood pressure, sexual, digestive and thus the side effects.

There are not many studies on desvenlafaxine (Pristiq) it is much newer. From what I can tell it has less metabolites and thus few side effects. This would make it true that it is a "cleaned up" up version of Venlafaxine (Effexor). The fact that there is no way that venlafaxine could enter the blood brain barrier as it does with Effexor suggest there may be a difference in effectiveness. All the studies done to date say there is no difference in effectiveness but many people claim there is a big difference.

Personally I seemed to do better on Pristiq but with the same side effects.

I am no psychoparmacoligist but the best I can tell from the chemistry and with limited information on Pristiq there is a difference in effectiveness and in side effects.