What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking vortioxetine?
You should not use vortioxetine if you are allergic to it.
Do not use vortioxetine if you have used an MAO inhibitor in the past 14 days. A dangerous drug interaction could occur. MAO inhibitors include isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue injection, phenelzine, rasagiline, selegiline, tranylcypromine, and others.
After you stop taking vortioxetine you must wait at least 21 days before you start taking an MAO inhibitor.
Be sure your doctor knows if you also take stimulant medicine, opioid medicine, herbal products, or medicine for depression, mental illness, Parkinson's disease, migraine headaches, serious infections, or prevention of nausea and vomiting. These medicines may interact with vortioxetine and cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome.
Vortioxetine is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.
Tell your doctor if you have ever had:
- bipolar disorder (manic depression), or a history of drug abuse or suicidal thoughts;
- liver disease;
- narrow-angle glaucoma;
- seizures or epilepsy;
- bleeding problems; or
- low levels of sodium in your blood.
Some young people have thoughts about suicide when first taking an antidepressant. Your doctor should check your progress at regular visits. Your family or other caregivers should also be alert to changes in your mood or symptoms.
Taking vortioxetine in the last 3 months of pregnancy may cause problems in the newborn, such as life-threatening withdrawal symptoms, serious lung problems or other complications in the baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant.
Do not start or stop taking vortioxetine during pregnancy without your doctor's advice. Vortioxetine may harm an unborn baby, but you may have a relapse of major depressive disorder or other problems if you stop taking this medicine during pregnancy. The benefit of continuing treatment with vortioxetine may outweigh any risks to the baby.
It may not be safe to breastfeed while using this medicine. Ask your doctor about any risk.