vortioxetine

What is the most important information I should know about vortioxetine?

Some young people have thoughts about suicide when first taking an antidepressant. Stay alert to changes in your mood or symptoms. Report any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor.

What is vortioxetine?

Vortioxetine is an antidepressant that is used to treat major depressive disorder in adults.

Vortioxetine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking vortioxetine?

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, tranylcypromine, and others.

After you stop taking vortioxetine you must wait at least 21 days before you start taking an MAO inhibitor.

Tell your doctor 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. An interaction with vortioxetine could cause a serious condition called serotonin syndrome.

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

• bipolar disorder (manic depression), or a history of drug abuse or suicidal thoughts;
• 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 withdrawal symptoms, serious lung problems, or other complications in the baby. However, stopping the medicine may not be safe for you. Do not start or stop vortioxetine without asking your doctor.

How should I take vortioxetine?

Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Your doctor may occasionally change your dose. Use the medicine exactly as directed.

You may take vortioxetine with or without food.

You may have withdrawal symptoms if you stop using vortioxetine suddenly. Ask your doctor before stopping the medicine.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not take two doses at one time.

What happens if I overdose?

What should I avoid while taking vortioxetine?

What are the possible side effects of vortioxetine?

Report any new or worsening symptoms to your doctor, such as: mood or behavior changes, anxiety, panic attacks, trouble sleeping, or if you feel impulsive, irritable, agitated, hostile, aggressive, restless, hyperactive (mentally or physically), more depressed, or have thoughts about suicide or hurting yourself.

• racing thoughts, decreased need for sleep, unusual risk-taking behavior, feelings of extreme happiness or sadness, being more talkative than usual;
• vision changes, eye pain, eye redness or swelling;
• easy bruising, unusual bleeding, coughing up blood; or
• low sodium level (may be more likely to occur in older adults --confusion, memory problems, hallucinations, slurred speech, severe weakness, feeling unsteady.

Common side effects may include:

• nausea;
• constipation; or
• vomiting.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect vortioxetine?

Tell your doctor about all your current medicines. Many drugs can affect vortioxetine, especially:

• any other antidepressant;
• buspirone;
• fentanyl, tramadol;
• lithium;
• St. John's wort, tryptophan (sometimes called L-tryptophan);
• a blood thinner (warfarin, Coumadin, Jantoven);
• a diuretic or "water pill";
• migraine headache medicine (triptans);
• NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) --aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), celecoxib, diclofenac, indomethacin, meloxicam, and others; or
• seizure medicine --carbamazepine, phenytoin.

This list is not complete and many other drugs may affect vortioxetine. This includes prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about vortioxetine.