Around 20 % of Americans have some form of mental illness. Factors such as work life, private life, environment, etc., affect our mental health. As our lives get complicated, we become more prone to developing some kind of mental health condition. Conditions like ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder), depression, anxiety, etc., impact the daily lives of numerous people. Such people might want to consider seeking professional help to overcome this issue. A healthcare professional might suggest treatments that are a combination of lifestyle changes and medicines. Two medicines used in such treatments are Effexor and Adderall. In this article ‘Effexor vs Adderall’, we will clarify what are similarities, and difficulties between the both medicines.
What Effexor and Adderall are?
- Effexor: Effexor is a branded version of the generic drug venlafaxine hydrochloride. It is a prescription-only medicine, which is usually used in the treatment of mental health disorders. Effexor is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of major depressive disorder, in people who are 18 and above in age. It is not a controlled substance.
- The other branded variant of venalfaxine is Effexor XR. They belong to a class of drugs called ‘Serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors or ‘SNRI’.
- Adderall: Generic drugs ‘amphetamine and dextroamphetamine’ have a branded variant called Adderall. This medicine can be purchased, only if the buyer owns a prescription letter. This medicine is approved for the treatment of ADHD and narcolepsy by the FDA.
- Adderall belongs to a class of medicines called CNS stimulants. Other branded versions of amphetamine and dextroamphetamine are Adderall XR and Mydayis.
Forms of Effexor and Adderall
- Effexor: This is available in the form of oral tablets. The strengths of these tablets are 25 mg, 37.5 mg, 50 mg 75 mg, and 100 mg. Effexor is discontinued by Pfizer, which was the manufacturing company of this medication drug.
- Effexor XR is an extended-release capsule, it has the strengths of 37.5 mg, 75 mg, and 100 mg.
- Adderall: The immediate-release (IR) tablets of Adderall are in the strengths of 5 mg, 7.5 mg, 10 mg, 12.5 mg, 15 mg, 20 mg, and 30 mg.
Uses of Adderall and Effexor
Both medicines are used, and treated differently as per the dose type, and form.
Adderall
Adderall and Adderall XR are used in the treatments for narcolepsy and ADHD.
For the Treatment of ADHD:
Adderall IR
- The quantity of Adderall IR prescribed to the patients who are of, or above the age, of 6 years is 5 mg once or twice a day.
- Patients between the ages of 3 and 5 are prescribed 2.5 mg, taken one or two times a day.
- Adderall IR is not used for treating ADHD in people less than 3 years of age.
Adderall XR
- Adults suffering from ADHD are prescribed to take 20 mg of Adderall every day for the treatment.
- Teenagers (ages 13 to 17) are administered 10 mg of Adderall XR per day.
- Children (ages 6 to 12) are advised to take 5 to 10 mg of Adderall XR each day.
Narcolepsy
- Adderall IR: For individuals ages 6 to 11 years, 5 mg of Adderall every day is prescribed.
- Patients who are above the age of 12 are administered 10 mg of Adderall IR on a daily basis.
- Adderall XR: Patients of narcolepsy, who are of ages less than 12 years, old are recommended to take 5 mg of Adderall XR every day.
- Individuals suffering from narcolepsy, ages 13 and up are prescribed to take 10 mg of Adderall XR each day.
- Choose the best medicine for ADHD, and Narcolepsy along with Adderall.
Effexor
Effexor is used to treat some mental health disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), and panic disorder (PD). According to the FDA, the starting dose of this medicine administered to patients is 75 mg taken orally per day.
All the doses mentioned in this blog can be changed by a professional. This is so because the doses are initial doses, meaning they are preferably used in the beginning of the treatment and changed in the later stages to acquire the desired effect.
Side Effects
- Adderall: Headache, Weight loss/Reduced Appetite, Nausea, Nervousness, Loss of Libido, Erectile Dysfunction (ED)
- Effexor: Xerostomia (Dry mouth), Feeling Fatigued, Loss of Libido, Loss of Appetite, Sweating, Blurred Vision, Increased Heart rate, Diarrhea
Precautions
- If you have any history of allergic reactions to any of these drugs, refrain from using them.
- Do not use these medicines if you have used an MAO inhibitor in the last 14 days.
- Adderall is a controlled drug, as it has a high potential for abuse.
- These drugs show interactions with other drugs, so if you decide to take any other medicine, do so under your healthcare professional’s guidance.
- If you forget to take a dose of these drugs, take it as soon as you remember it. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the previous one entirely. Do not take double doses.
Conclusion
This blog ‘Effexor vs Adderall’ explains what both of these drugs are, and what their uses, forms, and side effects are. We have learned that both of these are different, but they have certain similarities. We hope this blog was worth your while.