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Effexor Treatment for Hot Flashes

Hot flashes during menopause are one of the symptoms of this change in the life of a woman. While hot flashes sometimes cause no more than mild discomfort in some women, they can have the potential to be disruptive to other women's daily life. Each woman must decide for herself if her symptoms warrant medical treatment or if she can handle the hot flashes with little or no medical intervention.

  1. Menopause and Hot Flashes

    • Menopause, which is the cessation of menstrual cycles in a middle-aged woman, comes with several signs such as hot flashes. Hot flashes are caused by fluctuations in a woman's biochemical and hormonal levels. Usually, a feeling of warmth spreads over a woman's body, sometimes concentrating on her head and neck area; they can be accompanied by perspiration and/or flushing.

    Effexor

    • Effexor, which is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), has shown some effectiveness in decreasing, but not ending menopausal hot flashes. The most effective SSRI is venlafaxine (Effexor). Doses of Effexor to treat hot flashes can be low. If a menopausal woman is experiencing other symptoms (depression) along with hot flashes, the Effexor can help alleviate those symptoms.

    Effectiveness

    • Effexor can be up to 70 percent as effective as estrogen therapy in reducing the incidence of hot flashes. Effexor doesn't carry the same cancer-causing risks as estrogen or other hormone therapies. In a study conducted by Mayo Clinic researchers, Effexor can help to reduce the hot flashes by 55 percent. According to an article referenced by the komenny.org, Effexor is more effective than Catapres (clonidine) for the treatment of hot flashes in women suffering from breast cancer.

    Side Effects

    • Side effects of Effexor can include sweating, dry mouth, trouble sleeping (insomnia), fatigue, drowsiness, an increase in blood pressure and agitation. As an antidepressant chemical formulation, Effexor can cause these symptoms in some, but not all, patients. Patients taking Effexor for treatment of menopausal hot flashes must decide which symptoms they are more willing to accept or live with. For the patient with a history of high blood pressure, she must decide, along with her physician, if the risk is worth the benefit of reducing hot flashes with this medication; if she decides it is not worth the risk, she needs to find another treatment.

    Contraindications

    • Contraindications, or the circumstances under which a woman should not take this medication, include having high blood pressure or a seizure disorder; women taking MAO inhibitors also should avoid taking Effexor. These conditions can worsen these conditions or become potentially life-threatening if women who suffer from such conditions take Effexor.

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