How long does Pristiq stay in your system? 

In this brief article, we will discuss how long Pristiq stays in your system and explore which personal characteristics can influence that. We will also briefly mention the possibility of withdrawal symptoms and side effects associated with this medication.

Pristiq stays in your system for around 2-3 days (in healthy individuals). However, different factors can affect the stay time of Pristiq in your body, including age, weight, underlying health conditions, etc. (1,2,3). 

It is also important to know that Pristiq can cause withdrawal symptoms and potentially serious adverse effects (4,5). 

If you experience any unusual or concerning issues while taking this medication, it is advisable to contact your doctor.

How long does Pristiq stay in your system? 

Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) stays in your system for around 2-3 days in healthy individuals (1). 

The elimination half-life of this medication is about 11 hours, which means that the initial peak concentration of the drug reduces to half after this time (2,3). 

The remaining concentration keeps reducing to half after every 11 hours if you don’t take another dose. This process continues until the drug is thoroughly washed out from your body. 

What are the factors that affect the time taken by Pristiq to leave your system?

Different factors can affect the stay time of Pristiq in your body, like your age, weight, dosage strength, frequency, duration of treatment, any underlying health condition, and overall physiological well-being. 

People suffering from renal or hepatic insufficiency usually take longer to metabolize and eliminate the drug, so their doses are adjusted. This is because the liver and kidneys are primarily involved with the process of elimination (metabolism + excretion) of a drug (1,2,3).

Make sure you properly take Pristiq if your healthcare provider has prescribed this antidepressant. Remember that Pristiq can take some time to work, and don’t stop taking Pristiq abruptly. 

Can Pristiq cause withdrawal symptoms?

It is not suitable to stop taking Pristiq abruptly, as it is an antidepressant and may cause disturbing symptoms upon sudden withdrawal, such as (4):

  • Dizziness
  • Confusion
  • Nausea
  • Headache
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Irritability
  • Aggressive behavior
  • Inability to control emotions
  • Frequent mood changes
  • Abnormally excited
  • Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
  • Diarrhea
  • Anxiety
  • Extreme tiredness
  • Unusual dreams
  • Seizures
  • Sweating
  • Uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body
  • Blurred vision
  • Pain, burning, or tingling in the hands or feet.


The best way to stop an antidepressant is to gradually taper it off. The time taken to discontinue the medication depends on your overall treatment duration, as people who have been on this med for quite a while are more susceptible to Pristiq withdrawal symptoms. 

So, if Pristiq needs to be discontinued, your doctor will suggest an appropriate taper schedule for you to ensure a safe withdrawal. 

Tell your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms when your dose of Pristiq is decreased.

What are the adverse effects associated with Pristiq?

Pristiq may cause side effects. If you experience any of the following symptoms persistently or if they are bothersome, it is important to inform your doctor (5):

  • Constipation
  • Loss of appetite
  • Dry mouth
  • Dizziness
  • Sleepiness
  • Extreme tiredness
  • Unusual dreams
  • Yawning
  • Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep
  • Sweating
  • Uncontrollable shaking of a part of the body
  • Pain, burning, numbness, or tingling in part of the body
  • Enlarged pupils (black circles in the centers of the eyes)
  • Sexual problems in males; decreased sex drive, inability to get or keep an erection, or delayed or absent release
  • Sexual problems in females; decreased sex drive, or delayed climax or unable to have a climax
  • Difficulty urinating

There are other potential serious side effects associated with Pristiq. If you experience any unusual or concerning issues while taking this medication, it is advisable to contact your doctor. 

Conclusion

In this brief article, we discussed how long Pristiq stays in your system and explored which personal characteristics can influence that. We also briefly mentioned the possibility of withdrawal symptoms and side effects associated with this medication.. 

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References

1.-

Harvard Medical School. Going off antidepressants. Harvard Health Publishing [Internet] [updated 2022 May 15, cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/going-off-antidepressants.

2.-

Naseeruddin R, Rosani A, Marwaha R. Desvenlafaxine. 2022 Jul 11. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan. PMID: 30521250. Bookshelf ID: NBK534829. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK534829/

3.-

PubChem [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US), National Center for Biotechnology Information. PubChem Compound Summary for CID 125017, Desvenlafaxine; [cited 20223 Jul. 21]. Available from: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/125017.

4.-

Fava GA, Benasi G, Lucente M, Offidani E, Cosci F, Guidi J. Withdrawal Symptoms after Serotonin-Noradrenaline Reuptake Inhibitor Discontinuation: Systematic Review. Psychother Psychosom. 2018;87(4):195-203.

5.-

MedlinePlus [Internet]. Bethesda (MD): National Library of Medicine (US);2023. Desvenlafaxine; [updated 2022 Jan 15; cited 2023 Jul 21]. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a608022.html.

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