How Long Does Pristiq Stay in Your System?

Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor that was approved in 2008 by the FDA and is primarily prescribed to treat depression. While many people have found this medication to be effective, there are those who claim the the drug has caused a variety of side effects including dizziness, fatigue, headaches, insomnia, nausea, and other medical conditions. As a result, some people decide to discontinue taking Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) after it is prescribed. One of the most common questions asked by people who take the medication is how long the treatment lasts. The answer depends on a variety of factors that vary from person to person. For an individual who takes 10 mg of Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine), however, the drug will remain in their system for roughly a week.

Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) Prescription Facts

There are important pieces of information to know about Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine), including the following prescription facts:

• Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) is often used for depression and mood disorders, but is also prescribed for anxiety disorders, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, chronic neuropathic pain, and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
• If you notice improvements in your condition, you should not stop taking the medication before speaking with a physician.
• The normal dose of Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) is 50 mg daily. Higher doses including amounts of up to 400 mg a day have been prescribed but are not common.
• If you miss a dose of Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine), do not double doses because this can have very serious adverse consequences.

Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) Regulations

There are few regulations that apply to Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine). The drug is not listed on the DEA’s controlled substance list. Many people have argued, however, that this lack of regulation is responsible for some people misusing Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine). It is important to understand, however, that the medication can show up as false positives during substance use tests.

Most Commonly Misused Drugs Containing Desvenlafaxine

Desvenlafaxine is a synthetic SSRI containing venlafaxine. While venlafaxine is used in popular products like Effexor, desvenlafaxine is most commonly used in Pristiq.

How Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) Affects the Brain and Body

Like other SSRIs, medical researchers are still trying to determine exactly how Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) works. Most physicians, however, believe that medication works by blocking serotonin from being reabsorbed into a person’s brain. Preventing reabsorption in this manner is important because after the process occurs, serotonin stops being helpful at helping to control a person’s mood. It is important to note that it is yet to be definitively determined that this is how SSRIs work.

Half-Life of Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine)

The approximate half-life of Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) is 11 hours. This means that a person who takes 50 mg of the drug is expected to have 50% or 25 mg 11 hours after ingesting 50 mg. 11 hours after the drug was reduced to 50%, the remains of Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) would be reduced to 12.5 mg. This division continues until traces of the drug in a person’s system are not noticeable. A drug’s half-life is slightly extended if a person is a long-term user of Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine), but after a week has elapsed the drug should become unrecognizable in a person’s system.

Factors That Influence How Long Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) Stays in Your System

There are a variety of factors that determine how a person is affected by withdrawal from Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) which include the following:

• Age. The length of time that it takes Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) to be cleansed from a person’s system tends to increase among older individuals. Younger people are able to eliminate traces of the medication in their system much faster.
• Body Mass. The greater a person’s body mass, the quicker that they can excrete Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) through their system.
• Dosage. People who take larger doses of Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) can, sometimes, take longer to eliminate traces of the drug in their system versus people who take smaller doses.

It should be noted that there are many other physiology factors that influence the exact speed and manner in which a person’s body is cleansed from the medication.

Drug Testing and Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine)

Drug testing has become popular among companies in a variety of different industries. As a result, workers are often curious about how Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) will remain in their system and how the drug might impact a drug test. Unfortunately, there are no exact answers to how long Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine) will remain in a person’s system. The only thing of which is sure is, if a person takes 10 mg of the medication, traces of the drug will not be in their system after a week.

If you are trying to learn more about Pristiq (Desvenlafaxine), the Recovery Village has highly trained staff waiting on standby to answer your questions.