Drug interactions
Selegiline + Venlafaxine
Severity: Contraindicated
Selegiline and Venlafaxine: contraindicated interaction.
Last updated
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Summary
Selegiline with venlafaxine may produce serotonin syndrome, which can be severe or fatal. Labeling for venlafaxine contraindicates MAO inhibitors including selegiline.
What this interaction means in plain words
Selegiline and Venlafaxine are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two.
Selegiline belongs to Central Nervous System; Venlafaxine belongs to Central Nervous System.
Why it happens
MAO inhibition combined with serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibition causes excess monoamines.
What to do
Avoid concurrent use. Wait at least 14 days after stopping selegiline before starting venlafaxine, and at least 7 days after stopping venlafaxine before starting selegiline.
What to ask your pharmacist
- Is there an alternative to one of these two medicines for me?
- If both are essential, who is monitoring me and how often?
- Which symptoms mean I should stop and seek help straight away?
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Other interactions of Venlafaxine
- Isocarboxazid + Venlafaxine Contraindicated
- Methylene blue + Venlafaxine Contraindicated
- Phenelzine + Venlafaxine Contraindicated
- Procarbazine + Venlafaxine Contraindicated
- Rasagiline + Venlafaxine Contraindicated
- Safinamide + Venlafaxine Contraindicated
Other interactions of Selegiline
- Amitriptyline + Selegiline Contraindicated
- Amoxapine + Selegiline Contraindicated
- Atomoxetine + Selegiline Contraindicated
- Benzphetamine + Selegiline Contraindicated
- Brimonidine + Selegiline Contraindicated
- Buprenorphine long-acting + Selegiline Contraindicated
Frequently asked questions
Can I take Selegiline with Venlafaxine?
MediHelp rates the interaction as contraindicated. Selegiline and Venlafaxine are not normally used together. Taking them at the same time is expected to cause harm or make one of them unsafe, so a different medicine is usually chosen for one of the two. Selegiline with venlafaxine may produce serotonin syndrome, which can be severe or fatal. Labeling for venlafaxine contraindicates MAO inhibitors including selegiline.
How serious is the interaction between Selegiline and Venlafaxine?
MediHelp rates it contraindicated, on a four-level scale (minor, moderate, major, contraindicated) based on published labels and references. What to do, in brief: Avoid concurrent use. Wait at least 14 days after stopping selegiline before starting venlafaxine, and at least 7 days after stopping venlafaxine before starting selegiline.
What other medicines interact with Venlafaxine?
MediHelp also lists interactions of Venlafaxine with, for example, Isocarboxazid, Methylene blue, Phenelzine. The full list is on the Venlafaxine page.
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