Is Effexor The Right Medication For Tension Headaches?

Posted on Mon, 12 Jan 2015

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Mon, 12 Jan 2015 Answered on

Mon, 9 Feb 2015 Last reviewed on

Question : I went to a psychiatrist and he advised to start a new medication for chronic tension headachw called Effexor and I've been taking one pill per day for two weeks now and nothing has changed! before that I was taking deanxite on my own and it has been more effective but I learnt that deanxite has been banned world wide.

Please advise

thanks XXXXXXX

Answered by Dr. Shubham Mehta (38 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Effexor is not indicated for tension headache.

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Dear XXXXXXX
You are having chronic tension headache.

I think the drug of choice for tension type headache is amitriptyline. Most of the medical literature is in the favour of using amitriptyline for this in the dose ranging from 25-75mg. But it’s a prescription drug.

Effexor is not indicated for tension headache.

Deanxit has been banned due to serious neurological side effects.

Discuss this with your psychiatrist.

Feel free to ask further.

Kindly close the discussion if you are satisfied with response and give your valuable feedback.

Thanks

Dr. Shubham Mehta, MD (Psychiatry).

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju