What the FDA labels say about taking them together
Desipramine and venlafaxine
Venlafaxine's FDA label (Venlafaxine Hydrochloride) of July 31, 2025 names desipramine in its drug interactions section; desipramine's label does not name venlafaxine itself but warns about its class (SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors)). The venlafaxine label: “However, desipramine AUC, C max, and C min increased by about 35% in the presence of venlafaxine.”
Check it at the source: the desipramine FDA label on DailyMed (effective July 9, 2025, Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc.); the venlafaxine FDA label on DailyMed (effective August 15, 2023, Viatris Specialty LLC).
What does the desipramine label say about venlafaxine?
Desipramine's label does not name venlafaxine itself; it warns about its class (SNRIs (serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors)):
Desipramine label, warningsThe development of a potentially life-threatening serotonin syndrome has been reported with serotonin norepinephrine re-uptake inhibitors (SNRIs) and SSRIs, including desipramine hydrochloride tablets, alone but particularly with concomitant use of other serotonergic drugs (including triptans, tricyclic antidepressants, fentanyl, lithium, tramadol, tryptophan, buspirone, and St. …
Source: FDA drug label (DESIPRAMINE HYDROCHLORIDE), Alembic Pharmaceuticals Inc., effective July 9, 2025 (SPL set cad14805-64d8-4257-b5f1-d56e0063f0e2), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
What does the venlafaxine label say about desipramine?
Venlafaxine Hydrochloride label (Trigen Laboratories, LLC, July 31, 2025), drug interactionsHowever, desipramine AUC, C max, and C min increased by about 35% in the presence of venlafaxine.
Source: FDA drug label (Venlafaxine Hydrochloride, NDA022104), Trigen Laboratories, LLC, effective July 31, 2025 (SPL set fdaed1c2-dd0a-4bf3-975a-86fe3e7f0c97), via openFDA
Source: FDA drug label (Effexor XR), NDA020699 (Upjohn), as published by Viatris Specialty LLC, effective August 15, 2023 (SPL set c848a5d8-ba94-4c84-80e3-0bf35fb8e32e), via openFDA; the full label on DailyMed
These are the labels' own sentences. PlainMeds does not grade interactions; a pharmacist or prescriber can say what they mean for one person's medicines.
Both medicines on the record
| Desipramine | Venlafaxine | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | Depression | Depression, Anxiety |
| Boxed warning | Yes | Yes |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC) | $0.276 per tablet 75 mg tablet | $0.0799 per capsule 75 mg capsule |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
Source: FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026 and the FDA Drug Shortage Database (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Check more medicines together
- up to five at once