Savella

Milnacipran is used to treat pain caused by a condition called fibromyalgia that affects the muscles, tendons, ligaments, and supporting tissues.

This medication is a serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) that works by helping to restore the balance of certain natural substances in the brain (neurotransmitters).

Read the Medication Guide provided by your pharmacist before you start using milnacipran and each time you get a refill. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Take this medication by mouth with or without food, usually 2 times a day or as directed by your doctor. If you have nausea, it may help to take this medication with food.

Dosage is based on your medical condition and response to treatment.

To reduce your risk of side effects, your doctor may start you at a low dose and gradually increase your dose. Follow your doctor's instructions carefully. Do not increase your dose or take this medication more often than prescribed. Your condition will not improve any faster, and the risk of serious side effects may be increased.

If you suddenly stop using this medication, you may have withdrawal symptoms (such as mood swings, headache, tiredness, sleep changes, brief feelings similar to electric shock). To help prevent withdrawal, your doctor may lower your dose slowly. Withdrawal is more likely if you have used milnacipran for a long time or in high doses. Tell your doctor or pharmacist right away if you have withdrawal.

Tell your doctor if your condition does not improve or if it worsens.

See also Warning section.

Nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, constipation, loss of appetite, dizziness, increased sweating, headache, or hot flashes (flushing) may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor promptly.

Remember that your doctor has prescribed this medication because he or she has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects. Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects.

This medication may raise your blood pressure. Check your blood pressure regularly and tell your doctor if the results are high.

Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: fast/pounding heartbeat, changes in sexual ability, decreased interest in sex, painful/difficult urination, seizures, yellowing eyes/skin, dark urine, severe stomach/abdominal pain, black/bloody stools, vomit that looks like coffee grounds, easy bruising/bleeding.

Get medical help right away if you have any very serious side effects, including: eye pain/swelling/redness, widened pupils, vision changes (such as seeing rainbows around lights at night, blurred vision).

This medication may increase serotonin and rarely cause a very serious condition called serotonin syndrome/toxicity. The risk increases if you are also taking other drugs that increase serotonin, so tell your doctor or pharmacist of all the drugs you take (see Drug Interactions section). Get medical help right away if you develop some of the following symptoms: fast heartbeat, hallucinations, loss of coordination, severe dizziness, severe nausea/vomiting/diarrhea, twitching muscles, unexplained fever, unusual agitation/restlessness.

A very serious allergic reaction to this drug is rare. However, get medical help right away if you notice any symptoms of a serious allergic reaction, including: rash, itching/swelling (especially of the face/tongue/throat), severe dizziness, trouble breathing.

This is not a complete list of possible side effects. If you notice other effects not listed above, contact your doctor or pharmacist.

In the US - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 or at www.fda.gov/medwatch.

In Canada - Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to Health Canada at 1-866-234-2345.

Before taking milnacipran, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are allergic to it; or to levomilnacipran; or if you have any other allergies. This product may contain inactive ingredients, which can cause allergic reactions or other problems. Talk to your pharmacist for more details.

Before using this medication, tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: kidney disease, liver disease, alcohol use, personal or family history of glaucoma (angle-closure type), personal or family history of psychiatric disorders (such as bipolar/manic-depressive disorder), personal or family history of suicide attempts, high blood pressure, heart problems (such as chest pain, heart attack, fast/irregular heartbeat), seizure disorder, severe loss of body water (dehydration), stomach/intestinal ulcers, mineral imbalance (low level of sodium in the blood), painful/difficult urination (for example, due to enlarged prostate).

This drug may make you dizzy. Alcohol or marijuana (cannabis) can make you more dizzy. Do not drive, use machinery, or do anything that needs alertness until you can do it safely. Avoid alcoholic beverages. Talk to your doctor if you are using marijuana (cannabis). Drinking alcohol can also increase your risk of liver problems.

Before having surgery, tell your doctor or dentist about all the products you use (including prescription drugs, nonprescription drugs, and herbal products).

Older adults may be at greater risk for mineral imbalance (low level of sodium in the blood) while using this drug, especially if they are also taking "water pills" (diuretics) with this medication.

During pregnancy, this medication should be used only when clearly needed. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. Babies born to mothers who have used this drug during the last 3 months of pregnancy may rarely develop withdrawal symptoms such as feeding/breathing difficulties, seizures, muscle stiffness, or constant crying. If you notice any of these symptoms in your newborn, tell the doctor promptly.

This medication passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.

Store at room temperature away from light and moisture. Do not store in the bathroom. Keep all medications away from children and pets.

Do not flush medications down the toilet or pour them into a drain unless instructed to do so. Properly discard this product when it is expired or no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company.

Drug interactions may change how your medications work or increase your risk for serious side effects. This document does not contain all possible drug interactions. Keep a list of all the products you use (including prescription/nonprescription drugs and herbal products) and share it with your doctor and pharmacist. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicines without your doctor's approval.

Some products that may interact with this drug include: "water pills" (diuretics such as furosemide), drugs that can cause bleeding/bruising (such as "blood thinners" including warfarin/heparin, anti-platelet drugs including clopidogrel).

Taking MAO inhibitors with this medication may cause a serious (possibly fatal) drug interaction. Avoid taking MAO inhibitors (isocarboxazid, linezolid, methylene blue, moclobemide, phenelzine, procarbazine, rasagiline, safinamide, selegiline, tranylcypromine) during treatment with this medication. Most MAO inhibitors should also not be taken for two weeks before and at least 5 days after treatment with this medication. Ask your doctor when to start or stop taking this medication.

Check all prescription and nonprescription medicine labels carefully since many medications contain pain relievers/fever reducers (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs-NSAIDs such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen) that may increase your risk for bleeding if taken together with this drug. Low-dose aspirin should be continued if prescribed by your doctor for specific medical reasons such as heart attack or stroke prevention (usually at dosages of 81-325 milligrams per day). Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details.

The risk of serotonin syndrome/toxicity increases if you are also taking other drugs that increase serotonin. Examples include street drugs such as MDMA/"ecstasy," St. John's wort, certain antidepressants (including SSRIs such as fluoxetine/paroxetine, other SNRIs such as duloxetine/venlafaxine), tryptophan, among others. The risk of serotonin syndrome/toxicity may be more likely when you start or increase the dose of these drugs.

Milnacipran is very similar to levomilnacipran. Do not use medications containing levomilnacipran while using milnacipran.

If someone has overdosed and has serious symptoms such as passing out or trouble breathing, call 911. Otherwise, call a poison control center right away. US residents can call their local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Canada residents can call a provincial poison control center. Symptoms of overdose may include: confusion, severe drowsiness/dizziness.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose. Take your next dose at the regular time. Do not double the dose to catch up.

Do not share this medication with others.

Laboratory and/or medical tests (such as blood pressure, heart rate, liver function) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your doctor for more details.