


Ask a doctor about a prescription for VANDRAL RETARD 150 mg PROLONGED-RELEASE HARD CAPSULES
Vandral Retard 75 mg prolonged-release hard capsules
Vandral Retard 150 mg prolonged-release hard capsules
Vandral Retard 225 mg prolonged-release hard capsules
venlafaxine
Vandral Retard contains the active substance venlafaxine.
Vandral Retard is an antidepressant that belongs to a group of medicines called serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). This group of medicines is used to treat depression and other conditions such as anxiety disorders. It is not fully understood how antidepressants work, but they may help to increase the levels of serotonin and norepinephrine in the brain.
Vandral Retard is a treatment for adults with depression. It is also a treatment for adults with the following anxiety disorders: generalised anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder (fear or avoidance of social situations), panic disorder (panic attacks). Treating your depression or anxiety disorder properly is important to help you feel better. If it is not treated, your condition may not improve or may get worse and become more difficult to treat.
Consult your doctor or pharmacist before taking Vandral Retard:
Vandral Retard may cause a feeling of restlessness or difficulty sitting or standing still during the first few weeks of treatment. You should consult your doctor if this happens to you.
Do not drink alcohol while you are taking Vandral Retard, as it may increase the risk of side effects. Taking Vandral Retard in combination with certain medicines or alcohol may increase the risk of side effects, such as drowsiness, and may worsen your depression or other medical conditions, such as anxiety disorders.
If you are depressed and/or have an anxiety disorder, you can sometimes have thoughts of harming yourself or suicide. These thoughts may be increased when you first start taking antidepressants, since these medicines all take time to work, usually about 2 weeks, but sometimes longer. These thoughts may also occur when your dose is reduced or when you stop taking Vandral Retard.
This is more likely to happen if:
If you have thoughts of harming yourself or suicide at any time, contact your doctor or go to hospital straight away.
You may find it helpful to tell a relative or close friend that you are depressed or have an anxiety disorder, and ask them to read this leaflet. You might ask them to tell you if they think your depression or anxiety is getting worse, or if they are worried about changes in your behaviour.
Dry mouth
Dry mouth has been reported in 10% of patients treated with venlafaxine. This may increase the risk of tooth decay. Therefore, you should pay attention to your dental hygiene.
Diabetes
Sexual problems
Some medicines of the same group as Vandral Retard (so-called SNRIs) may cause sexual dysfunction (see section 4). In some cases, these sexual problems persist after stopping treatment.
Vandral Retard should not normally be used in the treatment of children and adolescents under 18 years of age. In addition, you should know that in patients under 18 years of age, there is an increased risk of side effects such as suicide attempt, suicidal thoughts and hostility (predominantly aggression, oppositional behaviour and anger) when they take this class of medicines. Despite this, your doctor may prescribe this medicine to patients under 18 years of age when it is in their best interests. If your doctor has prescribed this medicine to a patient under 18 years of age and you want to discuss this, please contact your doctor. You should inform your doctor if any of the above symptoms occur or get worse when patients under 18 years of age are taking Vandral Retard.
Furthermore, the long-term safety of Vandral Retard in relation to growth, maturation, and cognitive and behavioural development in this age group has not been demonstrated.
Taking Vandral Retard with other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking or have recently taken any other medicines.
Your doctor will decide whether you can take Vandral Retard with other medicines.
Do not start or stop taking any medicines, including those bought without a prescription, natural remedies or herbal products, before checking with your doctor or pharmacist.
A potentially life-threatening condition or reactions similar to Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) (see section “Possible side effects”) may occur with venlafaxine treatment, particularly when taken with other medicines.
Examples of these medicines include:
The signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome may include a combination of the following:
restlessness, hallucinations, loss of coordination, fast heart beat, increased body temperature, rapid changes in blood pressure, overactive reflexes, diarrhoea, coma, nausea, vomiting.
In its most severe form, serotonin syndrome can resemble Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS). The signs and symptoms of NMS may include a combination of fever, fast heart beat, sweating, severe muscle stiffness, confusion, increased muscle enzymes (determined by a blood test).
Tell your doctor immediately or go to the casualty department of the nearest hospital if you think you are experiencing serotonin syndrome.
Tell your doctor if you are taking medicines that may affect your heart rhythm.
Some examples of these medicines include:
The following medicines may also interact with Vandral Retard and should be used with caution. It is especially important to mention to your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking medicines containing:
Vandral Retard should be taken with food (see section 3 “How to take Vandral Retard”).
If you are pregnant or breast-feeding, think you may be pregnant or are planning to have a baby, ask your doctor or pharmacist for advice before taking this medicine. You should only take Vandral Retard after discussing the potential benefits and risks with your doctor.
Make sure your midwife and/or doctor know you are taking Vandral Retard. When similar medicines (SSRIs) are taken during pregnancy, they may increase the risk of a serious condition in babies, called persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), which makes the baby breathe faster and turn blue. These symptoms usually start during the first 24 hours after the baby is born. If this happens to your baby, you should contact your midwife and/or doctor immediately.
If you take Vandral Retard during the last trimester of your pregnancy, you should be aware that the following effects may be seen in your newborn baby: trouble with breathing, blue discolouration of the skin, fitting, temperature instability, feeding difficulties, irritability, shakiness or stiffness, limpness, and/or weak crying. If your newborn baby has any of these symptoms, you should contact your doctor or midwife.
Vandral Retard passes into breast milk. There is a risk of an effect on the baby. Therefore, you should discuss the matter with your doctor, and he/she will decide whether you should stop breast-feeding or stop the treatment with Vandral Retard.
Do not drive or use any tools or machines until you know how Vandral Retard affects you.
Take this medicine exactly as your doctor has told you. If you are not sure, check with your doctor or pharmacist.
The usual recommended starting dose for the treatment of depression, generalised anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder is 75 mg per day. Your doctor may gradually increase the dose and if necessary up to a maximum of 375 mg per day for depression. If you are being treated for panic disorder, your doctor will start with a lower dose (37.5 mg) and then gradually increase the dose. The maximum dose for generalised anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder, and panic disorder is 225 mg/day.
Take Vandral Retard at approximately the same time each day, either in the morning or in the evening. The capsules should be swallowed whole with fluid and should not be opened, crushed, chewed, or dissolved.
Vandral Retard should be taken with food.
If you have liver or kidney problems, you should talk to your doctor, as you may need a different dose of this medicine.
Do not stop taking this medicine without talking to your doctor (see the section “If you stop taking Vandral Retard”).
In case of overdose or accidental intake, contact your doctor, pharmacist, or call the Toxicology Information Service, telephone 91 562 04 20, indicating the medicine and the amount taken.
Overdose can put your life at risk, especially when taken with certain medicines and/or alcohol (see Taking Vandral Retard with other medicines).
Symptoms of a possible overdose may include palpitations, changes in the level of consciousness (ranging from drowsiness to coma), blurred vision, seizures or fits, and vomiting.
If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take only a single dose as usual. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose. Do not take more than the prescribed daily dose of Vandral Retard in one day.
Do not stop taking your treatment or reduce the dose without the advice of your doctor, even if you feel better. If your doctor thinks that you no longer need Vandral Retard, he/she may ask you to reduce the dose gradually before stopping treatment completely. It is known that side effects can occur when people stop using this medicine, especially when it is stopped suddenly or the dose is reduced too quickly. Some patients may experience symptoms such as suicidal thoughts, aggression, tiredness, dizziness, unsteadiness, headache, insomnia, nightmares, dry mouth, loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhoea, nervousness, agitation, confusion, ringing in the ears, tingling, or, in rare cases, electric shock sensations, weakness, sweating, seizures, or symptoms similar to flu, vision problems, and increased blood pressure (which can cause headache, dizziness, ringing in the ears, sweating, etc.).
Your doctor will advise you how to gradually stop taking Vandral Retard. This may take several weeks or months. In some patients, the withdrawal may need to be very gradual over several months or longer. If you experience any of these or other symptoms that are troublesome for you, contact your doctor for advice.
If you have any further questions on the use of this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause adverse effects, although not all people suffer from them.
If any of the following effects occur, do not take more Vandral Retard. Tell your doctor immediately, or go to the emergency department of the nearest hospital:
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
In its most severe form, serotonin syndrome can resemble neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). The signs and symptoms of NMS may include a combination of fever, rapid heartbeat, sweating, severe muscle stiffness, confusion, increased muscle enzymes (determined by a blood test).
Frequency not known (cannot be estimated from the available data)
Other adverse effects that you should inform your doctor aboutare (the frequency of these adverse effects is included in the list below "other adverse effects that may occur"):
Do not worry if you notice white balls or small granules in your stools after taking this medicine. Inside the Vandral Retard capsules, there are spheroids (small white balls) that contain the active ingredient (venlafaxine). These spheroids are released from the capsule in the stomach. As they circulate through the stomach and intestines, venlafaxine is slowly released. The "shell" of the spheroid does not dissolve and is eliminated in the stools. Therefore, although you may see spheroids in the stools, the dose of the medicine has been absorbed.
Very Common (may affect more than 1 in 10 people)
Common (may affect up to 1 in 10 people)
Uncommon (may affect up to 1 in 100 people)
Rare (may affect up to 1 in 1,000 people)
Very Rare (may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people)
Frequency not known (cannot be estimated from the available data)
Vandral Retard sometimes produces unwanted effects that you may not be aware of, such as increased blood pressure or an abnormal heartbeat; changes in blood levels of liver enzymes, sodium, or cholesterol. Less frequently, Vandral Retard may reduce the function of blood platelets, leading to an increased risk of bruising or bleeding. Therefore, your doctor may want to perform occasional blood tests, especially if you have been taking Vandral Retard for a long time.
Reporting of Adverse Effects
If you experience any adverse effect, consult your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse, even if it is a possible adverse effect that does not appear in this leaflet. You can also report them directly through the Spanish Pharmacovigilance System for Human Use Medicines: http://www.notificaram.es. By reporting adverse effects, you can contribute to providing more information on the safety of this medicine.
Keep this medicine out of the sight and reach of children.
Do not use this medicine after the expiration date that appears on the packaging. The expiration date is the last day of the month indicated.
Do not store above 30°C.
Medicines should not be disposed of through wastewater or household waste. Deposit the packaging and medicines you no longer need at the SIGRE collection point in your pharmacy. In case of doubt, ask your pharmacist how to dispose of the packaging and medicines you no longer need. This way, you will help protect the environment.
Composition of Vandral Retard
The active ingredient is venlafaxine.
Each prolonged-release capsule contains 84.85 mg of venlafaxine hydrochloride, equivalent to 75 mg of venlafaxine base.
The other ingredients are:
Capsule content:microcrystalline cellulose, ethylcellulose, hypromellose, talc.
Capsule shell:gelatin, iron oxide red and yellow (E172), titanium dioxide (E171).
Capsule printing ink:shellac, iron oxide red (E172), ammonium hydroxide, simethicone, propylene glycol.
Each prolonged-release capsule contains 169.7 mg of venlafaxine hydrochloride, equivalent to 150 mg of venlafaxine base.
The other ingredients are:
Capsule content:microcrystalline cellulose, ethylcellulose, hypromellose, talc.
Capsule shell:gelatin, iron oxide red and yellow (E172), titanium dioxide (E171).
Capsule printing ink:shellac, sodium hydroxide (see section 2), povidone, titanium dioxide (E171), propylene glycol.
Each prolonged-release capsule contains 254.52 mg of venlafaxine hydrochloride, equivalent to 225 mg of venlafaxine base.
The other ingredients are:
Capsule content:microcrystalline cellulose, ethylcellulose, hypromellose, talc.
Capsule shell:gelatin, iron oxide black, red, and yellow (E172), titanium dioxide (E171).
Capsule printing ink:shellac, sodium hydroxide (see section 2), povidone, titanium dioxide (E171), propylene glycol.
Vandral Retard 75 mg is a hard (gelatin) prolonged-release capsule, opaque, and peach-colored, 19.4 mm x 6.91 mm, with a 'W' and the dose '75' printed in red.
Vandral Retard 75 mg is available in:
Packages with blisters of 7, 10, 14, 15, 20, 28, 30, 50, 56, 60, 98, 100 hard capsules and clinical packages of 500 (10x50) and 1,000 (10x100) hard capsules or in plastic bottles (HDPE) of 14, 20, 50, 100 hard capsules and clinical packages of 500 and 1,000 hard capsules.
Unit-dose blister packages of 14, 28, 84, and 100 hard capsules.
Vandral Retard 150 mg is a hard (gelatin) prolonged-release capsule, opaque, and orange-colored, 23.5 mm x 7.65 mm, with a 'W' and the dose '150' printed in white.
Vandral Retard 150 mg is available in:
Packages with blisters of 7, 10, 14, 15, 20, 28, 30, 50, 56, 60, 98, 100 hard capsules and clinical packages of 500 (10x50) and 1,000 (10x100) hard capsules or in plastic bottles (HDPE) of 14, 20, 50, 100 hard capsules and clinical packages of 500 and 1,000 hard capsules.
Unit-dose blister packages of 14, 28, 84, and 100 hard capsules.
Vandral Retard 225 mg is an opaque capsule with a light gray shell and dark orange body, with "W" and "225" in white print
Vandral Retard 225 mg is available in:
Packages with blisters of 7, 10, 14, 15, 20, 28, 30, 50, 56, 60, 98, 100 and clinical packages of 500 (10x50) and 1,000 (10x100).
Unit-dose blister packages of 14, 28, 84, and 100 hard capsules.
Not all package sizes may be marketed.
Marketing Authorization Holder
Viatris Healthcare Limited
Damastown Industrial Park
Mulhuddart, Dublin 15
Dublin
Ireland
Manufacturer
Pfizer Manufacturing Deutschland GmbH
Mooswaldallee 1
79108 Freiburg Im Breisgau
Germany
or
Pfizer Ireland Pharmaceuticals
Little Connell
Newbridge
County Kildare
Ireland
You can request more information about this medicine by contacting the local representative of the marketing authorization holder:
Viatris Pharmaceuticals, S.L.U.
Calle General Aranaz, 86
28027 Madrid
Spain
Austria | Efectin ER 37.5 mg capsules Efectin ER 75 mg capsules Efectin ER 150 mg capsules |
Belgium, Luxembourg | Efexor-Exel 37.5 Efexor-Exel 75 Efexor-Exel 150 Efexor-Exel 225 |
Bulgaria | Efectin ER 75 mg Efectin ER 150 mg |
Czech Republic | Efectin ER 37.5 mg Efectin ER 75 mg Efectin ER 150 mg |
Cyprus, Greece, Estonia, Lithuania, Portugal | Efexor XR |
Latvia | Efexor XR Efexor XR 75 Efexor XR 150 |
Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden | Efexor Depot |
France | Effexor L.P. |
Germany | Trevilor retard 37.5 mg Trevilor retard 75 mg Trevilor retard 150 mg |
Ireland, Malta, United Kingdom (Northern Ireland) | Efexor XL |
Netherlands | Efexor XR 37.5 Efexor XR 75 Efexor XR 150 |
Italy | Efexor Faxine |
Poland | Efectin ER 37.5 Efectin ER 75 Efectin ER 150 |
Romania | Efectin EP 37.5 mg Efectin EP 75 mg Efectin EP 150 mg |
Slovenia | Efectin ER 37.5 mg prolonged-release capsules Efectin ER 75 mg prolonged-release capsules Efectin ER 150 mg prolonged-release capsules |
Spain | Vandral Retard 75 mg prolonged-release hard capsules Vandral Retard 150 mg prolonged-release hard capsules Vandral Retard 225 mg prolonged-release hard capsules |
*[Please note that not all products and concentrations listed may be marketed].
Date of the last revision of this leaflet: July 2023
Detailed and updated information on this medicine is available on the website of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (AEMPS) http://www.aemps.gob.es
The average price of VANDRAL RETARD 150 mg PROLONGED-RELEASE HARD CAPSULES in November, 2025 is around 19.15 EUR. Prices may vary depending on the region, pharmacy, and whether a prescription is required. Always check with a local pharmacy or online source for the most accurate information.
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