I have been diagnosed with neuropathy, along with having high anxiety and depression. I would like to know what determines if one would be better treated with effexor as opposed to prozac.

Thanks.

Effexor (venlafaxine) and Prozac (fluoxetine) are both excellent antidepressants. There is no good way to tell ahead of time which of these antidepressants is more likely to be effective for you.

These two medications do have different side effects. Effexor is more likely to cause adverse effects like constipation, sweatting, dizziness, dry mouth, and increased blood pressure. Prozac may cause insomnia, nervousness, headache, nausea, diarrhea, and sexual problems.

For most people, the SSRI's (e.g. Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, or Paxil) are better tolerated (fewer side effects) than Effexor. However, there is some evidence that people who do not respond to SSRI's may respond to Effexor.