What Does Trintellix Interact with?

When should I avoid Trintellix?

Certain health conditions or other factors could raise your risk of harm if you take Trintellix. In such cases, your doctor may not prescribe Trintellix for you. These are known as contraindications. The list below includes contraindications of Trintellix.

If you take monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). Taking MAOIs with Trintellix can increase your risk of serotonin syndrome. With serotonin syndrome, too much serotonin builds up in your body. This can lead to serious complications, which may be life threatening.

It’s recommended that you avoid taking MAOIs within 21 days of stopping Trintellix treatment or for 14 days before starting Trintellix. Examples of MAOIs include phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Emsam), and linezolid (Zyvox).

If you’ve had an allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Trintellix or any of its ingredients, your doctor likely won’t prescribe Trintellix. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.

Before you start taking Trintellix, talk with your doctor if any of the factors above apply to you. Your doctor can determine whether Trintellix is safe for you to take.

Does Trintellix interact with other drugs?

Before you start taking Trintellix, tell your doctor and pharmacist about any prescription, over-the-counter, or other drugs you take. Sharing this information with them may help prevent possible interactions.

If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.

The chart below lists drugs that may interact with Trintellix. Keep in mind that this chart does not include all drugs that may interact with Trintellix.

Drug interactions explained

Learn more about certain drug interactions that can occur with Trintellix.

Trintellix and other antidepressants

Trintellix can interact with certain other antidepressants, including SSRIs, SNRIs, and TCAs.

Trintellix and certain other antidepressants can increase serotonin in your body. Taking Trintellix with such antidepressants can increase your risk of serotonin syndrome. With serotonin syndrome, too much serotonin builds up in your body. This can lead to serious complications, which may be life threatening.

Symptoms can include:

• tremors
• high body temperature
• increased blood pressure
• rapid heart rate
• sweating
• diarrhea
• muscle spasms

More severe symptoms can include:

• loss of consciousness
• coma
• seizures

What you can do

Before you start Trintellix treatment, tell your doctor about any medications you take. If you take other antidepressants that may increase your serotonin level, your doctor will determine whether Trintellix is safe for you to take.

Serotonin syndrome is more likely to occur when there are changes to your treatment plan, such as if your doctor changes your Trintellix dosage. If you develop symptoms of serotonin syndrome while taking Trintellix, seek emergency medical attention right away.

Trintellix and blood thinners

Trintellix can increase your risk of bleeding. Taking this medication with a blood thinner further increase this risk.

Bleeding related to taking Trintellix with blood thinners may include:

• stomach bleeding
• bruising
• nosebleeds

In some cases, bleeding can be severe and life threatening.

What you can do

Before you start taking Trintellix, let your doctor know about any medications you take, including blood thinners. They’ll monitor you for signs of bleeding when you begin Trintellix treatment and after any dosage changes.

If you have any symptoms of bleeding during treatment, such as unusual bruising, bleeding gums, or blood in your stool, contact your doctor. They’ll determine whether Trintellix is safe for you to take.

Trintellix and bupropion (Wellbutrin)

Taking bupropion (Wellbutrin SR, Wellbutrin XL) can make it harder for your body to break down Trintellix.

This may lead to Trintellix building up in your body, which increases the risk of side effects. It can also affect how well Trintellix works to treat your condition.

What you can do

It’s important to tell your doctor about any medications you take before you start taking Trintellix. If you take Wellbutrin or a similar drug, your doctor may need to prescribe a lower Trintellix dosage. They’ll adjust your dose of Trintellix again if you stop taking the CYP2D6 inhibitor.

For more details, check out these articles:

• Trintellix Side Effects: What They Are and How Long They Last
• Dosage Guide for Trintellix
• Wellbutrin Interactions: Alcohol, Supplements, and More

Are there other interactions with Trintellix?

See below for details on other interactions with Trintellix. Note that the information below does not include all other possible interactions with Trintellix.

Although Trintellix may not be reported to interact with vitamins, foods, or vaccines right now, more interactions might be recognized in the future.

It’s important to talk with your doctor and pharmacist about any supplements, herbs, and vitamins you take. Sharing this information with them may help you avoid possible interactions.

Can I take Trintellix with alcohol?

There are no known interactions between Trintellix and alcohol. But alcohol and Trintellix may have some similar side effects. These can include:

• dizziness
• nausea
• vomiting

Drinking alcohol while taking Trintellix may increase your risk of these side effects. If you’re already experiencing these side effects with Trintellix, drinking alcohol may make you feel worse.

If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor to learn how much, if any, alcohol is safe to consume with Trintellix.

Does my health history affect whether I should take Trintellix?

Certain medical conditions or other health factors may raise the risk of interactions with Trintellix. Before taking Trintellix, talk with your doctor about your health history. They’ll determine whether Trintellix is right for you.

Health conditions or other factors that might interact with Trintellix include:

Low sodium levels. Tell your doctor if you’ve ever had low sodium levels in your blood (hyponatremia). Trintellix can sometimes lower sodium further, especially in older adults or people taking diuretics. If you have hyponatremia, your doctor may want to monitor your sodium levels more closely or adjust your treatment plan.

Depression and other mental health disorders in young adults. Trintellix and other antidepressants can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors in people ages 24 years and younger. In fact, Trintellix has a boxed warning for this risk. To learn more, see “Boxed warning” at the beginning of this article.

Problems with bleeding. Taking Trintellix can increase the risk of bleeding. If you already have problems with bleeding or take blood thinners, Trintellix may increase this risk.

Before starting Trintellix treatment, let your doctor know if you have problems with bleeding or take blood thinners. This will help them determine whether Trintellix is safe for you to take.

Bipolar disorder. Taking Trintellix to treat bipolar depression can cause episodes of mania. Before starting treatment with Trintellix, tell your doctor about any mental health conditions you or your family have, including bipolar disorder. This will help them determine whether Trintellix is a safe treatment option for you.

Glaucoma. Trintellix may worsen a certain kind of glaucoma called closed-angle glaucoma. If you have glaucoma, let your doctor know before you take Trintellix. They’ll discuss with you whether this medication is safe for you to take.

Allergic reaction. If you’ve had an allergic reaction to Trintellix or any of its ingredients, your doctor will likely not prescribe Trintellix. This is because taking the drug could cause another allergic reaction. You can ask your doctor about other treatments that may be better options for you.

Pregnancy or breastfeeding. It’s unknown whether it’s safe to take Trintellix during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Taking Trintellix during the last 3 months of pregnancy may increase the risk of complications in a newborn. But stopping Trintellix treatment during pregnancy may increase your risk of depression symptoms returning.

Common questions about Trintellix and interactions

Find answers to some frequently asked questions about Trintellix and possible interactions.

How can I prevent interactions?

Taking certain steps can help you avoid interactions with Trintellix. Before starting treatment, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Things to discuss with them include:

• Whether you drink alcohol.
• Other medications you take, as well as any supplements and herbs. Your doctor or pharmacist can help you fill out a medication list.
• What to do if you start taking a new drug during your Trintellix treatment.

It’s also important to read Trintellix’s label and other paperwork that may come with the drug.

You may see colored stickers on the label that describe interactions. And the paperwork (sometimes called the patient package insert or medication guide) may have other details about interactions. (If you did not get paperwork with Trintellix, ask your pharmacist to print a copy for you.) If you need help understanding this information, your doctor or pharmacist can help.

Taking Trintellix exactly as your doctor prescribes can also help prevent interactions.

What should I ask my doctor?

If you still have questions about Trintellix and its possible interactions, talk with your doctor.

Questions you may want to ask your doctor include:

• Do I need to tell you if I start taking another medication or supplement during my Trintellix treatment?
• Could I take Trintellix if I have bipolar disorder?
• Do other drugs that treat depression have similar interactions?
• Does my risk of interactions depend on my dosage of Trintellix?

To learn more about Trintellix, see these articles:

• All About Trintellix
• Trintellix Side Effects: What You Need to Know
• Dosage Guide for Trintellix
• Trintellix and Cost: What You Need to Know

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