Frequently Asked Questions About Vortioxetine (Trintellix)

Written by Alexandra Benisek
Medically Reviewed by Smitha Bhandari, MD on March 03, 2023
5 min read

If you take or are about to start taking the medication vortioxetine (Trintellix), you may have questions about this antidepressant. Here are the answers to some of the most common questions.

Doctors prescribe it to treat major depressive disorder (MDD), which people usually call depression. You’ll take it as a tablet once a day by mouth, with or without food. It’s sold in the U.S. under the brand Trintellix. 

You can only get this drug with a prescription from your doctor. 

This drug belongs to a group of antidepressants called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). 

SSRIs can help boost your mood and are best for moderate to severe depression. Usually, SSRIs have less side effects than other types of antidepressants.

Experts have found that vortioxetine is a little different from other SSRIs. While it works with your serotonin levels like other SSRIs, it also changes several serotonin receptors. These are the things that depression drugs target. This means vortioxetine modulates serotonin, which other SSRIs don’t do.

This drug and other SSRIs heighten the activity of a chemical in your brain called serotonin. This can help lessen the symptoms of depression.

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, or a chemical that sends signals between your nerve cells and your brain. Normally, when serotonin carries a message, it usually gets reabsorbed by your nerve cells. But SSRIs block this process. This leaves more serotonin in your body to pass more messages to other nerve cells.

Higher serotonin levels also can enhance the chances of success with other depression treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy.

Your energy levels, sleep, and appetite might start to get better in 1-2 weeks after you start vortioxetine. This is usually a good sign that the medication works well in your body. 

It might take up to 6-8 weeks for your mood and interest in activities to improve. But each person’s body will react differently to these drugs. You might notice benefits sooner or later than the average.

Vortioxetine takes about 2 weeks to leave your body completely. If you want to switch antidepressants, it’s important to do it correctly. You’ll want to wait until vortioxetine is out of your system before you start a new antidepressant. Talk to your doctor about the best and safest way to do this.

There are a few common side effects that people notice with this medication, like:

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Constipation
  • Issues having sex
  • Dizziness
  • Diarrhea

There are other side effects that are rarer but more serious:

  • Teeth grinding
  • Angle-closure glaucoma. Symptoms from this condition include changes in your vision, swelling or redness in or around your eye, and pain in your eye.
  • Low sodium blood levels, which can cause headaches, issues with concentration and memory, and weakness
  • Serotonin syndrome. This can lead to diarrhea, shivering, confusion, intense muscle tightness, seizures, fever, or death.
  • Seizures

There have been reports of people who claim they gained weight with this medication. 

But Trintellix’s manufacturer says that there’s no risk of weight gain because of the drug. In short-term and 6-month phase studies, experts found no links between taking Trintellix and increased weight. Another study concluded that vortioxetine may be less likely to lead to weight gain compared to other antidepressants.

Some SSRIs can make you sweat. Experts have seen this happen in a few other types. But it’s not clear if vortioxetine causes this. 

The FDA approved vortioxetine for MDD. Studies show that it also can help with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). One study found that the drug helped: 

  • People with GAD function better during their daily routines
  • Ease GAD symptoms
  • Improve the quality of life for people with GAD 

Another study found that vortioxetine was especially helpful in people who had both MDD and GAD. But other studies failed to find that the drug had any benefits at all for GAD.

The full price of this drug, with no insurance, is about $466 for a 30-day prescription. Your actual out-of-pocket costs will depend on if you have health insurance and your type of coverage. 

According to Trintellix’s manufacturer, here are some average prices people pay:

Commercial, or private, insurance. Your average monthly cost will be $58.54. But Trintellix offers a savings program for people with this type of insurance. Through this, you might be able to pay as little as $10 for a 30-day or 90-day prescription of Trintellix.

Medicare Part D. Your monthly cost will be around $40.19. But Trintellix’s website states that you might be able to get more financial support through a program called Help At Hand. This program helps people who either don’t have insurance or need extra help alongside their insurance.

Veterans Administration insurance. With this coverage, your average monthly cost will be $61. The manufacturer’s discount program may bring that cost down even lower.

There are no generic brands of vortioxetine. But it’s important to talk to your doctor if you can’t pay for Trintellix. They might be able to find another, cheaper option for your depression.

This drug comes in 5-milligram, 10-milligram, and 20-milligram tablets. It’s important that you only take the dosage that your doctor prescribed to you. Follow your doctor’s guidance on how much and how often to take your medication. 

Adults will usually start with 10 milligrams once a day. Your doctor might bump it up to 20 milligrams, if needed. But doses rarely go higher than that.

It’s also not a good idea to split your pills because it can be hard to tell the exact dose you’re taking. Ask your doctor if there’s a safer way to adjust your dosage up or down.

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