does effexor cause weight gain

[Rebecca]

I have been on Effexor for ~2 years.

I am a Dietitian and a triathlete. I have gained wt and CANNOT lose it.

I have been training for my first triathlon of the season (next week) and I have LOST ZERO wt.

And since I am a Dietitian I know what and how to eat.

I a Super frustrated.

Not to mention the sweating!!! Hate having to change my pajamas in the middile of the night. I sometimes would like/need to change my sheets, but can't wake my husband at 3am to do so.

Anyone else haveing this problem?

By the way I am 36 and WAY TOO young for menopause.

[Ezin]

Heavy sweating? side-effect. Check out hyperhidrosis. Or search for the instances of sweating listed on a drug sheet e.g.

http://www.drugs.com/pro/effexor.html

Weight gain - side-effect. The fact that you exercise (very) well, and still can't lose the weight... common comment.

[rose in Illinois]

hi been on effexor 75 for 3 years!! feel great but gain weight all the time 50 lbs. in 3 tears ugh!!

[fatcatmandont]

I have been taking Effexor XR 300mg for about 1 year. I have gained 30 lbs and the weight gain has worsened my depresssion. My Dr. reduced the dosage to 150 mg for 1 month, then stopped "cold turkey" 1 week ago, it is now day 7 and I am hanging in there. I have read many unsuccessful stories about the weight loss after stoppin effexor, but can't seem to get an answer on how long it takes for the metabolism to repair itself after stopping.

[Katy]

Jane wrote:

There are some seriously wierd problems with reporting side effects of a medication to a forum, and not to your doctor, or the manufacturer.
I have been on 2 X 1 year efexor prescriptions without any ill effects apart from increased sweating, and some post urination drip.
Really, you need to eliminate any confounds : Overweight/eater, non-exerciser, smoker (triple whammy), Drinker, the list goes on.
How do you expect the pharma company to cater to your individual lifestyle???

The overwhelming majority of people I have talked to ALL report weight gain while taking SSRIs and SNRIs. These people are not imagining this side effect. This is real. They are not whiners, and they are not making this up. I was exercising like a mad woman while on Celexa, and still gained weight.

[FallenAngel]

Nichole OH wrote:

DONT take Effexor!!!!! Iv'e been on it for 6 months and gained 15 pounds.it's NOT just the weight! YOU CAN"T GET OFF Of this stuff! It has the WORST withdraw symptoms EVER! worse than street drugs! I don't know how they put this crap on the market. Either plan on taking it for life or get off of it NOW!

I guess I made the right decision by not taking the samples my doctor gave me!!

[Dee54]

I have take Effexor for 6 months and have gained 30 pounds. I still have trouble sleeping. I am starting today to wean off this drug.

[Kim]

I hve been on Effexor for almost 6 months now, and was switched from Paxil to Effexor.... Paxil caused my weight gain and now it seems the Effexor is doing the same. I went from size 12 to 18. I am only 26 yrs old. Now i am depressed b/c i am overweight. Somewhere in the last 3 yrs. I got mixed up on these anti depressants, I do deserve a 2nd chance to see if I can live w/o them, but the side effects seem almost deadly, like you are loosing yourself,and headaches, dizziness is ridiculous

[Linda]

I've been on 75mg of effexor for 2 plus years. It has made a tremendous improvment in my state of mind. I have had virtually no side effects except for increased sweating at night. I'm no spring chicken either so it could also be menopausal symtoms. I have gained weight as well, but that I believe is due to other factors, such as my diet, lack of exercise, drinking etc. etc. Make sure you incorporate your lifestyle before assuming it has to do with your meds.

[my name is joan]

I have been on 150ms of efexor sr for three
years, have to say it stopped my panic and anxiety attacks, the only problem have gained 19kilos and cant loose weight with all the walking dieting and exercise, and have just found out I have osteoporias which I have read antidepressents can cause, I really would love to come of the medication, but frightened of getting those horrible attacks back, is there any other medication to take without the weight gain and side effects

[my name is joan]

Ihave acknowledged and read the terms of service

[ddw]

My 16 yr old daughter and I are both on Effexor.
She has gone from 118 - 145 in a year
I have gained 10 pounds
I lift weights, walk, eat mostly a vegetarian diet but still the weight gain!
My doctor keeps saying that the med is weight neutral.
I think it is responsible for the weight gain of myself and my daughter.

[Anasmama]

i've been on effexor sence i had my daughter, she just turned 3 on july 8th. i left the hospital weighing 235, already being a big gril, then a few weeks later when the put me on the meds i weighed at 225(yeah for breat feeding) sence being on effexor i've gained almost 80lbs! i'm sure alot of it was just plain being depressed in the first place mopping and eatting junk, but i've joined curves, dieted and dieted and more dieting and all i could ever lose was just 15 lbs. I'm on my off effexor now, day two!:) down from 3x75 daily to 2x75 really hoping it will help.

[Anasmama]

Rebecca wrote:

I have been on Effexor for ~2 years.
I am a Dietitian and a triathlete. I have gained wt and CANNOT lose it.
I have been training for my first triathlon of the season (next week) and I have LOST ZERO wt.
And since I am a Dietitian I know what and how to eat.
I a Super frustrated.
Not to mention the sweating!!! Hate having to change my pajamas in the middile of the night. I sometimes would like/need to change my sheets, but can't wake my husband at 3am to do so.
Anyone else haveing this problem?
By the way I am 36 and WAY TOO young for menopause.

yes! i had thought it was just me and all the weight i've gained, my face is the worst almost 24 hours aday, so embarrising.

[Phat Girl]

I have been on effexor for three months and have gained close to TEN pounds. Not only have I noticed the weight gain, but also the inability to lose weight. I am actually training for a half marathon, and am gaining more weight the better shape I get in. I am also eating healthier to no avail. I think I am more depressed on effexor than off. A couple of days ago was the first time in 15 years my husband sat me down to say he was losing his physical attraction towards me. Boy, did that help my depression! I think I am going to slowly get off of them and pray for my ability to lose weight again. I'd rather be thin and depressed, than fat and depressed.

[Beth]

I have been on effexor for 2 1/2 months and i have gained 9 pounds. I walk daily as well as eat good foods. I cannot lost this weight.
Like Phat Girl above, my boyfriend of 6 years sat me down and told me that i need to lose some weight. All the weight i have gained is in my mid section and my face. It's making me more depressed and anxious than i was before i started taking the effexor.

[pattyk]

Phat Girl wrote:

I have been on effexor for three months and have gained close to TEN pounds. Not only have I noticed the weight gain, but also the inability to lose weight. I am actually training for a half marathon, and am gaining more weight the better shape I get in. I am also eating healthier to no avail. I think I am more depressed on effexor than off. A couple of days ago was the first time in 15 years my husband sat me down to say he was losing his physical attraction towards me. Boy, did that help my depression! I think I am going to slowly get off of them and pray for my ability to lose weight again. I'd rather be thin and depressed, than fat andepressed.

Dear Phat Girl, Pleeese get rid of that jerk your husband and see if your problems don't get better fast!

[Phat Girl]

OMG!! pattyk, thank you so much for your response. I truely needed a good laugh, and you gave it to me. Yeah, my heart truely hurt after that conversation with my husband, but I know God will take care of me. I was hoping someone would respond, so thank you again.
Phat Girl

[Milf58]

I went off Efexor because of the blasted weigh gain, I told my doctor if it caused me to gain weight that it would give me another type of depression, which it did. I went from 112 to 132 in six mts! Well, I went off them and now down to a size 4, I am depressed again, but take klonapin when that happens, I don't want to be on a daily pill anymore. The side effects from coming off those pills was awful, the brain zaps made me go crazy.

[Teresa]

I lost weight in the first few weeks with Effexor. I have been on it for two years and have definately started to gain weight, even though I do excerise and eat well regularly. I do believe the drug has something to do with my weight gain, as I work out more now than ever before and am quite disappointed with the results. I do not take any other meds and are in the process of stopping Effexor. Hopefully I will get off permanently.

cliffhanger wrote:

i have to agree with starwing or clifton, this is a wonder working med not only for depression and anxiety but also for weight loss and loss of appettite which for me is great because i have gained weight in years past and had a big appettite, not anymore and im losing my weight and feeling great mentally and physically this has been a wonder working drug for me. you just have to remember different meds work different on different people find whats right for you.