does effexor cause weight gain

[jesse]

i thought I would come back and visit this forum again. It's now been 2 years since I have been off of Effexor. Weight gain total 30 lbs. Total loss in 2 years- 15 lbs (sometimes 20 lbs but 5 lbs seems to flucuate up and down on me) with strenuous excerise, weight lifting and low calorie dieting. Never in my life have I ever tried so hard to lose weight and do believe this permanently effects and changes your metabolism even when you get off the drug.

I am still trying to lose the last 10-15lbs and don't know if it's gonna come off at this point in time. As another post above said that it leaves you looking bloated-this is what it has done for me. I am not very big (5'3" 135lbs). My legs and arms are extremely skinny yet I look bloated 24/7 and have had people ask if I am pregnant. Horrible!!

If anyone has suggestions as to how to lose the last 10-15 lbs please let me know

[Cannoka]

I was put on Effexor in late February of this year. I have gained 20 lbs since then even after my doctor assured me I wouldn't gain weight. Bull.
I am going to wean myself off and try to live the rest of my life without anti-depressants or until they can finally make an universal one that DOESN'T make anyone gain weight.

[Lindsay]

Where did my post go?

[Lindsay]

Summer 2002 I came home from college with the aweful "freshman 15." I deserved it. I ate pizza at 2 in the morning, and not just a slice or two no back then if I got pizza it was a how many slices can I eat type of food. Plus, fries, icecream, and other junk at the dining hall in addition to soda and of course beer. However, I only drank a handful of times my freshman year. So anyway I came home and joined weight watchers. I lost 12 lbs in less than 3 weeks. I watched my points and was lucky to have a summer job at a gym. However, I had a boyfriend at the time in Mass. IT was really tough on me and would go in and out of deep depressions. That summer I would think about just breaking up with him so I could live my life and move on. The thought upset me so much I thought that I must be morbidly depressed to think such things. This is exaclty what I told my doctor and just like that he gave me effexor. I'm mean thinking back on it a 19 year old girl, losing weight, in college, considering lettin go of a long distance relationship-(hmmmm sounds more like I should have just seen a therapist and talked it out) Anyway-back to the wieght.
As soon as I started the effexor my weight loss got much harder. I was eating the lowest points possible, woring out 2hrs a day, drinking tons of water and i would only lose .5, then gain 2 , lose 1 etc. I some how managed to get the last 4 lbs off by the end of the summer. MY entired sophomore year I contiued to just continued to lose more weight with out even trying. I would say for a little over a year I could eat whatever I wanted, not excercise and I would just keep getting thinner.
That didn't last-it came back with a vengence. For the rest of college and my weight was a roller coaster and bascially still is to this day. SEriously I can recall so many different numbers on the scale- 161, 154, 146, 143, 153, 158, 156, 137, 146, 132....basically I have been as big as 162 and as low as 132. I have never had more then maybe 6 months of any steady weight. I eat extremely healthy. No white breads, only whole wheat pastas, fruits, veggies, beans, grains, briwn rice, protien-my junk food is my fiber one bars people! Last summer I worked my ass off at the gym for a friends wedding and I swear the more I worked out, the bigger I would get! Like the more bloated I would look all over. Well after her wedding my now husband proposed so I knew something had to be done. This past Christmas, my weight creeped up to 157-160-not sexy on my 5'4 body. So I went to my NEW doc right after the holidays to get it under control. So here's my little glimmer of hope for some of you out there. This is exctly what she said and told me to do.
1. make drinking water a system
a big glass in the am w/ a splash of lemon-this help flush out your system but only one glass as its bascially a diaretic.
then its 30oz before noon
30 oz before 5
water with dinner and any other time your thirsty for the rest of the night.
2. No eating after 8 even if its a granola bar, 0 points, fat free, whole grain ect-she says that anything after 8 is stored as fat.
3. Acai berry juice- this was recommend by my doc. She knew my other meds so she knew it was ok for me to use the juice. It does work, but don't by into any acai the super wieght loss miracle fruit. Its no miracle, it just contains so many antioxidants that it aids in weight loss b/c your body won't crave things like sugar or carbs. If you wanna try it I strongly suggest asking a doctor about it and for them to suggest a brand.

One my wedding day (june 27th) I was a hot 142 - a sexy size 6. So lost almost 20lbs. I walked most days after work, and did work out videos on demand. But I didn't over do it with the exercise this time.
Good Luck All!
This is my last week before I start weaning. I am ready to do battle. I was still a kid when I went on it, now Im 26 and I'd really like to know who the real me is. I'm ready to fight-bring it on! Good luck to all.

[Kelly]

I was on paxil and now my dac has switched me to effexor because i gained 60lbs in 9months on paxil. Low and behold I hear I a may not be any better on this stuff. Cymbalta DOES NOT WORK... I am so tired of switching stuff due to the harsh side effects of anianxietys and depressants

[PISSED OFF IN PHOENIX]

permanent weightgain wrote:

THE WEIGHT GAIN IS PERMANTENT!......... Unfortunately, he told me the weight gain from paxil/efexor ( these were the one he mentioned) is permantent in most cases and that there is nothing to do about it.Nothing! After saying that I didnt listen as I was so choked and miserable! So can't tell you what the exact reason is, but it was something about leptin. I will call him on monday and ask him again and I will post the answer.
.......

OK _ You posted this awful note - telling us that you've been told you have NO HELP... and then you even say you'll call back and post more information later... WHERE IS THE F__ING POST!!!
If you're trying to just hurt people then you're doing a good job. If you got an answer then tell us.
I went though the withdrawls and I'm off all my meds - doing just fine... but for once I feel vindicated that this weight LOSS hell isn't entirely my fault...
If you have answers post them...PLEASE cause if you thought hearing the news was upseting.... so is reading your post.

[permanent weightgain]

Dear Pissed off in Phoenix

I know your frustrations, but no need to use language like you do. Why should I want to hurt anyone? We are all in the same boat.

The message the doctor gave me was that some antidepressive, mostly effexor and paxil, cause the body to produce more leptines. Normally, a person has a constant amount of leptins throughout the life. When you loose weight the leptins become smaller - but you still have the same number of leptins. Effexor makes you form new leptins which are resistent to weight loss. They simply dont react. Why they dont react, I dont know. He also said, that in some cases, people do loose the weight eventually, but in other cases, people never loose the weight. If you go to medhelp you will find many people describing that it has been years since the stopped taking effexor, and they still cant loose the weight.

I had to start taking proxac because I got so depressed about this. Now, I have kind of accepted that this is how it is. I started save money for some lipo, so I can get some of this fat off!!!

[Lindsay]

Pissed off in Phoenix.
Read my post above. I've been able to lose the weight. I'll admit it's really hard to keep it off but I have done it. Good luck. Try not to focus on losing all of it or be where u were before. Take small steps and get to wieghr that your ok with. Get to where you're no considered " fat.". That's helped me a lot, I'd love to he thinner right now-size 8- but knowing and accepting that I'm not actually overweight or fat makes me feel really great about my self and keeps me on check when I do start gaining. For me 5 lbs puts me over the mark if overwieght which for someone else nay be no big deal- what5lbs over weight? For me that's a very big
deal. That's when. I see bumps amd rolls in the mirror that are not ok ! Hope this helps a lil! I'm on week 5. Of 37,5. I'm taking my weening extremely slow. The only symptoms of withdraw have been crying spells,insomia, and I guess up and down wieghr could be apart of it too. Good luck :)

[HSM]

I am so mad at my doctor for ever prescribing me this drug. Besides the 40lbs in weight gain over about 18 months (while I was training for the Olympic trails), it is nearly impossible to get off of! It took me something like 8 weeks to get off of it and I still have occasional brain zaps. Why would you give some one suffering from depression something that will make them fat (which invariably makes your more depressed)? I have been med free for about 6 months and am realizing I need be be back on something but I am terrified of gaining more weight!

[Pauline from Kent UK]

I have been taking Effexor XL 150 mg for 5 years and they are a godsend to me..I was put on them for General Anxiety Dissorder (GAD)I felt a great relief taking them, as things have not gone round and round in my head causing me sleepless nights etc and feeling I could not cope with everyday living. Prior to taking them I had taken an overdose as I was at my wits end...but since taking them I fell a weight has been taken off my shoulders and I enjoy living.
I do not know what I would do if they were taken off the market....I was told I would need to take them for the rest of my life and I intend to....I am 65yrs old.
I feel very sorry for the people whom Effexor has not worked for.

[Meh]

I was put on effexor after bat times with cetolpram for GAD and mild depression. Well had been on effexor for 6 years. Finally coming off and the withdrawal symptoms are hideous. Headaches, tremours, pains, pangs you name it. I put on 30kgs taking it and struggled to loose 10kgs but now off finding it much easier. I used to retain so much fluid as well, my 3 chins have now totally gone. Still having serious sleeping problems but ironically far fewer panic attacks. I would never suggest coming off meds without advice though so please just talk to your doctor. Personally though I glad to be free. Good luck all!

[Meh]

The brain zaps are the worst though. But please believe me they do get better. I was on half a 37.5 every other day and they still hit me hard. Took over two weeks to go totally.

[Angelica]

ddw wrote:

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.

hey. I'm 16 and on effexor , it scared me to read that you will gain so much weight, when you say neutral what do you mean??

[Molly]

My guess is, they call it "neutral" because some people gain, some people lose, and for some people the weight doesn't change at all. So it all averages out across large samples.

[sig sauer]

I went to the DR. today for my depression and was given effexor, Ive just spent the last hour reading all of the posts on here and I'm having a prepostal melt down. I'm thinking oh my GOD in heaven what am I going to do now......should I try the meds or not try the meds....I know I just can't keep living my life feeling like I do....I'm having a panic attack trying to decide what to do....does anyone on here think I should give it a try and if I start the weight gain or have side effects stop taking the meds....please I need some quick advice!!!!

[Marie]

To sig sauer:
Could you get him to prescib you prozac. Prozac is more weight-neutral than effexor. Effexor works different in all people - for me it ruined my life.

[newfie girl]

i've been on anti-depressants for three years now..first i was on paxil for the first 1 and a half(didn't do a thing for me)came of them for 5 months and then went on effixor(works wonders for me).but the problem i have is with my weight,i have gained 45 pounds in the last 3 years its awful i'm at my wits end.the weight gain is causing me to have anitxy,not sure what to do....please help...if anyone got a diet that really works!!!!!

[sig sauer]

Marie wrote:

To sig sauer:
Could you get him to prescib you prozac. Prozac is more weight-neutral than effexor. Effexor works different in all people - for me it ruined my life.

Thanks for your reply, I took my first pill at 6:45 pm and within a half hr the room was spinning and I felt nausea, I went to bed at 11:00 and was up all night with a rapid heart beat and chills, I could not go to sleep. I had no appetite the following day and I felt sick and kept yawning and had a awful taste in my mouth, I thought no way am I taking my next pill,it is 10:04pm and I'm just starting to feel better. I'll have to do a search on prozac, are you on it now?

[Marie]

Sig sauer

Every person reacts differently to effexor. I gained alot of weight, was yawning all the time, couldn't pee, forgot everything around me.

I just know that for me prozac is better, but like I said, its different from person to person. Biut dont let you fool by your doctor when he/she says that effexor doesnt cause weightgain and other sideeffects.

Im on prozac now - 20 mg a day.

cheers

[april]

this is for the guy who posted on here(although i dont know where his post went)how upset he was about his girlfriend taking Effexor, and what an emotional roller coaster she was on, how she wants to have a baby with him but he keeps telling her she cant while on Effexor and is demanding she get off it before he pursues a life with her, and what should he do?
dude, who do you think you are telling someone its not safe for her to get pregnant while she's on her depression medication, and moreso, who are you to demand she get off it or else? are you really wanting her to chance her life without her meds while she deals with all those hormones? of course its not unsafe for her, whats unsafe is your ultimatims while she's depressed, demanding she get off it eventually or she doesnt love you? check it out EITHER SUPPORT HER MAKING HER OWN DECISIONS ABOUT HER OWN BODY OR GET THE HECK OUT OF THE WAY! because thats not love- its control