does effexor cause weight gain

[Milf58]

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 REbecca, the weight gain made me super depressed!! I could not lose the weight and was only eating one meal a day! Yes, I had that sweating too, I thought I'd go crazy. I finished menopause a year ago and didn't get hot flashed, night sweats, or any of that stuff, just mood swings which I've had all my life. The pill takes away one thing and leaves you with a lot of other things that you don't want! It's ashamed they don't put that warning on the bottle, they just want to make money. It took a long time after getting off efexor to start losing weight and I'm still struggling. I used to be a size 2 womens. I have 10lbs more to go, I think science needs to come up with something else for us, you think?

[corinne]

i've noticed that when i started taking the effexor and now that i'm trying to wean myself off of it, the weird physical side effects kind of mirror what i feel when i have low blood sugar or are dehydrated. it's funny though, because normally when youre nauseated, you DON'T want food. but when the woozy feeling is caused by dehydration or blood sugar issues, your body starts craving food.

The problem with the low blood sugar feeling is that i'll start snacking and that won't make me feel any better.(duh. because the wooziness has NOTHING to do with blood sugar!) but it does mean that i'm snacking a lot more and without paying attention, i can see how that could turn into a problem.

secondly, the feeling dehydrated thing is also problematic. i'd missed a dose in the morning and by the evening, i felt wretched. i thought i was seriously dehydrated so at the supermarket, i chugged a bottle of orange juice. within two minutes i had to race towards the bathroom (locked!) and vomited all of the OJ all over the floor.

learned my lesson. now i have spare pills in the car, in all of my purses, at work, in various rooms of the house. HOpefully i won't miss a dose again.

anyways, keeping hydrated is one way to counter the weight gain.(no chugging though) sipping on water through out the day and ensuring like 8 or 10 glasses a day will keep your stomach full enough not to really want to snack. even if your body is falsely telling you your blood sugar is low and you need some sugar.

[Kelly]

Please let me know if you had any weight loss since you stopped taking Effexor. I am weaning myself off presently. I have about 9 more days left. I am looking forward to dropping some pounds. A friend of mine dropped 20lbs in 3 months.

fatcatmandont wrote:

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.

[Kelly]

I have been taking effexor about 2 years and several others in the past. All together Ive been on a antidepressant for about 8 years, since I had my last baby. I am now weaning myself off effexor. I'm hoping to lose weight. I weighed 135lbs. when I started antidepressants and now am 160lbs. I also have been experiencing mood swings and depression lately even while on the 150mg of Effexor. I have horrible constipation and bloating. I don't know if it is from the drug. I'm hoping I will not need to go back on anything.

[Tracy]

mac 1 wrote:

been on effexor for 6 years now,i have went from a size 14-20, have been going to the gym and watching what i eat and have lost hardly any weight, have only just looked into this and i am really pissed that its been the drug all along have been fighting weight loss for years

Hi, I know exactly how u feel. I was a size 22 and had stomach banding done 3 years ago and got down to a size 10. 8 months ago my doctor put me on effexor and assured me it doesnt cause weight gain but despite having the banding in I have gained 20 kg. I am so disgusted with myself and I think I am more depressed because of the weight gain. 5 days ago I decided to take myself off it and I have had some awful side effects, I even took myself to emergency this morning because I thought I was having a heart attack, but they assured me my heart was fine. I am seeing my psychiatrist tomorrow and insisting he puts me on something else. I also go to the gym everyday and I am very careful what I eat because of the banding. I know it has to be the effexor because nothing else has changed.

[LACEY]

I HAVE BEEN ON LEXAPRO FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS NOW AND I HAVE GAINED WEIGHT. HOW LONG WAS YOU ON LEXAPRO THAT YOU STARTED NOTICING THE WEIGHT GAIN?

train2stayfit wrote:

My Dr. told me it does not cause weight gain.....just the opposite. I was on Lexapro and gained 20 pounds in 3 months. So he switched me to effexor. I just started it today.

[Just Bob]

I was on Prozak for 15 years and for most of that time it was a miracle for me. I started during a really low time and had lost lots of weight and could not eat. Eventually Prozak wasn't doing the trick anymore so I decided it was time to make a clean break and did. The side effects were nasty but like the doctor said they went away in 4-6 weeks. Now I'm unemployed and my anxiety and depression is through the roof. I have a RX for Effexor waiting for me at the pharmacy but I can't bring myself to jump back into that again. I feel I need to give the herbal solutions more of a chance. I haven't been very good about taking the St. John's Wart 3 times a day. I'm curious of anybody has tried this approach. I mean going from the chemicals to the natural approach and is it working for you? What would you do differently? By the way I'm not fat but out of shape and cannot afford to put on any weight.

[Lisa]

Has anyone developed severe osteoarthritis on effexor XR?. I've been on 300mg day for about 7 years and am about to have joints replaced surgically. I'm only 45.

[sherry]

lindsay2282 wrote:

i just wanted to add a little hope to this forum. i have been on effexor for 5 years now. no weight gain, no nausea when i take the pills as directed. i took the medication for 4 years and then last year decided to go off of it for a while to see what happened. i weaned myself from it very, very slowly (i would open the pills and take portions until there was just a pinch every night). i understand these side effects, because i would have them if i missed pills (and yes, they are horrible), but weaning myself off of them was no big deal. you just have to do it slowly and don't try to rush it. i have horrible anxiety and was only off of the pills for half a year before i had to go back on them, but i feel like it is something i choose to do to keep living a happy life. i had anxiety so badly that i couldn't go into a walmart without panicking. now i am a fully functional adult again. this drug has given me my life back. it affects everyone differently, i know, so i wish there were more people to write about the benefits because this can be a miracle to some people.

Thank you so much for writing your experience
I too have tried to go off only to suffer from terrible anxiety again
back on now and feel so much better
I hope more people write about any positives they have
and I feel greatly for those who have only negative things happen with effexor and hope they find something to work beacause depression and anxiety are so horrible

[Jules]

I have been on 75 mg of Effexor for 2 years plus. And, I have not really gained any weight because of it. It is wonderful with my moods and depression. I am 55 years old and I believe that the weight gain I had was due to going through menopause. If I exercise, drink water, and watch what I eat then I could get back to my size 10. But, I would rather be a size 14 and be the ugly person I was without the aid of this anti-depressant. Hey does anyone know anything about abilify as I am suppose to add this med to my regiment.
God Bless You All!

[Ezin]

Abilify is aripiprazole, an atypical antipsychotic, listed as being used to treat schizophrenia / acute manic phase of bipolar.

There are plenty of patient leaflets about on the net giving basic information about the drug e.g.

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/10000508...
http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic/abilify.htm (7 pages of patient info)
http://www.drugs.com/abilify.html

Any google search on the drug's name will bring up other patient information.

Watch out for the main effects: "In short-term trials of patients with schizophrenia (up to 6-weeks) or bipolar disorder (up to 3-weeks) the following were reported at an incidence greater than or equal to 10% and greater than placebo, respectively, include headache (30% vs 25%), anxiety (20% vs 17%), insomnia (19% vs 14%), nausea (16% vs 12%), vomiting (12% vs 6%), dizziness (11% vs 8%), constipation (11% vs 7%), dyspepsia (10% vs 8%), and akathisia (10% vs 4%)"

Good definition of akathisia is to be found on the Wiki - google for: wiki akathisia.

[Linda]

I am a middle-aged woman whose doctor put on Effexor to relieve hot flashes. I have gained at least 20 pounds. I don't need the pills for depression and it really hasn't helped with the hot flashes that much. I want to get off!

[lianne]

ihave been on effexor small dose 37.5 and all i have noticed is minor headache thirst NO WEIGHT GAIN, ACTUALLY THE OPPOSITE i am feeling full all the time. a pill cant make you gain weight, only the food you put in your mouth can do that and no excersise, unless you are holding water and this pill dont do that. i wish some people would respond with the good that this med does, it is a blessing for some people.

[Kim]

Linda wrote:

I am a middle-aged woman whose doctor put on Effexor to relieve hot flashes. I have gained at least 20 pounds. I don't need the pills for depression and it really hasn't helped with the hot flashes that much. I want to get off!

Linda, I am going to be 40 in September and had my ovaries removed in December Had the other stuff removed when I was 29). They put me on effexor 37.5 in February for menepausal symtoms (hot flashes, mood swings etc..) I haven't had depression either. I have gained at least 20 or 25 pounds since then. I have been going off effexor slowly..one every other day for a week and then one every three days for a week and I have had horrible withdrawl symptoms. I wish I had never taken it because it did't really help my hot flashes either. I had rather have the hot flashes than the withdrawl symptoms. They are awful!! Nausea, dizzy, chest pains, headaches, leg cramps, not sleeping etc.. I do not understand it! Hope you have better luck than I did! Good Luck!

[Rowena Thornheart]

I take Effexor, and the doctor told me that the reason you gain weight taking it, is because it turns off the message to your brain, that tells you when you are full. I've gained weight too. If anyone has suggestions how to keep taking it and lose weight, please let me know?!

[FedUp]

Lianne said:

"a pill cant make you gain weight, only the food you put in your mouth can do that and no excersise, unless you are holding water and this pill dont do that. i wish some people would respond with the good that this med does, it is a blessing for some people."

LIanne, Actually, your statements are unfounded and needlessly judgmental. I understand that you have experienced success with your meds, and that's great. But unless you're a scientist (and by your spelling and grammar I will assume you are not), your statements about a pill not making you gain weight are ridiculous.

Effexor actually lowers your basal metabolic rate, and there are thousands of people out there (like me) who have gained weight exponentially on this medication despite no change in lifestyle (and despite repeated exercise and dietary restrictions!) Take one second to google the issue and you'll see astounding results.

So while I'm glad that you've found the medication helpful, please try not to invalidate the THOUSANDS of people who are struggling with this very real issue just because you have personally seen some success.

Now that I have that off of my chest, here's my story:

I began Effexor four months ago and steadilly gained 3 pounds per week. Despite the fact that there has been no change to my diet or exercise. Lianne, in case you're wondering, "the food I put in my mouth," has remained the same: steamed greens and low-fat protein, high fiber, vitamins, 100 ounces of water per day, no soda/juice, and 5 servings of fruit per day. I also get five days per week of cardio lasting one hour or longer each day. I maintained a size 4-6 for two years because of this, and the only change has been Effexor. I am now up to a size 10.

I have stopped taking Effexor for five days after tapering down from 150 mg slowly to 37.5 mg. I am experiencing the brain zaps/butterflies, but I am also exercizing, sleeping well and drinking a ton of water, which is helping.

I am hopeful that my metabolism will begin to nomalize, and will post results here. Mentally, the drug was ok, but the weight gain, sexual side effects, dry mouth and night sweats decreased my quality of life to the point that the detriments outweighed (pun intended) the benefits.

Best of luck to all of you out there who are struggling with the same issue.

FedUp in New York City.

[Julie]

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???

Ok LISTEN UP!!!
why the hell would I want to report these side effects to my doctor if THEY are the ones who prescribed this shit to me? Do you really think my doctor is on EFFEXOR? Obviously not!

[Shirley]

Thank God for this forum. I am attemting to quit Effexor right now. I have put on when our son died in an accident and I was going through menopause at the same time. I was crying constantly at work, and my blood pressure was spikng so I went to the Doctor to see what she could do. My regular doctor was on sick leave, so I saw her associate, and allowed her to talk me into this drug. She said it was totally safe and was prescribed for menopausal women all the time. When she asked if I was depressed, I said no as I felt it was normal grief (if there is such a thing). Now a year later from taking 75 mg a day, my regular Doctor says it is time to come off. She lowered the dosage to 37.5 and there was no symptoms but now that I am down I have started to reduce from that the symptoms have come up. But a few months ago I began to research because I was gaining weight and no matter what I did I couldn't stop. No matter what I ate or how much I excersized. The web sites that I checked for this drug said that it was an anorexic drug, in other words I should be losing weight not gaining. I couldn't figue this out. But slowly I began to realize that I had changed nothing else. The weight gain was causing huge levels of anxiety and ironically depression. I came onto this site to get the low down on the withdrawl symptoms and started to see posts on weight gain. Now I have vidication on the weight gain and the withdrawl symptoms. My first mistake was thinking that because this new doctor was a partner of my regular doctor, she was just as reputable. When I went to my Doctor last month, you could see her suprise when she looked at my chart as saw the Effexor. Today is day two of the withdrawl, and I am popping Benadryl and Gravol like they were my new best friend. Please tell me that I will loose this weight....Right now that has me the most frustrated. I know from reading this posts that the withdrawl symptoms will go away, but really need to know the weight will as well.

[Kendra]

I have been on Effexor for about a month now and have loved it so far. I have gained a lot of weight over the past few months and since I've been on this med, I haven't had any appetite at all. I have to force myself to eat, just to take my pill. I couldn't have asked for a better medicine!
For all you guys who are suffering with the weight gain, hang in there! Somewhere out there, there is a medicine for you.

[weight gain effexor]

I was on the lowest dose of Effexor 37.5 ml for one year up until 2 weeks ago. In this past year I have put on aprox 30lbs. The majority of the weight is in my stomach. I look 6 months pregnant.
It has been very frusterating for me when people tell me"you must eating food that isn't good for you.That is the only way you would gain weight." It has been frusteratig as I know that is not true.
I also have all of my fitness knowledge traing and taught aerobics for many years and I know what to do.
I have found this past year it didn't matter how much cardio exercise I did I would not lose any pounds or inches.
This weight gain has made me very self conscious and depressed as I was a size 10-11 and am now a size 16-18
Up until 2 weeks I found while on Effexor I wanted and needed to sleep all of the time. I was probably sleeping 10-14 hours a day and then nap as well. I had no energy. I could sleep my whole day away and it wouldn't bother me.
Since being off it for 2 weeks my energy has increased. I haven't had a nap since being off it.
The withdrawal is/was brutal. I was taking a pill every 3rd day and then gradually none. I found I would be feeling good and then suddenly out of know where I would shake and for an hour or two> It was a horrilbe feeling..
Now that I am off it I notice my patience aren't as good as when I was on it. I am edgy and won;t hesitate to voice my opinion if something bothers me. A co-worker came upto me yestday and asked if I was ok as she has heard me bicker about things that were going on. She noted that two weeks ago I would've laughed at the situation and continued on with my day.
I hope now that I am off it this weight I have put on will disapear.