does effexor cause weight gain

I lost 15 lbs in the first couple of months I was on Effexor. Taking 75 mg/day for 10 months now. Soon after starting, my appetite decreased all around, and my mid-day sweets cravings disappeared. As a result, I ate less, and my weight dropped, but it was no effort at all to do so. A month after starting, I also began to crave exercise (I didn't have energy for it before) and I continue to exercise regularly and really love it for the first time in my life. So this drug can really help and doesn't always lead to weight gain!

one more thought- instead of getting the antidepressant from a physician or a psychiatrist that meets with you only for medication management, try getting it from a psychiatrist who also provides therapy to you. It might help.

I had a sever anxiety episode about 6 years ago and my doctor put me on effexor. I didn;t gain any weight and I felt like myself after about two weeks. I only got off of it when I got pregnant with my third child.(NOTE. EFFEXOR CAN CASUE MISCARRIAGE OR BIRTH DEFECTS! SO DON'T TAKE EFFEXOR IF YOU ARE PREGNANT! TALK TO YOUR DOCTOR AND SLOWLY WEAN YOURELF OFF OVER A COUPLE OF WEEKS) Anyway, I got back on it after my third and then my fourth baby. I have had to wait til I stopped nursing my youngst. I have been back on it for a few weeks now and Love the fact that I am not hungry! The only side affect is night sweats and some restless leg syndrome. But I am already feeling more like myself again.Like earlier post said, every drug is different.

I`ve been on effexor for 2 years now and before for 8 months. I agree that it helps with anxiety and depression tremndously but it when taken at high doseges like 112.5 it does cause weight gain and cravings for carbohydrates. a lower dose doesn`t seem to do this because ive been on the low doses and i didn`t have this problem. I`ve been going to the gym 6 days a week and i lost a few times but have also been over-exercising which has caused my periods to become irregular. my best advice is to listen to your body before you listen to your doctor. we are mostly woman here and we KNOW our bodies. If you feel something is wrong most likely it is ESPECIALLY when you#ve tried everything and nothing works. going from one drug to the next isnt always the answer THERAPY is the answer because that helps to change your thought patterns. I am free of this effexor and the withdrawl symptomns were not ideal but managable. It lasts only for a few days HANG IN THERE IT REALLY DOES PASS!!!

Good Luck Ladies!!

I also took effexor while pregnant and my baby boy is as healthy as ever!!! he is now 16months and PERFECT You CAN take effexor while poregnant if you really have too. Doctors don`t want pregnant woman taking anything that isnt natural but if you are suicidal then they will allow it.

To Recoverer
You are wrong when you say lower doses do not cause weight gain .I was taking 75mg for one year and my diet did not change and I still put on about 20lb also I regulaly exercise.I have been off Effexor now since 5th of April still woking out and can not move this weight. To advise anyone to take Effexor while pregnant has to be the most stupid thing I have ever heard!Every one here is complaining of problems from taking this bloody drug or problems of getting off it.

Melody wrote:

Try being in our shoes, I've gained 40 pounds (after being on this drug for 3 years), you might have a different attitude. I recently quit effexor and am losing weight again. With effexor I was hungry all the time and the pull to food was just too strong, now I hardly think about it.

I have also gained about 45 lbs in 3 + years and have started weaning myself off the meds. I never feel comfortable, almost sloppy, sluggish. I can't wait to stop completely and start getting myself back>

Brigid W wrote:

Most people report gaining weight on these meds. I think if the med otherwie works well for you, I would try to increase your activity level and watch portion sizes to help counteract the problem. Eatig more natural foods with lots of fiber and less processed foods and simple sugars should help quite a bit.

i have been on effexor er for about 18 months and did notice that i was gaining some weight. i asked my dr about it and he said that effexor is a "weight neutral" drug, meaning that it shouldn't cause weight gain. what he did say is that because my depression and anxiety are lessened by taking it that i might have more of an appetite since i feel better. does that make sense? like some people lose weight when stressed so when the stress goes away they might gain some. i have recently decided though to stop taking it and was on 300 mg per day, for the last 5 days i've been taking only 75 mg and plan to bump down again after a week or so. i'm not getting the terrible withdrawl symptoms but i definitelt notice a difference with more headaches, tired and cranky. we'll see how it goes, it has only been 5 days ;)

I was on effexor a few years ago, I lost about 30 pounds on it (mind you, I only weighed 130 at that time) I am 5'6...so my dr pulled me off it.. The meds worked wonders.. It helped me a lot.. but the side effects coming off it..we were bad. I would sleep until 1-2 in the afternoon on the weekends.. would wake up feeling dizzy, and if I forgot to take it- I was soooo dizzy, and my head was pounding.
I did get some headaches while taking it..
I have since had a lot of medical problems- which I have had surgery for 5 times.. I started to get panic attacks.. we tried lexpro, it was not helping..so I brought up effxor- it was something that helped me before. I started taking it today- but I also take xanx with it.. I just hope I do not gain weight, or lose any weight. as I really do not have too pounds to give away.
Over all, I would give this med a 9 out of 10..it really does help

Lisa wrote:

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.

i have been skipping my meds to wein off and cry everyday.
i gained like 30 pounds from effor. and now i have lost two
pounds since i have tried getting off. i pray that god can help me
and get side effects in controll.
thanks

iam so tierd of gaining weight and feeling like crap. i have emotional break downs worst then when i was not taking anything. anyone need a friend to talk to about this and wants support. sunlightmissi@yahoo.com . I lost so much from my depression in my life. god is here for me..

a liitle prayer god help me over come side effects and get over this in jesus name
amen

I've been on 150mg and have lost weight over the last 6 months. Remember People post on the internet when they have problems.. You will not find many positive posting because there is no reason for them to troll the internet and complain that a drug works too good.

I have been on effexor for several years. It has done wonders for me. I have always had a weight problem so i am not sure if it has had an impact on that. The only side effect i have noticed is the bizzare dreams. Recently i have tried to discontinue it. I tried to taper off but apparently didn't take enough time to do so. The side effects are debilitating. I was off of it for 2 days and went back on. I cried constantly, was nauseous and dizzy. I like the confidence i have while on it. Am beginning to think i will need to stay on it forever. I worry that off the med i will be back to being extremely hyper-sensitive and moody.

I started Effixor Venlafaxine at the beginning of the year. I would say it's helped quite a bit with the depression but it has severely affected my weight. I have gained 63lbs, which has only made my self-esteem plummet. I wouldn't even call myself an overeater .. I'm a big fan of Weightwatchers. Despite following the diet to the letter (weighing everything, pointing everything etc..), I still put weight on. I'm now working with my doctor to come off of them .. I can't wait to be rid of them. I would never recommend these tablets to anyone. As someone also said, they have horrendous side effect. I'm planning to tackle any low moods with exercise and relaxation techniques. Fingers crossed !!

I like a few of the others have been on effexor for over 6 years and really got tired of the constant pill popping and quit( the worst idea in the world)I am back on not gaining weight and slowly feeling better than I did but finding it hard to motivate consistently. However, I do know something about working out and diet.You have to eat breakfast( anything) just to get metabolism started and stop eating (6-9) and the weight will slowly drop.You have to be active though and effexor is supposed to be cadillac of anti depressants

melissa wrote:

a liitle prayer god help me over come side effects and get over this in jesus name
amen

Amen darlin.