Effexor/Venlafaxine

CharisSunny

Hey just wondering if anyone has had any experience with this drug...both good and bad.

Has anyone lost weight while on Effexor? I know ppl will say they've gained but frankly just wondering if anyone has seen it NOT affect their weightloss efforts.

Just started and I want some well-rounded reviews

Much thanks,
Char

Bex_zic

i am a mental health nurse, I haven't ever been on it myself but have worked with a lot of people who have been on it! The drug itself doesn't cause weight gain or loss, it effects your appetite and can make you thirsty. People tend to eat crap when they are just snacking, and are more likely to drink juice or sweet drinks when they are constantly thirsty as water can be boring, it can also make you retain water so you gotta keep your intake up so you don't swell up. I think if you are aware of if your appetite changes (remember, if your appetite goes away you may put weight on...so its important to make yourself eat something healthy) and keep things under control you should be fine! Also, hopefully, as the drug starts to work it may make you feel more motivated and do more activities!
Hope this helps!

Pilcrow_

There may be some initial loss or gain but hopefully it should work to stabilize your mood and then you'll be in a better place to make healthier choices, because like the above poster said, it affects your appetite so it doesn't just magically make you gain. One thing though; with any AD you will find THOUSANDS of people on forums on the internet saying it made them gain, please keep in mind that it's the internet and so it isn't an accurate proportion of users with side affects. That's one thing I got hugely caught up in when I was on meds, but you'll find whatever answer you want out there on the internet so it doesn't mean it's right! Focus on what works for you, tell your doctor your concerns and work together to find the right sort of drug or dosage that suits you, as you get better (with or without the help of meds) you'll be in a much better headspace to make changes with your weight anyway.

Best of luck!

Oh, and one really noticable thing I personally found with Effexor is that the withdrawl symptoms come on really quickly, like missing just one dose can give you some weird *kitten* nightmares and anxiety. ...But then again everybody is different, and will react differently!

piratesaregrand

I've been on and off it for years, finally off it forever (hopefully). It made me so so tired, I would sleep 24/7 in the weekends, then go to work, come home and sleep during the week. It's been months since I've been off it and I'm still fighting fatigue. Annnd I think because I was so tired I could never be bothered cooking so ate a ton of rubbish and got really fat.


Aside from that it worked well. Like the person above said, make sure you never run out. Holy moly I think weening myself of crack would be easier than missing a dose of that.

CharisSunny

i am a mental health nurse, I haven't ever been on it myself but have worked with a lot of people who have been on it! The drug itself doesn't cause weight gain or loss, it effects your appetite and can make you thirsty. People tend to eat crap when they are just snacking, and are more likely to drink juice or sweet drinks when they are constantly thirsty as water can be boring, it can also make you retain water so you gotta keep your intake up so you don't swell up. I think if you are aware of if your appetite changes (remember, if your appetite goes away you may put weight on...so its important to make yourself eat something healthy) and keep things under control you should be fine! Also, hopefully, as the drug starts to work it may make you feel more motivated and do more activities!
Hope this helps!

I don't have an issue with motivation curently. Half of the reason I've cycled through 5 or 6 drugs is because it isn't worth it to me feel "better" but run the risk of weight gain. I'm driven to lose weight for several reasons, most are unrelated to the general sentiment I see here everyday so I don't tend to say it. Also I don't think its fair that I be constantly hungry and HAVE to fight that feeling (which I've had happen).

Frankly "keeping things under control" where it is concerned is another task I'd rather not add to my list. I am taking the damn things for anxiety to begin with, why add more? I don't need to paranoid that I'm gonna retain water or inhale a box of cookies without thinking especially since my lifelong issue has been undereating.

Thank you for your response. I doubt I will be taking Effexor.

CharisSunny

I've been on and off it for years, finally off it forever (hopefully). It made me so so tired, I would sleep 24/7 in the weekends, then go to work, come home and sleep during the week. It's been months since I've been off it and I'm still fighting fatigue. Annnd I think because I was so tired I could never be bothered cooking so ate a ton of rubbish and got really fat.


Aside from that it worked well. Like the person above said, make sure you never run out. Holy moly I think weening myself of crack would be easier than missing a dose of that.

I already have issues with fatigue so this is r aising red flags everywhere.
Thank you for sharing!

CharisSunny

There may be some initial loss or gain but hopefully it should work to stabilize your mood and then you'll be in a better place to make healthier choices, because like the above poster said, it affects your appetite so it doesn't just magically make you gain. One thing though; with any AD you will find THOUSANDS of people on forums on the internet saying it made them gain, please keep in mind that it's the internet and so it isn't an accurate proportion of users with side affects. That's one thing I got hugely caught up in when I was on meds, but you'll find whatever answer you want out there on the internet so it doesn't mean it's right! Focus on what works for you, tell your doctor your concerns and work together to find the right sort of drug or dosage that suits you, as you get better (with or without the help of meds) you'll be in a much better headspace to make changes with your weight anyway.

Best of luck!

Oh, and one really noticable thing I personally found with Effexor is that the withdrawl symptoms come on really quickly, like missing just one dose can give you some weird *kitten* nightmares and anxiety. ...But then again everybody is different, and will react differently!

I am aware that researching will bring negative feedback. There is no "I love my psych med forum" which is why I brought it here and asked for both +ve and -ve stories re the drug. It isn't the best scientific sample but it certainly beats the woe is me psych forums you get from Google

As for the headspace re weight: I've yet to see that have an effect. I was clinically depressed 50lbs ago and 80lbs heavier than that. So perhaps that just isn't a factor with me, but we're all different.

I've been told the withdrawal symptoms are horrible so perhaps it isn't for me. I forget my other meds on my best days as I have several and resent taking them or I'm unable to get to them. That plus the possible increased anxiety probably means this isn't the drug for me.

Thank you for your feedback and suggestions.

oxyJ3N

I have been on Effexor for over three years and it has made me lose weight due to loss of appetite. I haven't lost too much, but maintaining my current weight is definitely a task. Drinking enough water is always hard, because even that can make me feel full and not eat.

As much as people say it's a horrible drug, I love it. The horrible withdraw effects reminds me to make sure I take my medicine every day. If I'm ever feeling good and think I don't need it, my body will quickly tell me that it's not a good idea. I don't feel any more fatigued than I would in a regular depressed state.

Rachetpeg

I was on it for a while several years ago but don't remember noticing any real impact on my weight or appetite at all.

ladymiseryali

I took effexor when I was depressed. I don't think I saw any weight gain, but after a while the dosages wouldn't work for me, so I was put on something else. But I've been medication free for many years now. Have the occasional blue periods, but overall I feel less like a zombie and more like a human again.

lambchoplewis

I am on both drugs!!! I am on the regular effexor (get the generic version as it is MUCH cheaper) not the controlled release and if you miss a pill - even a few hours you will feel weird. I have not gained or lost due to this medicine. I have been on these for 10 yrs or more.

I am not fatigued, thirsty or hungry due to these pills. I am mentally more level and not so "anxious and confused". Make sure to keep taking the dosage (or work to get the right dosage) for a few MONTHS before giving up. It really helped the other parts of my life which made the discipline of losing weight, exercising and being happy easier.

(make sure to check out generic of BOTH)

baileysmom4

I didn't care for it when I took it. Made me feel numb and I think not feeling anything is almost as bad as being depressed. I didn't care what I ate and drank so I got fat! It also numbs the sex drive and that totally sucked!

I'm on Cymbalta now and it is a much better drug for me.

BorderlineAngel

i am a mental health nurse, I haven't ever been on it myself but have worked with a lot of people who have been on it! The drug itself doesn't cause weight gain or loss, it effects your appetite and can make you thirsty. People tend to eat crap when they are just snacking, and are more likely to drink juice or sweet drinks when they are constantly thirsty as water can be boring, it can also make you retain water so you gotta keep your intake up so you don't swell up. I think if you are aware of if your appetite changes (remember, if your appetite goes away you may put weight on...so its important to make yourself eat something healthy) and keep things under control you should be fine! Also, hopefully, as the drug starts to work it may make you feel more motivated and do more activities!
Hope this helps!

lucky. Cymbalta and seroquel slowed down my thyroid and metabolism

fotografe

Initially, I lost my appetite. That lasted about 2 weeks. My depression lifted, and I feel great. This motivated me to go back to my yoga mat and to eat properly. The only way a medication will make you gain weight, aside from water weight gain, is if you eat the wrong foods. You are already carefully tracking this. I take my medication before bed because I suspected it was making me sleepy. I don't see a real difference. Venlafaxine is related to amphetamines. So it is a stimulant. Note that I take this in combination with bupropion (Welbutrin) . Neither med alone worked for me. In combination, I call it Wel-effect. Just stick with your eating and exercise plans. You will be fine. Depression sucks. Don't give up on finding the right combo to make you feel better again.

CharisSunny

Effexor/Venlift was discontinued.
I literally could not stay awake in classes and barely managed the drive home. I heard the issues may go away after a couple weeks but I tried and even after 3 weeks there was no lifting of the fatigue.

As I have fibromyalgia and possibly lupus I already battle with fatigue so perhaps you can get an idea of just how out of it I truly was. I tried taking it at nights and I still hardly woke up. Tried mid afternoon, still had no energy to commute or no energy to stay awake once I got there.

I simply could not handle it...though I was hopeful my search was over.

watfordjc

I can't remember if it was either citalopram, venlafaxine, or sertraline, that caused (permanent?) memory loss. The box on the floor suggests it wasn't sertraline, and Wikipedia and Bing images suggests it was Effexor but I can't say for sure.

I know one of them caused long-term medium-term and short-term memory loss making it nearly impossible for me to make new memories, removed all emotion (some of them returned after I came off it, empathy did not), caused weight gain and killed my appetite, zombified me but did nothing for my anxiety or chronic depression (emotionless zombies unable to express themselves aren't the best people to say "well it looks like you're feeling better" to), caused a constant dry mouth, erectile issues, had no effect on my insomnia (other than sleeping 12+ hours when I did manage to pass out from exhaustion), and caused a complete loss of trust of the medical profession (wiping everything but the bad memories and making me almost completely apathetic does not fit with primum non nocere).

I think I then tried sertraline, but with it having no effect at all without consuming half a litre a day of grapefruit juice whilst on it (before reading just how bad it is mixing the two) I decided I'd never go on the meds again.

Everyone's brain is different. Fluoxetine, citalopram, quetiapine, venlafaxine, duloxetine plus proton pump inhibitors (ugh, want to vomit but impossible to do so = majorly sore abs), sertraline... my brain sucks.

lambchoplewis

I have been on it for years and have not gained or lost weight. I am on generic version - MUCH cheaper. I am on regular, not controlled release also and agree that if you miss a pill - even by a few hours you do feel weird and know that you missed a pill.

No worries about weight from the pills. You should feel better and be more in control of your rapid thoughts so you will be able to focus on goal of weight loss and exercise and the rest will follow!!!

EmoJew

Something I found about SSRIs, is that they don't MAKE seretonin, you have to do that, they just help it to reabsorb more slowly. Things that create seretonin are dark chocolate, leafy green veg and....exercise!!

I spent a lot of time focussing on things that would help keep me happier, as a by product I lost weight as I upped my exercise. It's not about focussing on the chemicals you're taking, it's about the other stuff. That said, they did me a LOT of good, so keep at it, and one day you'll feel strong enough to come off them

tenintwenty

Oh wow. I just had to stop after 3 days on Effexor yesterday because I got seretonin toxicity (SS). I was using it in conjunction with an increase in Welbutrin. Scary stuff. I couldn't talk, complete simple tasks, or think clearly. I started mixing up days, spacing out, and getting extremely confused and disoriented. Some people react very badly to this stuff, but I guess that's the case with any drug. Keep an eye out for adverse effects and follow dosing instructions to the T.

invisibubble

Been on it for the last 2 or three years and lost about 20lbs during that at last count I think.

tenintwenty

Something I found about SSRIs, is that they don't MAKE seretonin, you have to do that, they just help it to reabsorb more slowly. Things that create seretonin are dark chocolate, leafy green veg and....exercise!!

I spent a lot of time focussing on things that would help keep me happier, as a by product I lost weight as I upped my exercise. It's not about focussing on the chemicals you're taking, it's about the other stuff. That said, they did me a LOT of good, so keep at it, and one day you'll feel strong enough to come off them

It's not a matter of lifestyle and being "strong enough." Some people have irremediable chemical imbalances that require medication-- sometimes for the rest of their lives. Even after years of incorporating every lifestyle change under the sun (sleep well, reduce stress, spend time with friends and family, eat well, take care of yourself, exercise, exercise more) I periodically get to the point of wanting to jump off a freeway overpass-- and that's ON medication.

AmandaJade9

I was on it for a few months didn't have any weight issues but my depression got SO much worse and I turned extremely suicidal on it which can happen if your under 25. I have been on a lot of medications for depression but this is defiantly the worst one I have ever been on and I would never go near this medication again.

charliemarie923

Hi
I gained alot on it but i have bulimia too which obviously is a major problem when the drug causes appetite changes.
But i see you have stopped using it now, so...
Hope the next drug youre on suits you more and helps
charlie

ClassicStyles

Skinny Drug for me.

Good Luck.

T

RecoveringToHealthy

I can only speak for myself, but I lost my appetite when I started taking Effexor. It's not as bad anymore but I still don't feel very hungry on most days.

CharisSunny

I was uncomfortably hungry.

I had the willpower to not overeat however I dont believe anyone should be forced to remain hungry even after eating a reasonable amount.

Thank you for your advice.

groovyreba

It shot my blood pressure up in a crazy way. I had a lot of anxiety. i quit taking it.

Brunner26_2

I've been on it for a couple years and have still been making progress towards my fitness goals.

Broejen

I took it for 4 month starting in September 2010 after losing 35lbs on a VLCD. I had to go off it in January of 2011 because I started getting spasms/ticks & my resting heart rate was up. I started gaining my weight back after I went off it, but I don't know if that means anything.

ETA The withdrawals were a b*tch! Zapping in the brain was the worst symptom. Took me about a month to 6 weeks to feel normal again.

DanceForever904

im on effexor! check out my weight loss ticker :P

lambchoplewis

Been on this for YEARS!!! No weight gain from the drug. It helped me calm down, think clearly and therefore, control my binges.