Effexor / Venlafaxine

I've never taken that one. I did gain weight on other SSRIs, but I also gained weight from depression (becoming sedentary and inactive, overeating, etc.). Everyone reacts differently. For what it's worth, I'd say give it a month or so. If the side effects are bad or it just doesn't work DO NOT STOP COLD TURKEY. There are serious risks involved in stopping SSRIs once you've been on them a while. Talk to your doctor and let him/her know your concerns and request another drug if necessary. Good luck to you!

Effexor didn't do anything for me....but either did the 7 other drugs we tried. Give it a shot and see how you react to it.

I have been of Effexor for years & have not noticed a major weight gain due to it. I tried many other medications & it is the only one that works for me. It is a medication that I will have to be on for the rest of my life due to a TBI (traumatic brain injury) I suffered in '89 from a car accident.

In the beginning, (when I was 18), Effexor worked wonders, I think I gradually went up to 75 mg a day, and I think if I had stayed at that dosage, I would've been fine. I was seeing a doctor at the time who was drug happy, so he was happy to increase my dosage to 300 mg a day. I stayed on that dosage for 10 yrs, mainly because the doctors I saw didn't think anything of it, and they weren't trying to help me at all. I stayed depressed too, I'd have highs and lows throughout, but not anything effective.

Effexor is great if you're properly maintained on it, and feel as though it's helping you, but at low doses. I didn't really notice any kind of weight gain while I was on it, I do remember feeling more tired when I first started taking it. I didn't take care of myself, and that's where my weight gain came from really, and being really sedentary.

DON'T QUIT COLD TURKEY though, I would have the most horrible withdrawal symptoms ever, the most horrible headaches that seem to last forever, I would say comparable to horrible migraines at times. My last psychiatrist that I had successfully weaned me off of them, but at a very gradual pace, and even then I still had headaches.

Proceed with caution, and definitely stand up for yourself when it comes to your health, I wish I had done that more when I was younger.

Effexor didn't work for me and when I stopped taking it cold turkey I had severe withdrawals. I will never take another antidepressant because of that experience. When I was really young Zoloft worked, but had adverse effects (suicidal thoughts) as an adult. I pretty much gave up just because I had an a-hole doctor who didn't care and they were the only ones who'd offer me service based on my income. It stinks. Good luck though