I’ve had the SAME experience. It sucks but I refuse to use all my time being healthy for no result. I have literally worked out every day for the past 5 months and have continued to gain.
i started effexor I was 124 pounds, im now 180 and counting. I have repeatdly told my doctor i thought effexor caused my weight gain as im still in my 20s and ive never been overweight. we lowered it for a short time and i lost almost 20 pounds but since increasing twice a few months ago ive gained that and more, im always puffy especially in my face and i always feel tired and sluggish and hungry. he says its not from my meds that it doesnt cause weight gain but im always doing stuff and walking and i didnt change my eating, in fact i hardly ate until my second increase now im always hungry. i feel so disgusting and ugly. i feel stuck.
right there with you. began ven in october of last year now here i am in May of this year and facing a weight problem that had never in my life before taking the drug existed. Prior to ven, i had maintained a very consistent weight (would never fluctuate more than 1-1.5 lbs up or down on a year to year basis) . I was always on the smaller end of the spectrum and had been my whole life; my weight sat steady at 119lbs from my the time i was about 17 years old up until beginning ven at 21 years old. my weight is now sitting at 148lbs, meaning ive gained about 30lbe just in these short 6 months of being on it. This is HELL . I went from being the girl who dressed to the 10’s every single day to only ever wearing sweatpants and baggy tee shirts just to TRY to hide the massive weight gain. I dont look like myself, dont feel like myself and am barely recognizable. And, let me be clear – NOTHING WHATSOEVER IN MY DIET OR DAILY ACTIVITY LEVEL HAS CHANGED FROM BEFORE VEN TO AFTER VEN. I’d even go so far as to say i was eating MORE calories a day back then than now. Having to struggle with something that wasnt ever so much as a remote possibility of me ever having to struggle with prior to being put on ven is wholly unacceptable & absoluteley absurd - just as the ignorance and recklessness in these perscribing doctors are. If i wasnt depressed before starting ven, i sure as hell am now
I started Venlafaxine 150mg in December 2019 for GAD and am currently tapering off it as my doctor thinks it is causing my irregular heartbeat. Now on 37.5, about to make the switch to another antidepressant, and the last few nights I’ve been waking up with an insanely full bladder. Obviously I went straight online, and saw there’s a connection between Venlafaxine and water retention - wondered why my face had been looking so puffy recently!! But, this thread came up too and suddenly all the dots started connecting. I gained 1.5 stone in a year, which in all honesty I’d put entirely down to lockdown 1. It has just been niggling me lately that regardless of getting back to healthy eating and cutting down on the alcohol and lockdown banana bread, that i haven’t been able to lose more than a couple of lbs in 6 months. For someone who has never really fluctuated more that a few lbs either side of 10st it didn’t seem normal to me. I cant wait to see what happens once I’m off them.
I appreciate all of the experiences that people have expressed here. I’ve been on 37.5 MG for about 6 or 7 years and have had a 30 pound weight gain and am often tired. I was put on it for hot flashes and taking off the edge, but have had a hysterectomy and I don’t think I really need it anymore. I’ve also had more problems with severe muscle stiffness in my legs in particular and I’ve read this is a rare side effect. Three years ago my legs were temporarily paralyzed and the doctors and neurologists concluded it was a toxic reaction to omeprazole (Prilosec) but I do wonder if it may be the ven. I would like to be weened off of it but am worried about the side effects like the intense headaches I’ve had when I forgot a dose on a few occasions. What method have people used to ween off of it? I will see my doctor to.ask about it, but I’m curious to hear from others. thanks. It would also be nice to shed some pounds if this is the culprit.
hello, hope you are still reading this and that you were successful with your diet.
i have suddenly put on a lot of weight since i went on ven so would welcome your suggestions.
many thanks,
hi, i am in the same situation.
My weight has never changed since i was 20 and i have been on medication since then, but suddenly i am fat face and body which is really depressing. i dont know if this is the best forum but i would welcome suggestions on diet etc.
thanks
I’ve put on a huge amount of weight since starting antidepressants this year. Started on prozac but couldn’t cope with the sluggishness, came off and my energy levels were amazing but became tearful and anxious almost immediately so started venlafaxine, feels like I gain a pound a day
I have chronic pain and disability and this weight gain is killing me, my back hurts so much more and my stomach is hideous, I wasn’t even this big when pregnant.
I also still feel like a zombie. When I’m not working I sleep for 18 hours regularly, I ignore my kids and fall asleep on the sofa. I really don’t want to be depressed and anxious again but this weight is hurting me so much and I don’t have any energy to do any exercise. I struggle to exercise anyway due to the disability and this is so much worse. Ii had to buy all new clothes and can’t fit in things I’ve worn for years. I feel so ugly and self conscious. I’m really only small, five feet tall so it really shows at 11 stone, nearly thirty bmi now, I hate it.
Sorry no advice though!
omg this is exactly my story! i created an account on here just to reply to you. im worried about the same thing, 8 started around the same time and have the same weight patterns, have always been around same weight( even post pregnancy).
Try intermittent fasting but be vigilant. Finish eating at 7pm and don’t eat again until 11am. Black tea or coffee is okay. Just make sure you go 16 hours without food. Adjust the times to suit yourself. If you can’t do that reduce carbs to less than 30gms per day. Both work for me.
I have been on it for 25 years and my weight has been very stable in that time. I take 75mg a day and increasing the dosage has no benefit for me mood wise. I think it saved my life too. Until I went on Effexor I struggled with depression for 25 years and dragged myself through life. Now I function okay. Not brilliantly but okay and so much better than before. I have slowly slowly weaned myself off twice over 9 months and went right back to being deeply depressed immediately. I do not believe I have deteriorated mentally at all. 69 now and sharp as a tack. My kids say I’m smarter than they are. LOL.
It’s such an individual thing with drugs, who can say which drug is ideal?
PS I’d love to be 48kg again. I seem forever stuck on 62kg for the last 25 years but I am careful not to overeat.
I can completely relate.
my weight never fluctuated more than 3 pounds. Started Venlafaxine75 at the beginning of the pandemic. Gained 15 pounds in a few months and cannot loose the weight no matter how much exercise. Doctor insists it is not the meds but due to increased appetite…
Could it be age? (early 40s)
The weight gain is such an issue for me that i am now following protocol for weaning myself while being terrified the anxiety will take over my life again…
hey Klaire - sidnt really see an improvement on Cymbalta but i did on Pristiq. i went down anout 30 lbs in 2.5 months.
hi, i have been on ven for nearly two years now, i wish i did some research before it was introduced to me by my Dr. Weight gain is just understatement, tiredness, sleepiness. i feel always hungry and crave carbs. Last year i decided to start walking, every single day, nice pace, got very fit, ie i can actually run non stop for 2-3 miles now, BUT i am still big &fat as last year, if not bigger.So i have decided to come of the ven, cold turkey, its day 5 today, i know its s bit unwise, but i am more depressed now when i see myself being so fat and not being able to loose weight. i am nearly 52 yo
i believe its the medication. i have already posted my opinion in this subject few moments ago.
Hello! I am 31 and was put on Venlafaxine two years ago after my mother passed away, it seemed to help but I have finally decided it’s time to stop taking it. When I went on this medication I weighed 136 pounds and I currently am at 168 now. I walk on my treadmill every day, do daily exercises and also eat VERY healthy! I believe being on this medication helped me in the beginning but after gaining 32 pounds and being completely upset and down about it, I finally decided it’s time to get off the medication and start a process of other self healing strategies.
I’ve just come across this forum. I’m so glad to read that other people have had the same issues as me with weight gain on Venlafaxine, although “glad” isnt the right word - I feel sorry for us all! I hope a12809 has had some success with weight loss, but I think anyone on Venlafaxine struggles to maintain a slim figure.
I’ve been on 300mg for 6 years, for major depression and anxiety disorder, and gained 3 stones. I am also on beta blockers for heart failure, since last year, so that did not help the situation as I’ve gained another stone! None of my clothes fit, and I rarely leave the house, I’m asleep most of the time.
I’ve decided that I’d prefer to try to cope without Venlafaxine than be this obese thing. My weight is causing me to be so unhappy, and I sympathize with anyone who finds themselves in this position.
At the moment I’ve weaned myself off 300mg to 150mg, over 2 weeks, and the brain zaps haven’t been too awful. Next week I’ll try 75mg. My GP knows I’m determined to get off this tablet. She also thinks it is the main reason I’ve gained weight. I have one question which I can’t find the answer to, although I’ve looked online for ages; would the weight gain be as bad on a lower dose of Venlafaxine?
I’m wondering if on 37.5mg or 75mg I would be able to keep the weight off. assuming I manage to lose it in the first place?
YES!
I like you was the same size all the way through my late 20s. 125-145. I gained a little weight when I was pregnant with my son, 165 (while pregnant). After I had my son at 30 I stayed at 160. No big deal I was a single new mom so I had some stress. Well, this is when I started venlafaxine. Also, I should mention I also take Adderall and Wellbutrin. Both known for weight LOSS. Both I had already been on for years. So, I start the venlafaxine. In 6 months I jumped from 160 to 220. That is 70 pounds in SIX MONTHS! I cant seem to get it off either. My doctor says it isnt the venlafaxine. I am a healthy eater and I am constantly moving. I am a single mom with a toddler boy with autism. He is very active and its been hard to keep up. I dont recognize myself. My body doesnt even feel like my body. NONE of my clothes fit. Its horrible!
Has anyone figured this out?
Yes!! This is very depressing. I worked very hard to loose 20 kg. Since i started to take ven I have gained almost half back, which doesn’t put me in a very good mental state. My dr also claims it is not the drug however, the facts speak for themselves. My disage was actually increased!! I am now trying to wean myself off but the brain zaps, insomnia and, just generally feeling miserable is making it difficult. Any one know how to get around the withdrawals?
My doctor put me on Venlaxaxine to help with my Migrains with Aura. It really helps and I love that I can function better now in daily tasks. But I did gain a lot of weight! My belly looks like I’m six or seven months pregnant! And I’ve always been small framed so I look like an olive on a toothpic. I eawyas eat healthy and walk at least three miles a day. But nothing gets rid of this belly. After reading other comments, I’m wondering if it’s water retention? I really want to taper off but I’m not sure if That horrible migraine with aura will still be there. It was debilitating. But I went from a size 4 to a size 12 in 1.5 years. It’s rediciulous!