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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by maxie on January 22, 2008, at 19:20:19
Any information on Effexor and weight gain would be nice. I have just started taking and would love it if it helped me to lose weight vs gain. I have gained 20lbs in the past year.
Posted by atmlady on January 22, 2008, at 19:41:20
In reply to Effexor, posted by maxie on January 22, 2008, at 19:20:19
I believe Effexor is one of the worst for weight gain, I'm sorry to tell you. I gained quite a bit on it years ago when it first came out - like 40 lbs! Took me 6 months of Atkins dieting (and amonth of hell while withdrawing from Effexor) to get the weight off! Lexapro is bad with the weight gain too. I think all SSRI's do this to some degree. Maybe someone else will have something more encouraging to tell you about Effexor and weight gain/loss!
One thing I have noticed: One of my good girlfriends is on Effexor and loves it - it has really helped with her hot flashes, which must have been awful. She has gained quite a bit of weight - gone from size 14 to size 22 in one year. She is not happy with that at all, but does not want to go off because she really was having a bad time with the menopause. I notice that she does eat a lot of sweets - always wants to order desert, for one thing - and she did not used to be like this. So my thought is that the Effexor is perhaps causing these cravings and thus the weight gain. Maybe if you anticipate the craving and have a strategy in place to deal with them, you won't have a problem? Just a thought .....
Posted by maxie on January 22, 2008, at 19:55:24
In reply to Re: Effexor, posted by atmlady on January 22, 2008, at 19:41:20
Thank you for the information, this is the information I have been receiving from everyone so far. However when I went to Dr. I told him I wanted something with a appetite suppressant in it and this is what he gave me.. I am going to be very upset if I start gaining more weight. Thanks again!
Posted by Phillipa on January 22, 2008, at 21:45:22
In reply to Re: Effexor, posted by maxie on January 22, 2008, at 19:55:24
I've heard wellbutrin can counteract that side effect no personal experience good luck let us know how you do. Phillipa
Posted by Mission7 on January 23, 2008, at 10:47:06
In reply to Re: Effexor » maxie, posted by Phillipa on January 22, 2008, at 21:45:22
I lost weight on Effexor. Everyone is diff
Posted by cloudnine on January 24, 2008, at 2:29:41
In reply to Effexor, posted by maxie on January 22, 2008, at 19:20:19
I've been on Efexor xr 75-150 mg since 2005 and it has been totally weight neutral..actually I lost weight to my checking my diet..I don't take Wellbutrin or other psicmeds except ocasional benzo and tramadol.
Posted by confuzyq on January 24, 2008, at 19:09:23
In reply to Effexor, posted by maxie on January 22, 2008, at 19:20:19
Hi Maxie, just wanted to say that one of my docs also told me that Effexor was one of the more weight-neutral ones. And I'm thinking that's what I've heard most often in other places too, that people seem less likely to gain on it, and some lose. (I didn't end up taking it but not for any reason related to this.)
As others said, varies for everyone. But I do believe there's good reason to hope it will work out how you'd like! Good luck.
> Any information on Effexor and weight gain would be nice. I have just started taking and would love it if it helped me to lose weight vs gain. I have gained 20lbs in the past year.
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on January 26, 2008, at 22:46:33
In reply to Re: Effexor » maxie, posted by confuzyq on January 24, 2008, at 19:09:23
As others have said, everyone is different.
As for me, I gained 20+ lbs on it and I have never gained on any other med, including some of the notorious ones (like Lithium).
Best,
EE
Posted by Molybdenum on January 28, 2008, at 21:57:54
In reply to Effexor, posted by maxie on January 22, 2008, at 19:20:19
My understanding is that Effexor generally does not produce weight gain. In fact, it can make people nauseas.
http://drugs.healthdiaries.com/effexor-side-effects.html for example.
Mirtazapine (Remeron) is often blamed for weight gain though.
I take both :) I am a big male (no dumb jokes please ;). I started at 90kg which is OK for my height. I peaked at 110kg which my Dr thought was probably the mirtazapine. But then I got separated & kicked out of my home which as it turns out, is a great diet trick. I lost 10kg in 3 weeks. *sniff* I now weigh 95kg...
I've heard too that Xanax can make you want to eat more too.
Effexor sure does work for me though it took a while to find the right dose and I remember feeling anxiety whenever the dosage was increased. I also had trouble sleeping, so the mirtazapine was prescribed. It not only can cause weight gain but also sedation - which helped me sleep.
This is the end of the thread.
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