The effexor withdrawals and weight gain are my main concern

i have just learned that the reason why effexor causes weight gain is b/c norepinephrine is a natural fat burner. and when we take effexor, it's inhibiting our norepinphrine.. therefore we gain weight and can't lose it without a strict diet and extreme exercise. and even then we may not be able to lose weight. only way to lose weight is to stop taking this.

I absolutely cannot believe that my doctor never warned me about any of the information that is being shared on this website!!!

I was put on 35mg of effexor august 2007. Within approximately 1 month I was on 75 mgs (as high as it got) within less than a couple months I gained 11 lbs. Not, that this seems significant to most however; my weight had been consistent for YEARS. The only significant change in weight would be in weight "loss", never gain. I honestly COULD not understand why I kept gaining the LBS despite diet, and exercise. It got to the point where I quit looking at the scale because the indication of my weight trouble was so evident in the mirror (my jean / skirt /pant size went from a size 2 to a size 6 or 8,My bra size went from a 'B' to 'D') I couldn't take looking at my actual weight.

I decided a month ago to come off effexor because it was so expensive (along with the unexpected new wardrobe I had to purchase). I was told by Doc that coming off the drug was no big deal, the mgs would be reduced to 37.5 mgs for two weeks and I'd be set. Before we changed the dosage I tried coming off myself by taking the med every other day; thats when I noticed the super weird dizziness, dry mouth, severe headache and extreme hot flashes or . I took notice that it occured when I hadn't had the med for approx. 24 hours. Thats when I began my research on this drug. I am so thankful that many of you have spoken out about your experiences otherwise I would have probably opted to stay on the med just to avoid what I was experiencing from withdrawl.

I finished up the 35 mgs and got a different doc to write me a Rx for 25 mgs (my doc never even mentioned a lower dosage existed) that I am currently taking only 1/2 a dose of. This seems to help with the withdrawl symptoms as well as, taking Omega 3, B Complex and a Multi-vitamin. I will post again when I finish the 25 mgs.

Lawsuit sounds good to me... I feel like I was used as a guineapig.

GOOD LUCK!!

I did not know that effexor was going to prove to be the weight gain hell it has been. I have tried to come of for almost three weeks now, and I see exactly what you all are saying. I wish I knew. I went from 145 pds (curvy) to about 175. I work out as well and went on effexor for my anxiety disorder. I went from a c cup to a double d, and I am way too short for that, but anyway my ass of a doctor refuses to see me for another month even though I told them that all the symptoms I was having make me feel like the she hulk! I don't know if doctors know about the weight gain or the awful withdrawal we suffer, I don't think many even care. But, thanks for everyone here for caring.

I started taking Effexor about a year ago, but for an "off-label" use -- to control hot flashes associated with menopause. I was doing well, I thought, on a hormone replacement regime, and having regular breast exams, mammograms, Pap smears, and blood pressure checks to monitor for those potentially dangerous side-effects. However, I had to change doctors because of a relocation to a new area, and the new one basically read me the riot act about estrogen and convinced me that Effexor would control the flashes just as well. When it didn't, she just racheted up the dose. Now I am 20 pounds heavier, eating very little, going to the gym, and still having miserable hot flashes. Not to mention being constipated. So I am asking her to prescribe the withdrawal protocol, and I'm coming off of it. I don't know how someone who is taking it for depression can stand it -- I wasn't feeling depressed when I started -- in fact, I had a new husband and a new job and things were looking good -- but I am certainly depressed now!

:x
I'd been on Effexor and Effexor XR for well over five long years, for bipolar disorder, before my husband and I decided that it was time to wean off. I was always a very lean gal, until Effexor came along. For ANY physician to say that it doesn't cause weight gain shows that they are complete idiotsor complete liars!

I contacted my nurse practitioner, who doesn't seem to have a clue , and began the process. My husband, who is a wood furniture finisher, and I, a personal secretary in our school district for the past 19 years, did our "research" and knew more about Effexor than her and apparently the physician she answers to.

I was on 300 mg a day (150 2xday). The weaning went like so: 150/75 for five days; 75/75 for five days; 75/0 for five days. I probably should have gone ahead and requested the 35 mg capsules and continued weaning with them.

The vertigo and electric shock sensations are the most unbearable part of the withdrawals to me. Those two withdrawal symptoms are so debilitating!

If your psychiatrist, psychologist, physician, or nurse practitioner even mention the name Effexor - run fast in the opposite direction! Run very fast!

My personal experience and recommendation, not holding ANY medical credentials, is to seek psychological therapy first before RESORTING to meds of any kind. My sister is bipolar, schizophrenic and has psychotic tendencies. In watching what her physician has been putting her through, I feel that even today's newest meds don't do much more than put you in a zombie state. I don't know which kinds of meds are worse, zombie meds or Hell meds, like Effexor.

I've got a personal rant, that may benefit someone experiencing a similar situation: because of the meds my younger sister has been prescribed for her mental disability, she, quite literally, is completely useless and relies completely on her devoted husband. Had her physician forced her to see a psychiatrist or psychologist in the beginning and/or along with her med regime, I really don't believe the outcome would have been the same.

It doesn't seem logical for a family physician to prescribe tons of psych meds for a person and not require a psych doctor to evaluate and sign-off on the treatment. I don't even understand how or why that's legal. My sister is so far "gone" now that during her last ER visit, the attending physician stated that he had not seen anyone so irreversibly psychologically damaged that wasn't in a psych ward. He even stated that her physician had no business treating her and continuing to give her med after med after med and not requiring psych evaluation and treatment from a licensed psych professional.

I CHALLENGE any physician, who is not a licensed psych doctor, reading this post, to justify using Effexor XR for simple depression cases and even mild bipolar disorders and/or justify a regular physician's use of psych meds without instruction from a psych doctor.

I have been on 75 mg Effexor XR for 2 1/2 years for menopause anxiety and insomnia. Felt better at first but then started roller coaster ride of ups and downs not much different than before I started. I have gained 15 pounds despite watching diet and exercising 30-90 minutes 4-5 times per week. I have always had a high metabolism and weighed around 130-140 and I am 5'9". One time, insurer tried to put me on generic brand and I started to feel weird so dr put me back on XR. Also, another time, I accidently forgot to take for 2 days and started to feel nauseous and had the electric shocks. That's when I started to get suspicious. I was on Paxil 5 years ago and went off cold turkey so know about the "hellish" withdrawal symptoms one can endure. I decided after doing research that I am going to do the slow withdrawal by removing 1-3 grains a day from capsule. After two weeks, I am feeling fine. I will keep everyone posted as to my success. I am determined but also must support myself and can't miss a lot of work days in the process.

Been on Effexor XR since March. Started at the 75mg and then Doc bumped me up to 150 when I also like the rest of you started to gain wieght, felt bloated and disgusted with myself. I have always been thin and when I tried to drop the weight and nothing worked I went back to the doc and asked to be switched to something else. She suggested I keep a food diary (LOL)......I have always been able to keep myself thin and was insulted she felt I needed to keep a diary.

I am now on the lower dosage and I am experiencing very sore wrists, ankles fingers........? The pain in my wrists is so bad I can barely lift anything. Is this symptom familiar to anyone? Seems everytime I have expressed any concern regarding this med to my doctor that I have read on the internet he tells me to "stop reading the internet", as if to say that nothing anyone talks about on the internet is true. Well, if it isn't true why are so many people saying the same things? Why would they bother?

If anyone can relate to my joint pain or has a similar story to this symptom please let me know what was done. I am going to try and cut this med down and get off it but am not looking forward to feeling sad again. I do need something to for my mood....

KV

Hi I'm taking Effexor XR as well and I've taking it for aprox. two years. I'm currently on 300 mg but my Doc would like me to increase it 375 mg. I have thought that antidepressants causes one to have an increase in appetite therefore gaining weight. I also have also been very active. I go to the gym almost everyday and I do spin class twice a week step class,martial arts,and a combo of yoga,tai chi and pilates. I have gained 20 lbs that just won't budge. Before this I ran several marathons and 10 k's. I also take a very small dose of Risperidone for anxiety. I've found that my depression and anxiety just had to run its course. I am better than I was two years ago. Thank-you

Wow! I have been taking effexor for 3 years now, before that 4 years of other anti depressants.. I have only just realized a couple of months ago what the weight gain effects are! I was always told that it wouldn't make me gain weight, so the 30kgs I have put on over the years, I thought was me getting older, weight being harder to shift and eating badly, which wasn't even true! The only way, over the last 6 years that I have lost weight was by total extremes, that is, I was doing 2 spin classes and one strength class A DAY! and eating 2 apples and a chicken breast A DAY! Sure I lost weight, but I couldn't keep living like that, and the moment I stopped, it all started piling on. Now I sit here at my heaviest, ever, but 1 week into reducing my meds. Am now taking a 75mg every second day. I train at the gym everyday and see a personal trainer 3 times a week, so hopefully the weight will go, but what I think is soooo crazy, is that they give you these drugs, and yet being fat, obese and disgusted by your body is a depressant in itself. Why give people this drug that is going to make them feel so horrible? I mean, has anyone enjoyed the weight gain??

Hi i have been taking effexor for 2 1/2 years i got off it last week when i started having "brain shivers" for a week straight. i wasnt even OFF the medicine and i was getting them so i said NO WAY and got off it. I have been completely off it for a little over a week and have already lost about 6 pounds. the brain shivers are still there but getting less frequent i def have more energy and am actually HAPPIER now then i was a month ago when i was on it dont get me wrong i still get edgy at times i know thats gonna happen but i am very happy to be off this drug that i have read SO many horrible thing abouts i hope thats helps and good luck to you :D

Thank you! I have had awful joint pain for the past month. I started Effexor 75 mg 4 months ago and in the last month have gained 7lbs and have had severe joint and neck pain. The pain in my ankle feels as if my Achilles tendon is going to rip. I'm going cold turkey today and will deal with the withdrawal effects!

I've been taking effexor xr for 8 years...great years, except when I stopped taking it...until now. I am suffering with joint pain (I used to experience this pain only when I'd forgotten to take my dose for 4+ hours). For the last couple of weeks I have been hurting even though I have been careful to take my meds on time.

I've gained weight but until now effexor xr has been worth the trade off. My doc isn't comfortable weaning me off and I am afraid-quite honestly-to suffer through though withdrawls my mom and so many others experienced.

Does anyone know if effexor is causing joint damage? Has anyone continued to have joint pain after discontinueing the drug?

I take 300mg

Hello. I thought I should share my experience with Effexor as well since reading this thread has been very enlightening for me.

I have gained 45 pounds in 6 years. I went from being 135 my whole life to 180. It sucks.

I started taking it 6 years ago at a dose of 150mg per day. After being on Zyban/Wellbutrin for help with quitting smoking, my doc switched me to Effexor. Eventually the non-smoking thing was a losing battle but everytime I tried to get off it I'd have wicked almost debilitating side effects. By 'tried to get off' I mean ran out, or forgot, or was travelling and by day 4 I'd be a complete basketcase. It was easier and more convenient just to keep taking them.

Never had a weight issue, never dieted, was naturally active, fit and slim. For the past two years I have been doing EVERYTHING to lose this new weight. Jogging daily, working out with a trainer 4 times a week, Weight Watchers and nothing has made a bit of difference.

The light bulb finally went off the other day. I asked my new doc to help me get of the evil E since I don't really think I need it and it's just become a habit more than anything else. As an after thought I casually mentioned that I'm having a hell of a time getting these pounds off despite doing everything I should be doing and more. He told me that ABSOLUTELY the Effexor was the cause of this weight gain and my body's resistance to losing it. WITHOUT A DOUBT he said.

It all makes perfect sense and I have no idea why it never occured to me. I sure wish it had but at least now there's light at the end of the tunnel.

He told me not to expect to see any results until I finish weaning off the pills, but that once I take the last one there will be obvious and rapid changes. I'll take any change at this point.

I've been taking 150 a day. He wrote me a new prescription for 37.5 mg. The tapering schedule is as follows.

3 weeks of 75 mg daily
2 weeks of alternating 75 and 37.5
2 weeks of 37.5 daily
1 week of alternating 37.5 and nothing

Then stop and watch the pounds fall off!

I questioned if dropping to 75 from 150 was ok, would I notice anything or suffer withdrawal and he said that people don't often have any trouble on 75. It's only when they get to less that it can mess you up if itr's not been gradual enough.

So there you go. Hope this helps somebody. I'll report back with the good news in a few months :-)

I've been taking effexor for 3 months for hot flashes which were dramatically reduced from 9-12 a day to 0-2 a day. It worked within the first 3 days and I am so relieved of the annoying flashes and night sweats. But.....I have had numbness in my hands and acheing. wondering if I was having signs of arthritus, but realized that could be a side effect of effexor. My hands are stiff and I'm an avid gardener, plus a CNA who keeps busy on the job with using gait belts to transfer patients, etc. I need my hands!!!They are the last thing I think of at night before going asleep. Where do i position them so they won't hurt or go numb?
So this is my experience. I'm really calm and I have lost weight because I'm not doing the emotional eating with the annoying hot flashes! But your experiences sound like something I want to avoid. How do I safely get off the stuff. I take no other medications. Is cold turkey advisable?

Thank you to "no more effexor". I am soooo frustrated right now reading people's messages. I am po'd at my dr. for telling me my 70+ lb weight gain had nothing to do with the effexor 150 mg i take and that my night sweats and such have to do with my weight gain or peri-menopause! I just turned 38!!!! I am now 3 days no effexor. I feel no trust in my dr. so over the last 3 months started taking the pill every other day (no ill effects) then skipped 2 days and now since Sept. 28 have gone cold turkey. Effects so far: dizziness, still sweating and crazy, crazy dreams (though I had been having far more dreams since being on the drug for the past 2 years than I ever have). I have hope from reading these messages that I will get this out of my system and NEVER go back. I will do it the natural way if need be. I am thankful I found this site and these posts. Thank-you