My meds are making me gain weight. What can I do?

Question

I've been taking Effexor XR for the past several months. It's helped some of my anxiety and depression symptoms, but unfortunately, it's also caused me to begin gaining weight. What can I do?

Answer 1

This is one of the most common side effects of Effexor. It is not due to an increase of food, however, it is due to an increase of water. Effexor does NOT increase your appetite and it does NOT descrease your metabolism. I know this. It's water weight that makes people on Effexor gain weight, and they gain it like crazy. Have you ever noticed that you're thirsty a lot? Or that your mouth is dry a lot? That's because Effexor makes you thirsty, and the more you drink, the more water weight you gain. It's a very common side effect. You can stop drinking water, but, of course, that is very silly, and it'll make you even more thirsty. Talk to your psychiatrist to switch to another anti-depressant. Side effects, if any, vary from medication to medication. This is a trial period, where you're beginning on medications, and it takes some time to find the medication that's right for you.

These are the most common side effects of Effexor:

* Nausea
* Ongoing Irritable Bowel Syndrome
* Dizziness
* Fatigue
* Insomnia
* Vertigo
* Dry mouth
* Sexual dysfunction
* Sweating
* Vivid dreams
* Increased blood pressure
* Weight gain
* Decreased Appetite
* Electric shock-like sensations also called "Brain shivers"
* Increased anxiety at the start of treatment
* Akathisia (Agitation)

Notice that decreased appetite and weight gain are simultaneous side effects. Does it make sense that a person would experience weight gain when they were having a decreased appetite? No, of course not. That's because the weight gain is due to water weight and the sodium in the perscription, not appetite whatsoever. If the appetite has any change at all, it is that of a decreased appetite. Statistically, an increased appetite simply does not happen in response to Effexor. None of my patients have ever reported an increased appetite, only a decreased appetite if any appetite change. If an increased appetite occurs, it is certainly not due to Effexor. I would actually know this because I am in the psychological and psychiatric field on a very daily basis, NOT a dentist. Would you go to a dentist for a broken bone? No! So why would you go to a dentist for psychiatric advise?

Good luck! Message me if you have any more questions.

Answer 2

I apologize for my slight argument with the below responder, for you, I will * the important parts of my response.

**Effexor is a serotonin - norepi reuptake inhibitor. Serotonin has been known to both affect appetite (increase at low levels) AND metabolic rate. You should talk to your doctor because some medicines are being studied currently that may limit the weight gain when used in combination with anti-depressants. Topomax is one, but that is used to treat bipolar and is not FDA approved even for that because it is an anticonvulsant and I don't know what effect Topomax has on Effexor. The key MAY be regulating your leptin, glucose and insulin levels. You would probably have to ask your physician to check if these are out of whack in your system and how to get them under better control if they are. Good luck. **

This is my dispute with the below responder... you may want to read but the bulk of the info is above.

I do agree with the below poster that SOME of the weight gain may be due to fluid retention, but if you read about Effexor, it is more common in older adults. I doubt a large weight gain would all be fluid. Furthermore, effexor also claims to have the side effect of weight loss and YES, LOSS OF Appetite...so appetite IS affected. I don't mean to diminish the words of the student below. I am a dental student, so we are learning this together.
I do know that this drug is not related to others used to treat depression etc. It still inhibits the reuptake of serotonin though and that does have metabolic effects. Regular SSRIs initially cause weight loss but then over time, extended weight gain (as much as 20lbs/yr some cite.) I don't know specifically how Effexor works, but i know it is a nor epi / serotonin / dopamine reuptake inhibitor...so to say it has no metabolic effects in my opinion is a bit unjustified.

But you can verify everything I have said by reading scientific journals in the field I have my masters and research experience in... neuroimmunology.

Answer 3

If you believe your medication has contributed to your weight gain, and your weight is continuing to rise, go back to your Dr.
Every few months you should be seeing the Dr. anyway for what is called a Med Eval - medication evaluation. This is where you are asked how well your medication is working, any side-effects or new issues. Your Med Eval is when a Dr. will adjust or change your prescription.

Some medications will react differently, concerning wt. gain in teens than they do in someone twice that age. Other medications may initiate a bit of a wt. gain in the first couple months, and then as your body adjusts to it, the weight will stabilize. In every case both patient and Dr. need to weigh the drug benefits against the side effects, evaluating how this particular medication is working for you at this time.

Answer 4

I took Effexor some time ago. It did the same thing to me.
Best thing to do is talk with your doctor. Explain that you feel you may be loosing one problem, but the weight gain is causing another. Don't stop the medicine till you talk with your doctor.
They may just slowly switch you to a new program.
You can start a journal and write down what you eat. That way ou can tell if your eating more, or if it is just the medicine causing the weight gain .
You'll be able to explain it better to the doctor.

Answer 5

Yes, there are alot of anti-depression and anti anxiety medicine that xause weight gain. I have been on paxil for 8 months, and it takes everyone I can do not to gain weight. I would suggest that you start to exercise. Exercise will help keep the weight off and will alos help with your depression.

Answer 6

OMG! My Dr. just put me on that and I googled it and saw that some woman was on it and went from 130 lbs to 185 lbs. I also saw that you can go through w/drawls when getting off it. So I took it for 5 days and then found this out and stopped. I'd go back to your Dr. and tell him this. Don't do Paxil either I was on that 6 years ago and gained 25 lbs in 3 months. Good Luck!

Answer 7

unfortunately alot of the meds we are prescribed one of the adverse reactions is weight gain.i gained 56 lbs on remeron.the doctor prescribed topamax in jan and my weight has came down from 233 to 211 so far.but a week ago he added trazodone to my list of meds.my diet stayed the same,my exercise routine stayed the same and my weight went up 4 lbs in one week.i'm not taking that pill at that rate,that will be 16lbs a month!!

Answer 8

not heared of Effexor XR making anyone gain weight unless you have incressed you food intake. if this is the case then you should try to cut back on the amount of food you intake at a safe level. then if this does not fix the problem contact a doc.