Anyone take Effexor?
#241758 - 01/26/06 10:21 AM
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My doc wants me to try it for anxiety and pain associated with my IBS-D. However, I heard one of the main side effects is weight gain? This seems to be in some dispute. Some say it causes it, some say it doesn't. Anyone got any personal experience? Thanks!! 
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Did you try doing a board search? I'm not sure if the weight gain aspect of ADs has been discussed in the past or not.
I'm not on Effexor, but I am on Lexapro, and I can vouch for the fact that meds like that can definitely make you gain weight. They can also make it very difficult to lose it once you gain it. It's a risk you take, because everyone's going to react differently to a medication... you have to weigh the pros and cons, you know? In my case, I NEED something for my anxiety problems, so I didn't have much of a choice.
Good luck!
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You're right of course, I am going to have to weigh this out for myself. It's hard because I know I have anxiety issues and, although they're usually mild, I can manage to work myself up pretty bad which makes my IBS flare. Especially lately since I have so many complicated things going on in my life. I just don't know that I want to trade anxiety for feeling like crap over gaining weight, ya know? How has the Lexapro worked for your anxiety?
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I have
#241864 - 01/26/06 03:18 PM
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Vicam
Reged: 02/24/04
Posts: 1955
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Hi Amanda,
Ok, this may seem long-winded butI happen to be very opinionated when it comes to Effexor so I hope this at least helps in some way.
I've been on two ADs in my life, Paxil and Effexor. I hated both of them. The Paxil worked better for me but I gained 50lbs on it which was extremely hard to lose. I eventually lost the weight by going off the Paxil and essentially developing an eating disorder. Because of the eating disorder and related anxiety issues the doctors put me on Effexor. Effexor is actually one of the few ADs that tends to not cause weight gain...in fact, anorexia is actually listed as a potential side effect (god knows what my doctors were thinking putting me on it). It has more of an "upper" affect than alot of ADs which can lead to restlessness, twitchiness and in my case, INCREASED anxiety. But everyone is different in how they respond to it.
My main problem with Effexor is that it is extremely hard to discontinue once you start. If you have never taken an AD and really think one will help, I would strongly recommend you start with a different one. Effexor and Paxil have the worst reputation for withdrawal side-effects. The reason for this is because the have extremely short half-lives which means the drug is out of your system very quickly...miss even one dose and you can start to experience withdrawal (sweats, night terrors, sleeplessness, nauseau, diarhhea, anxiety etc). Other ADs have much longer half-lives so when you need to get off them you can do things like go every other day with your dose which just doesn't work with Effexor. It took me months to get off the Effexor of splitting pills open so that I could titre down in small enough doses. It was a joke. Plus, I ended up needing high doses of benzos (think Valium) to get me through it.
So, that's my little soapbox speech about Effexor. I don't want to scare you or anything, it's just the doctors don't tell their patients this stuff. A good pharmacist will...but half the doctors I saw weren't even aware of the problems associated with discontinuing the drug, I had to educate them.
I'm going to give you three good websites to look at...they may help you decide whether you want to chance it or look at another AD. One is actually specifically for Paxil withdrawal but it was started before Effexor came out, and because Effexor is now known as being the only drug on the market WORSE than Paxil for withdrawal they discuss it on that site as well. Here you go:
http://www.join-the-fun.com/effexor-withdrawal.html
Paxil Progress Message Board: http://www.paxilprogress.org/forums/
CrazyMeds: www.crazymeds.org (this site has information on all anti-depressants) AND CrazyBoards: www.crazyboards.org (this is a message board that is linked to crazymeds where you can get some helpful advice about Effexor.
I really hope that helped...if you have any questions feel free to email me or ask here 
Kelly
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Hi Amanda,
I am on effexor (for the 2nd time) and have not experienced weight gain. I find it great and really helps my IBS too. My experience with coming off it weren't as bad as Vicam's, I did get a bit of nausea and dizziness and had to take a couple sick days from work, but nothing I couldn't deal with. Unfortunatley, some people have different reactions to ADs.
Hope this helps and good luck.
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How much of it are you taking? My doctor told me I probably wouldn't have to take a very high dose, but he didn't specify what he wanted me to work up to. I am supposed to start out with 37.5mg. I won't take the pills until I hear back from him, though. Based on everything I've been told here, I called him and left a message for him to call back to discuss side effects.
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Hi Kelly,
Well, first of all, I am sorry to hear about your awful experience! That sounds really horrible!
As to your input, it is definitely helpful. I like to know all the facts before I enter into a decision and that includes knowing all the bad stuff. I called my doctor and left a message for him to call me tomorrow so I could discuss side effects in depth with him. I won't start the pills until I talk to him again.
Yes, I've been on other ADs before. I took Zoloft about 6 years ago and Elavil about a year and a half ago. Elavil didn't really work well for me and Zoloft made me gain weight, but did make me feel better.
I'll keep you posted as to my decision and/or progress:)
By the way, how much of the Effexor were you taking?
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Re: I have
#241967 - 01/26/06 11:03 PM
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Vicam
Reged: 02/24/04
Posts: 1955
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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I was taking 150mg (gradually got up to that point anyways). Good luck with your decision...if weight gain is a concern than Effexor is definately a good way to go because it's generally thought of as the least likely to cause weight gain, just bare in mind that some people have a rough time coming off of it.
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Thanks!
#242102 - 01/27/06 11:58 AM
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Thanks again for your help! I talked with the nurse at my Dr's office today and discussed all this with her. She acknowledged some people have a hellish time coming off the meds, which she said is more common with higher dosages. She told me I am going to be on a low dose (37.5mg once daily) for a month and we can see how that works and if necessary they'll increase. But at that dosage she said my side effects should be minimal, if any. She also said what you indicated about it being known for weight loss rather than weight gain.
I guess I'll give it a go and see how I fare. I'll keep you updated as to how I feel, if I go off them, etc.
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I am taking 75 mg right now, though I thought of increasing the dose a couple times. Maybe that's why my side effects weren't as bad as others, had a lower dose. I was very nervous and thought long and hard before I took effexor because of all the noted side effects. The first time I started taking 37.5 mg I didn't like the side effects (dry mouth, dizziness, no appetite, minor troubles sleeping) but it went away, and I think it is a small price to pay (for me) to feel mentally and somewhat physically better. Good luck!
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