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Rapid weight gain after stopping venlafaxine

Posted , 31 users are following.

KezzaNoon
KezzaNoon

Hi there, I've gained weight over the past 6 weeks after coming off of venlafaxine - I was on it on and off for 5 years.

I thought it was due to the supplements I started taking (5htp, l-tyrosine, vit b complex) but I've read a few reports of rapid weight gain after coming off meds.

Has anyone else heard of this??

Can the weight be lost?

I'm exercising and eating super healthy and gaining weight by the day......, help!!

2 likes, 55 replies

55 Replies

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  • JAYDO899
    JAYDO899 KezzaNoon

    Edited

    From what I know weight gain is a common side effect of anti-depressants, so try not to stress too much, just keep a healthy lifestyle and it will be all good. Just give time for your body to become used to not being influenced by the meds and return to baseline.
    • KezzaNoon
      KezzaNoon JAYDO899

      Posted

      Hi Jay

      The weight gain is actually since i stopped taking it!!! 

      I didn't really gain that much weight while i was on them, so its so frustrating that ive gained since coming off them. 

      thanks 

      kerrie 

      '

  • borderriever
    borderriever KezzaNoon

    Posted

    Kezza

    I pile the weight on when I take ADs 

    If you are putting weight on now and you are concerned ask the GP to put you on a diet. The Surgery will keep an eye on you

    BOB

  • ellebi
    ellebi KezzaNoon

    Posted

    Ive heard of people gaining weight with Antidepressents but not after stopping them, maybe give them more time to leave ur system??

    Are you having any withdrawal side effects?

  • shiraz46473
    shiraz46473 KezzaNoon

    Posted

    Hi Kezza, you have been taking venlaflaxine for a long time and that changes your body and digestive system a lot. After you stopped the medication the body takes another turn so just wait for that to happen.

    Did venlaflaxine help your depression? Why did you stop taking them?

    Keep in touch.

  • shiraz46473
    shiraz46473 KezzaNoon

    Posted

    Hi Kezza, why did you come off venlaflaxine. In 2008 I was on venlaflaxine for depression and I got over in one year - I came off it and it did not effect my weight.

    If you are not depressed after coming off it is a great achievment.

    You should not worry about your weight for now. It is better to be out of depression than to worry about your weight. There will be many ways to reduce your weight. You will have the time for it.

    Keep in touch.

  • heavyaftermeds
    heavyaftermeds KezzaNoon

    Posted

    Did you ever find a way or why you gained weight AFTER you stopped taking effexor? (at least 10 pounds and I'm not eating any differently, in fact I'm eating healthier and less) I have gained weight and seem to be putting on more and I've been of it for going on 5 months, and every time since my close are tighter from one laundry day to the next and slowly but surely none of the clothes I bought when I lost weight taking lamictal and adderal (still on the 30 mg of it) but the weight still keeps piling on and I'm so frustrated I want to cry. I know it was awhile ago since you posted, and I hope you still belong to this forum as all the medical websites don't seem to have answers and only discuss weight gain WHILE taking them. You seem be the only other person with the same issue after going to more than five forums like this one, and since this is over a year old, I thought maybe you'd be able to help me... I tried to put on pants this morning that I wore two-three weeks ago when I last did laundry and they didn't go up past my thighs sad. I want to cry

    • Worriedmother
      Worriedmother heavyaftermeds

      Posted

      I’m really sorry I haven’t got any advice except to say you’re not alone - we’re going through exactly the same thing and I’m desperately trying to find these answers for my 16 year old who’s gained a staggering 5kg in 2 months at least since tapering off this med.  Even though she loves her food and hates exercise, nothing has changed for her to be gaining this weight so rapidly.

      I’m furious with myself for letting a doctor to put her on this & that I didn’t research it.  3 years ago we were worried about her anxiety to try new things becoming a problem & she was put on Zoloft & CBT.  But she started hallucinating and turned out to be the Zoloft so she was changed to Lexapro and she would hallucinate still in highly stressful situations.  She was a mess and her weight ballooned.  So I asked for an alternative and was put on Effexor and started losing the weight.  The hallucinations stopped but she started dissociating in exams. Then she developed serious tachycardia and couldn’t even walk upstairs.  We saw cardiologists who were baffled.  Her doctor told them it was only anxiety and she wanted to double the dose of Effexor.  Thanks to Google I read this could be a dangerous side effect so changed doctors and she started tapering off in September and took her last dose end of the year.  As she tapered down her tachycardia and chest pain slowly and steadily went away but her tummy got very bloated.  She went through the usual withdrawals but seems to be over them & her new doctor says her only mental issue is perfectionism & phobia of failure.  Nothing a medication can help.

      So my daughter would be fine but she is bursting out of her clothes, is carrying a lot of weight around her middle and her bmi is now borderline obese.  

      A friend of ours is a pharmacist and said Effexor pushes up adrenaline so it is a known danger to cause heart issues and it could have killed her.  All I can be told, by a few open minded doctors, is that her metabolism is screwed, adrenaline probably took a nose dive and hopefully in time, patience and a good diet it will reset itself.  Other doctors say after 3 months her body would have recovered & she isn’t taking any other medications.  She’s had full blood work and ultrasounds of abdomen and pelvis (her periods stopped for 3 months) but all looks good.

      I am as desperate as you are for answers.  This is breaking my heart.  She now has CBT to help with her fear of failure and the only depression is about her body image.

      The bloating and weight gain only started as she tapered off, not before, and it’s increasing all the time now she’s off it.

      I really hope someone out there can give us answers/ hope.

      P.s since being off all psych meds there’s no more hallucinations or dissociation.  I think all those meds caused  that imbalance in her.  Prior to seeking psychiatric help her only problem was this fear of failure.  Otherwise she was a petite “normal” teenager

    • ana76872
      ana76872 heavyaftermeds

      Posted

      Hello ,just to let you know that I am trying to be out of affexor and I am putting weight day by day and I don’t know what to do, I have taking the antidepressants for 15 years  and don’t think they are not doing much for me after a this long and I just want to be off 
    • ReJoyce777
      ReJoyce777 ana76872

      Posted

      My husband tapered off Effexor for 6 weeks. A few days after taking the last one he began to gain weight in his stomach. now 2 weeks out, his feet and ankles are swelling and he is retaining fluid in his stomach as well. Took him to the ER and they found nothing. ugh It appears from several post here this can be a common occurence. He is extremely frustrated. The withdrawals were a mess and now this!!!!

      It sucks having to play doctor and research myself. His doctors have been no help at all!!!!!

    • Worriedmother
      Worriedmother ReJoyce777

      Posted

      Its been a long road playing doctor and my 17 year old daughters advocate. So this is an update on my post last year. So back then she looked 9 months pregnant, gained 10kg overnight, bloated up like a balloon & periods stopped + alopecia areata. GP's were hopeless. Just said metabolic syndrome and too see a dietician. Put her on pill.

      I took her to a naturopath & a gastroenterologist. Gastro diagnosed clinical lactose intolerance & brilliant naturopath pushed for more testing. My GP's didnt want to work alongside naturopath but because of the naturopath they discovered insulin resistance PCOS. She was put on Metformin and low carb lactose free diet. I found a new GP and an endocrinologist who both will work as a team with the naturopath. We met the endo on Friday. She examined 2 years of pathology & was shocked how much was ovrrlooked, such as high blood glucose. From the blood work there are small indications to Lupus and Cushings & other not very nice conditions. So lots more pathology tests to rule these out. My daughter has lost 8kg but its been a tough ride from when she finished her taper from the poison in Dec 2017. She's not taking anti depressants or the pill anymore. Only Metformin & supplements and her mood & hormones are doing well

    • ReJoyce777
      ReJoyce777 Worriedmother

      Posted

      thank you for the update this is pure madness. My husband is misserable and yes, he looks pregnant i pray they get more info for you he still has to get off the well butrion. He has started on CbD TO HOPEFULLY HELP WITH THE TRANSITION

    • ReJoyce777
      ReJoyce777 Worriedmother

      Posted

      Did they ever test her liver. In researching, I see Ascites and when you look at images of the stomach, they look just like my husbands. Poor man is misserable..

    • chrissy15242
      chrissy15242 ReJoyce777

      Posted

      has your husband gotten any better? i stopped effexor 3 weeks ago and have gained over 25 lbs. I look 8 months pregnant, no clothes fit. My feet are so swollen. HORRIBLE

    • casey26388
      casey26388 heavyaftermeds

      Posted

      After being on effexor for about 8 years, I decided to taper off this summer. I am about a month off completely.. and the water retention in my legs is horrible. Granted, the other side effects are not making me want to jump up and exercise, but I was shocked when pants that fit fine two weeks ago didn't fit today. My legs are tingly and almost feel what I imaging a slight neuropathy would feel like. I had this during the beginning of the taper, but I am surprised and bummed that it is still happening. I REALLY hope my body balances out.

    • katie44283
      katie44283 Worriedmother

      Posted

      Hello!

      I realize this is an older post. But, did you ever find answers for your daughter? I am experiencing the same thing in regards to the rapid weight gain while tapering off. I cant cant seem to lose the weight and it's been 5 months since being on the meds.

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