Venlafaxine withdrawal and weight gain

Thanks for the reply Elaine! I'm sorry you had such a hard time. Sertraline sadly didn't work for me, I maybe should have gave it a bit longer. I actually felt great on ven just the side effects scared me if I forgot a dose by a few hours! I'm a bit scared to try another antidepressant now after ven! I've tried to sit the week out, luckily I've been off work, felt like I was totally losing my mind at points, hopefully it gets better as I'm starting college again in August, can't concentrate on anything.xxx

It does get better but it takes along time. Best of luck Jane 🤗

Thanks Elaine, you too!😊X

Hi, thanks for the reply!😊 Yes, I suspect I may have made a mistake with this, I just wanted right off it and the thought of faffing about with beads etc was making me a bit anxious so just stopped. I had just over a week window off work where I had could just ride it out. Did you start to take another antidepressant after it? I think I'm going to try best I can without anything. Fantastic the weight came off for you!have heard conflicting views on the weight loss,I have tried all sorts of diets on ven and still the weight creeps up, so hopefully it shifts now I've stopped. How long did you take the meds if you don't mind me asking?xx

Hey, thank you so much for taking the time to reply, not at all I like to gain information and it's nice to speak to others who have been through it! I'm so sorry you have such a hard time, sounds awful you are a strong lady for getting through it. Is this fairly recently you tapered off or was that also a while ago? I understand what you mean about the permanent issues, it frightened me when I could literally feel the drug working on my brain! I have tried to explain this to others and they look at me like I'm mad!my local pharmacist when I tried to discuss with her made me feel small when I discussed the symptoms with her and treated me with contempt! More awareness needs to be made about ven or (preferably) banned! You too I hope the symptoms subside soon, I'll try the fish oil!xxxxx

Hi Jane, I have trouble explaining to people too. I absolutely can feel this drug working in my brain. It feels like a whole lot of little spiders running around in you head. I get the feeling not long after I take the meds. It is freaking me out and I just want to get off it. I am down to 75 from 100 but am worried about seizures etc....coming off. I was put on Prednislone for a health issue and went on the venflaxin because the other drug made me nuts. I am so over all these drugs. I came off pred rapidly ignoring the doc's slow step down so hopefully I can get through ditching this one too. Martine

Dear Jane

I feel that way too, my psychiatrist made me feel that way, after I had weaned off it car quivkly and didn't take the other antidepressents she prescribed. from reading stuff people using and stopping effexor, everyone can see the patterns, the side effect of taking it are so serious and withrawl from it makes their lives a living hell, I felt so insulted, when she said that I keep complaining but am not doing what she prescribed. I didn't know then that even after coming off and being over the severe withdrawal symptoms, there is still residual side effect, and apparently she doesn't know either, which is why she made my mood swing, aggitation, frustration problems symptoms of my mdd diagnosis even though before ven, I never had anger problems or agitation, my mood was just always depressed and you know ... suicidal, I had been that way since I can Remember, my first memory of feeling like this is when I was only 8 years old. Anyways so she just prescribed another anti depressant which I am so scared of taking. I not anti medication, I'm in university, study biology and one day medicine. I also have ADHD, for which I take what is prescribed and a decently high dosage 40mg dexamphetamine, and I don't suffer from withrawl from it ever or never effects taking it either. I've been on anti depressant for 5 years out of which 4 for venlaflaxine. It does make you less depressed but the side effect are just not worth it. I'm so scared of having to take them again.

Sorry this is so long but people need to be aware, not everyone reacts well to these meds and long term side effects from them arent all that great either

Oh goodness that's a long time! The docs don't listen, I thought my doctor was great until he put me on these! That's great news it comes off, I am huge and such a bad shape, I look like I'm pregnant which isn't helping my mood haha! All the best to you too, message me anytime if it helps! If you can take a week off work I would definitely suggest that, try and sleep a lot! I took anti sickness tablets to help the head zaps, they are the worst! Xxxxx

Without going in to a long drawn out story, I’ll give y’all some basics. I was prescribed Venlafaxine er 75mg 1x day, about 4-6 years ago for Fibromyalgia AND Major depressive disorder. It actually worked well for both issues but my health has been deteriorating with other medical problems and I had to start taking a bunch of meds. I got sick of taking so many pills and against my prescribing drs advice, I went off the Effexor cold turkey. I knew what to expect but I’m an impatient person and I took my last pill on 1/18/18. It wasn’t easy, but I made it through a ton of rough patches. Its over a month now and things are going fairly well except... I’ve gained 10 lbs since quitting, I’m pretty depressed, very emotional, and irritable as hell. I don’t even want to be with myself and no one wants to be around me. I’m starting to think about going back on the venlafaxine even though I know how bad they can be for you. I’ve taken just about every Med available for depression and I’ve taken the other meds recommended for Fibromyalgia, and none of them worked as well as the Effexor er. I know my doc will give me the “I told you so” lecture, but I don’t think I can go on like this much longer. I’ve researched all my options and none of them can help me as much as the Effexor. Has this happened to anyone else here and if so, can you please share how things worked out? I feel like such a dumb??!

Hi Lunyma,

Hope all is well! I'm just wondering a couple things, are you taking other medications for anything else if so do they have a side effect of weight gain, and just wondering your age range. When I went off cold turkey I did gain about 7 pounds and felt horrible, irritated and just so down and depressed. It lasted a good 6 or 7 weeks, then I began to feel better, getting my energy back and within the next 4 months I lost 30 pounds. I took fish oil twice daily along with a daily vitamin every morning and vitamin D every night before bed. It help a lot. I wish you all the best, please do not go back to Effexor just give your body and brain time to get back to the real you!!

I’ll be 60 in October. I do take other medications daily, but I’m pretty sure that weight gain isn’t a side effect of any of them. It’s been 6 weeks since I stopped the Effexor.  And if things couldn’t get much worse, I woke up in the middle of the night with excruciating pain through my body. I can barely walk and my coffee cup felt heavy to lift. If whatever this is doesn’t go away by tomorrow, I’ll have to go to the hospital. In the meantime, the debate is still open to whether I should go back on the Effexor or not. Apparently it DID help my pain and my mental status. The last thing I’d want to do is to have to take steroids. 10 times worse than the Effexor!