Venlafaxine withdrawal and weight gain
Posted , 18 users are following.
has anyone got any experience of ven weight gain and if it comes back off? Or is my metabolism ruined? I have put three stone on in the few months I was on it, despite being active!I asked to be put in an antidepressant that didn't have that side effect so this has made me feel even worse.tapered down over the space of one month to the smallest 37.5 dose, I am on day 7 of no ven and it's been the week from hell!hearing voices,vertigo, nausea,vomiting,crying for hours, mania,severe anger, crazy thoughts, head zaps (the weirdest sensation) confusion,memory loss,sweating, took me a week to feel even slightly human and still feel crap!taking diazepam to calm symptoms,terrified it has caused irreparable damage. Any help would be appreciated!
1 like, 28 replies
susan1019 jane16555
Posted
Hi Jane,
I'm not sure if you're still following this thread but I came across your question while doing my own research. I have felt so alone in all of this but reading your comments and others, I know it's not in my head. I've been on ven since Nov 2014 due to PPD/PPA. I have gained 25-30 lbs. I too look pregnant!! I can't tell you..I've taken many negative tests to me sure. I've seen SO many doctors and they just give me the run around. I am 38, so I'm sure that has something to do with it as well. I am slowly counting the modules and coming off. I look like a bloated whale all the time. I hope after 10 months you have had success. All the best.
JustLhere susan1019
Posted
Hi Susan,
I have been reading through a few reviews and came across you response to Jane. I was on venlafaxine for almost 11 years. I gained about 35 lbs, I finally could not take it anymore. I was already depressed and to gain so much weight jyst made it worse. I decided on my own to quit taking venlafaxine rather than tapering off. The first day I was fine, but then the dizziness, headaches, ear ache etc started in with a vengeance I didnt think I could make it but I had read that taking 3 to 4 fish oil and lots of water helps. I started taking fish oil and multi vitamin and I promise I felt so much better. It was a horrible week don't get me wrong but it lasted a week and I have now lost 20 lbs and feel better than ever. Drink as much water as you can, ice packs on your head and neck take the dizziness and nausea away to as well as peppermint candy or gum, these things make a difference. Best of luck to you and just know you can do this and you will feel so much better in the days ahead!!
sarah63894 susan1019
Posted
Hi, I too came across this post while doing my own research. I went cold turkey off of Effexor 5 days ago and will say the withdrawals have gotten a little less intense but are still TERRIBLE. right now the worst is the anger. Any advice for this?? I have been taking a ton of omega 3 as well as b complex I've also had to take xanax at times.
martine_75602 sarah63894
Posted
Hi Sarah, I'm on 75mgs per day. I dropped to 37.5 and turned into the angry monster. So after a week I went back to 75. I will have to wait till I have clear time to be a big bitch and try again. Martine🦋
em3334 martine_75602
Posted
So glad to know the anger thing is not just me!!!! I have been on 75mg for 9 years, have tried to wean once before around 2 years ago but nearly lost my mind with the physical and mental withdrawals.... have been losing my memory and feeling really terrible this year so I started weaning around a month ago, having 2/3 of the beads from my 75's for around ten days and now am on 37.5 tablets. The only withdrawals so far are terrible headaches and the anger/irritability. The only thing I can attribute to the fact I've had no brain zaps, vertigo, nausea ect this time around is because I started excercising daily about a year ago and eating a lot of fresh veg oats eggs meat ect. I have been doing a lot of research and actually found a study online. They gave a test group of rats (or mice?) ven for a month and none to the other group and fed them the same things. The group receiving the drug started retaining fat around their stomachs. It was a relief to read this and know it's not just me eating something wrong and proof this drug does cause this
Good luck everyone!! We are all in this together..... xx
JustLhere sarah63894
Posted
Hope you are well today. I did not have to much of an anger issue, however I took walks by my self a few times a day just to relieve the irritability I could feel building inside. The way I feel today I really believe that getting effexor out of my system was one of the best things I ever did. Fish oil, multi vitamin and vitamin B every morning and Fish oil and Vitamin D every night before be. I have so much energy again, lost the weight I gained over the years and my hair and skin seem to be much better too. (That could be the fish oil) I probably drink a gallon or two of water a day but I have always drank a lot of water. Deep breathing exercises are great and everyday exercise helps tremendously. Best of Luck continues from Me to you and everyone else who is trying to get off this debilitating drug!!
heather92474 em3334
Posted
It’s comforting to hear that I’m not going crazy!!!
coco74196 heather92474
Posted
Hi Heather,
It's totally normal to have extreme irritability and fragile emotions. It's the worst! Are you still completely off? The weight will just start dropping off...I promise. It takes a bit, but once it starts it comes off fast. I've done it 3 times before and am going to start weaning off Effexor 150 mg in the next year as I've gained 35 lbs I exercise and do strength training and don't eat badly...doesn't matter what I do! I've learned, though, that if wean too fast, I'm ok for about 3 months and then the issues start...sort of a delayed effect. Then I end up back on it.
jia84323 jane16555
Posted
I recently stopped Effexor as well, it took me 2 months to wean off I went from 250mg-150-75mg and then I stopped. It was so difficult to do. But I could not deal with having my life depend on taking this medicine everyday otherwise the withrawl side effects wouldn't even let me leave my bed and even then it was like a nightmare in hell. 2 month later now, I have so much hair loss, hair thinning, breakage etc, I'm still struggling with photosensitive/ increased reactivity for my skin and eyes, although it has decreased in severeness. I did gain weight on this medicine but with a super healthy, smaller potioned diet and daily 2-3 hours of excersise I did lose half of it in 6 months but since this is such a strict routine, I gained it all back when I relaxed and stopped working out so much with that. Although I have finally stopped having hyperhidrosis, which I am so thankful for but I really still don't like the idea of losing all my hair.
kat7777 jane16555
Posted
With regard to weight gain, the lbs. piled onto my body when I popped the last Effexor. I could not get rid of the weight so after a month of trying everything and convinced that my metabolism was ruined, I went on a doctor-supervised liquid fast for two weeks. I lost 25 of the 30 pounds that I had gained. It took several months before my body felt as though it was functioning normally again. I had severe 'brain shivers' for months after I stopped taking Effexor but they became less frequent and less severe over time. That was the scariest side effect but it did ultimately go away. Hopefully you are well passed those experiences today !
coco74196 kat7777
Posted
Hi kat,
I think that RIGHT after you stop the meds, they cause weight gain initially, but then your body starts to shed the weight after that first month. I've been through this 3 times in the past 20 years. I've been on 150 mg for 9 years and have (like always) put on 35-40 lbs. I'm going to wean extremely slowly over the next year or even year and a half. Jealous of all those that are already done with the process!
johnkross kat7777
Posted
Hello Kat,
I also stopped effexor 3 weeks ago and i still haven't lost any pound gained from it. Do you think this is normal and it needs more time to adjust or i should go talk with my doctor about it?
Thanks a lot
CatMat jane16555
Posted
I was told by my dr this med was least likely to cause wt gain compared to others- WRONG! I am on it for OCD. I want off also bc I developed scalp acne & losing my hair! Going to a Derm now to a address that problem & my scalp is painful, itchy & I had to cut my long hair short
I want to titrate off of this med (I’m on 225) not sure how to start! What do people mean by
“brain zaps”- that sounds scary! I have Post Concussion Syndrome & that’s why my OCD kicked into high gear & dr put me on this drug. Before my head injury, OCD was managed w/ Wellbutrin. Any ideas/comments/advice anyone?? God Bless!