Weight Gain

Does Effexor xr promote weight gain or loss?  Also, it is sooooooooo expensive, is there an alternative?

[Hensley258]

The whole antidepressant weight gain or loss issue is still a big debate.

On one hand scientific studies show that SSRI and SNRI medications do not alter the bodies metabolism, on the other hand you see reports by people saying they gained weight on them.

In the last 16 years I have taken nearly every SSRI and SNRI medication on the market and did not experience weight gain or loss on any of them. Now, obviously I am about 25Lbs heavier than I was when I was in my 20s. I 38 now and as we get older weight gain is common. is this due to taking these meds? I don't think so as I probably would have gained the weight anyway as I started pushing my 30s.

Now I have experienced a bit of weight gain from the Tri-Cyclic antidepressant that I now take. The Tri-cyclics are know to have higher risks of weight gain.

As for the cost of Effexor XR..... Trust me, all the name brand antidepressant meds are just as expensive. The active ingredient in Effexor is Venlafaxine, which is avalible in a Generic, but it is not in the XR form. The XR is short for "extended release."

Only the Effexor has this time release form of Venlafaxine delivery. I have found this time release form to be much more effective than the generic Venlafaxine which has no such delivery system.

Don't even get me started on the corruption regarding prescription medication in the United States. Life saving medications in the US are considered a privlidge, not a right as they are in most other countries. It is a fact that the best treatments are reserved for the wealthy and are not even designed to treat us people on a working class wage.
It is a system that is beyond contempt and is sucking the life blood out of our country.

[rebi2]

Effexor will 100% make you gain weight. I was an ATHELTE who gained over 25 pnds in 3 years without changing my routine.

It was a nightmare and will ABSOLUTELY make you gain weight-  its also incredibly hard to come off - i recommend 1/4 of your dose every week until nothing.

Monster of a drug

[acesarp]

I took venlafaxine (Effexor) for about 2 years. I didn't gain or lose weight. It really depends on how the patient reacts to the drug. If it increases your anxiety level you might take it on food, without even noticing it.
Personally, venlafaxine made me extremely irritable, aggressive and tired, but it didn't affect my appetite or metabolism.
So there's no final word on it will make you gain or lose weight.