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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
Effexor and Gynecomastia
Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD) , bipolar disorder , dementia , electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) , learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) , panic , personality disorders, phobias , post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) , schizophrenia , stress , transitions, and work problems.
Effexor and Gynecomastia
by John B, May 13, 2004 12:00AM
I have been taking Effexor (currently 150mg) for about 3 years. It was certainly effective when I needed it to be, at a time in my life when I needed that help. I will be beginning the potentially horrific process of weaning off of the medication(with my Dr.'s help). I am quite sure it will be painful, as missing a single dose feels like having a vice grip applied to my temples and simple tasks like carrying on a conversation are impossible.
My question actually related to Gynecomastia. I had a very expensive surgery performed to excise glandular tissue and remove excessive fat- a gynecomastia surgery. After the surgery I was thrilled with the results. After a short period of time, I gradually grew back to appearing just as bad a before the surgery. My Dr. told me to wait for swelling to subside. That was 9 months ago so I know it is not swelling. I have an appointment to see him in a week, but he will most likely not have any knowledge of Effexor. I know that this problem is a potential side effect of the drug. I am not saying that it is definitely the cause, but I am becoming suspicious, especially since I actually saw my chest looking great at one point, and then saw it revert back. The only causes I can find for a re-emergence of Gynecomastia are related to hormonal problems. I suppose that is a possibility.
My question is this: IF the Gynecomastia reoccurence was in fact caused by the Effexor, would my discontinuance of the drug make the Gynecomastia go away as well? And, if so, how long would this take before I saw improvement? I really want to sort this out before going to my plasic surgeon and having the surgery performed again, only to have it reoccur.
Thank you for your time and for this excellent resource!
My question actually related to Gynecomastia. I had a very expensive surgery performed to excise glandular tissue and remove excessive fat- a gynecomastia surgery. After the surgery I was thrilled with the results. After a short period of time, I gradually grew back to appearing just as bad a before the surgery. My Dr. told me to wait for swelling to subside. That was 9 months ago so I know it is not swelling. I have an appointment to see him in a week, but he will most likely not have any knowledge of Effexor. I know that this problem is a potential side effect of the drug. I am not saying that it is definitely the cause, but I am becoming suspicious, especially since I actually saw my chest looking great at one point, and then saw it revert back. The only causes I can find for a re-emergence of Gynecomastia are related to hormonal problems. I suppose that is a possibility.
My question is this: IF the Gynecomastia reoccurence was in fact caused by the Effexor, would my discontinuance of the drug make the Gynecomastia go away as well? And, if so, how long would this take before I saw improvement? I really want to sort this out before going to my plasic surgeon and having the surgery performed again, only to have it reoccur.
Thank you for your time and for this excellent resource!
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., May 14, 2004 12:00AM
, May 14, 2004 12:00AM
It is such a rare occurance so I have no experience to bear on your question and am reluctant to answer it. My guess would be, because this is usually true of these kind of medications, that if it is caused by Effexor, it will go away after discontinuation. I suggest you contact, or ask your doctor to contact, the drug company directly to access their research on this side effect.
