Hi Heather,

Good luck on the new meds. If you don't get alot of responses, try doing a search on this board...I know Effexor has been discussed before.

Leenie

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Hi, I am on 75mg. of Effexor, and honestly I don't really have any side effects. I have actually lost weight on it, but I may have lost the weight anyway, as the reason I went on it was because I needed some help coping when I found out my husband of 21 yrs. was having an affair. I hope you do great on it without any side effects.

Lori

I have been taking effexor for a couple years. I am currently on 225 a day so I take it 3 times a day. I really haven't noticed any side effects with it. One thing I have noticed is don't miss taking it for a couple of days, it will really screw you up. If I accidentally forget it, I get a bad headache and sometimes a sick stomach. Also, once you have been taking it for a while don't just stop taking it. It is one that you have to be weaned off of over a few months. Other than that, I have found it to be wonderful stuff.

Dawn

I've lost weight on Effexor. (I've gained on it too, but not because of it).
Good luck with it.
Amy

I have eating issues so I can't fully say I can blame effexor, but I lost 29pds in '06 and then I was put on effexor. In 1 years time I gained 50 pds!! My cousin was on it 6+ yrs ago and she gained 70 pds on it. But yet others I know had no effects. So I guess it depends on your body? I explain mine as it's not exactly the effexor that did it, but the effexor seemed to make it so I was just like "lah-lah...I'll worry about it later....". It's hard too cuz this is the only med I've tried that I haven't had other bad effects from! Talk to your doc. and see if there's something better for you. It takes alot of mental work, but you can fight against it...not sure about the long term though. Good luck!!! And stick with it!!!

Why do you take it 3 times a day. I take 225 also, but take it all in the morning.

Positive

I think he has me take 75mg 3 times a day instead of all at once is because it is not time released. I was on Effexor XR and it is time release and i only had to take it once a day. They don't make the XR in a 225mg tablet and I didn't want to be paying co pay on 2 prescriptions of the same pill just different dosages.

Dawn

i have battled bipolar, chronic depression and sever anxiety since i was very young. i've been on many different meds over the years and i can tell you effexor is one of the "kinder" meds.
many people do have headaches and stomach problems if they stop taking this abrubtly. pretty sure it is not one that makes you gain.
for me effexor worked really fast. but quit working 4 months into it. my doctor has 3 meds that work for me as my body seems to reject them quickly. that way when one quits he can start me on another. he uses them in a rotation.
goodluck, hope you feel better, and just keep doing what your doing, you shouldn't have weight gain from the med.

Dawn

Thanks for the info. I need to speak with me dr. about that. I take a 150 and 75 every morning...I wonder if 3 times a day will make a differance.

I have been on Effexor for several years now, my maintenance dose is 75 mg. I have both gained and lost on it, and IMHO it had nothing to do with the meds, it was all on me I really have not noticed many side effects, no headaches or stomach issues as some have mentioned; it has decreased my sex drive, but less than all the others I tried.

One friend who has also taken it had to make sure she took it in the am because it made her a little more alert and prevented sleep if she took it later. I have always taken mine in the am, so I don't know if it has that effect on me.

I was on Effexor a couple years ago (anxiety & depression) - could only stay on it for 6 months or so because the side effects were awful.

I neither gained nor lost weight on Effexor. Good luck to you.

Hi-
I took Effexor for 5 months, it stopped working. About 3 months into it I joined WW with 2 friends. They were loosing every week and I didn't loose a pound, even though I followed to a T. So talked to Dr. we are trying Wellbutrin because depression was coming back anyway and all I could do was sleep and cry.
I have been on Wellbutrin for a week, now I am starting to ween off Effexor as I heard it had hellish withdrawls.
Hope this helps.

I agree with Dawn. Whatever you do, do not just stop taking it! It will rock your world, and not in a good way! It had me non-stop hysterically crying in the shower for hours! It was horrible!

I was on 150mg several years ago, when I stopped taking it. I can't really say anything about losing weight, because at that time, I was at a good weight. Sorry!

I wish you the best! Sending you +++++ vibes!