Has anyone had a loss of appetite as a side-effect of being on Effexxor? Just curious -- I've been on Effexxor for a few weeks, and have noticed that I don't really feel hungry anymore. Unfortunately, I seem to be able to eat quite a bit even if I'm not hungry, just from habit...but I'm working on changing that!

Just curious if it's just me.

Thanks!

Hi Christine,

I'm sorry I can't help you with your question but I'm sure some one will chime in soon. Its the weekend and it does get slow here... which is good because that means everyone's outside exercising right ?? lolol.

I wish! I've been on Effexxor about 3 months and honestly I don't feel any different. I eat the same, and I cry the same amount =P.

But each person's body is different, so it may have that affect on you.

I had a slight appetite decrease for the first few weeks (maybe months) but still ended up gaining weight... not the drug's fault, though. I kinda just stopped caring, which is why I ended up quitting it. Is it still going on for you? How's the drug working for you?

It seems to be working pretty well, better than the Prozac anyway -- I'm not feeling sedated the way I was with Prozac. However, I've had a couple of life issues pop up that are difficult to deal with (like a death, etc.) so that's complicating things. Medicine doesn't take away genuine emotional pain, you know?

But things will get better. A close friend mentioned to me that had this issue happened a month or two ago, they would have expected me to be a raving basketcase, but I seem to be handling it very well....so that's an improvement.

I've been on Effexor since July 2003 and while the anorexic side effect didn't kick in with me (and I have to admit, that is why I picked this particular anti anxiety/depression med ) I didn't gain a ton of weight either, the way my sister did when she went on Prozac.

I was on Effexor 4 years ago and I gained 20 pounds in the 4 months I was on it. All I wanted to eat were sweets. And I did. And it took me 7 months to lose those 20 pounds, too. Effexor made me feel like a zombie and made me very suicidal. I also had no sex drive at all.

I had used effexxor for like a year and i didnt gain weight i lost almost 17 pounds in a month, so they change my medication to wellbutrin and i didn't like it at all. This week they are going to gave me another different prescription, i gave you my new results soon

I took effexor XL for a while and it was the only med that helped me to control my emotions. As for the eating side, it can increase or decrease apetite, of course depending on who's taking it. I had pretty bad eating habits at the time and was in hospital and friends with a lot of anorexic people, so I ate what they ate... when they did eat. I think it is better that it is decreasing your apetite (as long as you keep eating though! lol) rahter than increasing, because putting on weight only leads to more sadness in us that are trying to lose it.

Good Luck with your journey

I took Effexor for about 2 years, the apetite loss only lasted for a few weeks, I also ended up gaining weight, I just stoped caring and was still depressed and had a hard time getting off of it. I hope it works for you.

I was on Effexor for about a year. The first 4 months I lost 30 lb (a combined effect of the AD and the situation I was dealing with), the last 6 months I packed on 50 lb (bingeing).

AD's are known to sometimes decrease appetite because they increase the level of serotonin in the brain. Which is the same "feel good" substance that is released after a binge... so when the level is higher, you theoretically have less desire to binge.

My doctor put me on another AD these past 2 weeks to help combat my over-eating, but although I definitely have a decrease in appetite, the other side effects aren't worth it (lack of concentration and low libido), so he's taken me off it.