Weight Gain On Pristiq? (Page 7)

I have been on Pristiq now since November of 2008...not quite 5 months...and I have put on 15 lbs since starting it. DESPITE working out with a trainer at the gym twice a week weight training, 3 days a week of cardio AND counting calories. My doc assured me that I would also have a decreased appetite on Pristiq, which I have yet to find true...so he has now increased my dosage to 400 mg. Does anyone have anything to add to this?? I'm just frustrated!

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To Barbefos, Pristiq was my first and hopefully last experience with anti depressants ! My symptoms went I went cold turkey were nausea, dizziness, headaches and a general rotten feeling from one day to the next for around 4 to 6 weeks. But my weight was coming off, so that was one darn good thing ! Laurette.

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I don't know if any of you want to try this, but effexor, pristiq and cymbalta are all from the class of SNRI antidepressants, and they almost always cause weight gain.They work with the seratonin and the neronoreph (sorry,can't spell it!!).But, I used to take wellbutrin which worked real well for awhile and it's for the SSRI class of antidepressants.....I never gained weight on that. So some of you ladies could ask your drs about that? My body is just much more less depressed when I am taking a SNRI type of medicine.

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Hey guys and girls. I actually asked my doctor about wellbutrin - as I had read it didnt seem to cause weight gain - seemed the perfect choice for me. Unfortunately Wellbutrin is only available in Australia as a stop smoking aid - thats all - and its very heavily regulated that you only get a short course of the tablets and only once per year ! The stop smoking part would have been great too , as I am a smoker & would have definately tried this one as it would have killed 2 birds with 1 stone - so to speak! Something that tackled the Depression & smoking ... would have been awseome ... thanks Australian government ... wouldnt want to make life easy now would they ! Totally sucks!

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WOW, REALLY?? I live in GA and I took it for at least 18months. Someone is making this really hard on you, and that is just not fair!! I don't know where you live, but I wish I could help you, girl!

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Awww, thanks Auggie! I wish too ! I think I should move to the USA ! lol . Its probably some money saving bulls#!* from our wonderful government ! I was so excited when I read about it too , I think it really would be exactly what I need ! But eh STUPID GOVERNMENT! What can you do! It has me baffled as to why other countries allow it as a AD but we class it as a stop smoking aid only - weird if you ask me !!!!! Im in Adelaide , Australia . Lucky country my butt - theres nothing lucky about being told by the government we cant take something that could greatly improve our lives ! Bah !

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@ Shea, I was on Pristiq for about 13 months. I was weaned off by taking it every other day for a week, then 3 days then 4 then off. I had no withdrawals at all. My total weight gain was over 40 pounds!

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I have also gained weight with Pristiq. Before Pristiq, I was on Wellbutrin and weighed 135 lbs and wore a size 10. Now, on Pristiq for over a year and half.. weighing close to 170 and size 14s and 16s. Doc is not wanting to let me get off the Pristiq or get back on Wellbutrin because of heart palpitations on Wellbutrin. If he won't let me get back on Wellbutrin, I'm finding another doctor. I am sick of being fat again. It's more depressing than anything else.

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@Marie: Congratulations. You sound like you are doing awesomely. I did every other day this past week, and this week. I just feel so relieved to know I'm not going to be this bloated looking forever.
@Anita: Good luck and do what is safe for you. I was to the point that Pristiq wasn't really helping my anxiety anymore. So I wondered what the point was when it wasn't helping and I kept gaining weight. It just seemed ridiculous. I agree with you: I was sitting in Weight Watchers, telling them that I've lost weight so much faster in the past, and this time, I was really working hard and NOTHING was happening (this is over the course of about four months). That's when it really sunk it then it wasn't me. It's Pristiq. Good luck!

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I have been on pristiq for about 5 months I am now gaining weight and I hate it. I take weebutrin also is there anything else

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I HAVE BEEN ON PRESTIQ FOR ALMOST A YEAR AND COMING OFF OF IT IS A NIGHTMARE!!!

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I've been on Pristiq for several years now but at 50mg. I noticed a difference in my mental status. I feel better, the depression is at bay, I also take Xanox XR 2mgs daily. Neither of these drugs have interferred in my sexual drive, its as normal as it's always been. My concern is that I feel like I gain 5 lbs every day and I can't seem to lose it. I'd like to think it has nothing to do with the meds I'm on, but I'm just not sure. My doctor assure me its poor diet and exercise. But I changed my diet and i go to the gym 4 times a week for an hour, and I still keep gaining weight.

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@John: I also noticed that I felt much better mentally (and my anxiety was definitely improved by Pristiq) during the first year. But I also started putting on the pounds a few months after I started Pristiq. A year later, I had put on 32 lbs. total. At one point, I was doing Weight Watchers and working out with a trainer. She kept saying, Once you eat right and exercise, you will start dropping the pounds. It never happened. I also turned 40 during this time, and thought perhaps that may have slowed my metabolism down. After trying Weight Watchers a second time and -- and I admit, I didn't adhere the points exactly, but in the past I could eat almost double the points I am supposed to and lose weight. I was eating 5 or 10 points above what I should have been and wasn't losing. It was very frustrating. I went off Pristiq a few months ago, and I'm so bummed out that the weight hasn't just fallen off me.

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I have been taking pristiq for over 2 months and I am gaining weight fast. Always hungry. The drug does not affect my sex drive, makes me feel more relaxed in difficult situations but the weight gain is fast. I will stop taking it.

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I have been on Pristiq for several months. Though I feel better emotionally, I am gaining weight. About 7 pounds so far. I do have an increased appetite and exercise doesn't take the weight off. After reading everyone's comments, I am going to gradually stop the pristiq and continue my exercise. That should help with the anxiety. Thanks for your input.

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@theangelwhisperer. Seven lbs. is not a lot of weight if the medicine is helping you. I could have lived with 7 lbs. I could not live with 32 lbs. And my doctor kept acting like I was CRAZY every time I came in telling him I was convinced I was putting weight on due to Pristiq. Don't go off of it if it is helping you and you feel fine. I went off of it because I had put on 32 lbs over the course of the year AND I got to the point I no longer felt it was helping me.

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@Beth: My doctor told me it was weight neutral (meaning I wouldn't gain weight -- and I believed him. I worked out and I did Weight Watchers as well. Finally after more than a year, I decided Pristiq was NOT helping me as much I would have liked (it was amazing in the beginning. It gave me my life back), but it got to the point, where I didn't feel it was helping me. That and the depression that started over being fat, not fitting into any of my own clothes -- they led me to realize that it was time to stop the Pristiq. I'm doing well now, but the weight is NOT coming off as easily as I might have hoped. I weaned off over time (about a month or so), and it's been about three months.

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I've been on 100mg Pristiq for a little less than a year. I have always been very petite, but have gained about 25lbs. despite working out and watching my diet. The extra 25lbs. looks DISCUSTING on my small 5'3 frame!! Went to my Dr. yesterday and told her I was tired of being fat, so she has decided to switch me to 40mg, Fluoxetine HCL taken once daily, and 150mg. Bupropion SR twice daily. For the first week she has cut me down to 50mg. Pristiq to ween off, and then stop the Pristiq completely. I'm excited to get my body back, but am worried about side effects once I stop the Pristiq. My Dr. assures me that the fluoxetine will help with the side effects and make for an easier transition. Anyone have any experience with using fluoxetine to get off Pristiq? Glad to hear I was not the only one who experienced a ton of weight gain on Pristiq!

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I have been on Pristiq 50 mg for almost two years. I found myself in a very bad shape and don't even know how I got there. I was a compulsive worrier. Pristiq really gave me my life back, but it also gave me about 20 extra pounds. I am always hungry and I never have the sensation of feeling full. I also suffer with Meniere's Disease so I also have to deal with the dizziness of that. I would really like to come off the Pristiq, but I am terrified of being in the shape I was in before. The Meniere's can be terrible, much less with withdrawal symptoms on top of it. I am also 50 years old so I'm sure I am peri-menopausal. I guess I just feel weird and it's a combination of my ear problem, the Pristiq, and hormones. Aren't we females lucky? All your comments really are helpful. Thanks!

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I was just wondering if anyone has tried taking Pristiq every other day instead of every day?

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I had been on Effexor XR for several years, and have gained 60-70 pounds over the last several years while taking various anti-depressants. Wanted to go off the Effexor since I thought it was messing with my memory, but come to find out I have severe sleep apnea. Pretty rough going off - but my doc switched me to the generic so I could go down in mg. slowly. Now my doc put me in Pristiq and after reading these posts I am scared. Can there be an anti-depressant that doesn't make a person gain weight?! It just adds to an already rough situation!!! So frustrating.

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