Weight Gain On Pristiq? (Page 17)

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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I am 68 yrs and feel great on 50mg of Pristiq BUT I have gained 18lbs in less than a year. THINK about it.

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I am so glad I found this website! I thought I was the only one to gain weight on pristiq! I am under 5' and only on it for 3 months I gained 15 lbs! I can't fit into any of my clothes and am more depressed than ever because of the weight gain. I stopped cold turkey 4 days ago and I will never take pristiq again no matter what. I haven't had any withdrawl effects so far but nothing could be bad enough to make me take another pill. I will lose every pound I gained if it kills me! Pristiq should be taken off the market it is just horrible.

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I fell so for your frustration. I started with Cymbalta and changed to Pristiq. Reason since 2008, I have gained 60lbs. It does not seem to matter what I eat, how many calories I eat or burn. I just gain weight. I was 115lbs. at age 33. I am 54 and don't expect that my 130 was not bad 3 years ago at 5'7. It only worsens my depression.
Terrie Ralph

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I am so glad I am not the only one who gained weight on Pristiq! I am 32 yrs old and had been on Pristiq for two years and had gained at least 20 pounds. I didn't know what was going on because I was eating the same and exercising the same amount, but just kept gaining weight! And I thought Pristiq was supposed to cause weight loss, if anything! Anyhow, I stopped taking the Pristiq 3 days ago because I am a grad student and it was becoming impossible to concentrate and focus. I am having some withdrawl symptoms (I feel achy and irritable), but I am hopeful that I'll feel better in a few days. Already I feel like my mind is sharper and I can read a chapter in my textbook without falling asleep! Good luck to you all!

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I have posted here a few times and just wanted to offer a little encouragement to you. I have had the same problems with weight gain and increased cholesterol and triglycerides. I've started walking as regularly as I can and trying to do at least some form of exercise daily. So far, I have lost eight pounds and I feel great. I don't know why I have begun to lose weight, but I am so glad and I feel great. Don't give up. Those of us on Pristiq may just have to be a little more patient. I'm averaging about a pound a week, but that's just fine with me. Bless you all!!!

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I have been on Pristiq for approximately 1 year. At first I was on 50mg per day which worked great for a few months. Then due to some life stresses I increased to 100 mg per day. I thought this was working quite well until I started to experience some physical problems that I didn't connect the dots to until just recently after looking at the possible side effects listed on the drug info. along with reading many, many comments from people who have experienced similar effects. On the 100mg had constant flu-like achy symptoms. I ached terribly in the middle of my shoulders and down my arms. I felt just I do when I get the flu only not in my lower body and legs. I had no fever but just felt awful. If I took Ibuprofen I would feel somewhat better but who wants to take that all the time? I was afraid I had something serious going on so went to my Dr. who ran blood work to check for rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, and other things. SCARY. I began to think about when all this started and tracked it back to my increasing my dose of Pristiq. Low and behold after about 4-5 days I no longer felt the flu like stuff. Another thing about this drug is HOT FLASHES! Fierce and plentiful. I have been thinking it is simply menopause but now I am not so sure it's not simply the Pristiq. I am weaning off of this anti-depressant and am sooo depressed and irritated by the process. I have the bizarred brain zaps throughout the day, horrible and increased hot/colds sweats, increased irritability, crying jags and mood swings even though I have taken the process slowwwly. 100 mg for a week to 50 mgs for a week to 25 mgs for a week to 25 mgs every other day to finally nothing! I am on my 4th day without any Pristiq and am still having all of the above symptoms. From what others have experienced I am hoping this starts to diminish greatly soon. Also, my cholesterol level was quite high when I had it checked while on the 100 mg Pristiq. I am anxious to have it checked next when I am off it. Curious to see if the Pristiq was part of the elevated levels.Thanks to all who post their experiences. I gained a great deal of 1st hand knowledge from those who have actually experienced similar side effects. I am soo anxious to feel good again.

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Hi i have been on pristiq for nearly 2 years now but i have heard that it is not good to take if you are on thyroid tablets, i have an underactive thyroid gland and my last readings showed that the antibodies had elevated greatly. Could it be the pristiq?

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Yeah, me too. I have been on it for a year, take 100mg a day. 25 extra pounds, which would not be so bad, but it is all in my belly. It looks like I am pregnant! i have also not had a menstrual period for a long time, but that could be due to other things. Nice to know I am not alone with this. I am just wondering if the situation would improve if I exercised more. Can't hurt, right?

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I gained 15 lbs on Pristiq after being on it for only 3 months. I'm under 5' tall so 15 lbs on me is double what it is on a average size person. I didn't eat any more than I normally did, in fact I ate less but could not loose a pound. I quit Pristiq cold turkey on Oct 4. It's been almost 2 months and I'm just now starting to loose weight. I haven't had any adverse withdrawl effects. Even if I did I would never take Pristiq again. I still can't believe that this drug is marketed with weightloss as a side effect. What an absolute lie!

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I have been on Pristiq since February after losing twins & being so depressed. I have been on anti-depressesants for 14 years since the birth of my son. Lexapro, Effexor, Welbutrin, Prozac ...my God, I cannot remember anymore! The Lexapro seemed to help the most, but after 5 years on it, it wore off. I have gained 30 pounds since February 2011, all of a sudden a really round middle (& feels hard) & this is even WITH the lap-band weightloss surgery I had 6 years ago! I am beyond depressed! I hate myself the way I look! Sex drive is okay, my bf isn't overly sexual anyway, so whatever. I didn't Fr my script filled for 2 days, for no reason, and I am crying, yelling, nauseous, dizzy, headache, can't sleep (weird dreams when I do) throwing up..just HORRIBLE!!! I need a different medicine, but I'm scared. I have friends on Zoloft, and thy gained....No idea what to do :(

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The funny thing about me bringing Pristiq is that I am also on Adderall XR for focus etc., it suppressed my appetite, but in conjuction w/ Pristiq, the Adderall really doesn't suppress my appetite, I really don't eat much. I thought maybe it was the sweet tea I occasionally drank, but that's not possible. Oh, & I have been sweating like a pig, we are talking dripping sweat down my front!! I just turned 39 & I know it's not hot flashes yet! Nobody wants to listen to me. Doctors want to fix one thing at a time, & honestly when you NEED an anti- depressent, I think docs would rather see u gain weight than rip peoples jugulars out just cuz ur in that kind of mood LOL
After reading all of the posts, I think certain symptoms depends on the age of the individual. I'm willing to bet the ones that do well are under 40, and the ones with the majority of problems with Pristiq are over 40. Let's take a poll :)

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@Kimberly:What is the HCG diet? That took me by surprise, as HCG is the pregnancy hormone lol

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@Karen:Please be careful with the lithium. My mother took it for years & her gums receded. She is losing teeth & will eventually lose them all :( I am sooooo sad reading about everybody on his site. I got ready eyed because so many of what everyone is going through, I am going through. The withdrawal from Pristiq are horrible. Ladies with children, if h had morning sickness with your pregnancies, I closely relayed the two! It's just awful. However, these drugs aren't addictive, or not supposed to be. We try to seen ourselves, it makes us so sick, dizzy, swept etc., so its perfectly normal to say "well, screw this, ill POP the Pristiq again" (which is what I just did after 2 1/2 days of no pristiq. Weird how almost instantly the side effects diminish. What a cruel cruel drug! I might ask my doc to just put me on the Effexor it Lexapro again. I will say after trial & error of about 5-8 different anti-depressesents, ONLY Pristiq has given me these horrid withdrawal/ side effects!!!

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Hello everyone, I need some advise. I am currently withdrawling off Celexa slowly. I am feeling horrible depression from doing this. Celexa just stopped working for me and I gained 50 lbs from it in a year. I was thinking about trying pristiq because i heard it causes weight lose but after reading some of these posts, idk now. Do you think I should just withdrawl and get off the anti-depressants or switch to pristiq. How long will I feel this extreme sadness during this withdrawl? Any advise?

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I am 48, taking 100 mg Pristiq for about 1 year. Works very well for depression but I have gained 20 lbs, it is all in my stomach, and I cannot lose any weight. My clothes don't fit correctly and I feel unattractive to my boyfriend. He understands, but this is about me.

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I would NOT recommend Pristiq to anyone who cannot afford to gain weight. I'be gained over 30 lbs., and am currently seeming myself now. However, if you still want to try it try it for a month or two & see how it goes. ALSO:My doctor told me to alternate to withdraw, and ease side affects. She said to take 100mg one day, the next 50 mg, and so on for 2-3 weeks. She said the 100 mg is an extended release, that's why it takes awhile to withdraw. However, I had to get a prior-auth for the 50 mg's--so I started cutting the 100 mg in half on my own. I hope this added weight comes off!! :)

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Laura, thank for your response. Im going to try and withdrawl off the antidepressants completely and see how I do. I was not really depressed before the meds. I had high anxiety. I really hope this works.

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Cassi: Yes, I have high anxiety as well.
I'be often thought of St. Johns Wart, u never know. Good Luck :-

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i hear your pain, all, i was on it for 3 yrs, and weaned off in May, due to the 25lb weight gain, all in my belly, i had always looked good before, i work out 6days a week and eat very healthy all the time, so the weight came from the meds, and made me even more depressed, i lost 18 of the 25 already, and feel even better after being off meds, i think they may have made me more depressed and sleepy, if u can, get off the meds, try talk therapy, journal writing, and join a gym, to boost your confidence, best of luck, you can do it

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I've just started with Pristiq as I have Dysthimia and recent events have triggered a downward spiral. I'm also paranoid of gaining weight but having a lot of knowledge about exercise/eating etc. I just wanted to add a few notes that you might want to consider:

1) For those of you who say you've gained weight since starting despite eating the same and continuing your exercise regimine. The body gets used to both diet and exercise.
a) If you've been limiting your food intake for a long time, your body will think it's starving and you'll gain weight. (especially if you've since started exercising because you're feeling better.) Try upping your daily caloric intake by 50 to 100 calories. Scary, I know but I've experienced this myself after months of eating a reduced caloric intake, then eating normally and suddenly dropping weight.

b) Change up your exericse routine. Like I said, the body gets used to your exercise routine and it becomes less effective. If you run, go swimming or cycling. Start weight training. Take up a new sport. I walk for at least an hour a day. All it does now is maintain my current weight and help my heart out.

2) If could be age related. For any of you under the age of 25, it's normal to put on 10-15 lbs as you grow into your full body. For ladies over 45; well you know we all have to constantly battle the weight.

3) It could be because you feel better. You're eating better and exercising. The weight could be muscle. Or you might have been at a weight unnatural to you before treatment because the depression and anxiety made you lose your appetite. So, just pay attention to how your clothes fit.

And of course, it can be the Pristiq. I'm not ruling that out, but it might be worth changing things up a bit before tossing the AD.

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