Weight Gain On Pristiq? (Page 22)

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've posted on here twice so far. Here are a couple of suggestions: Here is a website full of good information about resetting our metabolism
scoobysworkshop.com/calorie-calculator/
I also increased my dosage of Topamax to 100mg per day in the morning. This has significantly decreased my appetite. It comes in generic for cheap. I am using a another website myfitnesspal.com to log my food and fitness and find support. I am working out and controlling my diet. I have lost 1 percent of my bodyfat so far in just 3 weeks.

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Here is a link to an interesting youtube about our metabolism.
youtube.com/watch?v=eYi9xjIRvbY

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I have been on Pristiq 50mg for nearly 2 years now. At first I too experienced a loss of appetite, but it didn't last. After a while the drug "needs" to be taken at the same time and even a slight deviation in timing leads to increased appetite and cravings for sugars and carbs. I didn't realize the correlation at first, but it's obvious now. After 2 years of being on this drug I am at the heaviest I've ever been, having gained over 30lbs in total.

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Yes, i too find this to be a factor for me....you are NOT ALONE hun.My doctor told me that this med was NOT the reason i was gaining weight and that i needed to exercise more and cut down on my smokin!!! Right...go figure....may be time for a med. change!

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I've tried many antidepressants for the past 10 yrs. Wellbutrin seems like the only one that hasn't caused weight gain for me. I stopped the wellbutrin 2 yrs ago and wasnt taking anything. Then a major family crises occurred and i decided i needed something to help deal with my situation. I had gained 30 lbs prior to taking pristiq. I've now been on pristiq for 5 months and have struggled to lose this 30 lbs of weight. I've been working out and started the Jenny Craig program on 3/31/12 and only lost 10 lbs. I stopped the Jenny Craig program and went on Medifast and still can't lose any weight! I feel certain if I were to stop Pristiq and get back on Wellbutrin I would have better weight loss results.....

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I switched from Prozac to Effexor and then to pristiq. I was only on the Effexor for a month and the pristine for a month and I gained 35 lbs. I noticed that a lot of the weight gain is in my stomach and thighs. This weight gain has caused me to be more depressed. I work out. I run/walk 3 times a week. I have a personal trainer and I am watching what I eat. I have not lost any weight. I have been off the mess since February or march and have been struggling to lose weight. It is making me more depressed and it pisses me off that this drug did this to me. It is incredibly frustratIng. I have no idea how to get this weight off.

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I began taking Pristiq in May because of my irritability and the rage I would feel. Started on a 50 mg dose. It seemed to take the edge off immediately. Loved the stuff. Noticed an extra pound or two on the scale, but attributed it to my diet - even though I was exercising regulary. Then all of sudden my rage was back. So my doc upped me to 100 mg in July. By the end of August my total weight was up 20 pounds from where it had been in May - despite watching my diet and working out three to four times a week. The weight is all in my abdomen area. My stomach is so bloated much of the time that I sware I look 8 months pregnant.
Took 100 mg for one month and dropped back to 50 mg. because I was so tired and the added weight was miserable.
In the meantime had bloodwork done in August. Thyroid was great, but I learned my prolactin levels where through the roof. The doc prescribed Parlodel - which increases dopamine levels. I've been taking both Parlodel and Pristiq for a couple of weeks.
I have an appointment with my doctor next Tuesday after spending the entire Labor Day holiday in tears because of the way I look. I'm completely depressed and don't want to go anywhere or have anyone see me. I'm so enraged over this horrible bloated belly and 20 extra pounds. I intend to tell him exactly what I think of this horrible drug! I want OFF OF PRISTIQ NOW!
So, I'm quitting Pristiq starting today. Cold turkey. I'm praying that taking the Parlodel and increase in dopamine will keep the horrible withdrawl side effects at bay.
I'm seriously praying for everyone on here and that we all lose this horrid weight and begin to claim our lives back from this horrid drug.
I'll keep you posted on my progress.
This

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I also wanted to add that I've had the most horrible acid reflux since taking Pristiq. I've never had acid reflux accept when I was pregnant. I've read ADs cause an increase in stomach acid, but I also attribute this to the huge bloated belly I now have. :(
I also believe the Pristiq messes with your metabolism, which I believe causes the rapid weight gain. I also believe that experiencing an increase in appetite on this drug is due to the tiredness we feel. When you're body is tired, your brain says to eat to gain energy. You ever see a completely worn out 4-year-old tell you she's hungry because she's doing everything she can to stay awake? She isn't hungry. She's exhausted.
I've read that B6 is the vitamin needed to help impove metabolism, so I've added an extra B6 to the multi-vitamins I take every morning.

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I've been off of Pristiq for 2 months now (my Dr. thinks I just quit) I've not lost a pound yet. When I told my Dr I gain 40 lbs since taking Pristiq at first he tried saying "Did you have your medical Dr do blood work" I said yes and they did a ultasound (I thought I might have a tumor) and found everything normal. So he is putting me on Wellbutrin now. I truly believe Pristiq messed up something up in me.
Rachel please let us know if the parlodel works. I don't know if my MD check my prolactin level. This is depressing gaining all this weight. :(

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I am on day three of quitting Pristiq cold turkey. Thankfully, I've had no side effects. In fact, despite a cold, I've had more energy in the past few days than I have had in weeks. Perhaps taking the Parlodel is keeping away the withdrawl side effects. A bit of the bloatedness is also gone. But my belly is still huge. I'm praying that in time and with some hard work, my body will return to normal. I see my doctor on Tuesday. I will update with his report.

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I've been off Pristiq cold turkey for more than a week. I've had zero side effects from withdrawl. The bloating has diminished, but I'm still stuck with the added weight.
I saw my doctor this week. I asked if the Parlodel I'm also taking could've been helping me not have the withdrawl. He said possibly, but didn't expand on that. He wants me to give my body a couple of weeks taking no AD and then we will review my symptons again. He suggested he may put me on a combination of Welbutrin and Zoloft. He calls is "Weloft."
Now I just have to figure out how to get this "gut" back off. :(

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Still no luck of getting my belly weight down. The Wellbutrin makes me tired and sleepy so far (been on it for 2 weeks). Since I've got a plate and screws in my back I'm limited on the exercise for the belly fat. This is so frustrating!

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Wanted to update you on my experience with Pristique and weight gain. I was convinced my inability to lose weight was associated with pristiq but now I believe I was wrong. Have your doctor check your Vitamin D level and your thyroid. You may have to fight for thyroid medication if you fall in the low normal range. Women tend to suffer from hypothroidism as they get older. Since I started taking a Vitamin D supplement (deficiency recently associated with inability to lose weight) and synthroid (hormone for low thyroid), I started losing the weight. (My primary care doctor said my thyroid was okay as I was in the low normal range. My psychiatrist prescribed the synthroid for me as it tends to help with depression. I know this from prior experience). Also...about the belly weight, try Rasberry Keytones.

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My thyroid levels are normal that was one of the first thing my Dr. checked for, and I've been on Vitamin D at 50,000 mg per week. I believe it is the Pristiq causing the belly fat and weight gain in my case and some other people case. I have heard of the Raspberry Keystones and wondered if it really works. Dr. Oz talked about pumpkin seeds and white navy bean extract for losing belly fat.

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It's hard for me to say what kick started my weight loss after 5 months of dieting with very little results. The Vitamin D and the Rasberry Keytones were started within a few days of each other. I started the synthroid, about a week later. I have come to the conclusion that I will never really know what the solution was. I will tell you that I have never lost weight in my stomach area before and now it seems to be coming off. My feeling is that the rasberry keytones are the cause for the weight loss in my stomach...but the synthroid is the reason I started to lose weight at a normal pace. Since the rasberry keytones are natural, I would give them a try for a month and see. I have lost 15 pounds in the last month while I lost only 20 pounds in the preceding 4 months with religious dieting and excercise.

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How much do you take a day of the raspberry keytones? I've never been this big before, always had that flat belly so I sure will try the rasberry keytones.

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I'd might try the Rasberry Keytones, also. My thyroid was checked and is also in very normal range. And there is no absolutely no doubt in my mind the Pristiq caused the belly weight. If it were "normal" weight gain, the weight would've been spread to more places than just my gut. Thank goodness the bloatedness is gone since quitting Pristiq, but the weight won't come off. Even with three nights of bootcamp burning 700-1000 calories a workout. Nothing WORSE than putting on a pair of pants that were once a little loose and busting the zipper on them. :(

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There are allot of rasbery keytones on the market right now. I take 2 capsules per day (which is the serving sizeon the bottle). It totals 1200 mg. Each manufacturer is different. The price varies but you can get them online. Expect to pay anywhere from $15 to $20/bottle which last a month.

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O felt same sintoms of low sugar and dizzy kind off feeling when I try to stop Pristiq I can add that in the second or third day off, I felt something like an electricity ray in the brain. People didn't believe that was possible

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Just saw your thread. Have been off Pristiq for 6 weeks. I gained most of my weight after I stopped. Have you lost the weight yet?

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