Could effexor xr cause me to have extreme hunger and to gain weight?

I know exactly what you mean, I want to eat everything in sight, which I find strange because that doesn't seem to be a common side effect. Normally, I am not like that, but now I am finding that I am always hungry. I find myself wondering why I am having this reaction, and what if anything can be done about it. Exercise and eating healthy, I don't see as answers because the appetite and desire to eat will still be present.

YES I gained 30 lbs in a year. Then my doc wanted to test me on .Lamictal. It was life changing. Look it up online. No weight gain... The best mood stabilizer I have taken since 1988.

I have been on Effexor XR for 10 years. During this time I have had gastric bypass surgery and lost to withing 30 pounds of my goal. I had gained back 30 pounds by not exercising and eating too much junk. I don't think my weight was affected by the Effexor, it was more my sedentary, bad lifestyle.

I have actually lost about 20 pounds since last October and it is very much related to stopping eating before bed. My psychiatrist put me on Ambien/Zolpidem Tartrate to help me sleep and it does not work properly if you take it with food. So I make sure not to eat for the 2 hours prior to when I plan to take my pill.

I was at first not even aware of the weight loss and then surprised that it could happen that easy.

yes yes yes i have been on effexor xr 150 mg once a day and gained and gained i was always hungry

Weight gain is an infrequent side effect of Effexor XR (venlafaxine XR), occurring in at least 1% of people who take the drug (though the exact percentage has not been reported.

The following suggestions could be of some help for weight gain with
Effexor XR.

Eating a heart-healthy diet. This diet should include:

* Lots of fruits, vegetables, grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products
* Lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts
* Limited amounts of saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, sodium (salt), and added sugars.
* Participating in regular physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day on most days of the week.
* Limiting your intake of alcohol, if you drink.

However you could seek medical advice from the doc/pharmacist who prescribed the med to prescribe an alternate which could not include weight gain, take care & all the best!