Vortioxetine and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• Cla...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 28, 2020

Vortioxetine for Depression "I have anxiety, OCD, and depression. I took this pill for a year, and it was the most amazing medication I had ever been on for my anxiety. I started low and took it at night to try and sleep away most side effects. But I did have diarrhea for the first 3 days of upping my dose, and I only went up to 10mg. But then it would go away, and I noticed a difference in my anxiety at 7.5mg, but I seriously was able to live my life, and I never knew what genuine happiness was until this medicine. However, after taking it for 6 months, I started to gain weight so fast. I gained 40 pounds in the following 6 months and then stopped taking it because it made me starving, I never felt full, and these kinds of meds are known to affect your metabolism in a bad way. So yes, this pill is amazing, but I got fat on it."

• ann...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 8, 2020

Vortioxetine for Depression "I have been on Trintellix (have worked my way from 5mg dose to 20mg) for 8 months now. It has helped with anxiety a lot. It got me out of a sad place initially, but depressive symptoms came back after 4-5 months of taking it. I gained about 25 pounds and have stomach bloat. Sex drive is gone. I don't recommend Trintellix for long-term use. The weight gain and loss of sex drive only make the depressive symptoms worse."

• Fee...
• April 26, 2017

Vortioxetine for Depression "I have been on many antidepressants and they all make me want to snack and overeat. I gained a lot of weight on all of the other antidepressants. I was so tired of gaining weight. About a year ago, I started taking Trintellix and I am no longer craving snacks all day. My depression was marked by feelings of irritability and lots of crying. I feel 100% better. I think that this medication has worked better than any others I've tried. So relieved."

• asa...
• May 27, 2020

Vortioxetine for Depression "I'm in my early 30s, been dealing with depression for almost 15 years. My former doc prescribed me Trintellix. He swore it was a super 'clean' med without side effects. It's been 2+ years taking it (max 20mg) and I had no positive effects. Don't let your doc tell you it won't/rarely cause weight gain. It does, especially if you're a female. It will continue the longer on it/dose increased. Also, awful GI problems - bad nausea or bad constipation. Also, it only makes anxiety worse, especially if you take it in the AM - take it in PM, you can't sleep ^_^ I would stay away from this drug, definitely if you have anxiety, a sensitive stomach, or are prone to weight gain from meds. I'm done off this in 4 days! Can't wait."

• Jun...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 21, 2020

Vortioxetine for Depression "Very happy! 90% depression symptom reduction. The only drawback is I’ve gained 10 lbs and haven’t been able to get it off yet, but I’m mentally the best I’ve been in years, so it's worth the trade-off, to be honest."

• Kay...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 1, 2020

Vortioxetine for Depression "Started Trintellix in a very low dose. Seemed to help. After 3 months, didn’t seem to help at all. Increased my dose, then the vomiting, weight gain went crazy! Had to leave work several times because of vomiting. I am a nurse in a very busy emergency department. Grateful they didn’t fire me! Then the weight gain - up 20 lbs! They claimed, “no significant effect on weight.” Lying! Never again. Weaned off. I’ll deal with being sad!"

• Blu...
• May 14, 2017

Vortioxetine for Depression "I have been on several antidepressants and/or anxiety meds over the past 15 years. This is the first one that I can actually tell a difference without having to take a cocktail of other drugs with it. The ONLY downside was the nausea. The first couple of days felt like morning sickness. Once I got through it, it's been well worth it. And unlike many other drugs, there isn't the overwhelming weight gain."

• Swa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 24, 2015

Vortioxetine for Depression "I have been on Zoloft, Cymbalta, Effexor, and they all stopped working at one point. My doctor then prescribed Trintellix. The only thing this medicine did for me was keep me hungry. I could be eating a meal and start to think about my next meal. I had a bad case of dry mouth, my eyesight started to deteriorate, and I gained 12 pounds in 5 months. I am now off Trintellix and on a different medicine."

• Hum...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 14, 2021

Vortioxetine for Major Depressive Disorder "I have tried every single antidepressant on the market over the past 10 years. They either did not work or caused terrible side effects, or I needed a booster med, usually an antipsychotic, to make it work. I gained 60 lbs in 3 years taking other meds. My doctor at first gave me 5 mg of Trintellix and then upped me to 10. At 10 mg, I still needed the booster meds. She upped me to 15 mg and took me off the booster meds. I lost around 15 lbs and was feeling somewhat better. After upping me 6 weeks ago to 20 mg (maximum dose), I am feeling fantastic. Lots of energy, positive thoughts, enjoying life for the first time in 10 years. I have been on Trintellix in some form for almost 5 years, and it took that long to get the dosage right. I am grateful for my doctor for sticking with me until we finally found the right combination. I feel like I have a whole new life right now. Trintellix did not cause me weight gain. Abilify, Rexulti, and Bupropion XL did."

• Min...
• September 10, 2015

Vortioxetine for Depression "I have been on Trintellix for about 4 weeks. 2 weeks on 5 mg and 2 weeks on 10mg. I have been on numerous antidepressants for depression and anxiety. This has been by far the best. A little nauseous after taking it the first week and a half. Nausea went away after eating something. No side effects after the second week. No weight gain so far. Feel better every day."

• DCG...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 21, 2017

Vortioxetine for Depression "I have been on this medication for roughly two years. Before I started Trintellix, I was on Zoloft, and it caused me to gain almost 40 pounds in less than 4 months. Needless to say, I could no longer keep taking that. My doctor changed me to Trintellix, and it has worked very well. It is the only antidepressant that I have been prescribed that has not caused me to gain any weight. Also, it is fairly cheap if your insurance covers some and if your doctor gives you a coupon."

• Fem...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 26, 2017

Vortioxetine for Major Depressive Disorder "I took all sorts of meds to test with the most horrible side effects. Finally, one day, my doc had me try Trintellix 20 mg, and my life changed. I read negative reviews and was scared, but I have had no side effects except for some weight gain. I had a family member that got severely sick, and I was by their bedside for 3 months. Though I would get depressed, I never had a dark dip (you know what I'm talking about), I bounced back quickly. I recommend trying this. Just try, and in a week you will know. The drug is super expensive. Use a coupon. Call the pharma company. See what happens... it may just change your life. Oh... I forgot to mention that I just started my own business after years of working for idiots and getting fired. I doubt I could do this without this med."

• Sai...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 12, 2017

Vortioxetine for Major Depressive Disorder "30 years of battling depression - many medications over those years with either undesirable side effects (weight gain, 'flat-lining,' anxiety provoking), or meds that worked well only to lose efficacy over time. Trintellix is a blessing - I have used it since the 1st month it became available - highly compatible and effective, no side effects, and if anything, my mind seems a bit sharper. Only drawback - my private insurance treats it as a category III, so it is very, very expensive - even with the coupons, I still pay $258/month - but I won't go back to anything else."

• nic...
• September 10, 2015

Vortioxetine for Depression "I've been on this med for a while now. The first month was really hard, I didn't see any changes. In fact, I felt as bad or worse than before. But by the second month, I started to feel better. For me, I've noticed that if I take it during the day, I have a headache, feel fatigued, and nauseous, and sometimes hot too. So I make sure to take it at night before bed. There are two things I don't care for about this med, though: the cost and the weight gain!"

• cte...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 4, 2022

Vortioxetine for Depression "I have had depression for the last 28 years. I have tried several medications that have worked for a while but stopped working over time. I had been taking Lexapro that worked for a while, and then my doctor changed me to taking Trintellix. I have been taking it for about 3 months, and I became suicidal and had a suicide attempt. Thankfully, I called 911! I have been having headaches, insomnia, nausea, feeling numb, dizzy, weight gain, itchy rash all over my body, foggy brain… I wish I had known about this site before I decided to take this medication. I would not have taken it. Please beware!!"

• Sha...
• April 30, 2015

Vortioxetine for Depression "I was on Paxil when my doctor switched me to Brintellix 10 mg. The Paxil had stopped helping with my anxiety and depression. I experienced itchy skin for the first week, but that subsided. I did experience some nausea, but it went away also. I was on this medication for 4 months, and at first it was GREAT! I felt so much better, however, I started noticing my energy level was decreasing and weight gain. At my last doctor's appointment, I had gained 8 lbs in 2 weeks, which was a total of almost 25 pounds in 4 months!! Needless to say, the doctor stopped the medicine immediately and switched me again. So, if you have a tendency to gain weight, this medication may cause you to pick up pounds in a short amount of time!! Even though weight gain is not listed as a main side effect."

• Jun...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 24, 2019

Vortioxetine for Depression "Was on Wellbutrin for about 8 weeks. First couple of days, no fogginess, extra energy. But that was short-lived. Felt terrible, angry, and more anxiety. My doctor prescribed Trintellix 10 mg. I have been on it for almost three weeks. I'm not sure how I feel about it yet. I don't have the nausea like most people have had, however, I feel bloated and have gained weight. Some headaches, not too intolerable. The worst is in the evening. My skin feels dry, itchy, and blotchy. Feelings of insecurity and need to take more of my anxiety medication. I don't know if I am going to continue taking. Wondering how long it should be taken before deciding it is not right for me."

• Blu...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 4, 2019

Vortioxetine for Depression "It makes me horribly nauseated and dizzy, so I switched to taking it at night. However, I gained 20 pounds in 3 months and have lost all motivation. I'm currently weaning off of it. I am coming out of the fog."

• jan...
• June 9, 2015

Vortioxetine for Major Depressive Disorder "I've been taking Brintellix for 2 months. I've been on several other antidepressants: Wellbutrin, Effexor, Viibryd, and Pristiq. Brintellix is the only medication that has sustainably improved my mood without causing fogginess or terrible side effects. My concentration has improved, my energy is consistent, my anxiety and agitation are greatly reduced, and I'm happy. The first month I was very tired, sleeping about 10-11 hours a night and still having trouble getting up in the morning. This has passed, and I'm back to a normal sleeping schedule and energy level. I experience nausea from certain foods/drinks. For example, coffee. Other side effects I'm experiencing are constipation and weight gain. The pros still greatly outweigh the cons."

• Ber...
• August 14, 2014

Vortioxetine for Major Depressive Disorder "I have been on 10 mg for 8 weeks. It does help with my depression and panic attacks. But I have gained weight and feel numb towards my feelings. My sex drive is gone. I work out every day, but the weight is still coming. I have never had a problem losing weight, but now I do. The medicine keeps me from feeling the lows, but also from feeling the highs. I can feel that it has slowed metabolism down. I don't know what I should do, because, like I said, it has helped."

• SoC...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 7, 2019

Vortioxetine for Depression "I first really liked this medication, Trintellix, and was happy to be on it, but the weight gain came really quickly. I eat healthy and aggressively work out (i.e., SoulCycle classes) and gained two sizes in less than two months. My friends and family noticed. I haven’t been this heavy in 10 years, and the only changing factor is this medication. Stay away from it if weight is a trigger of depression."

• Pho...
• September 19, 2016

For Depression "First off, I'm 47 and I have suffered off and on from panic attacks and anxiety since my college days. This is the first drug that has worked on both. Not only that, but I only have to take the medication 3 days a week, 10 MG, and have had zero side effects. I work nights, so not sure if the drug affects my sleeping. I think the only side effect is I seem to be thirsty all the time now, and I have gained a few pounds. But, no panic and no anxiety since I started the meds 8 months ago. The only thing I worry about now is some FDA report coming out soon saying the drug is not safe..."

• Hap...
• May 24, 2017

Vortioxetine for Depression "After trying just about every other medicine out there, this has, by far, been the most effective from an emotional, cognitive, and mental standpoint; however, I am sad to say that I have made the decision to discontinue due to weight gain (15 pounds-ish). I gained weight when I first started the medication at 5 mg (also had a severe rash on my stomach), with the weight gain increasing almost immediately after jumping up to 10 mg. The weight gain is the only reason that I am discontinuing. (Some FYIs. I must take this medicine with food or I will be sick. I also take it right before bed as it makes me tired, and also take Lamictal, Trazodone, Buspar, and Ritalin)."

• Pie...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 28, 2019

Vortioxetine for Major Depressive Disorder "I tried Trintellix after failing with every antidepressant on the market for over 30 yrs. I have MDD and PTSD. I've also tried TMS and Ketamine treatment to no avail. I was on 5 mg, and it worked for a while. The sexual dysfunction reminded me of the same problem I've had with all the SSRIs. After the 4th week, I became aggressive and very angry, plus weight gain. I then stopped. May work for some but not for me (and it's very expensive...not worth the $$). Make sure you wean yourself slowly off this drug."

• Ood...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 29, 2024

Vortioxetine "I took 5 mg of Trintellix for almost 2 months with 0 side effects, only some mild nausea in the first week. After trying Citalopram and Zoloft and gaining 20 kgs on both and not being able to orgasm, I was looking for a medication that had fewer side effects. After going up to 10 mg of Trintellix, the cravings began... sugar and carbs. Very hard to control, I constantly felt hungry. Hungry pains in my belly all day long. Then the scale started going up. Over 4 weeks, I gained 1.5 kgs. It doesn’t sound like much, but how much will it be in another 4, 8, 12 weeks? I’m not sticking around to find out. I’ve lowered my dose back down to 5 mg where no sexual or weight issues arose. Fingers crossed it’s enough. Sorry to say, but if you’ve gained weight on all the other SSRIs, you'll probably gain on this too :("