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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 6 of 6. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Grant Tyler on June 6, 2000, at 14:34:11
I have a question and hopefully someone can answer it for me. My girlfriend has been anorexic/bulimic for about 3 years. Just recently her doctor prescribed Effexor. I have heard that a side affect of Effexor is anorexia. What kind of side affect would this have on someone that already has anorexia?
Posted by Andre Allard on June 6, 2000, at 19:59:54
In reply to Effexor and Anorexia, posted by Grant Tyler on June 6, 2000, at 14:34:11
With me and most people who use effexor, it seems to seize cravings and diminish appetite. If your girlfriend is anorexic, then effexor would help her to remain anorexic. Rather than look for an AD that does not diminsh appetite, she might want to address her low self-esteem and body image issues. Good luck to her.
Posted by Cindy W on June 6, 2000, at 21:08:05
In reply to Re: Effexor and Anorexia, posted by Andre Allard on June 6, 2000, at 19:59:54
> With me and most people who use effexor, it seems to seize cravings and diminish appetite. If your girlfriend is anorexic, then effexor would help her to remain anorexic. Rather than look for an AD that does not diminsh appetite, she might want to address her low self-esteem and body image issues. Good luck to her.
Wish I could be anorexic again (I was in college...sigh!). Am taking Effexor-XR and for dinner, just finished a whole carton of Ben and Jerry's chocolate chip cookie dough. So unfortunately it doesn't affect everybody's appetite in a negative way!!! ;) --Cindy W
Posted by Janice on June 6, 2000, at 23:34:22
In reply to Effexor and Anorexia, posted by Grant Tyler on June 6, 2000, at 14:34:11
Grant,
if the Effexor clears up the depression, she probably won't be anorexic anymore.
If she is still depressed and takes the Effexor, and it stunts her appetite, it could possibly give anorexia some help.
As for bulimia, this is all about depression and especially about impulse control. I don't believe Effexor affects impulse control (although it could with some people) so I can't see it affecting her bulimia.
Whatever gets rid of the depression should help ALOT with the eating disorder.
Janice
Posted by Racer on June 7, 2000, at 2:32:13
In reply to Effexor and Anorexia, posted by Grant Tyler on June 6, 2000, at 14:34:11
My anorexia comes back whenever I'm depressed, even after all these years. It's like a security blanket.
I've been on Effexor for over a year, and at first I lost a little weight, BUT I didn't obsess about it. Now I've gained a buncha weight, probably 25 pounds, due to a lot of factors (new living situation, more money for better food, etc), but again I'm not obsessing about it.
As for your girlfriend, it's likely that as her depression improves, her anorexia will ease off, too. The first relief I had from anorexia was from an anti-depressant: Paxil. That was a terrible thing, though: I gained about 50# from it, and felt like such a failure, so gross, so disgusting. The Effexor is much better for me, since the depression is improved, and it didn't just raise my weight on its own.
The setpoint theory of anorexia, that it will come and go depending on whether one is above or below a physical "setpoint" weight, seems to hold true for me. If I lose weight beyond a certain point, due to stress, illness, whatever, I will suddenly fall back into anorexia. If my weight rises above that weight, the anorexia will go away. Nonetheless, I don't recommend the Paxil experience I had to anyone. It was just too painful, for too long, simply gaining the weight with no change in eating habits.
I'm 36, by the way, and have had 22 years of experience with it now. I send my best wishes for your girlfriend, and to you, too.
Posted by Renee N on June 10, 2000, at 0:49:34
In reply to as a recovering anorexic on Effexor..., posted by Racer on June 7, 2000, at 2:32:13
I had slowly and reasonably lost over 40 pounds. Since being on Effexor XR for almost a year, I have gained back almost 10. I seem to give in to cravings more readily. I also went from 90mg. of ADDerall a day down to 30 mg. a day, so I'm not sure exactly what caused my willpower or appetite to cange, or metabolism...Renee N
P.S. Best of luck to all of you in your quests to eat healthy and look and feel good. I can see where determination and foverdoing it could become blurred.
This is the end of the thread.
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