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Can Effexor Cause High Blood Pressure?
I am taking 75 mg of Effexor and my blood pressure has gone up to 140/100 and it was always 110/60. Can Effexor be causing this reaction. I have also gained about 30 pounds since I have been on it in one year. I have never had weight problems in my ife and i am 57 years old.
Mon, 14 Dec 2020
Hi,
Effexor can cause elevated blood pressure, but most likely not to the degree you mention. You are also on a low dose of Effexor at 75mg, which makes such a drastic change unlikely to be caused by the medication. Looking at one blood pressure is not enough and you need to look at trends. Blood pressure can change every few minutes, so you may have a blood pressure of 140/100, but ten minutes later it is 110/60. By taking more blood pressures, you improve the accuracy.
Effexor generally has people lose weight. Antidepressants can cause weight gain, but not to the amount you describe. Sometimes if people are depressed or anxious and don't eat, improving their symptoms also improves their appetite. This leads to them gaining weight. It's not the medication in these cases, but the change in appetite.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Timothy Wong, General & Family Physician
Effexor can cause elevated blood pressure, but most likely not to the degree you mention. You are also on a low dose of Effexor at 75mg, which makes such a drastic change unlikely to be caused by the medication. Looking at one blood pressure is not enough and you need to look at trends. Blood pressure can change every few minutes, so you may have a blood pressure of 140/100, but ten minutes later it is 110/60. By taking more blood pressures, you improve the accuracy.
Effexor generally has people lose weight. Antidepressants can cause weight gain, but not to the amount you describe. Sometimes if people are depressed or anxious and don't eat, improving their symptoms also improves their appetite. This leads to them gaining weight. It's not the medication in these cases, but the change in appetite.
Take care. Hope I have answered your question. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Timothy Wong, General & Family Physician
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