Medicine causing weight gain?

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shonako
shonako Posts: 98 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Okay so i am begining to experience servre panic attacks. These panic attacks are causing me to feel unreal like everything is a dream. I am going to a doctor tomarrow to perscribe me medicine but i am scared that they will make me gain weight. Is anybody else taking anxiety related medicine? Do you still maintain a healthy weight taking them? I am really worried about my mental health but at the end of the day i still want to pursue my fitness journey. Somebody please respond. Thanks!
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Replies

  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
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    I took antidepressants and did gain weight, but it was because they made me hungrier, I wouldn't fight the hunger, and I overate.

    Do you have any idea what medication your doctor may be putting you on?
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
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    They'll only make you gain weight if your appetite increases and you eat over your TDEE. This is a question for your doctor.
  • SergeantSausage
    SergeantSausage Posts: 1,673 Member
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    Medicine doesn't cause weight gain. Overeating does.

    Don't overeat ==> no weight gain, right?
  • shonako
    shonako Posts: 98 Member
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    LAWoman72 wrote: »
    I took antidepressants and did gain weight, but it was because they made me hungrier, I wouldn't fight the hunger, and I overate.

    Do you have any idea what medication your doctor may be putting you on?

    Thanks for your reply! And np i do not know what he is putting me on. Tomarrow will be my first time visiting him. I had to make a quick appointment because my anxiety is really getting out of control to the point where im scared to go places.
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
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    Definitely talk to your doctor about weight concerns.
  • lemon629
    lemon629 Posts: 501 Member
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    Some psychiatric medications increase appetite and can lead to weight gain. (That's why I am here!) However, in most cases it takes a few months for the appetite to increase. Initially you may lose weight.

    Being on psych medication long term is not a good idea, regardless of weight gain/loss. (Of course some people do need to be on psych medication long term, or even entire adulthood. I just don't think OP falls in this category.) Psychiatric medications can lose effectiveness over time and can have unpleasant side effects. Go to counseling so that you learn how to deal with issues that cause you anxiety so you can eventually quit taking medication.
  • DressedInDreams
    DressedInDreams Posts: 96 Member
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    LAWoman72 wrote: »
    I took antidepressants and did gain weight, but it was because they made me hungrier, I wouldn't fight the hunger, and I overate.

    This happened to me when taking paxil for anxiety. I gained 50 lbs while I was on it. (That's part of why I stopped it, but mostly because it had some scary side effects.)
  • Sophsmother
    Sophsmother Posts: 83 Member
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    When I started seroquel for sleep, I was at a perfect weight. I have gained 70lbs since. It's usually used for bipolar or anxiety, but as a severe insomniac I use it for sleep. If the doc puts you on this, think twice. It is well documented for causing massive weight gain. Meaning, it can change your metabolism so that no matter how little you eat, you will have a tough time maintaining, let alone losing weight. You may start craving sugar like it's crack or heroin. I was at a huge calorie deficit doing Medifast last year (800 cals a day), and would lose maybe .5 lbs a week, if that. My doc warned me of this, but I was desperate for sleep and nothing else worked.

    When I was having severe panic attacks, xanax worked for a while, ativan worked for a while, klonopin worked for a while ... I never gained any weight with these. One of these may work for you. I got used to them, so they would stop working for me. The only drug that never stopped working was seroquel. But most docs won't start with this as it is a real heavy-hitter.

    Ask a ton of questions, do your research, and get the panic under control. I know the feeling and it is dreadful.
  • Nony_Mouse
    Nony_Mouse Posts: 5,646 Member
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    Having been on several different meds over the years for depression and anxiety - some will, some won't, and it's different for different people. Now, before one of the 'meds don't make you gain weight' people jumps on me... some medications will affect some people's metabolisms, and that can go either way. If it slows yours it will have the unfortunate effect of causing weight gain, because you are now overeating. If that happens then the only way to avoid gaining weight is to move more and/or eat less to counter that effect. And yes, some meds will just flat out increase your appetite.

    But please don't forgo medication just because of the potential weight gain. Be aware of the possibility, have a plan for it (either eat less/move more or just accept it and deal with it later when you come off meds again).

    And best of luck with the anxiety. It is a *kitten*, but you can get better :).
  • azulvioleta6
    azulvioleta6 Posts: 4,195 Member
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    Of course some medications can cause weight gain.

    Obviously you need to treat the bigger issue first. Ask you doctor and pharmacist about the specific medications that you are prescribed.
  • WeddedBliss1992
    WeddedBliss1992 Posts: 414 Member
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    i am on seroquel (among others) and i have gained so much weight, i can't even keep up anymore. it hasn't really caused an increase in appetite for the most part, in fact this past week i have had some stomach issues and haven't had an appetite at all and yet i have packed on the pounds. my psychiatrist told me that sometimes with some people, the med alone will cause weight gain. i am painted into a corner...i am doing fabulously on the med and really can't stop taking it. in my position, mental health trumps losing weight.
  • WeddedBliss1992
    WeddedBliss1992 Posts: 414 Member
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    SergeantSausage wrote: »
    Medicine doesn't cause weight gain. Overeating does.

    Don't overeat ==> no weight gain, right?

    not true with every case. if you haven't personally dealt with heavy-hitting psych meds, don't comment.

  • clhenderson2
    clhenderson2 Posts: 107 Member
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    shonako wrote: »
    Okay so i am begining to experience servre panic attacks. These panic attacks are causing me to feel unreal like everything is a dream. I am going to a doctor tomarrow to perscribe me medicine but i am scared that they will make me gain weight. Is anybody else taking anxiety related medicine? Do you still maintain a healthy weight taking them? I am really worried about my mental health but at the end of the day i still want to pursue my fitness journey. Somebody please respond. Thanks!

    I've taken anxiety pills and currently taking antidepressants and I blew up like a balloon, but at my expense because it's something that can be controlled. A lot of these type of medicines causes either a decrease or increase in appetite and depending on how you respond to this will determine if you will pack on the pounds. If you do find your appetite increasing then eat healthy foods instead of grabbing high calorie foods and that should help you with your weight loss program.
  • clhenderson2
    clhenderson2 Posts: 107 Member
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    WeddedBliss1992 wrote: »
    SergeantSausage wrote: »
    Medicine doesn't cause weight gain. Overeating does.

    Don't overeat ==> no weight gain, right?

    not true with every case. if you haven't personally dealt with heavy-hitting psych meds, don't comment.

    Agreed!
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
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    Where they can increase your appetite, medications don't cause you to gain weight, eating too much does.
  • Hearts_2015
    Hearts_2015 Posts: 12,031 Member
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    I've been on a number of various meds and some cause decrease in appetite so not all meds cause an increase. The most important thing or at least it is to me is to not have anxiety attacks or be in a black hole of depression in life. That's not going to help me get physically healthier in any manner.

    First and foremost I do hope you keep the appt. to see your doctor, share your concerns and see what's available. That's what I've done in the past when trying new meds, share my concerns with them.

    Perhaps part of what's going on with you is a bit of anxiety regarding the meds and what to expect because of the panic attacks.

    Try not to expect the worst, what's more likely to happen is you'll decrease your panic attacks and be able to think more clearly after that. :)
  • DearestWinter
    DearestWinter Posts: 595 Member
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    It won't make you gain weight unless you overeat. Although depending on the med your appetite may be affected which means you have to pay closer attention to your intake.

    Personally I find that higher doses of my meds make me fidget a lot less. (I'm otherwise in motion all of the time.) Those extra calories burned do add up and, while I wouldn't gain weight without overeating, since my maintenance calories are lower when on higher doses then I'm more likely to overeat.
  • JordisTSM
    JordisTSM Posts: 359 Member
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    Anxiety meds will not make you gain weight if you monitor yourself closely. They can increase your appetite though, so just be careful.

    I'm on seroquel and aropax (with occassional clonazepam on the side) for anxiety/panic disorders, and am successfully losing. I honestly couldn't tell you if I gained weight when I first went on them as I wasn't monitoring then, but if I did then it wasn't significant.

    At the end of the day though, your mental health has to come first. Once you have the panic attacks under control then you can worry about your weight.
  • WeddedBliss1992
    WeddedBliss1992 Posts: 414 Member
    edited April 2015
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    i guess i just don't understand how someone who has never taken medications for mood disorders can comment about how the meds do NOT cause weight gain. THEY DO FOR SOME PEOPLE. i packed-on 20 lbs when i started seroquel, with eating 1200 cals per day. i was hitting the gym just like always. i wasn't eating 1200 cals of carbs. i was sticking to my regular routine as where i had been losing before, the ONLY change was the meds. THEY DO MAKE SOME PEOPLE GAIN. i have now gained well over 20+ pounds. it is very hard to "have" to be on meds which cause weight gain and the weight gain causes depression and the meds are actually FOR depression. it's a vicious circle. i am just trying to educate people to not throw stones. it's easy to say "oh just don't eat as much" it doesn't always work that way. my appetite didn't increase. my calorie intake didn't increase. the meds made me gain. my thigh measurement went from 19" to 23" that is a real and actual change in my body from meds, not from appetite increase.

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