Antidepressants and Weight Gain

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  • skyhowl
    skyhowl Posts: 206 Member
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    singingflutelady wrote: »
    I actually haven't gained from any but I found that once my mood is better I tend to naturally eat more so I had to watch that

    yeah i know what you are talking about. I've been feeling bad for quite awhile so i don't really feel like i want to eat most of the time. but i eat anyway to reach my daily goal. but once i feel slightly good for a few hours. i feel like i need to raid the fridge. :D
  • skyhowl
    skyhowl Posts: 206 Member
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    Skyblueyellow wrote: »
    Sounds like you are on the right track OP!!!

    I know it's a long journey <3

    Thank you :) indeed it is.
  • skyhowl
    skyhowl Posts: 206 Member
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    raven56706 wrote: »
    skyhowl wrote: »
    raven56706 wrote: »
    thats the problem i have now. Im on citalophram and im beginning to think its the reason for my weight gain. Nothing i do can stop the gain.

    Umm, do you feel like your appetite increased?

    no

    umm. hopefully you will be able to find some help regarding that. i don't think there would be any suggestion other than make sure that you don't eat than your daily allowance. but if you are still gaining weight. you should talk to your doc. maybe try another medication?
  • skyhowl
    skyhowl Posts: 206 Member
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    zamphir66 wrote: »
    I've been on Wellbutrin for a while with no effect on my weight loss. No side effects at all, in fact. If anything my appetite is curbed somewhat.

    About remembering to take pills: Get a pill container like the kind old people use. Put it on your bathroom sink where you can't not see it.

    About remembering to do things in general: Make a list of daily "non negotiables" and put it in a place(s) where you will see it multiple times throughout the day. Mine starts with making the bed. Then weighing myself, then taking my pills and vitamins. I pretty much have to willfully not do something for it not to get done.

    Good idea. :)
  • skyhowl
    skyhowl Posts: 206 Member
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    gothchiq wrote: »
    There are many different antidepressants. Some cause weight gain and some do not. Celexa is one of the big ones for giving people the munchies. Lexapro, not. Wellbutrin has a lot of people losing weight on it. do some research before going in to see the doctor, and state up front that you are not willing to take one of the meds that causes weight gain.

    i will do that. thank you for your suggestions and your reply, it helps
  • workinonit1956
    workinonit1956 Posts: 1,043 Member
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    Ssri's have many possible side effects with weight changes being one. It's not uncommon to try more than one brand before finding one that works best for you.
  • JenniferNoll
    JenniferNoll Posts: 367 Member
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    I suffer from major depression and generalized anxiety disorder. For those I take celexa, Wellbutrin, trazadone, abilify, and Xanax. All of these meds have been very effective in controlling my depression and anxiety. I can honestly say that without those meds, I would not be here today. And guess what? The weight is still coming off.
  • mistyhiss
    mistyhiss Posts: 6 Member
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    I asked my GP about this and she said that anti depressants have not been proven to cause weight gain, which leads me to believe we just eat more when we start feeling better. I lost a lot of weight at the last point i was feeling low and looking back i was just hardly eating anything. I go cuckoo without SSRIs so just have to watch I eat more closely, which isn't a bad thing because at least then any weight loss is achieved healthily. Good luck, i hope they work out for you. Nothing worse than feeling you're not coping. <3
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    PinkPixiexox wrote: »
    I have been on anti-depressants for quite a few years now and they have worked really well in 'taking the edge off' my anxieties and depression. The anti-depressants will not cause weight gain. The only reason for your weight gain will be if you take in more calories than you burn. Some people report an increase in appetite whilst taking AD's which leads to eating more but the pills themselves will not lead to weight gain. I didn't gain my weight due to taking the anti depressants :)

    Sorry but I HATE this logic. Increase in appetite for people who have a tendency to overeat and don't like being hungry all the time is pretty much the same as gaining weight. That's just logic. So saying that the pills won't make you gain weight in these circumstances is just BS, if the alternative is to be hungry and miserable all the time.

  • markrgeary1
    markrgeary1 Posts: 853 Member
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    Francl27 wrote: »
    PinkPixiexox wrote: »
    I have been on anti-depressants for quite a few years now and they have worked really well in 'taking the edge off' my anxieties and depression. The anti-depressants will not cause weight gain. The only reason for your weight gain will be if you take in more calories than you burn. Some people report an increase in appetite whilst taking AD's which leads to eating more but the pills themselves will not lead to weight gain. I didn't gain my weight due to taking the anti depressants :)

    Sorry but I HATE this logic. Increase in appetite for people who have a tendency to overeat and don't like being hungry all the time is pretty much the same as gaining weight. That's just logic. So saying that the pills won't make you gain weight in these circumstances is just BS, if the alternative is to be hungry and miserable all the time.

    You learn to eat differently and conserve calories.
  • Heartisalonelyhunter
    Heartisalonelyhunter Posts: 786 Member
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    I have to say antidepressants made me lose weight. Too much weight. I had to stop taking them because I needed my appetite back. The posted possible side effects of all of them are weight gain and weight loss (meaning both are equally reported by users) so don't assume how your body will react.
  • tara_means_star
    tara_means_star Posts: 957 Member
    edited September 2016
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    I've taken two different antidepressants. One reduced my appetite, the other SLIGHTLY increased it. I didn't gain weight with either of them.
  • skyhowl
    skyhowl Posts: 206 Member
    edited September 2016
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    I just had a session with my therapist today, we've talked about it and he agreed that i need antidepressant both for my depression and anxiety. told him about my concerns and he took it into consideration knowing that i worked hard to lose weight. so i will be taking Cipralex. i don't know if it's under a different name around the world. starting tomorrow. wish me good luck :D
  • skyhowl
    skyhowl Posts: 206 Member
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    JenniferNoll wrote: »
    I suffer from major depression and generalized anxiety disorder. For those I take celexa, Wellbutrin, trazadone, abilify, and Xanax. All of these meds have been very effective in controlling my depression and anxiety. I can honestly say that without those meds, I would not be here today. And guess what? The weight is still coming off.

    great :) i am happy that your meds are working for you and that the weight is coming off. hopefully i can say the same in a month or so. :)
  • skyhowl
    skyhowl Posts: 206 Member
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    mistyhiss wrote: »
    I asked my GP about this and she said that anti depressants have not been proven to cause weight gain, which leads me to believe we just eat more when we start feeling better. I lost a lot of weight at the last point i was feeling low and looking back i was just hardly eating anything. I go cuckoo without SSRIs so just have to watch I eat more closely, which isn't a bad thing because at least then any weight loss is achieved healthily. Good luck, i hope they work out for you. Nothing worse than feeling you're not coping. <3

    Thank you. your post made me laugh :)
    well. i kinda had to live with being cuckoo for awhile cause i felt like nothing can work. but if you say they work. i believe you lool

    Good luck for you too
  • skyhowl
    skyhowl Posts: 206 Member
    edited September 2016
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    Heartisalonelyhunter wrote: »
    I have to say antidepressants made me lose weight. Too much weight. I had to stop taking them because I needed my appetite back. The posted possible side effects of all of them are weight gain and weight loss (meaning both are equally reported by users) so don't assume how your body will react.

    thank you for your reply, appreciate it
  • Mandygring
    Mandygring Posts: 704 Member
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    I gained a lot of weight while taking Zoloft so my doctor switched me to welbutrin since some ppl report weight loss with it. For me, welbutrin made my anxiety wayyyyy worse so it didn't work for me.
  • 2fabulous2Bunfit
    2fabulous2Bunfit Posts: 47 Member
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    Hello. I too struggle with depression and in Feb was put on Zoloft which I had been on before. This last time I gained 15 pounds in a matter of a few months. My feeling of sadness diminshed but I was i was showing depression in other ways, one was eating. A little over a month ago my doctors finally listened to me and changed my med to Prozac. In a month I've lost about 5 lbs and my appetite has finally returned to normal. I think the above comments are right, ni matter what gaining weight is not the end of the world. Being emotionally happy and free is worth a couple extra pounds. ☺ Feel free to add me to have someone else to bounce ideas off.
  • skyhowl
    skyhowl Posts: 206 Member
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    2fabulous2Bunfit wrote: »
    Hello. I too struggle with depression and in Feb was put on Zoloft which I had been on before. This last time I gained 15 pounds in a matter of a few months. My feeling of sadness diminshed but I was i was showing depression in other ways, one was eating. A little over a month ago my doctors finally listened to me and changed my med to Prozac. In a month I've lost about 5 lbs and my appetite has finally returned to normal. I think the above comments are right, ni matter what gaining weight is not the end of the world. Being emotionally happy and free is worth a couple extra pounds. ☺ Feel free to add me to have someone else to bounce ideas off.

    Thank you :) will add you.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,290 Member
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    I feel for you, as i have experienced anxiety this summer and it is awful and I almost felt like I'd have to go to a doctor for a prescription for relief. However, I really concentrated on my diet...and started exercising. I tried to pay attention to see if something i was doing, eating..was causing it.
    I now have it pretty much under control.... i found lifting weights really relieved my anxiety..and if i kept my blood sugar balanced it helped a lot too. And of all things.. aroma therapy helped (I read a lot on the subject) and lavender really did work. I would keep an open bag of lavender bath salts by my bed it helped too.

    Just sharing information...and I realize you may have an situation where you need some medication. Two of my sisters who took Paxil gained weight and blamed the pills. However, also..when you don't feel depressed or anxiety stricken.. you could just naturally eat more because you feel better. So, the advice to stick to your calories and you won't gain is most likely true. Good luck and I hope you feel like your old self soon! :)

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