Antidepressants and weight gain?

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  • bigdawg025
    bigdawg025 Posts: 774 Member
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    I was on a few different meds and they all caused me to gain wait and now I'm still stuggling to try to lose it. I work out with a trainer 2x a week, and run 1 to 3 times a week. Still not losing.

    What are your eating habits, though?
  • Giraffe33991
    Giraffe33991 Posts: 434 Member
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    I've been on different anti-depressants for several years. I think I've been through them all. I used to be one of the people that would have been the first to blame an anti-depressant on weight gain. It is sooooo not true!!! I think that (and this is just my experience) that if you've been overeating during most of your depression time, a "feeling" drug is not going to change that habit. You have gained the weight, not the pill. You have to make the habit change.

    I am still on an anti-depressant and have had no problems in losing weight once I changed.

    Well said Kimber! I totally agree!
  • manda1028
    manda1028 Posts: 148
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    i take the generic of celexa - 40 mg and i havent noticed a change. i just take it at night and it makes me sleep better.
  • erin1414
    erin1414 Posts: 18
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    Depends on the medication. There are a lot of factors why people gain weight on medication. Some of the weight gain is from the medication, but it can also be with how the medication makes you feel. For example some medications make people tired and all they want to do is sleep...that type of activity will make you gain weight because there is no activity. So it is hard to tell. There are medications out there that are for anxiety and depression, AND they cause an increase in appetite which are usually used for someone with a diagnosed eating disorder.
    But everyone is different :)
  • walkingcokes
    walkingcokes Posts: 4
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    I have been on various types of these drugs and I did used to blame them for my weight gain. However, although some of these do increase some peoples appetite (can decrease some), I think that most people who report weight gain are genuinely struggling with their habits in life and are more lax with diet and excersise than they could be, which for me was a major self defeating part of my depression. I am currently taking medication and have since changing my outlook a little (ie doing something about it rather than blaming the pills and not blaming myself) managed to lose 27lbs in 2 months. It is do able, but I think that those with depression will find it hard to make the lifestyle changes until the depression is under control which is where I think alot of the reports of weight gain come in. In your case with anxiety and if you keep focussed with your diet & excersise regime you should be fine and see no real weight changes. I hope I have made sense (mind a bit fried today!)
  • kfitz10103
    kfitz10103 Posts: 354
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    Here is a link of different medications ad the side effects. Wellbutrin has few side effects and I have taken that before. I just don't know how weight gain can be measured b/c you really don't know if the patient's behavior is the same (unless they use MFP.)

    http://www.webmd.com/depression/guide/optimizing-depression-medicines
  • Shutterpillar
    Shutterpillar Posts: 208
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    I was on Celexa and Wellbutrin for depression for about a year. I put on a little weight... about 5 lbs... so nothing insane. All my weight piled on after I stopped the meds and began looking to food for my comfort.
  • daisymaegreen
    daisymaegreen Posts: 50 Member
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    I've been on several different SSRI's and have never had any problems. And this was a definite concern of mine as well. However, the ones that I hear about this happening on are Prozac and Zoloft. So maybe, just to be on the safe side, avoid those two.
  • GoodMorningGirl
    GoodMorningGirl Posts: 103 Member
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    I will add to the other posters who said they gained weight while on Zoloft. My OB-GYN prescribed it for anxiety related to PMS. I think the reason I gained weight is that I just stopped caring about anything... I no longer had anxiety, but I was in a fog. Some stress is good because it motivates you to change negative things in your life. So instead of trying another antidepressant, I have been trying to cope with the PMS on my own. Giving up coffee altogether and working out almost every day have made a huge difference.
  • DaniJeanine
    DaniJeanine Posts: 473 Member
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    This is great to hear! I was so nervous and when my doctor called me back today he wasn't very sensitive to my concerns. He was like "just try it, if you gain weight, go off it." Geez thanks, like I didn't know that much! lol

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