weight loss and antidepressants

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  • Smokey19
    Smokey19 Posts: 796 Member
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    I am taking Effexor XR, Abilify, and Trazadone. I put on about 40 lbs. after starting them. The doctor said that the meds were the reason I think about food so much and put on the weight. He suggested 5 small meals a day and that has helped.
  • heresmyinsidevoice
    heresmyinsidevoice Posts: 311 Member
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    I am on Effexor XR and Wellbutrin XR, I was more sleepy in the beginning with the Effexor (about 8 years ago) so I did gain a little weight during the time it took to adjust to being on medication. The Wellbutrin was added about 6 months ago and I haven't noticed any side effects with it, other than it keeping me more awake. I suppose the key for myself with battling the majority of side effects was to eat regularly and exercise, even on the days where I would rather sleep. Good luck and keep up the work with MFP! :)
  • floridagirl7264
    floridagirl7264 Posts: 318 Member
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    When my pdoc put me on Abilify, I gained 50 lbs in a few months. It gave me intense sugar cravings. Since my doc has taken me off of it, the sugar cravings have stopped, but trying to get the weight off is really tough. I just keep trying.
  • DietingMommy08
    DietingMommy08 Posts: 1,366 Member
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    I will be put on meds soon....

    This information has all been very helpful to me!
  • mskatec22
    mskatec22 Posts: 138 Member
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    I've been on Zoloft for about a year and a half and haven't had any trouble losing weight. Keeping it off is another story though. When I get to a certain weight and feel great about myself I stop working out and eat whatever I want. I won't go off the Zoloft b/c it REALLY WORKS to control my anxiety. Too bad Zoloft can't stop me from eating and drinking whatever I want!
  • celticmuse
    celticmuse Posts: 492 Member
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    hiya i was on antidepressants two years ago, as i started too lose weight i started feeling good about myself and i found the more i exercised the more endorphines i realised giving me the same relaxed state of mind that the antidepressants gave me. i just throw them in the bin and havn't needed them since. Good Luck to you as i understand how hard it is too not rely on these tablets as we each have our own problems. i did battle with my tablets for two years before finally throwing them in the bin. xxxxx

    Ditto for me. I suffer from seasonal affective disorder, so I usually need an antidepressant to get through the winter. Last spring, I was able to wean myself from Lexapro, after 6 mos of my fitness program. I also found that the endorphines helped me with my mood. In fact, my husband has noticed the mood elevation effects of exercise. I would not recommend that anyone stop their medication because they are exercising, but you may find that the more fit you become, the less you need them. But never stop taking them without a Drs. advice. I am not sure whether or not the Lexapro contributed to my weight gain, but I would say it was less of a factor than my lack of exercise and poor eating habits. I was also able to discontinue my blood pressure medication, with my drs. advice. The combination saves me $100/month.
  • TaraBeFree
    TaraBeFree Posts: 456 Member
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    About 6 weeks ago, my doctor refilled my Zoloft prescription (which I had stopped taking) and then gave me a prescription for Wellbutrin after I mentioned I was surprised to have gained weight this year since everything in my life was a bit more stable. Per my doctor, I take Zoloft at night to reduce the snacky feelings and Wellbutrin in the morning to help with energy. Fast forward 6 weeks, and I have lost 17lbs now (granted I started at over 300). However, for 5 of those 6 weeks, I have been on mfp logging every bite of food and have started to walk a bit more. So between the anti-depressants and mfp, I am doing better than I have in years! I really enjoyed Christmas with my family (and I think they enjoyed me) and didn't go super overboard with food.

    Good luck on your journey and feel free to friend me if you want to support each other.
  • jrditt
    jrditt Posts: 239 Member
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    Like has been mentioned before, if you are still watching what you eat you will lose weight.

    When I started trying to get rid of the weight I was put on Effexor and the depo shot, both of which are "suppose" to cause weight gain. Really though, if you don't watch what you eat then you will gain weight. I continue to lose weight even with both of these medications on board. If it makes you feel better, THAT is the most important thing, because if you are depressed then you won't get out to exercise anyway.
  • Blueeyed1985
    Blueeyed1985 Posts: 40 Member
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    Whatever you do, don't ever stop taking these medications cold turkey! I've been tapering off Cymbalta for awhile now and tapering extremely slow.
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
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    Anyone have an success with losing weight while on zoloft? What were your tricks?
    NO, and I was on all kind of these medications.

    I slowly weaned off and began losing weight.
    Today, I am close to 70lbs lighter and taking NO MEDICATIONS!
    I can't say this is the way for everybody, and I am NOT a doctor - not even close.

    I just knew in my heart that I did not need those drugs, because my real problem was being fat. And none of these doctors ever once suggested that I might be having all that depression due to being so fat.

    I'll never go to another such head shrink for anything again.
  • blkmale67
    blkmale67 Posts: 61 Member
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    I am on Wellbutrin and Provigil and have not had any problems losing weight.
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
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    I lost about 25 pounds on wellbutrin a couple years ago without even trying. (I also gained about 20 lbs on depo without even trying, but that's a different story). Do NOT stop taking your meds. If it's not working for you, talk to your doctor about switching to a different one.
  • laurastrait21
    laurastrait21 Posts: 307 Member
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    Depending on the severity of your depression/anxiety and how comfortable you are with switching meds, there probably is something out there that will help you control your weight a little better. I took celexa for the better part of 5 years and that made me gain weight and retain water like crazy. Whiel I was in college, I've been taking fluoxetine (prozac) and have had a MUCH easier time controlling my weight with diet and exercise.
  • autumn_mix
    autumn_mix Posts: 34 Member
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    Before I was trying to be at a healthy weight, or concerned at all with what I ate, I was on 50mg Zoloft and ended up gaining a good deal of weight (~25 lbs in 6 months). I do not entirely blame Zoloft for it, however, as I was really not at all concerned with the kind of food I was eating, or how much exercise I got.

    More recently, I was on Wellbutrin for more than two years, and it nixed my appetite (that combined with my type-A personality helped to make me full-blown anorexic, but that's not so common, methinks) and I lost 35 lbs. I was then afflicted with Binge Eating Disorder (Wellbutrin can exacerbate compulsive behaviors in some people), so my doctor added various SSRI's to the Wellbutrin. I can't speak for everyone's experience, but even on a lose dose of Celexa, my metabolism was significantly disrupted. I am a gym rat, and I was consistently doing 700-calorie workouts and eating well, and was still gaining weight. I know my case is not yours, but that was when I decided I need to fight my depression on my own, without medication. Mind you, it took me years to get to that point, mentally.

    Best of luck to you - please keep your head up, and know that the antidepressants you are taking might be screwing up your body a bit, but it is absolutely worth it to keep your brain working well.

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