Celexa- Weight Gain or Loss?

dbutler1413

Just a question. I am taking Celexa for Anxiety/panic attacks. I would like to know if anyone else takes it or has taken it and did it make you gain weight or lose weight? I think it is making it harder for me to lose. I have only been taking it for about 6 months. I have been working out almost daily and eating healthy, but can't lose much. I have only lost about 8 pounds since starting to be more active and trying to lose, maybe in February? I was just wondering if anyone else had problems with it or not? Thanks in advance for your help. What should I do?

mrsnathanandrew

I'm unsure of Celexa, but when I took Zyprexa for my anxiety/depression it made me gain a lot of weight.

tracyhall63

I have been on it while losing 38 pounds, it does not affect weight loss negatively and may help you lose due to controlled anxiety. gooe luck!

lilmer14

I was on celexa a year ago. I gained weight and was switched to Paxil for my panic attacks because the celexa was causing weight gain. It all depends on the person. Talk to your doctor about possibly switching to another medication if you feel as though this is effecting your weight!

curious256

Hi yes I have taken Celexa for over a year and I believe it has added to my weight problem so I decided to try facing my anxiety without the medication. I have stopped taking it recently to see if I can function without it since I don't want to take it for the rest of my life. So far so good...a lot of deep breathing and telling myself everything is going to be okay.

debomommyforhealth

I have been on it for 5 months and have lost 15 lbs since I am happier and don't feel so inclined to binge. My therapist told me that Celexa is one where you don't gain weight. I was on Lexapro, and I hated it. I wasn't eating right then, but I was hungry all of the time, and I think Lexapro made me gain weight. Good luck! I feel soooooo much calmer and relaxed on Celexa. Took a couple months, but no side effects for me!

Vespyr

First 6 months lost weight without trying, 2nd 6 months gained 20lbs and still haven't lost it. A lot of things happened in there though so it's really hard to say if it's the med or not. I did trying going off of it, didn't lose weight either but my mood plummeted. For me it's so so so worth being on a medication, I've decided that as long as I'm not gaining fat and that I'm getting more fit I'll be ok. So far so good. Those 20lbs haven't increased in a year and a half, now if they'd only go away.

arathena720

I just started Celexa. One of it's side effects is loss of appetite, but these meds affect everyone differently. So far I've noticed I'm not as hungry as I usually am, so for me it will probably help with weight loss. Paxil is listed as causing weight gain, and I did gain weight when I was on it years ago. All these SSRI's have side effects, but it will hit each person differently. I'm just happy to be starting something that, once we get the dose right, will stop the crazies. If it makes it harder to lose weight, well, totally worth it. :happy:

arathena720

By the way, I also controlled my anxiety without any meds for four years by eating a diet geared towards reducing anxiety and stress. if you do a web search on anxiety diets, you'll get a listing of foods that are good for helping it. It worked really well until I started menopause a few months ago. :grumble:

dbutler1413

Well, I was told by my pharmacist that it can affect different people different ways. I have considered talking to my dr. about changing, but so far the medicine itself is working pretty well. He said he wanted to get me back there in January and see if I can wean off of it. So, I am kind of at the point that maybe if I stay on it, and work really hard to at least stay in shape as much as possible and lose a few pounds and get things in the right spots, that, if I can wean off maybe I will be able to lose more then. Not sure. I wanted to get some feedback on the general concensus and see how it affected some of you. I appreciate all the comments and help. I will continue to monitor myself and see how things go. Once again, Thanks!

mqdean

Hello all,

I have been on celexa for 2 years and found that at first I was very sensitive to any sugars. I suggest to those who are gaining weight on Celexa to eat a diabetic's diet and to see if it makes a difference to control your sugars.

Best wishes ...

rose313

I'm on it for anxiety and I love it, I didn't gain anything but it is VERY HARD to get weight off. I have only lost 11 pounds in over a year and I have been exercising and eating using MFP's guidelines. I would go off of it but I can't go back to anxiety, that's worse for me than being a couple pounds overweight.

MelissR75

First 6 months lost weight without trying, 2nd 6 months gained 20lbs and still haven't lost it. A lot of things happened in there though so it's really hard to say if it's the med or not. I did trying going off of it, didn't lose weight either but my mood plummeted. For me it's so so so worth being on a medication, I've decided that as long as I'm not gaining fat and that I'm getting more fit I'll be ok. So far so good. Those 20lbs haven't increased in a year and a half, now if they'd only go away.

This is my experience exactly!

bakerygirl78

Just a question. I am taking Celexa for Anxiety/panic attacks. I would like to know if anyone else takes it or has taken it and did it make you gain weight or lose weight? I think it is making it harder for me to lose. I have only been taking it for about 6 months. I have been working out almost daily and eating healthy, but can't lose much. I have only lost about 8 pounds since starting to be more active and trying to lose, maybe in February? I was just wondering if anyone else had problems with it or not? Thanks in advance for your help. What should I do?

I've never taken Celexa but was recently prescribed it for anxiety and depression. And I was wondering the same thing. How is Celexa working for you now?

bacitracin

I was on Celexa for a year and it didn't impact my weight loss much at all.

kmh_97

Ok, I am convinced that Celexa has helped me gain at least 10 pounds since last summer. I have not done anything different but take celexa. I just put a call into my doctor. I am only taking it for PMDD, but if it makes me gain weight it is not worth it. I already have enough to lose, I don't need to add to it but taking this.

Skeels

I take 25mgs a day and seem to lose weight when taking it..................................It did make me sick at first...so I prob was not eating enough anyway

forgtmenot

I took it in High School and I did lose weight, I will add though I was also on Adderall at the time for ADD so that could have contributed to the weight loss. It was probably the most effective of all of the anti depressants I have been on. I took zoloft before that which gave me the shakes.

sunnyside1213

I think it helped me lose weight.

sweetnlow30

I took Celexa for more than a year and I gained about 50 pounds. When I decided to wean off it, I gradually lost 20 pounds over a five month period. There was no change in my diet and I didn't exercise during that time. I found getting off it was hard because I experienced a lot of brain shocks. It felt like a lightening bolt was shooting through my head and I became very disoriented. It has been six years since I took Celexa and I still occasionally have these shocks. SSRIs can be hell to wean off of. I have been on a few different ones and they were all difficult. I am trying to control my anxiety through B vitamins, regular walking and deep breathing. I still have my moments but I am not doing so bad Additionally, my husband takes Cipralex and he gained 15 pounds over 3 months. They do effect everyone differently but it is something to consider

Smtriple

I initially lost weight on celexa due to nausea side effects for the first month. I was really excited about this but since then I've been eating right as well as exercising and the weight seems to be coming off slowly. I'm not sure if that's because I am also on a small dose of abilify or if it is the celexa. I feel so much better since being on these meds., that I don't plan to change it. It is definitely better than my panic and anxiety was. I don't seem to be gaining weight on it it's just losing the weight is hard. Keep at it!

ShrinkinAmberina

Celexa has had no negative effect for me with weight.. I switch to it from Paxil because paxil has more of a change for weight gain... Celexa is one of the least likely drugs for anxiety to negatively effect weight. if you think it is for you then you could speak with your doctor about changing to a drug that is similar.

spamantha57

I was only on Celexa for a week or 2 once (didn't work for me) but I had been on various anti-depressants & anxiety medications over the years. (Finally got myself off xanax last year, & even though I still have anxiety it's mostly manageable with changes I made.)
It is a possible side effect when you go on stuff like that. Everyone has a different reaction, but it's not uncommon.

P.S. I hope you don't consume caffeine. That was a big change I learned to make & it helped immensely.

spmoss85

I've been taking it for a little less than a year. It works very well for me. I am
Kinda a freak about my weight and I know I've gained at least 10lbs.
I put myself on a 1200 calorie diet, I work out pretty regularly
and it just won't go away. I'll loose 2lbs and then gain 2. Its really
Frustrating.

1greatwaxer

I started taking Celexa for anxiety during my peri menopausal stage and it was VERY hard at the beginning. I was so tired, had excessive yawning and loss of appetite due to gagging feeling. I am really sensitive to most medication and OTC drugs but my Doctor told me to hang in there and it should pass. I finally had to take one every other day until the worst side affects had passed. I the beginning I had strange feelings in my head, like electric sparks. That really annoyed me but my Doctor still told me to hang in there and take one every other day or cut the pill in half. The pill was too small to cut in half. I lost 12 pounds and have kept 10 of it off for a year. I am pretty much used to it now and I take one daily because every other day seemed to start the side affects over again. I take the pill every day at 12:00 NOON, I use the alarm on my phone for a reminder. It really took about 6 months for me to get used to them. They now seem to make me not want to eat in excess. I really used to think about food quite a bit. I personally hate taking the medication but I have tried natural choices for years prior to my menopause and they helped somewhat. SAME was the best natural OTC I took but I seemed to need more when I reached age 53. I still get mild weird feelings in my head when I try to go to sleep and when I just relax which is always during going to sleep and waking up. Other than that I am always on the go.

FVerhagen360

I started taking Celexa a year and a half ago and over that time I gained 50 lbs. I can't say for sure the celexa was completely to blame but when I first started taking it I was at my lowest weight and super fit. I had already lost 80 pounds and only had a couple pounds to go. so I kept working on it but I kept gaining. I've had my ups and downs with nutrition and excercise throughout the past year and a half but the weight came on faster than it should of. The doctor lowered my dose a couple weeks ago and I forgot to take it a couple days in a row, so I just stopped taking it (not recommended). In a week and a half, since he lowered the dose, I've lost 5 Ilbs, my lowest weight in 6 months. I didn't change anything with my diet & excercise. I feel great since I stopped taking it, so hopefully it continues. Everyone's different but that's my story.

crlyxx

I took it. It seemed like I gained about 10 pounds when I did. I've since lost that weight. Who knows, it could be just a coincidence.

RoadsterGirlie

I have been on it for three years, and it did not hinder my weight loss at all.

Mharren

This is an iffy question we get all the time. If you really want to know how likely it is as the cause, then when your in to see your physician ask if he'll pull up the side-effect stats in his CPS or PDR (Canada or US). The statistic is minute, because its not conclusive. Sort of like how anti-depressants 'seem to cause suicide'....or maybe it was depression? Correlation is not cause and effect. The usual complaints are weight GAIN, if your just not LOSING weight, you might want to count yourself lucky to have a medication that is treating your condition effectively and it not seeming to have something to do with thicken you out.

It is best left up to your physician....and YOU! Tell him your concerns, don't let him wave them off (a good tip is "I'll still have confidence in you Dr. So and So if you say you just don't know") and if protocol is being followed than an attempt to take you off them should occur no later than 6 months after treatment became effective.

The thing with psychotropics is that we really just sorta guess how it all works and we don't actually understand how the brain totally works...so....when we mess with your brain we're kind wandering around blindfolded in a wind-chime shop with our arms out and only a vague idea of which direction to go. We're bound to set off a few of the chimes that then set eachother off, and so on and so on.

If your only having sporadic anxiety/panic attacks a short-term/rescue treatment might be an option to discuss with your prescribing physician, rather than a long-term/maintenance treatment. i.e. Lorazepam vs. Sertraline.

Best Regards,
- Mharren

magpie0

I was on celexa for 3 years. I gained 80 lbs... Horrible medication for me. Every person has a different experience though. I'm on lexapro now and it doesn't affect my weight.

cbingham12

im experiencing the same thing, i have been on it for a year and been eating 1600 calories a day and working out daily and the weight wont budge.