What antidepressant doesn't make you gain weight ?

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I really need to be on one, as I have a very stressful life, chronic neck pain and worry about EverythinG ! I've tried several over the years. Some made me hungry, or sadder, or sleepy, or sleepless, or agitated more so. So my doc said get 30 Mins of cardio every single day,and that would be the same as taking a pill. she said you wouldn't skip taking your medicine (if you could tolerate it) so do not skip a day of cardio. I totally agree. I'm off work now but will attempt going back to a new job sept 1. Then what to do? For those days I just can't find time. (which is a major stressor in itself- finding time now-has to be in the a.m.) maybe just go on a pill ? Anyone have success with not gaining on them? Thanks for any help you can give.
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Replies

  • Treesy72
    Treesy72 Posts: 230
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    Welbutrin
  • NoahandPresleysMom
    NoahandPresleysMom Posts: 763 Member
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    Wellbutrin. I lost 150 lbs after having my son while taking it, and im on it now!!!!!
  • EAlexandraB
    EAlexandraB Posts: 98 Member
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    I take Cymbalta, and it has been weight-neutral for me (my doctor prescribed it for that reason!)
  • HulkDiesel77
    HulkDiesel77 Posts: 219 Member
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    Working out 5 days a week...........no drugs required :)
  • MissySho
    MissySho Posts: 126 Member
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    my son's doctor says that abilify isn't supposed to make you eat more or gain weight but he is wrong.....i also know of a couple more from personal experience that don't help with not gaining weight. They are for mental health issues, paxil, geodon, and celexa.....I have been on all four of these over the past 2 years and have gained 100 pounds during that time....now i'm no longer taking them and am finally losing weight.
  • FlyByJuly
    FlyByJuly Posts: 564 Member
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    Working out 5 days a week...........no drugs required :)

    ^^^^This is what works for me, without fail.
  • agthorn
    agthorn Posts: 1,844 Member
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    I lost 25 lbs on Wellbutrin without even trying.
  • SRR15
    SRR15 Posts: 23 Member
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    I've been on celexa for about 2 years now. I was gaining weight because of eating crap while I was depressed, so once my mood stabilized, I started to eat healthier and lost a good amount of the weight. The worse side effect I have is the drug makes me so tired and sleepy! My doctor suggested I take it before bed instead of the morning and that's made a ton of difference! Good luck!
  • linz1125
    linz1125 Posts: 441 Member
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    I take Cymbalta, and it has been weight-neutral for me (my doctor prescribed it for that reason!)

    My husband lost 20 lbs after starting cymbalta. Part of it also has to do with it taking away his pain, so he could actually move and do things again. He has seen great results with it.
  • purdieang
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    zoloft seems to be weight nuetral for me
  • serhioramos
    serhioramos Posts: 59 Member
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    I absolutely have to be on antidepressant for OCD and anxiety as well as depression and have found I can't function without my meds. I've been on various medications for almost 10 years (I started on them when I was 10) and have found that various medications will have various impacts on different bodies. Most side effects only occur in a certain percentage of those who take the medicine, so you never really can be sure how a certain medicine will effect you until you try it yourself.

    I wouldn't avoid taking medications because you're afraid of weight gain. Talk to a doctor who is willing to test out different medicines and find one that works for YOU. I've gone through about 5 different meds before settling on Cymbalta, which does have terrible withdrawals if you skip a day but works find besides that.

    The important thing is to be patient and willing to try out different options. It'll be worth it in the end when you're happier.
  • stephanie_pephanie
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    exercise
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    Are you seeing a psychiatrist or a PCP? Don't listen to people who don't know you about what pills are best. Some of the pills will be the wrong fit for you.

    Exercise does not do it for me when it comes to managing my anxiety. The only thing that did was the right anti-depressant.
  • CMKinMI
    CMKinMI Posts: 2 Member
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    I absolutely have to be on antidepressant for OCD and anxiety as well as depression and have found I can't function without my meds. I've been on various medications for almost 10 years (I started on them when I was 10) and have found that various medications will have various impacts on different bodies. Most side effects only occur in a certain percentage of those who take the medicine, so you never really can be sure how a certain medicine will effect you until you try it yourself.

    I wouldn't avoid taking medications because you're afraid of weight gain. Talk to a doctor who is willing to test out different medicines and find one that works for YOU. I've gone through about 5 different meds before settling on Cymbalta, which does have terrible withdrawals if you skip a day but works find besides that.

    The important thing is to be patient and willing to try out different options. It'll be worth it in the end when you're happier.

    Awesome answer.
  • supahstar71
    supahstar71 Posts: 926 Member
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    Yep. Wellbutrin.
  • capriciousmoon
    capriciousmoon Posts: 1,263 Member
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    I would have another talk with the doctor, tell her that you're trying to go back to work and that the stress of that and possibility of not having time to exercise is making things worse. You'll probably have to try things out yourself to figure out what works best.

    The antidepressant I am taking isn't making me gain, but I am actually taking it as a sleep aid so it probably wouldn't help you.
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
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    Wellbutrin has quite literally changed my life. One of the major side effects for many people is actually decreased appetite. It is often prescribed under another name for smoking cessation (zyban), which makes sense if I think of it in terms of helping to minimize some of those otherwise undeniable urges.

    Here's the thing, Wellbutrin doesn't make you lose weight. What it did for me is help to quiet the part of me that was thinking about food all the time. As soon as that part of me stopped obsessing about food and eating, I was able to take control. I count my calories, I avoid too much processed food, I am moving more because I feel better and have more energy. Those are things I HAVE TO DO MYSELF. but the Wellbutrin absolutely helped me to change the way I was thinking, the way I was looking at food and exercise, and even though I still have over 100 pounds to lose, I can see my potential for the first time in many years.

    I went from feeling like I had no control, to making good choices and logging everything I eat almost immediately. I am not one to promote a magic pill, there are no magic pills, I still have to make good decisions, but it makes it a lot easier.
  • FlaxMilk
    FlaxMilk Posts: 3,452 Member
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    The reason I ask if you are seeing a psychiatrist is because different pills have different effects, and some antidepressants can actually worsen anxiety. Wellbutrin has been suspected to be one that increases anxiety. (And some studies have shown that it helps anxiety.) I would sit down with someone who specializes in psychiatry and review your medication history and what medications caused what.

    Most antidepressants are unlikely to cause a big weight gain. There are classes of meds that do, but these in general aren't the standard antidepressant. Not that it isn't possible, of course. There are also medications that are shown to help with anxiety but are overall mild. You have a lot of options, but explore them only with people who really know you and know the meds, too.
  • momof4ts
    momof4ts Posts: 118
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    Cymbalta works for me :flowerforyou:
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
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    The reason I ask if you are seeing a psychiatrist is because different pills have different effects, and some antidepressants can actually worsen anxiety. Wellbutrin has been suspected to be one that increases anxiety. (And some studies have shown that it helps anxiety.) I would sit down with someone who specializes in psychiatry and review your medication history and what medications caused what.

    absolutely. regarding the anxiety, I did experience a surge in anxiety for the first 2 weeks (but then I felt so good about everything else that it balanced itself out!) I see a therapist once a week, so I was able to address that with her. Wellbutrin definitely isn't the kind of thing you just ask your Dr for a prescription for and then go months without additional visits. Like any drug, only your doctor(s) are going to know if it's right for you.

    and I totally admit to being a bit of an evangelist because when I think about the person I was 2 months ago vs today, I could cry from the relief