What antidepressant doesn't make you gain weight ?

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  • sigma54
    sigma54 Posts: 28 Member
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    As others have already said, the effects of the medication are very specific to the person.

    For myself, I am on both Effexor and Wellbutrin... I didn't gain weight when I started them and I'm currently losing weight at about 1.5-2 lbs per week. However, I did gain weight when I took Paxil mailnly because it was making me too sleepy, I think. I was able to lose most of the weight but gained it back when switching from Paxil to Effexor as I had to withdraw from the Paxil completely and my depression spiked resulting in more sleeping, and more eating.

    Most of the anxiety/depression medications generally don't cause much fluctuation in weight by themselves (unless it modifies behaviour such as having more/less energy to exercise and such). Medications for bipolar and schizophrenia, however, do tend to have a much greater effect on weight gain, unfortunately.
  • tracyhall63
    tracyhall63 Posts: 84 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!

    This exactly!
  • Ayla70
    Ayla70 Posts: 284 Member
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    Working out 5 days a week...........no drugs required :)

    ^^^^This is what works for me, without fail.

    That's all well and good for some, but please don't discount the fact that some people need medication.
  • Krishappy
    Krishappy Posts: 5
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    My doctor put me on Adderal and Bupropion Hydrochloride to counter the weight gain medication I am taking and control my appetite. Note: If you take Divalproex and/or Desogen (birth control pills) both of these meds are known to cause weight gain as a side effect. Talk to your doctor before starting any weight loss program. What I take may not be good for you.

    Sincerely,

    Krishappy
  • sigma54
    sigma54 Posts: 28 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!

    This exactly!

    Also agree with this... the time when you take the medication can have an effect... discuss with your doctor what options you may have. For me, I have found that taking them in the morning works best for me but everyone is different!
  • elyelyse
    elyelyse Posts: 1,454 Member
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    Hi I am Mark's wife and currently a pharmacy student. There aren't any anti-depressants out there they won't make you put on the weight. All of the drugs in that class (Prozac probably being the worst) are also meant to be anti-anorexia drugs. They don't for instance make you eat, but your body responds by causing possible weight gain. Sorry :/

    I'm sorry but this is just not true. Wellbutrin is an antidepressant with a known side effect of weight loss in many people. I don't have any education in pharmacology or medicine, but I do know what my Drs have told me, what i have read, and what I have experienced.
  • Ayla70
    Ayla70 Posts: 284 Member
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    Okay, for all the people saying "exercise" - you're not doing anyone any favors. Yes, exercise is great for your mood. But when you are depressed to the point where you can barely get out of bed every day, someone telling you to exercise is unhelpful at best and exacerbating at worst - one more thing to feel guilty about because you don't have the energy/motivation to do it. Taking an antidepressant can help someone to improve to the point where they can take care of themselves in other ways.

    ^^ This!!! :flowerforyou:
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
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    Exercise, talk therapy, meditation, prayer, and bio feedback are all great. However, depression and anxiety can really be a chemical imbalance that requires medication. Nothing wrong with that at all.

    Medications will affect people differently regarding side effects. I'd never tell someone to stay off SSRI's or MOAI's because of fear of weight gain. Talk to your doctor. It may require you switching meds before you find the one that works for you.
  • tracyhall63
    tracyhall63 Posts: 84 Member
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    Okay, for all the people saying "exercise" - you're not doing anyone any favors. Yes, exercise is great for your mood. But when you are depressed to the point where you can barely get out of bed every day, someone telling you to exercise is unhelpful at best and exacerbating at worst - one more thing to feel guilty about because you don't have the energy/motivation to do it. Taking an antidepressant can help someone to improve to the point where they can take care of themselves in other ways.

    I second this. I absolutely despise taking medication, but I know it's necessary for my situation. Self-medicating via exercise can be enough for some people, but for others it simply isn't.

    As for the OP, please speak with your PCP about getting a psychiatrist referral if you don't already have one, or look up provider's online who will take your insurance. Taking medical advice from an online forum may not be the best option. Good luck and try to be patient, as it may take a few switches to find what works best for you.

    Great advice.
  • clrrrr
    clrrrr Posts: 261 Member
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    Wellbutrin is the only antidepressant on the market in the US that isn't associated with a likelihood of weight gain.
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
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    Exercise is a great antidepressant in many cases; however, if you are clinical... it will not be sufficient. From your post I am supposing that your depressive mood has been sufficient to affect your ability to be a productive employee.. that it is affecting your quality of life. If you have been dealing with it through a general practitioner, I would recommend seeing one who specializes in mood disorders... Psychiatrist. In some cases counseling is the best answer... In other cases, it is a combination of medication and counseling... Exercise works really well as a mood enhancer in those with mild depressive symptoms or merely "the blues". However, as I suspect you are aware, there is a difference between the blues and clinical depression. If you simply cannot shake that bad mood or those feelings of anxiety then getting the professional help is indicated. As others have said, the action of the different medications work differently on different people; hence, somebody with knowledge in this area is best able to help you determine what is best for YOU... I have known people with great results with Wellbutrin (as many have attested) however, I also know one person who was on it, lost their job and had pervasive thoughts of suicide. That can be a risk with this medication. Also a professional mental health practitioner can help differentiate the related mood disorders such as bipolar disorder, major depression, disthymia, seasonal affective disorders, etc. All these disorders are treated differently. Whatever the case, make sure you get the help you need.
  • MadiRose2
    MadiRose2 Posts: 145
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    Zoloft didn't make me gain weight. Hope that helps!
  • tracyhall63
    tracyhall63 Posts: 84 Member
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    I take Celexa AND work out 6-7 times a week; I have a highly stressful job. I feel great and by taking the meds at night I experience no real side effects such as tiredness. I stopped taking it for a while and gained weight. I don't like pills but I am a much happier and productive person taking them and it is much nicer for other people to be around me. :bigsmile:
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
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    Cocaine.
    Not cool.
  • calamitydown
    calamitydown Posts: 101
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    prozac helped me lose about 40 pounds, but i feel like a tolerance built up and it didn't work as well :/
  • odusgolp
    odusgolp Posts: 10,477 Member
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    Who the hell let Tom Cruise's posse in here??

    And just my two cents in addition to some great advice... Family Practice isn't as knowledgable as a true specialist in psychiatric care. If possible, see a specialist. Secondly, ask about the research on addiction and withdrawal on the meds suggested for you. Some are pure EVIL with horrid when and if you decide to stop or to try something different...
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 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.

    as always, pills affect people in different ways.
  • macpatti
    macpatti Posts: 4,280 Member
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    Who the hell let Tom Cruise's posse in here??

    THANK YOU!
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
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    Depression makes me gain more than an anti-depressant. When I needed an antidepressant and wasn't on one, I couldn't get my *kitten* off the couch.
  • TravisBurns
    TravisBurns Posts: 353 Member
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    Prozac aka Fluoxetine. I was going through a bad depression, most weight gain ever, relationships fell apart, felt like *kitten*. I saw a doc and said whatever you put me on cannot have a potential side effect for weight gain, and she said this one doesn't do that.
    A few months on it and i've actually lost 35+ pounds and have a felt improvement from the depressive state I was in.

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