Paxil and weight loss?

Phoenyxlove

Has anyone been successful at losing weight while on paxil or a medication like it?

thenewmrsgant

I have been taking Wellburtin XL and I have currently (as of Jan. 2011) lost 110.2 pounds. I feel the medication has helped me as far as stabilizing my mood and helping me focus on losing weight actually.

pen2u

Not I...I was doing Body for Life with friends for 6 months. We worked out 6 days a week, ate the plan, etc. They looked fabulous & I didn't lose more than a pound or two. Weaned myself off Paxil slooooowly and have finally been able to lose the weight I gained while taking it.

woobiewoobster

Do you mind sharing how you weaned yourself (doctor directed? cutting pils) and how long it took you? I feel as if I'm in a similar boat to you and would love to know what you did and how you did it. I may need to do the same.

Thanks in advance.

pen2u

Do you mind sharing how you weaned yourself (doctor directed? cutting pils) and how long it took you? I feel as if I'm in a similar boat to you and would love to know what you did and how you did it. I may need to do the same.

Thanks in advance.

I don't remember for sure what I did. It's always best to check with your doctor, but I may have gone rogue. What I do remember is that it took a month, so I probably cut a bit more off the pills each week. I don't remember any side effects from slowly weaning. I'd felt awful on the Paxil, so it was a relief to not have the brain zaps, etc. anymore.

efranz12

Only thing Paxil ever did for my weight was help me gain it. After I stopped taking it (medically supervised) I lost 15 pounds in about 2 months without making any other lifestyle changes.

I could not lose the weight on paxil, I tried, I know some people are able to do it. But I gained the weight because of the pills and was only able to lose it because I stopped taking them. I would talk to your doctor about other options or lowering your dose.

cozystyle

i noticed a lot of my wt. gain when i started taking paxil in June of 2010...i stayed on it for about a yr. and noticed that my wt. went way up REAL QUICK...my face was bloated and i just didnt look good at all, so after talkin wit my doctor, she advice me that i could wean myself off by skipping dosage everyother day till i got off and thts exactly wat i did...i noticed a change in about 3 months...i have never felt better...it made me feel horrible and I couldnt lose an ounce, IT WAS TERRIBLE..GOOD LUCK!!!

LoriIone

I've been on prozac for several years now, and in the past, while on it I had once lost 60 pounds, and once lost 35 pounds. This time around I am still on it, but after having kids the weight does not come off as easily....

miriamwithcats

Having had a lifetime of depression, I have been on many antidepressants over the years. Paxil is the only one, besides the old fashioned tricyclics that they don't use anymore, that made me GAIN huge amounts of weight. I would talk to your doctor and ask about changing.

As for getting off ANY psychiatric med, you really need to let your doctor know you are going off. Some of them can cause quite significant problems in weaning off. If you cannot talk to your current doctor about getting off GET A NEW DOCTOR YOU CAN TALK TO! It is really important to have a good doctor who will listen to you. Then, go off the meds following the doctor's advice. If you skip every other day, for some medications that will be WAY too fast. So don't do what someone else posted here. For some of my medications changes, I had to skip one dose a week- cutting down by 1/7ths not in half right away! So get medical advice whenever changing or stopping psych meds!

beachpoodles

Do you mind sharing how you weaned yourself (doctor directed? cutting pils) and how long it took you? I feel as if I'm in a similar boat to you and would love to know what you did and how you did it. I may need to do the same.

Thanks in advance.

I can give you my experience. I have been on paxil (poison) for almost 6 tears. I started weening February 2012 from 20 mgs to 10mgs - I dropped in small precentages (5-10% using a pill splitter every 4-6 weeks).....even what the doctors recommend its TOO quick - paxil side effects are awful if not taken slow enough. Once June 2012 came I started a low cal diet with MFP - I was at 10mgs at the time and actually started losing weight! I have lost 46lbs to date - every pound I gained YAH!!

I should take the next steps to ween off the remaining 10mgs but most of the paxil side effects are almost gone so I've been in no hurry.

I am not a fan of paxil as you can tell.....I believe not only did it contribute to my weight gain it also stripped my mind and emotions for a few years. Good luck on your journey, just go slow

Athena4E

Nobody seemed to answer this question. So I will ask it again. HAS ANYONE LOST WEIGHT WHILE TAKING ANTIDEPRESSANTS OR SIMILAR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS?

AnnaMarieDinVa

Yes, I have been able to lose weight while on Paxil. It is the same for me whether on or off Paxil.

Icanredefinemyself

I have only been on an AD for 30 days now but while on it have continued to lose (I think since starting them I lost 9 lbs over 30 days which is in line with the rate at which I was losing before). Doctor told me it is largely your own efforts and not the medication that will cause gain or loss, although the ADs do have a tendancy to either slow you down or speed you up depending how you react on them. Hence your own efforts then need to be changed accordingly based on how the meds affect you.

jsmustang

I'm trying to stop using Paxil. I have been on it for about 10 years and I have gain about 100 lbs. I do eat healthy and don;t loss anything. When I started Paxil I wore a size 10/12 now I wear 22/24. I just started cutting my tablets in half. I hope this works for me without all the nightmare side effects I hear about.

ryzeman

Nobody seemed to answer this question. So I will ask it again. HAS ANYONE LOST WEIGHT WHILE TAKING ANTIDEPRESSANTS OR SIMILAR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS?

i have been on paxil for years, and yes weight gain can happen. But to directly answer your question. Yes I have lost almost 30 lbs. BTW I am on 30mg. per day.

qotsagirl314

Hey guys, most antidepressants can cause weight gain, however everyone is different. Wellbutrin (Bupropion) is an antidepressant that can actually help you lose weight, but again, everyone is different. Talk to your doc about options if weight gain is a big concern for you.

Edit: People who are talking about cutting down on antidepressants... consult your doc before doing something like that. Cutting down on doses of Fluoxetine, Paroxetine, etc can possibly make your depression come back or you may experience withdrawal. "Weening" with antidepressants should be monitored by a health professional.

dconnolly818

I gained 100% of the weight I'm trying to lose after I started Paxil, and it only went up until I weaned myself off five years later. I never really connected my weight gain with Paxil, but after I had stopped taking it I got crazy motivated and lost 30lbs over the next three months. Was the motivation and going off Paxil connected? I have no idea, but that's what happened to me. Good luck either way.

jenniferannkoch

I am glad I found this thread!! I've been researching how to get off Paxil. I tried last winter after I gained some weight back, (went from 185 tom118 2 years ago) my dr put me on a weaning schedule. I had NIGHTMARE withdrawals and started taking my full dose again after 2 weeks due to the fact that I couldn't function due to the withdrawals. Well now it's a year later and I'm up a total of 45 pounds in a year and this is all while trying to exercise and eat well. I did P90X and Insanity as well as the 50/30/20 macros that did nothing, then I went on weight watchers again and nothing. I went to a doctor he said I'm getting older and it's hormones (I'm 31!!) I went to a diff doctor had bloodwork all normal. I had my IUD removed even. Still no luck on weight loss!! She suggested it may be my Paxil...and after research I think it is. However I don't want the withdrawals again....don't know what I'm going to do. Glad to know I'm not alone!! I mean how is it possible to restrict your calories, eat clean, do insanity and p90x and not lose weight or inches?? All my weight is in my stomach too which is very unhealthy. Going to dr again Monday to hopefully get some answers!!

Crochetluvr

I have been on Citalopram (generic Celexa) which is the newer replacement for Paxil and I haven't had any problems losing weight. So I suppose it depends on the person.

kganc001

I was on a course of Prozac and Zoloft [generic forms] for a few years. I used to be able to walk 45 minutes a day/5 days a week and drop weight relatively quickly. However, when I started taking the SSRI's, my weight ballooned. I went off the Prozac, and lost the weight. But I started the Zoloft soon after and I gained 40+ pounds in a matter of 6-8 months. My appetite didn't change, but it killed my metabolism and no amount of exercise/calorie counting would do the trick...I'd only gain weight. I weaned off the Zoloft, and despite the nasty withdrawal, it was worth it. I've lost five pounds and counting! The weightloss and increased exercise/better diet has really helped my mood and I don't feel the need for the SSRI's anymore.

wldrose75

I haven't ever taken paxil but I started on Zoloft 18 or so years ago. I was 19 at the time. I immediately lost weight (about 15 lbs) without changing my life style. I tended to eat to make myself feel better when I was depressed, so with the anti-depressant... No more comfort eating. I changed over to Effexor when I was 21 (had nothing to do with weight, other side effects of Zoloft) and have been on it ever since (with a mood stabilizer for bi polar disorder). I've gained about 30 lbs in these last 18 years. I don't contribute that to the anti-depressants I've been on. Its contributable to very unhealthy eating habits, no exercise and getting older. Over the course of those 18 years, I have lost weight (20+ lbs) a couple of times and then went back to my bad habits and gained it all and then some. I started MFP about 2 1/2 weeks ago and have lost 6 lbs so far. So my answer to your question would be: yes, I've lost weight on anti-depressants. It is possible that the type has something to do with it. (Maybe I wouldn't be able to lose weight on Paxil.)