Anti-depressants and weight loss/gain

MelissaSel
MelissaSel Posts: 90 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm considering going on anti-depressants and am wondering how it may affect my weight. Does anyone have experience with this? Any particular anti-depressants that help weight loss, or made you gain? I'm not looking to use them TO lose weight... just trying to take control of things, and don't want to make weight loss even more difficult than it already is. Thanks for your insight!

Replies

  • electricmeow
    electricmeow Posts: 68 Member
    Wellbutrin is amazing for weight loss. Well, it slightly speeds up your metabolism, but really, it makes you more active and more OCD about following your goals. I joined MFP 3 weeks after starting Wellbutrin. I was eating a second slice of pizza at 11am and said, "Hey I'm going to try and lose weight..." that was the moment I said I'm counting my calories (including those slices of pizza haha!) and lost 40 pounds or so without ever falling off of the diet. I had never lost more than 15 pounds in my life! It was the OCD-ish consistency that kept me with the program. It's OCD in a good way though considering it also treats ADD.
  • stinkpurty
    stinkpurty Posts: 148
    I think the most important thing, if you do go on anti-depressants, is to find the one that works best for your depression. Anti-depressants work differently for everybody. You might respond to one but not another.

    I do understand where you are coming from. I once told my doctor I wouldn't take anything that would make me gain weight when he said he wanted to change my meds. I was on Celexa prescribed by my general practitioner. I didn't gain weight (I tend to not eat when depressed, though), but it didn't help my depression one single bit. This new doc (a psychiatrist) said okay, but that he would change my medicine if it didn't help my depression, weight gain or no weight gain. I agreed to that because I just wanted to get better. He put me on Cymbalta. I didn't gain weight and it helped my depression (in fact, I no longer need it).

    Discuss your concerns with your doctor. A good doctor will at least listen to you and want to avoid any hurdles that would keep you from getting better.

    Best wishes for your mental health and physical fitness.
  • TheGlitterFox
    TheGlitterFox Posts: 24
    I totally agree with the post above. The tough part about anti-depressants is that everyone's brain and body will react differently to them. I wish this weren't the case! I'd love to be able to start taking something and know exactly how it was going to affect me.

    I've had experience with Zoloft, Wellbutrin, and Effexor. I took Zoloft the longest, and I think it eventually contributed to weight gain and loss in muscle tone. The year I was on Zoloft was an interesting one. Although I adopted a dog from the shelter (one of my better decisions in life so far), I did not accomplish ANYTHING else in those 12 months. In fact, I barely remember how I passed the time without classes, a job, or much involvement in my relationship. I gained 15+ pounds and lost any of the nice muscle tone I had to begin with. I was on Wellbutrin and Effexor for short periods of time, but my combo of depression + anxiety did not get better with either.

    I'm not currently taking anything, and it's been tough dealing with the emotions and lack of energy. Good luck with whatever path you take! If you and your doctor think a certain med might truly help you, it is definitely worth a shot.
  • deadlights
    deadlights Posts: 30
    Certain anti-anxiety drugs make you crave carbs like crazy. Like seriously cravings so strong I can't even describe them :)
  • AmyFett
    AmyFett Posts: 1,607 Member
    I went on prozac when I was 19 and went from 145-204. I don't suggest it. Zoloft, recently, was making it so I couldn't lose weight. Not to mention my broken thyroid. So, meds aren't for me.I was MORE depressed on them because of how fat I was getting.
  • AmyFett
    AmyFett Posts: 1,607 Member
    Certain anti-anxiety drugs make you crave carbs like crazy. Like seriously cravings so strong I can't even describe them :)

    what ones?
  • xxbookwormbabexx
    xxbookwormbabexx Posts: 92 Member
    I think the most important thing, if you do go on anti-depressants, is to find the one that works best for your depression. Anti-depressants work differently for everybody. You might respond to one but not another.

    I do understand where you are coming from. I once told my doctor I wouldn't take anything that would make me gain weight when he said he wanted to change my meds. I was on Celexa prescribed by my general practitioner. I didn't gain weight (I tend to not eat when depressed, though), but it didn't help my depression one single bit. This new doc (a psychiatrist) said okay, but that he would change my medicine if it didn't help my depression, weight gain or no weight gain. I agreed to that because I just wanted to get better. He put me on Cymbalta. I didn't gain weight and it helped my depression (in fact, I no longer need it).

    Discuss your concerns with your doctor. A good doctor will at least listen to you and want to avoid any hurdles that would keep you from getting better.

    Best wishes for your mental health and physical fitness.

    Perfect answer
  • AmyFett
    AmyFett Posts: 1,607 Member
    Wellbutrin is amazing for weight loss. Well, it slightly speeds up your metabolism, but really, it makes you more active and more OCD about following your goals. I joined MFP 3 weeks after starting Wellbutrin. I was eating a second slice of pizza at 11am and said, "Hey I'm going to try and lose weight..." that was the moment I said I'm counting my calories (including those slices of pizza haha!) and lost 40 pounds or so without ever falling off of the diet. I had never lost more than 15 pounds in my life! It was the OCD-ish consistency that kept me with the program. It's OCD in a good way though considering it also treats ADD.

    I have OCD for real, and it's not a good thing.. It's very very annoying. At least to me...
  • lunarescape
    lunarescape Posts: 51 Member
    It's hard to tell whether the anti-depressants I were on were making me gain weight or if it was my poor diet. Regardless, I used to be on Zoloft and Lexapro. Now I'm on Prozac but I eat better and work out so I haven't been randomly gaining weight. I would definitely discuss this with your doctor because when I noticed I was getting heavier I got more depressed. Regardless of what you start taking just keep doing what you're doing.
  • EvaB93
    EvaB93 Posts: 101
    DO NOT. i went on some (not really sure what they were called sorry), was on them for about 6 -7 months, and gained 60 pounds.
  • LilacDaffodil
    LilacDaffodil Posts: 148 Member
    I'd always been 8st 4lbs (116lbs), but as soon as I went on Prozac my weight rocketed. Same thing happened to the 2 girls in my therapy group, Asked my Dr to change my meds and he just scoffed at me and said I was being ridiculous 'because people in the States use Prozac as a weight-loss drug'.
  • PamelaKuz
    PamelaKuz Posts: 191 Member
    I second this!
    Wellbutrin is amazing for weight loss. Well, it slightly speeds up your metabolism, but really, it makes you more active and more OCD about following your goals. I joined MFP 3 weeks after starting Wellbutrin. I was eating a second slice of pizza at 11am and said, "Hey I'm going to try and lose weight..." that was the moment I said I'm counting my calories (including those slices of pizza haha!) and lost 40 pounds or so without ever falling off of the diet. I had never lost more than 15 pounds in my life! It was the OCD-ish consistency that kept me with the program. It's OCD in a good way though considering it also treats ADD.

    I have OCD for real, and it's not a good thing.. It's very very annoying. At least to me...
  • _Timmeh_
    _Timmeh_ Posts: 2,096 Member
    I think the most important thing, if you do go on anti-depressants, is to find the one that works best for your depression. Anti-depressants work differently for everybody. You might respond to one but not another.

    I do understand where you are coming from. I once told my doctor I wouldn't take anything that would make me gain weight when he said he wanted to change my meds. I was on Celexa prescribed by my general practitioner. I didn't gain weight (I tend to not eat when depressed, though), but it didn't help my depression one single bit. This new doc (a psychiatrist) said okay, but that he would change my medicine if it didn't help my depression, weight gain or no weight gain. I agreed to that because I just wanted to get better. He put me on Cymbalta. I didn't gain weight and it helped my depression (in fact, I no longer need it).

    Discuss your concerns with your doctor. A good doctor will at least listen to you and want to avoid any hurdles that would keep you from getting better.

    Best wishes for your mental health and physical fitness.

    Great post.
    I would recommend a psychiatrist rather than your regular Dr. trying to prescribe meds. I felt like a pin cushioned zombie trying all these different anti depressants that he seemed to know little about.
    Saw a psychiatrist and she just knew exactly what to do and what each one does. It was amazing.
  • FabMrFox
    FabMrFox Posts: 259 Member
    Wellbutrin is amazing for weight loss. Well, it slightly speeds up your metabolism, but really, it makes you more active and more OCD about following your goals. I joined MFP 3 weeks after starting Wellbutrin. I was eating a second slice of pizza at 11am and said, "Hey I'm going to try and lose weight..." that was the moment I said I'm counting my calories (including those slices of pizza haha!) and lost 40 pounds or so without ever falling off of the diet. I had never lost more than 15 pounds in my life! It was the OCD-ish consistency that kept me with the program. It's OCD in a good way though considering it also treats ADD.

    I have OCD for real, and it's not a good thing.. It's very very annoying. At least to me...

    ahhhrrrg please call it CDO .....in alphabetical order just the way it should be! :)
  • mphlab
    mphlab Posts: 187 Member
    I don't know how much Wellbutrin helps the average person lose weight but most others have the reputatio of making you gain.
  • healthylady88
    healthylady88 Posts: 81 Member
    Interesting topic. I have taken Zoloft for over 15 years and it's been a wonder drug, for me. I didn't gain weight from Zoloft but from poor eating & drinking habits. How can an antidepressant itself make you gain weight? I'd love to hear more on the subject and if it is true maybe a change would benifit me....Welbutrin? I hate to fix what isn't broke but.....:brokenheart:
  • cncrafton
    cncrafton Posts: 82 Member
    I have been on many, many, many antidepressants and have not experienced weight gain, but it's different for everyone. Right now I am on a lose dose of Zoloft and losing weight easily.

    If you feel that you might need an antidepressant, I really urge you to try them out regardless of the possibility that you might gain weight. Untreated depression and/or anxiety can become devastating to your mental and physical health.
  • 1960carol
    1960carol Posts: 12 Member
    i went on effexxor and lost weight.
  • SusanMcAvoy
    SusanMcAvoy Posts: 445 Member
    Topamax used for depression can help with weight loss. It's very effective.
  • Sarge516
    Sarge516 Posts: 256 Member
    I have very little experience, but what little I did have would be really bad news for anyone wanting to lose weight. I'll explain:

    When working nights, I would often have trouble sleeping during the day, so I asked my Dr for some pharmaceutical help. What he prescribed me was what he described as a "very mild anti depressant". I wasn't suffering from depression, never have (I'm awesome! :)) Anyway, when I did take one of the pills, they did help me sleep. BUT, when I woke up, I was very lethargic and my legs felt like they weighed a ton. Not a good experience. I bet I took a total of 45 of those pills over 3 or 4 years. I hated the 3 or so hours of lethargy that followed me waking up.

    I'm no expert, just my experience.

    Addition....I still have the old bottle, the medicine is called "Amitriptyline HCL" and the dose was 10 mg.
  • QueenofScott
    QueenofScott Posts: 305 Member
    Wellbutrin is the only anti-depressant that doesn't have weight gain as a possible side effect, in fact it can help you lose weight (this is per three different doctors ...OB-GYN, GP, and a Psychiatrist). I do take it for depression, and it was chosen by the psychiatrist because I was complaining about my weight. I can't speak for everyone, but it definitely decreased my appetite. I have been on it for about 4 months now. After adjusting dosages, it has really helped with my depression. Of course, as others have said, one med may work for me, and not for somebody else or vice-versa. Sometimes it takes a little trial and error. A previous med I was given several years ago caused me to rapidly gain weight...it's like I was always hungry. It did help with the depression, but when I started gaining all that weight, I got depressed about that!

    Also, combining my medication with therapy has been very helpful to me. I would highly recommend that. I hope that you are able to find a doctor that can help you to feel better. All the best to you!

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