Anxiety, Prozac and Weight Gain

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chunkydunk714
chunkydunk714 Posts: 784 Member
in Motivation and Support
So my dr. prescribed prozac for my generalized anxiety disorder and mild depression. Its been two months and ive packed on 20 pounds. :( I want to stop taking the meds but its helped me so much to not be such a stress case.

Has anyone here lost weight while taking anti-depressents? Your stories would be helpful....im feeling so hopeless :(
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Replies

  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 34,108 Member
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    Are you also geting counseling? If you feel hopeless, maybe the Prozac needs some behavioral assistance.

    It's possible to treat anxiety and mild depression with exercise and diet. Try to clean up your food choices as much as possible. Exercise is a powerful mood enhancer,it decreases anxiety dramatically, and many people find the combination of the two to be enough without the Prozac.

    That said, you can lose weight on any prescription drug. It's still about creating a calorie deficit, logging all your food choices, and generally taking care of yourself with enough water and sleep.
  • wibutterflymagic
    wibutterflymagic Posts: 788 Member
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    I've been on different anti-depressants over the years and have lost weight at different times. I've never noticed that the meds caused the weight gain. I believe it's the mind set that does it. If you are depressed and an emotional eater then that's what is the cause of the weight gain...IMO. I gained 25lbs after my mom died and it's taken me a long time to get my mind set on truly making the change to loose weight. Until you truly commit to doing the work to make a change it won't happen. When I finally decided to stop whallowing in self pity and started looking at life positively things started to change in my life. Once I started feeling better about life then the decision to really loose the weight wasn't difficult and I've now lost 5lbs in the last 3wks. Friend me if you'd like.
  • chunkydunk714
    chunkydunk714 Posts: 784 Member
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    "When I finally decided to stop whallowing in self pity and started looking at life positively things started to change in my life"....I sooo cant wait for this to happen! Im drowning in my own pool of depression...its horrible.

    and im going to start therapy...im pretty excited. My primary care physican said medication and therapy is a must and nobody gets better with medication alone. After going two months on medication and no therapy..i decided its time.

    :) Thank you both for listening to me...
  • ElishaFields
    ElishaFields Posts: 9 Member
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    I've been on prozac for 12 years. I've lost weight many, many times. Most recently had gastric sleeve and lost 52 pounds. Have put back on 8 but am working through that. I never noticed that the prozac made me hungrier. I've been on it long enough that I very rarely go to counseling; only when I feel I need some extra support. My depression is managed and I'm doing fine.
  • quirkytizzy
    quirkytizzy Posts: 4,052 Member
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    I've been on various psychotropic medications over the years and yes, weight gain is a common side effect. You are not alone. It just means stepping up the good eating habits and exercise. As you and your psych play around with the dose, that will have some effect too. Just be patient and realize that taking care of your mind through the medication is just as important as taking care of your body.
  • RhonndaJ
    RhonndaJ Posts: 1,615 Member
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    I'm presently losing weight on meds for anxiety, depression and mood swings. After a lot of years we've found a combination that works long term for me and it's a huge relief.

    Contrary to what your primary care suggests, some people can get better on meds alone, but I do believe it depends heavily on the cause of the mental issues. I have this perspective because of my own circumstances. While I do see a psych, I haven't done therapy, nor do we feel a need for me to do so.
  • kittypudding
    kittypudding Posts: 17
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    i was recently-ish put on prozac as well. . .as soon as i got put on it, bam, my once 120lb self turned into a 145lb girl. . .i'm in destress, but working out and eating right, and using this site has helped a bunch. just keep at it.
  • RatherBeInTheShire
    RatherBeInTheShire Posts: 561 Member
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    I gained almost 15 lbs with paxil. I cannot lose weight, and can totally relate. I am currently weaning off the paxil because I do not want it to be a crutch. I've read some bad bad things about Paxil and don't want it to be something i'm on forever.
  • Captain_Tightpants
    Captain_Tightpants Posts: 2,215 Member
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    Prozac alone is not making you gain weight. Your behavior must have changed so that you are either less active, more nommy, or both. Prozac or no, if you maintain an energy deficit you will lose weight.

    I've been losing steadily while on Prozac for the past year.
  • goldfish29
    goldfish29 Posts: 44 Member
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    Ask to change your meds. I take Zoloft and have lost weight on it. My friend took Zoloft and gained 25lbs. Everyone is different and your reaction to a drug might not be the same as another drug.
  • LaceyMorley
    LaceyMorley Posts: 45
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    "When I finally decided to stop whallowing in self pity and started looking at life positively things started to change in my life"....I sooo cant wait for this to happen! Im drowning in my own pool of depression...its horrible.

    and im going to start therapy...im pretty excited. My primary care physican said medication and therapy is a must and nobody gets better with medication alone. After going two months on medication and no therapy..i decided its time.

    :) Thank you both for listening to me...

    I have to respectfully disagree. In my opinion one does not simply "decide to stop whallowing in self pity". Depression is a disease just like any other disease. That said I think once the person recognizes they need help they can "decide" to get help either with medication, therapy, talking to their family, etc.

    To the OP I've lost weight on Wellbutrin which is known to actually help with weight loss instead of helping the pounds pack on like most anti-depressants. I am not convinced like someone already said that its simply about a calorie deficit when it comes to medication because if you look any of them up online they will tell you over and over one of the side effects can be weight gain.
  • rose313
    rose313 Posts: 1,146 Member
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    I was on it in highschool and weighed 180 pounds. As soon as I got off it, I lost almost 40 pounds in 3 months.
  • chunkydunk714
    chunkydunk714 Posts: 784 Member
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    Thank you all for your responses...

    I dont entirely blame the prozac but I do believe it causes me to react more to my cravings and causes me to crave more sweets and carbs. I never used to crave sugar like I do now...its so weird!

    As with anything else, I have hope and know one day I will and CAN fix this :)

    Thanks again for the support :)
  • Sofitin2013
    Sofitin2013 Posts: 39
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    I know what you mean. I packed on serious weight this year after trying two different anti-depressants. I know it was my lifestyle as well, but I strongly believe the drugs added on weight for me. I have decided ( in the last few weeks) to start eating better and working out and to ditch the drugs. I feel much better! I got an rx for Ativan for times that my anxiety really hits the roof, but I plan to use those sparingly. Hang in there!!
  • FitFabFlirty92
    FitFabFlirty92 Posts: 384 Member
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    I'm on Zoloft and Abilify, and so far my weight loss has slowed, but not stalled completely. You may need to up your exercise or adjust your calories, but you should still be able to lose. Is the Prozac affecting your appetite at all? You may be eating more and lessening your deficit without realizing it.
  • fearless_
    fearless_ Posts: 75
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    I've been eating soo much more on trazodone and atarax mehhhh
  • Monticello
    Monticello Posts: 16 Member
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    Losing weight just fine on paxil for anxiety. I've read some literature that discusses SSRIs possibly causing weight gain by affecting liver function, but it seems to me from my own experience and the observations of others that weight gain on SSRIs is mostly behavioral. When I first started I felt very euphoric and super happy. I felt like my impulse control was affected. I felt like I was at a party all the time and I indulged and food and alcohol like I was at a party.

    Daily rigorous exercise has had a profound effect on my anxiety levels as well as a workbook called Overcoming Stress and Anxiety. On a very low dose now.
  • Crochetluvr
    Crochetluvr Posts: 3,143 Member
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    I have been on Celexa for nearly a year and I haven't noticed any problems with losing weight. So I guess it doesn't affect everyone the same.
  • BurtHuttz
    BurtHuttz Posts: 3,653 Member
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    Prozac alone is not making you gain weight. Your behavior must have changed so that you are either less active, more nommy, or both. Prozac or no, if you maintain an energy deficit you will lose weight.

    This - such drugs do not change the laws of thermodynamics or - as far as I know - meaningfully change the way your body metabolizes fuel.

    However, if you're going from a state of anxiety and unhappiness and are used to using that as motivation to control your eating and go exercise, you might find that you need to exercise a little bit of conscious thought to stay focused on your objectives.

    Toward the tail end of my weight loss and going into my maintenance phase of fitness, I started an SSRI that has a well documented correlation with weight gain. But after three months, I'm still logging calories in and calories out and the medicine hasn't changed anything, because my thermodynamic equation remains balanced.

    You can do it, healthy mind AND body! :-)
  • megleo818
    megleo818 Posts: 595 Member
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    Weight loss/gain aside, if you're not feeling good MENTALLY on Prozac, you need to talk with your doctor about trying a different med. There are so many out there -- Prozac might not be the right fit for your particular brain chemistry. Talk to your doctor. Tomorrow. Just because some of your symptoms are better, that doesn't mean it's time to settle on one drug -- if you're more depressed, there are at least half a dozen alternatives that might address what Prozac does well without doing what Prozac does badly, which seems to be making you gain weight and feel hopeless. That's not the way anyone should feel.

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