Anti Anxiety Meds & weight loss

Took Pristique and then switched to Effexor last year and piled on weight like crazy!!! Honestly, what I do now is take an Ativan if I am really needing to calm down once in a while - nothing else. Also, if you are not exercising already - start now!!! I will help anxiety and depression so much! Good luck!!

No I don't want to "get high" If I wanted that I would go to my distant neighbor and buy some POT, it is legal in my state. I only want one maybe 3-4 times a year which is why I don't want to take another pill every day. I am bi polar and in counsling and so I take meds every day. Just looking for something to deal with the situation as it comes up. He can write one for 10 qty and I am happy and thats what I am going to tell him.

Totally understand. My mom gets a script for 10 Xanax about once a year for high-stress situations like flying. I have taken Xanax a couple of times before a flight because I was traveling alone at a young age and it made me very nervous. I would just explain to your MD that it's more of a situational anxiety and not a daily problem, if that is the case. Hope it all works out for you.

I feel awful while off my meds too. I'm starting to feel really depressed again, despite my current regimen. I just ran out of Zoloft and two my Doctos keep leaving the office I go to. I have an appointment for a vaccination on the 1st, but need a refill ASAP. I might ask whatever "new" doctor they assign me to up the dosage again. I'm just worried about going e next week without. At least I have the Xanax to hold me over...

You were very smart to discuss your concerns with your doctor. Two at a time in your possession is also very, very smart. I hope you have some peace of mind.

Effexor can also create a drug dependancy, I was on it for a while for MDD/Anxiety and when I went off it I got withdrawals, most doctors prescribe another drug to help ease you off it. Like you, it curbed my appetite... but only for a while, after that I basically ate everything in sight lol

THIS.
I was on a lot of different meds but Effexor was the worst.
At first I thought it was the best thing ever made, but after a year, the side effects and withdrawl were HORRID.
My doctor denied that it was addictive and I quit it "cold turkey". I gained a lot of weight with it too...I have one pic in my profile from that time. Now I use Xanax as needed, and feel so much better.

I gained over 100 pounds on Effexor. Stay AWAY !!!!

To the OP, Diazepam is an anti-anxiety med belonging to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines. They are not known to cause weight gain, either metabolically or by increasing appetite. Do not worry. Just exercise caution when operating machinery, like cars, or drinking, i.e. don't mix your pills with alcohol ever.

Almost all of the drugs people are talking about here are anti-depressants, and more specifically SSRIs, which may cause weight gain. They are not anti-anxity meds. Some of these may have off-label uses as anxiety meds but that is not their primary function.

*Edit* I didn't read through before posting my bla bla bla about what I take. I'm glad you found a solution.


To everyone else who just snorts butterfly farts, drops vit-C, and jogs away their anxiety: good for you. :indifferent:

I prefer to handle medical issues naturally. Of course I'm not a doctor and it depends on severity of your anxiety but if I were you I'd research some herbs and/or foods and/or techniques to use and use medications as a last resort. The more research is done on drugs the more side effects we uncover. The biggest thing I personally worry about with drugs and weight loss is endocrine (hormone balance) disruption. An endocrine disruption can be very difficult to diagnose and cure. It can cause changes in weight, changes in reproductive organs, increase chances of certain cancers, increase your chances of diabetes, give you acne, increase allergies, and many other side effects.

I agree with this. I was on Zoloft and Wellbutrin for 8 yrs. The meds covered up my real issues, increased my adrenal imbalance and I feel it really messed with my neurotransmitters in my brain as a long-term effect. If you are feeling suicidal, meds may be necessary, but otherwise, it's worth looking into natural methods. I was weaned myself off the meds 2 yrs ago and now take 5-HTP and flower essences such as Dr Bach's Stress Rescue relief when i'm really stressed. Exercise helps, as does eating a lot of fruit (like bananas that contain seratonin). Meditation, yoga, and reading books like Power of Now and Untethered Soul help me more than the meds ever did. I'm not knocking those of you on meds, cause I've been there and you have the right to your own choices, it's just good to know there are other options.

I agree. I wasn't knocking any one on meds. I wasn't telling anyone to quit their meds. I was on antidepressants at one point too so I've been there. I was just merely suggesting to try a healthy approach first and medication second. Naturopaths are doctors too and can help with more natural solutions. If you need the medication from you doctor because your problems are debilitating, or you feel like hurting yourself or someone else, then of course get on or stay on your meds. Natural cures are not over night cures... They take time to reset your body. You can also use natural cures in combination with your meds to reduce side effects or possibly reduce or wean yourself off if you want.

There are anti-anxiety meds you take only when you need to. For example, benzos like clonazapam and lorazepam. They are short-intermediate acting drugs. I would think that if you aren't taking them everyday that there would be no weight effects, or at least the effects would be negligible.

Yes - the benzo's you can take as needed and don't usually cause weight gain.

People have been posting about Lexapro, Effexor, Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Paxil, etc. Those are all anti-depressants that you need to take on a regular basis, and one of the advantages is that they can help with anxiety. And I totally agree that even "natural" cures can be very dangerous if you're not careful. Be sure to check with your doctor.

What about acupuncture, message, infra red sauna..... Again natural cures with no side effects. Safe with any medications. I personally have never heard my doctor say, no ginger root in your tea or dandy lion root in your salad while taking this medication which again are examples of natural cures. And even if by small chance there was a reaction I highly doubt it would be deadly however if you were really worried you can always ask your doctor

I'll give you an example: St. John's Wort. Naturally occurring herb found readily in supermarkets and over the counter in chemists. Combine this with an anti-depressant and you're fast tracking yourself to Seratonin (Steven-Johnson) Syndrome which carries a high mortality rate. The same can happen when combining anti-depressants with 5-HTP. Another example: combine certain foods with a MAOI inhibitor and you'll end up in a hypotensive crisis, which is again a very serious and deadly condition.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a healthy diet and exercise, especially as an initial step. I have severe, treatment-resistant depression and I throw everything I can at my condition: healthy diet; approved, evidence-based supplements vetted by my psychiatrist (in my case, omega 3 fish oil, vitamin D and prescription melatonin); rigorous high-intensity cardiovascular exercise when I can, gentle walks when I can't; early morning sunshine; healthy sleep routine; psychotherapy; relaxation techniques; scheduling formerly pleasurable activities; my medication... Yadda yadda. But people need to be just as careful with herbs and other supplements in particular, just as they would with traditional medication. Even WITHOUT combining them with traditional anti-depressants, herbs/supplements such as St. John's Wort and 5-HTP carry side effects which should be discussed with your doctor. 5-HTP is contraindicated for people with liver disease or who are pregnant or nursing, and in high doses it can cause a rare but potentially fatal condition called Eosinophilic Myalgia Syndrome. St. John's Wort can worsen suicidal thoughts and cause Steven-Johnson and has much the same side effect profile as SSRIs.

I'm not saying not to consider them, just to talk to your doctor first and don't think they are necessarily any 'better' for you than traditional anti-depressants. A cost-benefit assessment needs to be done with both.

I'll give you an example: St. John's Wort. Naturally occurring herb found readily in supermarkets and over the counter in chemists. Combine this with an anti-depressant and you're fast tracking yourself to Seratonin (Steven-Johnson) Syndrome which carries a high mortality rate. The same can happen when combining anti-depressants with 5-HTP. Another example: combine certain foods with a MAOI inhibitor and you'll end up in a hypotensive crisis, which is again a very serious and deadly condition.

Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a healthy diet and exercise, especially as an initial step. I have severe, treatment-resistant depression and I throw everything I can at my condition: healthy diet; approved, evidence-based supplements vetted by my psychiatrist (in my case, omega 3 fish oil, vitamin D and prescription melatonin); rigorous high-intensity cardiovascular exercise when I can, gentle walks when I can't; early morning sunshine; healthy sleep routine; psychotherapy; relaxation techniques; scheduling formerly pleasurable activities; my medication... Yadda yadda. But people need to be just as careful with herbs and other supplements in particular, just as they would with traditional medication. Even WITHOUT combining them with traditional anti-depressants, herbs/supplements such as St. John's Wort and 5-HTP carry side effects which should be discussed with your doctor. 5-HTP is contraindicated for people with liver disease or who are pregnant or nursing, and in high doses it can cause a rare but potentially fatal condition called Eosinophilic Myalgia Syndrome. St. John's Wort can worsen suicidal thoughts and cause Steven-Johnson and has much the same side effect profile as SSRIs.

I'm not saying not to consider them, just to talk to your doctor first and don't think they are necessarily any 'better' for you than traditional anti-depressants. A cost-benefit assessment needs to be done with both.

Good call with the St. John's wart but you have to admit its a rare exception.

When dieting:
- Clobazam and no weight gain.
- Saphris and I lost two kgs.
- Abilify and Cipralex, lost 5 kgs.

When not dieting:
- Abilify and Zoloft, gained 14 kgs.
- on nothing, gained 4 kgs.

So yeah, they cause weight gain but if you try to control your cravings, they don't. I know because I'm craving for chocolate right now. Good luck.