Anti-depressants and weight loss?

jacks4se
jacks4se Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been taking zoloft since January. I started with 25, increased to 50, and have been taking 100mg for almost a month now. Since January I have lost 15 pounds without trying AT ALL. I have been slacking on logging my food, and have not exercised per se but I have been a little more active (just a busy semester at school!)

Anyone else have this effect? Believe me, I am NOT complaining, just puzzled. I've noticed my appetite is much smaller, and I can usually even shut my stomach up by having a snack instead of a meal and feel satisfied. I know this has aided in that loss but I still have been eating fairly poorly (fast food, meals late at night, etc.)

Replies

  • ahviendha
    ahviendha Posts: 1,291 Member
    is it possible you're happier, moving around more, and doing less emotional eating?

    medication will affect everyone differently, but it seems like it's working out for the better!
  • Davina_JH
    Davina_JH Posts: 473 Member
    Weight loss is listed as a possible side effect of Zoloft. Hey, consider yourself lucky. When I was on it I gained 30 lbs and I have seen the same happen to many other women! And unfortunately, they do not recognize weight gain as a side effect. Best wishes! You could always talk to your doctor if you have a concern.
  • jacks4se
    jacks4se Posts: 8 Member
    I've heard a LOT of people say they've gained weight, so naturally I was surprised to be losing so much! Weight gain should definitely be considered a side effect...I mean if I was gaining weight without trying as easily as I am losing it without even trying I would be MAD!
  • Female_On_Fire
    Female_On_Fire Posts: 104 Member
    Lucky you!! I totally gained weight on Zoloft. And weaning myself off was a horrible experience.
  • Davina_JH
    Davina_JH Posts: 473 Member
    Yeah. Gaining weight made me more depressed lol...luckily I was able to get off medication! :flowerforyou:
  • Davina_JH
    Davina_JH Posts: 473 Member
    Lucky you!! I totally gained weight on Zoloft. And weaning myself off was a horrible experience.
    ^^OMG weaning off was terrible. Miserable. They don't tell you about that either.
  • jacks4se
    jacks4se Posts: 8 Member
    I have been seriously worried about that lately!!!. Did you feel like withdrawals or...? I hate the idea of being on a daily medication but it seriously has turned my life around...better grades, better relationships with my bf, family and friends. But I really don't want to be on it for the rest of my life!
  • richelle_ross
    richelle_ross Posts: 34 Member
    I am on Wellbutrin and when my doctor prescribed it. She informed me that some Anti-depressents can cause an increase weight and some can cause weightloss. I've only been on mine for 3 weeks so I don't think my weightloss is associated with it.
  • ahviendha
    ahviendha Posts: 1,291 Member
    I have been seriously worried about that lately!!!. Did you feel like withdrawals or...? I hate the idea of being on a daily medication but it seriously has turned my life around...better grades, better relationships with my bf, family and friends. But I really don't want to be on it for the rest of my life!

    i was on lexapro, and went off it cold turkey like a n00b and had horrible withdrawal for at least 3 months. my poor boyfriend. mood swings, anger, irritation, everything. i leveled out though, got in shape, and feel a whole lot better now.

    but yes. weaning off SUCKS.
  • sleibo87
    sleibo87 Posts: 403 Member
    I took prozac back like 10 years ago, and i lost a lil weight. Suppressed my appetite.
  • Talister
    Talister Posts: 22 Member
    Withdrawals like that happened to me when I was on Paxil, and I was in a situation where I could not get my new script and it was a TERRIBLE week. And when I was on it, at first, I swear it was like taking speed.

    Now my husband wants me to go to the doctor and see about getting on anti depressants again and Im scared to death of withdrawals as well as weight gain. Reading this thread hasn't made me feel better or worse, but not I know a bit about some of the meds I will be dealing with.

    My sister and my father have to take Cymbalta, my mother takes Prozac--- does anyone know how they works? Or have any suggestions?
  • suzely0530
    suzely0530 Posts: 150 Member
    I've taken everything under the sun. Personally, Lexapro has been the best...no side effects, withdrawal symptoms if you miss a dose, no weight gain. One med I would never recommend to anyone is Effexor. The worst withdrawal symptoms even if you miss one dose. I remember it's like feeling car sick all the time...the floor would even feel slanted. Have to taper off very, very slowly. Also one to avoid, is Risperdal...terrible weight gain (30 lbs in my situation).
  • suzely0530
    suzely0530 Posts: 150 Member

    My sister and my father have to take Cymbalta, my mother takes Prozac--- does anyone know how they works? Or have any suggestions?

    I've never taken Prozac, but did take Cymbalta. It helped but definitely affected my libido, lol
  • MsDover
    MsDover Posts: 395 Member
    I was having some issues about 20 years ago and my doctor decided that it was all in my head and put me on Prozac. I was on it for 10 days and lost 10 pounds. I had zero appetite. Didn't desire food at all. On day 10 I ended up in an emergency room with blood sugar down around my ankles and the treatment was a sandwich they insisted I eat. I stopped the Prozac that day. It turns out I DID have a physical condition that my doctor hadn't dug nearly deep enough to find (an auto-immune disease that he didn't even bother looking for) and I hadn't needed the Prozac at all. I WAS depressed, but because I was physically ill and no one believed me! Anyway, YES! I certainly lost weight, even during that brief exposure.
  • Timshel_
    Timshel_ Posts: 22,834 Member
    Anyone else have this effect?

    Kinda. I have a pretty bad bout of drepression around this time last year and opted not to take the medication and try to find other ways to deal with it. However, because of the chemical imblance causing it I completely lost my appetite for close to a month and actually didn't eat for a whole week. I almost 20 that month and lost another 10 over the next month. Mind you, I didn't complain either, but then I went the other way and started stress eating and gained most of it back over the next several months.

    Anyway, just throwing in a note of support for ya.

    Cheers.
  • Talister
    Talister Posts: 22 Member
    Okay thank you, Ill definitely be asking my doctor a lot of questions when I go in and reading up on these meds carefully. Best wishes everyone xoxoxo :heart:
  • valligal
    valligal Posts: 18 Member

    My sister and my father have to take Cymbalta, my mother takes Prozac--- does anyone know how they works? Or have any suggestions?

    I've never taken Prozac, but did take Cymbalta. It helped but definitely affected my libido, lol

    Cymbalta works by increasing serotonin and norepinephrine neurotransmitters. Prozac increases serotonin neurotransmitters only. I gained a little weight on both - Prozac because it wasn't working and I emotionally ate, and Cymbalta because it was working and I was so relieved I relaxed and allowed myself to enjoy food for a change (too much/wrong kinds). I didn't notice changes in appetite with either, but appetite is not usually my issue with food...
  • London1990
    London1990 Posts: 15 Member
    is it possible you're happier, moving around more, and doing less emotional eating?

    This happened to me when I was on citalopram (think that's what it's called). I just found that instead of wanting to sit around/lie in bed all day, I actually wanted to do things and go places. Just this alone must have burnt loads of calories, and I noticed weight falling off me.
  • tiarabarbie22
    tiarabarbie22 Posts: 1
    I've taken everything under the sun. Personally, Lexapro has been the best...no side effects, withdrawal symptoms if you miss a dose, no weight gain. One med I would never recommend to anyone is Effexor. The worst withdrawal symptoms even if you miss one dose. I remember it's like feeling car sick all the time...the floor would even feel slanted. Have to taper off very, very slowly. Also one to avoid, is Risperdal...terrible weight gain (30 lbs in my situation).

    Yeah, I totally agree with Effexor. I'm trying to come off that at the moment, I'm down to only a quarter of a tablet a day, but I can't seem to do the last bit and get to 0 without awful withdrawal.
  • Talister
    Talister Posts: 22 Member
    Thank you so much--- the DR is next week and I feel like when I was getting my first vaccine shot [I'm that scared] all this input helps greatly! I want to lose weight AND keep my sex life, AND not get more depressed xoxoxo
  • kirstie1926
    kirstie1926 Posts: 48
    I started taking a generic Zoloft 3 weeks ago and have gone through the many side effects that are listed and loss of appetite is one of them. Drowsiness came automatically after taking a pill, so I scheduled them for 30 min. before bed. Now everyday I wake up energized and completely alert, with the feeling of being on some amphetamine. Sometimes It'll be almost 5pm before I realize that I haven't eaten anything all day. My biggest issue with the side effects is the teeth grinding and clenching. I've never done it before and now it's a daily and nightly habit and my teeth ache considerably.

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