Celexa- Weight Gain or Loss?

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  • littleburgy
    littleburgy Posts: 570 Member
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    I've been on citalopram for quite a while now, and Zoloft before that. Neither has really affected my weight loss or gain, though. Much of that I think had to do with my habits and exercise but not really the meds.

    I feel the trials and tribs though...anxiety and depression suck, its one reason why I've become such an exercise endorphins freak lately.
  • KA814
    KA814 Posts: 2
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    I started on Citalopram (Celexa) in December 2012. At first I didn't gain anything. I was working out, but I wasn't losing any weight.
    6 months later I gained 10 lbs in a week! I was working out 5 - 6 days a week without losing anything (again). Then I gained 5 more lbs over the course of a month. Spoke to my dr. a few weeks ago. She switched me to Prozac. Any doctor that says weight gain or weight loss isn't a side effect is a liar. I loved Celexa, but the weight gain was awful! Not worth it. My dr. said weight gain is common with Celexa. She's had success with people going on Prozac and losing weight. We'll see....
  • KA814
    KA814 Posts: 2
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    That is exactly what happened to me. The first 6 months, nothing and then out of nowhere 15 lbs! @jsmilew
  • divvo
    divvo Posts: 1
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    Hi everyone!. I love to read about everyone elses experiences. What is so hard is just knowing what to do hey! If only we all reacted th same to medication then it would be a lot easier for us. Ok so just over 5 months ago i started cymbalta for my extreme anxiety. I barely ever slept, i was ALWAYS sick and run down, crazy thoughts, constant mind chatter. Literally thought i was going crazy! Cymbalta was like an immune shield. Th entire 5 months i took cymbalta 60mg i did not get sick, not once, not even through all of winter which for me was so amazing. My sleep improved a bit, still wasnt great but sure as hell was better than before. Th one depressive downfall was gaining over 10kgs in this 5 months. I got so depressed about th weight gain that i told my doc i wanted to change meds, she said to hang in there so i did but th weight got worse n worse so i started taking 30mg and decided to see another doctor to request another med. she suggested pristiq! She said not much issue with weight on this med so i decided to give it a go! She gave me 2 sample packs with 2 wks worth. In that 2 wks i gained another 2kgs. Dont want to leave th house dont want anyone to see me. Im at breaking point im not sure wat to do. I stopped my meds 6 days ago. Have had nothing but brain zaps/waves constantly. Starting to drive me a lil crazy, im sleeping really bad again, n feel constantly fluish! Have taken 2 days off work n went back to doc yesterday n he suggested celexa or citalopram and i really want to try it but i am just so dam scared of more weight gain and dont know what to do. Has anyone experienced th same sort of thing with different meds? Im looking for any advice anyone is willing to give. I need to help my mental state but i cannot afford to gain another 10kgs im super depressed. HELP ????
  • Mrslahlah
    Mrslahlah Posts: 1
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    I suffer from Panic Disorder and PTSD. I have tried EVERY medication out there (no joke). I loved Wellbutrin, but had an adverse effect where my body temp would jump to 105 for intermittent amounts of time so doc took me off. I amstarting my second round of Celexa, the first being successful, and am concerned about the weight gain. The first time around, I actually lost weight because I wasn't turning to food to be happy. It gave the energy to stay active and improved my marriage and relationship with my kids tenfold. I wasn't so angry and closed up all the time. I'm back to being that way so I'm going for the Celexa again. I asked my doc and there is no proof to suggest that the drug affects your metabolic rate. If you gain weight, it's not the drug's fault directly. Instead of reaching for the Doritos, grab a piece of fruit and do something active! The only side effect I do remember being troublesome was it was harder to reach climax with my partner, but didn't affect my desire levels whatsoever. Honestly, if you are miserable and down and hate your body all the time due to anxiety and depression, don't let a POSSIBLE side effect deter you from at least trying it. You will find if you feel better, you will want to be active!
  • MDBKTSmith
    MDBKTSmith Posts: 7
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    I have been on celexa 20mg for just over two weeks and although i was sick (vomiting) the first two days I have lost a total of 6kg (13 pounds) 5cm (1 and a bit inches) off my waist and 7 cm ( 2 and 3 quarter inches) off my hips....I now feel calm and on a even keel...I take it for panic disorder which was very bad....as I am consider overweight I am not to worried about losing....Infact i welcome the side effect....I have no cravings no sensation to eat period....I do of course eat 3 healthy meals a day....i also have no sensation of the "fullness" sensation so everything i eat has to be portion controlled.....to feel the full effect of this medication you really need to stay on it 4 to 6 weeks before it hits its peak...but already i am feeling better everyday...except for hyper sensitive sensations to sound....hate having dog ears lol
  • prettysenshi
    prettysenshi Posts: 36 Member
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    I stopped taking Celexa and was so hungry (still am) that I can't control the urges, no matter what I do. I've gained 15 pounds so far, and I had JUST lost 40 pounds before I started taking Celexa. I've read a bunch of reports stating that coming off of Celexa you can gain weight. If I had known...I would have never started. I can't get a single pound to come off, it just keeps packing on.
  • holliebevineau
    holliebevineau Posts: 441 Member
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    Celexa did wonders for my mood but I was craving suger like crazy. I put on at least 8 or 9 lbs and by the end of the month my doctor took me off and the cravings stopped within a few days.
  • Psstanz
    Psstanz Posts: 3 Member
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    I am on Cymbalta and I have lost weight.

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  • trcdvrx
    trcdvrx Posts: 1
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    I have gained weight on Celera and when I try to come off of it I get electrical shocks through my face... anyone else
  • BeanQueen3000
    BeanQueen3000 Posts: 161
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    I've been on generic Celexa (Citalopram) 20mg/day for about two years now. I wasn't really paying much attention to my weight at the time that I started, but once I did start taking care of my health, it didn't seem much harder than it should be to lose. One effect i noticed after starting exercise is that it worked WAY better than before.

    As well as keeping in touch with my prescribing doctor and my shrink on a pretty regular basis, I found this site really informative and helpful: http://crazymeds.us

    A note to trcdvrx above: as with most meds, it's really important that you taper your dosage carefully before stopping them completely.
  • ebayaddict0127
    ebayaddict0127 Posts: 523 Member
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    I took Celexa for a year and gained about 30 lbs. I wasn't eating well or exercising. My doc said Celexa increases appetite. I'm now on Effexor (which I've done before). If you keep struggling, you might want to try something else.
  • ebayaddict0127
    ebayaddict0127 Posts: 523 Member
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    I want to note that when I did try to lose weight while on Celexa (working very hard and counting calories), the scale wouldn't budge.
  • 00NL
    00NL Posts: 171 Member
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    just came on this thread to say may you all get the best of mental $ physical health :)
  • Vegan_85
    Vegan_85 Posts: 40 Member
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    I haven't tried that one, although I've been on almost all of the SSRIs and SNRIs over the past 12 years. Seroxat (Paxil) made me gain 35lb, although the weight increase with the others was minimal.

    Right now, I'm on lithium. I've only gained 4lb, and I'm pretty sure that's just water weight, given that it's a salt.

    EDIT: Celexa is Cipramil in the UK? That was the first one I tried. It made me very hypomanic (and didn't particularly help the depression or anxiety) so I actually became very underweight.
  • smittybuilt19
    smittybuilt19 Posts: 955 Member
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    Semi-old thread is semi-old. I have been put on Celexa and have wondered the same thing about weight gain. I've only been on it for two weeks so definitely not long enough to notice weight gain or loss.

    My serious question is...Can these medications actually change the calorie in/out equation? Or do they possibly make you more hungry or less hungry causing either gain or loss.
  • smittybuilt19
    smittybuilt19 Posts: 955 Member
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    *Crickets*
  • BeanQueen3000
    BeanQueen3000 Posts: 161
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    smittybuilt19:

    Via mayoclinic.org (http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/expert-answers/antidepressants-and-weight-gain/faq-20058127)
    While some people gain weight after starting an antidepressant, the antidepressant isn't always a direct cause. Many factors can work together to contribute to weight gain during antidepressant therapy. For example:

    Overeating or inactivity as a result of depression can cause weight gain.
    Some people lose weight as part of their depression. In turn, an improved appetite associated with improved mood may result in increased weight.
    Adults generally tend to gain weight each year, regardless of the medications they take. Getting regular exercise and watching what you eat will help you maintain a healthy weight, whether you take an antidepressant or not.

    If you gain weight after starting an antidepressant, discuss the medication's benefits and side effects with your doctor. If the benefits outweigh the side effect of weight gain, consider managing your weight by eating healthier and getting more physical activity while enjoying an improved mood due to the medication. You can also ask your doctor if adjusting the dose or switching medications might be helpful — but again, be sure to discuss the pros and cons before making such a decision.

    It's not really clear what the pharmacokinetics are behind why antidepressants tend to cause weight gain; it's not *entirely* clear how they work at all. Still though, the chances of weight gain as a side effect seem pretty even for most folks; i really think it has more to do with the specific dimensions of our own mental "quirks", rather than a broad chemical effect.

    Best of luck to you, either way :)
  • beckytcy
    beckytcy Posts: 135 Member
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    It affects everyone differently but I gained a bit of weight in it. I felt hungry all the time!
  • smittybuilt19
    smittybuilt19 Posts: 955 Member
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    Thanks y'all. I have felt noticeably hungrier. Ironically I have been doing better at staying under my calories.... strange.

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