Citalopram (Anti-Depressant) and Weight GAIN

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  • uwdawg07
    uwdawg07 Posts: 372
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    My fiance was on that and gained a ton of weight, but he was also very sedentary during that time. Once he started working out and eating right. while on the drug, he lost 40 pounds.
  • susank135
    susank135 Posts: 13 Member
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    I took Citalopram for 18 months and gained 23 pounds. That med made me feel sluggish and I had crazy cravings all the time. I really did consume way too much food and did not exercise enough. I went off of it 4 months ago and have lost about 10 pounds so far. Now I'm going back on (I have severe depression and anxiety) but I'm going to approach things differently this time. I will be very disciplined about logging food and workouts into myfitnesspal, take up weight training, and see if my doctor and I can find a different medication for me if I start gaining weight despite doing the right things. I still have 8 pounds to lose to get back to my pre-medication weight, so I'm not all that happy about having to start back on it. But it is a life saver for me.
  • paperfiish
    paperfiish Posts: 52 Member
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    I was on Zoloft (another SSRI) for 2 months, and aside from the fact that it was definitely NOT for me, I also gained 25 pounds while on it. Yet I felt like I was barely ever eating! Everything tasted horrible and my stomach always hurt, so most days I'd just ignore food until I felt like I'd collapse. Everybody is affected by antidepressants differently, so definitely talk to your doctor if you think something is wrong.
  • Lauracharder
    Lauracharder Posts: 141 Member
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    I have gained about 20 pounds in 2 years on it with diet and exercise
  • porcelain00
    porcelain00 Posts: 1
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    I totally understand, I'm off Citalopram now but have been on it for 6 months and gained nearly a stone. I'm not prone to weight gain, the only exception was pregnacy, but weight did come off within a year following slimming world diet. I've just re- joined to try and shift the weight as usual sensible eating and exercise maintenance plan has made no difference at all, my group leader says she sees lots of ladies with the same problem, gaining loads of weight and taking an age to get it off. She told me it slows your system right down to help you cope, and it effects your metabolic rate, which would explain a lot. I've been on the slimming world plan for a month and haven't lost any weight yet, I know it's not the diet as it's worked before. She also told me it can take up to a year for the drug to work it's way out of your system, so it's just a case of ploughing on and being patient....
  • sallyann10010
    sallyann10010 Posts: 21 Member
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    I've been on citalopram since last June 20mg, all was ok and initially I was able to loose weight, but since my dose went up around Christmas time to 30mg I have only lost 2lbs. I have since been reduced back down to 20mg and going to ask to go down again to 10mg as feeling much better, and hopefully my weight will start coming off again. Fingers crossed!! As I am really working hard to loose the weight but getting really frustrated now.

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