Taking antidepressants and trying to lose weight? Join me

I'm still on my anti-depressants and I have lost over 80lbs. I will never give up my anti-depressants. between that and running, I would lose my mind with out them.

I currently take Trazadone and Cymbalta and have been on both for years. I started using mfp in late January and I have lost 9 lbs. I will not quit taking either of them and I totally believe it is possible to lose

Hi Axel, just a note of support -- the weight gain from antidepressants is real and can be a real problem for those of us who need to take these medications.

I'm petite with a small frame, and gained 10 pounds on a relatively short course of Paxil (I was very active and in my early 20s at the time - I would have gained a lot more weight on Paxil it now). I was switched to Remeron (mirtazapine) and gained another 15 pounds even with constant efforts to monitor calories and exercise -- on Remeron, I was hungry all the time. I finally was switched (with great difficulty because of withdrawal) to the SNRI Effexor (extended release). This medication controls my depression and is relatively weight-neutral. Getting off Paxil can be very difficult, but if you haven't already done so, you might talk with your doctor about whether a different medication that's more weight-neutral could work for you. Paxil was wonderful for my combination of depression and anxiety -- but the weight gain and other side effects were so difficult.

Eating a high-fiber diet with healthy fats was the most helpful modification I found for dealing with the hunger and weight gain on Remeron. Of course, this strategy is helpful in general for weight loss, but fiber and moderate amounts of healthy fats helped control my hunger like nothing else. I also drink a lot of high-quality tea now, which I find satisfying and helps control "munchies."

Good luck!

I first started gaining weight back in 2006 when I started taking Celexa and birth control pills. There were other things going on in my life at the time, including huge stress, an unfaithful boyfriend, my dad being diagnosed with melanoma, and quitting smoking. I don't know which of these caused my weight gain, but I suspect a combination of all of the above.

I'm currently on Effexor and losing weight. It hasn't been an easy proposition, but I don't think my antidepressant is making it any harder.

Have you considered switching to another drug? It seems some cause weight gain while others don't. (And just for the record, I would not recommend Effexor. It's a great AD for me, but it's got lots of drawbacks that would seriously inconvenience others.)

Many times when people take medications, they start to feel better and they see an improvement in symptoms. (feel better---> appetite returns---> eat more food---> eat too much---> gain weight). It may be a bit harder to lose weight while on medication, but it is not impossible.

And on another note:
It is not a good idea to stop medication without medical supervision.

i was on fluoxetine lol, which is like the best diet pill in the world, so i can't relate there. BUT i'm on the depo provera shot, which although hasn't made me gain, makes it much harder to lose imo, because I used to lose much easier than i do now

I'm on multiple antidepressants, the depo shot, and I have PCOS. Lol I feel lucky to lose any weight at all. It takes a lot of work but losing weight helps pretty much everything.

Some antidepressants can help with weight loss rather than hinder it. I actually lost a few pounds from wellbutrin. I told this to my psychiatrist who looked me up and down and said, "it's not like you couldn't stand to lose a few pounds." Dafuq? He looked like a fat little leprechaun so he was one to talk. Lol

I am not a doctor or dietician, but sometimes mood problems are caused by dietary issues. I am a grad student, full time mom and gained a ton of weight. I was super depressed and taking meds for a while and they only helped a little. I started to clean up my diet by avoiding processed food, gluten and dairy and within a week my energy and mood did a complete 180. It turns out I have a gluten AND dairy intolerance and had been abusing my body my entire life by continued consumption. This doesn't mean cleaning up your diet would have the same result, but hey...it doesn't hurt to try! If you were going to try it, I would go about 10 days. If you don't notice a change in mood and energy, you may not have an intolerance.