Zoloft and Weight Gain...how long does it take?

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BlondeeBeauty
BlondeeBeauty Posts: 44
in Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
Hey everyone! I have a couple questions for you.

I was on Zoloft 50mg for 4 years. I was always around 120-122 which is a healthy weight and I was happy with (I'm 5'3 btw). I reduced the dose to 25mg last year because I thought it was causing thyroid problems. Turns out I just have a thyroid condition unrelated to the Zoloft and it could change over time but right now it's fine and isn't causing any problems. It was checked recently.A month after reducing the dose I lost 8-10 pounds and it stayed that way for months. I was still eating 3 meals a day and everything as normal. The next semester I commuted instead and didn't have classes everyday so I slept more than I ate. I only ate 2 meals most days and I went down to 105/106. However when I was on the 50mg a lot of times I would sleep till 4pm and only eat 2 meals and I never lost weight. I caught some kind of diarrhea virus or either it was a mild case of food poisoning a couple weeks ago and went down to 102.5/103 cause I wasn't eating much. I kept losing weight daily and going down. I looked very emaciated. Stick thin and my face is sunk in. My doctor diagnosed me with anorexia induced by anxiety and had me go back up to the 50mg. She also wants me to start seeing a therapist and she wants to see me again in 4 weeks (about 3 weeks now). I have been taking that for 5 days now and I took 37.5 for 3 days prior to that. I do feel a difference in my anxiety. I'm calmer but I'm not as calm and carefree as I was on the 50mg before. Does it need more time to get in my system? How long does it take? I'm stressing it isn't going to work. Secondly when will I gain the weight back? I haven't lost any more weight which is good. If I had stayed on 25mg I would be below 100 pounds now cause my metabolism is so fast it burns off everything I eat instantly. The Zoloft slows it down. A positive side effect I actually like. But I haven't gained any weight yet. I'm still 103 :'( help!

I forgot to mention this has really taken a toll on my hair too. It's very thin and dry and mats/tangles together. Just awful. I want to color treat it. I've been wanting to for months but I can't :(

Thanks everyone!

Replies

  • cusmoso72
    cusmoso72 Posts: 6
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    Are you sure it's the Zoloft? Zoloft usually makes you gain weight. I have been on 150mg for over 10 years and have been steadily gaining. It sounds like your thyroid condition could be the culprit.
  • mtruitt01
    mtruitt01 Posts: 370 Member
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    We're not doctors!! Please remember that!
    It took me a long time to find something that worked, and yet every summer I wean myself off of it hoping I don't need it. Just went back on my prescription.
    My ideal would be pill-free, but there is something about my being that is better with the one I take. Many didn't work, and I thought I would never find one that did.
    These are tricky problems to cope with.
    Share ALL your concerns with your doctor/s, and maybe you'll get the reassurance and assistance you need.
    Staying here on MFP, taking it easy, learning how to log my food and just learning about everything on this site is working for me.
    Self care for me means taking cool showers with nice soap, enjoying quiet things, eating reasonably, saying no to things I really can't take on, and letting the people in my life make their decisions and live with their choices.

    I hope this helps a little1 You're not alone...
  • curlygirl513
    curlygirl513 Posts: 199 Member
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    We're not doctors!! Please remember that!
    It took me a long time to find something that worked, and yet every summer I wean myself off of it hoping I don't need it. Just went back on my prescription.
    My ideal would be pill-free, but there is something about my being that is better with the one I take. Many didn't work, and I thought I would never find one that did.
    These are tricky problems to cope with.
    Share ALL your concerns with your doctor/s, and maybe you'll get the reassurance and assistance you need.
    Staying here on MFP, taking it easy, learning how to log my food and just learning about everything on this site is working for me.
    Self care for me means taking cool showers with nice soap, enjoying quiet things, eating reasonably, saying no to things I really can't take on, and letting the people in my life make their decisions and live with their choices.

    I hope this helps a little1 You're not alone...

    Perfect answer :flowerforyou:
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
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    This sounds less related to Zoloft but more related to your thyroid condition.

    Zoloft does not cause weight loss…. it causes weight gain.

    Thyroid issues (specifically hyperthyroidism which is what I'm assuming you have) cause weight loss and brittle nails and hair.

    So your problems aren't Zoloft related. You need to get your thyroid condition under control.
  • cwoyto123
    cwoyto123 Posts: 308
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    Zoloft makes you gain weight because you eat more on it.

    Eat less.
  • victoire713
    victoire713 Posts: 720 Member
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    Zoloft did nothing for me. Made me manic, made me suicidal and plus the shrink I had at the time was stupid for putting me on it(I was 15). It did make me gain weight right away, even though I didn't need to gain weight(I was 200lbs as it was, and I was on 100mg).
  • FisherGT
    FisherGT Posts: 55 Member
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    Zoloft killed my appetitie and made me lose 20ish pounds in a few months...

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