Zoloft/Sertraline users?

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I've read online that people who are taking Zoloft had trouble with weight gain and were unable to lose weight even while trying. Can anyone identify with this? I can.

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  • lripson28
    lripson28 Posts: 213 Member
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    Lots of exercise and eating right will take care of this.
  • lovehandles3076
    lovehandles3076 Posts: 27 Member
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    Well I have been taking sertraline since the end of January, joined this site a couple of weeks ago and in the first week lost 6 lbs. Add me if you want I weigh in again on Monday and that way I can let you know if I lost again! When I first started taking the medicine I actually dropped a couple of pounds as well because for the first week or so I didn't have much of an appetite.
  • lovehandles3076
    lovehandles3076 Posts: 27 Member
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    Well it was the end of week 2 for me and I lost another 4.4lbs so not sure the medication has much of an effect on me that way!
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
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    It affects everyone differently. Anything that messes with serotonin can influence your weight, up or down. Some people have difficulty with one SSRI and don't have it on another, and some have the issues with weight gain/loss with any of the SSRIs. A relative of mine has bounced around with different SSRIs because some put weight on her practically overnight, but she finally found one that did not.

    If you are having difficulty on Zoloft, see if you can switch to one of the newer SSRIs like Lexapro. Lexapro in particular tends to produce fewer side effects of all types in most people, including weight.

    P.S. Keep in mind that people who HAVE experienced a negative side-effect of a drug are FAR, FAR more likely to go online and rant about it than people who did well on the drug are to go online and RAVE about it. ;)
  • Japangela
    Japangela Posts: 21 Member
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    As far as doing what it was supposed to do for me I'd have to RAVE about it! :-)
  • cmy1021
    cmy1021 Posts: 2
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    I'm fairly new to my fitness pal. I've been on Zoloft for 6 months and have gained 40 lbs. I've heard that it can really slow down your metabolism. However, I've noticed that I have had INTENSE cravings for sweets since I have been on it too. So, I think my change in eating habits has greatly influenced my weight gain. So, as of today, I'm going to exercise and watch what I eat and see if I can lose any of this extra weight. The medicine has been a godsend for me...I had severe panic attacks and generalized anxiety. I was always in "fight or flight" mode. Since I am not in that mode anymore, I'm sure metabolism has slowed down, so I've hoping to jump start it. But for right now, I know that I can't quit taking this medicine as it has greatly improved my life!