Antidepressants and weight gain

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memes_74
memes_74 Posts: 18 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi..I have some questions for those of you how may be on anti-depressants. I am going to doctor tommorrow to get on anti-depressants. My anxiety and depression is getting worse and my moods are somewhat unstable right now. I have a very high anxiety job, (Licensed therapist working in a mental hospital), so it seems right now I may need a little help. My concern is after researching I have noticed they all cause weight gain. Is this what those of you who are taking them or have experienced. Can anyone tell me which one is least likely to cause it.

Thanks so much for your help
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Replies

  • mallory_2014
    mallory_2014 Posts: 173 Member
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    I wouldn't put too much thought into online reviews of medications. People are far too quick to jump to the "I'm gaining weight and just started this new medication so it is the medication making me gain weight". A pill cannot make you gain fat if you are eating properly. Speak with your doctor about what is the best one for you. Keep your calories in check (not too high, not too low, tracking properly) and exercise and you will be fine.
  • keziak1
    keziak1 Posts: 204 Member
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    I asked my psychiatrist about this issue and she was not sold on the idea that the medications cause weight gain. I think it's possible to have the opposite effect if the medication treats anxiety and one eats to sooth anxiety and depression. Just a theory.
  • theBigBinge
    theBigBinge Posts: 1
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    I recently went on anti-depressants after experienced a prolonged bout of depression (12 months), during which time I lost nearly 10kg. After going on anti-depressants I have put back on about 6kg. I know that is not due to the anti-depressants, but rather to a happier lifestyle which has involved a lot of socialising and excessive indulgences. Time to behave myself.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
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    Celexa put 30 lb on my butt nearly overnight. Lexapro did not, and Wellbutrin did not. Those are the three I have experience with. Basically, the Celexa (Citalopram) made me feel ravenously, uncontrollably hungry all the time. Many of my friends have had the same experience.
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
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    memes_74 wrote: »
    Hi..I have some questions for those of you how may be on anti-depressants. I am going to doctor tommorrow to get on anti-depressants. My anxiety and depression is getting worse and my moods are somewhat unstable right now. I have a very high anxiety job, (Licensed therapist working in a mental hospital), so it seems right now I may need a little help. My concern is after researching I have noticed they all cause weight gain. Is this what those of you who are taking them or have experienced. Can anyone tell me which one is least likely to cause it.

    Thanks so much for your help

    They don't all cause weight gain. Some are more prone to, but what they usually do is increase appetite - which is something you can control if you're mindful of it.

    I'm on two different anti-d's and I've avoided weight gain on both (actually I've lost 69 pounds).

    I'm happy to tell you which meds I'm on, privately if you'd like to know - just shoot me a PM.
  • Hollywood_Porky
    Hollywood_Porky Posts: 491 Member
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    I had issues with Cymbalta - but I believe as others as stated above, that the best thing you can do is adjust the mindset. If you are feeling more hungry after taking them, then you know that's what is causing the issue. Could be your mood is elevated as well - making you prone to probably eating more - but I would guess it's the meds.

    Adjust accordingly - make sure you do your workouts and keep the same diet going - and log all that you eat. Logging will definitely demonstrate whether you are gaining due to eating more.
  • Libertysfate
    Libertysfate Posts: 452 Member
    edited January 2015
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    Everyone will react differently to medication it's one of those things where you have to really communicate with your doctor clearly so he/she can adjust the dose maybe switch the medication. The first one I was on helped some but I still had my panic attacks and it might've attributed to my weight gain, which is how I ended up on MFP. I've been on a different medication for almost two years now and I feel awesome!
    But medication was my last resort, after trying the natural/holistic route.
  • erisians
    erisians Posts: 15 Member
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    One of the listed side effects of the anti-depressants I take is weight gain due to increased appetite. Although, I haven't experienced this, I've actually found weight loss easier because my mood is better and I don't feel like stress eating as much because my anxiety has lessened.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
    edited January 2015
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    memes_74 wrote: »
    Hi..I have some questions for those of you how may be on anti-depressants. I am going to doctor tommorrow to get on anti-depressants. My anxiety and depression is getting worse and my moods are somewhat unstable right now. I have a very high anxiety job, (Licensed therapist working in a mental hospital), so it seems right now I may need a little help. My concern is after researching I have noticed they all cause weight gain. Is this what those of you who are taking them or have experienced. Can anyone tell me which one is least likely to cause it.

    Thanks so much for your help

    I have been on antidepressants for many years (12 to be exact). The one thing to keep in mind is that they are very powerful drugs that work on your brain chemistry, and some of that can include increasing appetite or causing cravings and possibly actually altering hormone production that can affect metabolism (which is why long term use is one common risk factor for diabetes).

    The main way to counteract these effects is to be aware of them. Be very diligent in your logging of food and see if you gain on a lower calorie diet. If your doctor is a responsible one, he/she will have you keep a mood log where you can log your ups and downs, but also make sure you log your hunger and food cravings so you can see if there is a trend.

    "Which ones didn't cause weight gain" is very individual. One may cause someone to gain, but the next person may lose when starting it so that is an impossible question to answer. Also, is it the medication that is causing the gain, or the medical problem the medication is treating? Depression and anxiety frequently lead to overeating.

    Good luck and don't be discouraged if the first one you try is not right for you.

  • AmazonAmberK
    AmazonAmberK Posts: 7 Member
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    Question - Have you had your vitamin levels checked? Low Bs and Iron can cause both anxiety and depression. I'm sure others probably do too. Also, have you tried Sam-E?

    I speak from experience - I had very bad anxiety and depression. I was put on a strong dose of Lexapro and Yaz. Kicked the anxiety and depression, so to speak... It made me very very complacent. I turned into a gray blob of a person, just didn't care no emotions very complacent, and in turn over ate and got lazy and packed on 50 lbs. I can't say for sure that would be an actual "side effect" but it was my actions while on the meds that caused the weight gain.

    I ended up taking myself off of both - rough ride - and started digging into natural remedies. I am happy to report - for me - that my daily does of a good multi-vitamin, a B-Complex for stress, and Sam-E (there is a 200 mg does or a 400 mg dose), along with a healthy diet that adds to my vitamin and mineral intake, has resolved my excessive depression and anxiety - I do get them when they are justified. Just something to try if you haven't already.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
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    memes_74 wrote: »
    Hi..I have some questions for those of you how may be on anti-depressants. I am going to doctor tommorrow to get on anti-depressants. My anxiety and depression is getting worse and my moods are somewhat unstable right now. I have a very high anxiety job, (Licensed therapist working in a mental hospital), so it seems right now I may need a little help. My concern is after researching I have noticed they all cause weight gain. Is this what those of you who are taking them or have experienced. Can anyone tell me which one is least likely to cause it.

    Thanks so much for your help

    Memes,

    I'm sorry you are going through a hard time. I've never taken antidepressants before, but I have one friend who took them and lost weight due to lack of appetite. She was surprised, because she'd been told that it increased appetite.

    Since you've done your research, perhaps you are a bit ahead of the game and can be aware of intake.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    mallory_2014 wrote: »
    I wouldn't put too much thought into online reviews of medications. People are far too quick to jump to the "I'm gaining weight and just started this new medication so it is the medication making me gain weight". A pill cannot make you gain fat if you are eating properly. Speak with your doctor about what is the best one for you. Keep your calories in check (not too high, not too low, tracking properly) and exercise and you will be fine.

    I agree, but anything that alters brain chemistry can affect hunger, cravings, and hormone production which directly influences your relationship to food. It often is not as simple as watching your calories. That, to me, is kind of in the same category as telling a depressive to just "man up" and get over it.

  • imabeevampire
    imabeevampire Posts: 166 Member
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    I'm on antidepressants. Before I started taking them I had a terrible diet. Since starting them I've cleaned up my diet and lost weight.
    If you read the labels and side effects of most medication there is weight loss or gain, itchy, vomiting all sorts. The best thing you can do is get the help you need from the antidepressants. Your mental health is just as important as your physical health.
  • tmoser512
    tmoser512 Posts: 28 Member
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    I was on Celexa for about a year and did put on around 30 pounds. However, I would rather weigh 100 pounds more than feel the way I did before I started taking it.
  • kbstephens24
    kbstephens24 Posts: 24 Member
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    Gained 30 pounds on Celexa. Which is why I am now using MFP. :| I have been off of it for 7 months. It is labeled the Devil Drug!!!!
  • memes_74
    memes_74 Posts: 18 Member
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    tmoser512 wrote: »
    I was on Celexa for about a year and did put on around 30 pounds. However, I would rather weigh 100 pounds more than feel the way I did before I started taking it.

    I am at this point now..I am eathing out of anxiety and depression now so I think it can only help.

    Thanks everyone for your input...

  • dougpconnell219
    dougpconnell219 Posts: 566 Member
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    I have been on zoloft for about a year.

    I think (no evidence, just my opinion) that depression, at least in my case, was an appetite suppressant. I just didn't care about food. I never went out with friends or anything, because I was depressed.

    Once you are out of that, you eat more, which causes weight gain.

    It also, however, allows you to exercise. So now you just have to monitor intake and burn, and maintain a deficit.
  • bkerr30
    bkerr30 Posts: 131 Member
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    I have been on wellbutrin for about a year and haven't experienced any negative symptoms. Also from what I have read it is one of the few that doesn't reduce your sex drive either. Not sure if that is a concern for you, but as a newly married person it was for me ;)
  • eeelizabeth2012
    eeelizabeth2012 Posts: 132 Member
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    Some medications will cause you to gain weight, for sure. They can slow metabolism, increase appetite etc. Yes, your appetite may naturally increase just because you are feeling better, and not necessarily because of the medications. There have been studies done and some are more likely to cause weight gain, some are more likely to be weight neutral, and some even will cause weight loss. Just be sure to monitor it and speak with your doctor about it. Effexor and Citalopram are more weight neutral. Wellbutrin will most likely cause some weight loss. And medications like Seroquel and Prozac have been known to cause weight gain.
  • lemon629
    lemon629 Posts: 501 Member
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    Effexor is the main reason I am here. I gained a lot of weight on it. It was also very bad for me in a number of other ways which I won't discuss here. Taking it long term was one of the worst things I've ever done. When I started noticing issues like weight gain (the first few months were weight neutral), I should have stopped taking it.

    I think anti-depressants are best taken short term unless you have a serious disorder which doesn't sound like is the OP's situation.

    OP, be sure to get a complete work-up. In addition to iron and B levels which some mentioned, check your vitamin D level (this should be 50-60) and thyroid-- a full panel, not just TSH.

    And look at whether there are some lifestyle issues which could help with your moods. Are you exercising regularly? Spending quality time with friends and family? Taking time for yourself?

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