Anxiety meds - did they make you gain weight or lose??

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Amberh82
Amberh82 Posts: 468 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm just curious. I'm fixing to be put on some by my doctor.

When you got put on an everyday anxiety medicine, did you gain or lose weight? did it help with over/under eating? what are you/did you take?

Thanks in advance!

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  • kindrabbit
    kindrabbit Posts: 837 Member
    edited May 2015
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    hi, it's been a few years for me but I did gain weight. Having said that, I didn't eat much when I was unwell so I think it was just feeling a bit better that improved my appetite.

    I hope you get whatever you need and feel better
  • lemon629
    lemon629 Posts: 501 Member
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    Most have a high chance of causing weight gain as well as other problems.

    Also, over time they can lose effectiveness.

    So work on the causes of your anxiety and your coping skills so you won't need the anxiolytic for long.
  • santawiggles
    santawiggles Posts: 14 Member
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    Amberh82 wrote: »
    I'm just curious. I'm fixing to be put on some by my doctor.

    When you got put on an everyday anxiety medicine, did you gain or lose weight? did it help with over/under eating? what are you/did you take?

    Thanks in advance!

    What are you taking if you don't mind me asking? Something like Xanax or an anti depressant ?

    A few years ago I was put on Zoloft for severe panic attacks as my dr didn't want to keep prescribing me Xanax. I didn't gain or lose but it motivated me to get back to the gym
  • JordisTSM
    JordisTSM Posts: 359 Member
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    A lot depends on the med, and also how you end up feeling. Some can cause water retention gains, but most real weight gain is caused by them giving you an increased appetite. Whether you can manage that at the same time or not will be the big thing. Of course getting your mental health in check is more important in the short term than a few vanity pounds.

    There really isn't a black/white answer; a number of people here have mentioned weight gain while on Seroquel, and Paxil is well known for gains. I'm on a cocktail of both, so should be double-screwed, but have lost 53lbs in the last four months.....

    Just monitor how they make you feel, and keep logging accurately, this should give you an idea. If you are really concerned about it though, talk to your doctor.

    Good luck :smile:
  • peterjens
    peterjens Posts: 235 Member
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    I gained weight on Lexapro (I wasn't logging food at the time) but lost weight on Bupropion. The change in medication seemed to switch on some sort of mental physical connection and suppressed my appetite. Good luck.
  • FoxyMars25
    FoxyMars25 Posts: 112 Member
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    Zoloft=gained 50 lbs
    Cymbalta=gained 40 lbs
    Xanax= did not gain
    Welbutrin=gained 10 lbs
  • catedesimone
    catedesimone Posts: 25 Member
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    I gained weight while on antidepressants, but my weight remained stable while on benzodiazepines. I took nearly every antidepressant available over the course of 5 years, but didn't find relief until I took Xanax and then a year later, Klonopin. I no longer take anything daily. I found I relied too heavily on the medication rather than actually dealing with my anxiety and was slowly weaned off of it.
  • ciacyrus29
    ciacyrus29 Posts: 109 Member
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    I have no idea. It seems some mornings I get up and I look like I've lost but then by the end of the day regardless if I ate a lot or not, it seems like the weight I went to sleep with is back. So I'm not sure. I know it makes me very lethargic which could contribute to my weight gain.
    Some days are worse than others. Today is not a great day because I'm incredibly sleepy. So I will agree with everyone else - yup you gain weight BUT we are all stronger than our anxiety! We will one day get off this blessed medication - and we will be healthy and anxiety/stress free!
    Good luck!
  • xoReese
    xoReese Posts: 8 Member
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    I was on Fluxotine (prozac) and that made me gain like 20 lbs. I tapered off of it and started to use B12 for my anxiety and energy. It's a good alternative but if your anxiety is extreme then I say talk to your doctor or therapist and tell them the side effect of gaining wt on a handful of anxiety medications. I don't know if it'll be trial and error but I know for sure people have different experiences with these medications. Best of luck to you!
  • Iceprincessk25
    Iceprincessk25 Posts: 1,888 Member
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    SSRI's have a tendency to cause weight gain whereas meds like xanax, ativan, or klonopin usually do not. Depends on what you are taking.
  • Chewitz
    Chewitz Posts: 217 Member
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    Heya

    Anti psychotics and antidepressants caused weight gain but anxiety meds didn't... I was on diazepam for anxiety
  • Iceprincessk25
    Iceprincessk25 Posts: 1,888 Member
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    Buspar is another option.
  • BatgirlLifts
    BatgirlLifts Posts: 12 Member
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    Chewitz wrote: »
    Heya

    Anti psychotics and antidepressants caused weight gain but anxiety meds didn't... I was on diazepam for anxiety

    Am on anti psychotics and have been on anti d's for the last 3 years.. gained 45 lbs and struggling to lose any. :(

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