Lexapro-weight gain-is it true?

alabbey
alabbey Posts: 28 Member
edited November 16 in Health and Weight Loss
Hello All! I have a serious question and am looking for help/answers/guidance. I started lexapro back in September for some serious anxiety issues. I had lost 75 pounds with calorie counting and exercise in the past couple of years before being on the lexapro. Since taking the lexapro I have gained 10 pounds in the last month. No matter how hard I work out and how closely I watch calories, the scale keeps going up. Has anyone else experienced this on lexapro?? I am having a hard time believing that you can gain weight from just medication. Isn't it calories in calories out? I am going to keep counting my calories this week and working out and seeing if the scale will budge at all. But after this week I am seriously considering talking to my doctor about getting off of this med. I really do not know what else could be causing this weight gain. Anyone else have any ideas or similar experience with this? Thanks in advance for your help.

Replies

  • mburgess458
    mburgess458 Posts: 480 Member
    edited April 2015
    I have a special needs son who gained weight when he was on Lexapro. As soon as we adjusted his calories down his weight came down (he only eats what we feed him so we KNOW the weight gain wasn't from him eating more). It's only one data point, but my take is that Lexapro probably lowers your "calories out" in the CICO equation. It sucks but you might need to eat less to not gain weight.
  • Indigoblu1
    Indigoblu1 Posts: 127 Member
    edited April 2015
    Many medications can cause weight gain. There are several anti-depressants that do that. I wonder if it could be that these meds slow the metabolism down so much that it is almost impossible not to gain weight.
  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
    Talk with your doctor to figure out options. You can also lower your calorie goals or increase exercise. I don't know your specific anxiety issues, but CBT is very helpful for most people with significant anxiety and could be an alternative for you. There are also other medications that may affect you differently.
  • jk051861
    jk051861 Posts: 41 Member
    Yes, Lexapro has that side effect. Eat a little less and move a little more. After awhile the side effects subside. The important thing is that your anxiety issues get under control.
  • bellaa_x0
    bellaa_x0 Posts: 1,062 Member
    I have been on Lexapro for 3+ years.. I started my weight loss journey a month or two after starting it and lost 25+lbs.. I also have gained weight while on it, but I don't think there is a direct correlation between the weight loss/gain and the medication since when I lost weight I was counting calories and exercising and when I gained weight I was lazy and eating whatever I wanted. Everyone's body reacts differently.
  • alabbey
    alabbey Posts: 28 Member
    Thank you for the responses so far. I am literally in tears over this issue. I worked so hard to lose 75 pounds and I DO NOT want to gain it back. I feel stuck. I don't want to jeopardize my mental health but I also don't want to gain more weight. Such a double edged sword!! I am buckling down even more with the calorie counting and going to give it another week or two. Thanks again everyone.
  • girlviernes
    girlviernes Posts: 2,402 Member
    alabbey wrote: »
    Thank you for the responses so far. I am literally in tears over this issue. I worked so hard to lose 75 pounds and I DO NOT want to gain it back. I feel stuck. I don't want to jeopardize my mental health but I also don't want to gain more weight. Such a double edged sword!! I am buckling down even more with the calorie counting and going to give it another week or two. Thanks again everyone.

    You might want to focus right now on maintaining and find the balance where you don't continue to gain.
  • flippy1234
    flippy1234 Posts: 686 Member
    I am also on Lexapro. Your weight gain seems radical. What MG's are you on? I'm not sure I have gained weight...I am 50 and have gained weight from age I think. I never noted any radical weight gain. I am also on a very low dosage. I would talk to your Dr. there may be other meds that don't do this to you. Medication is a trial and error thing. Hang in there. Your mental well being comes first!
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    I started Lexapro in January and have successfully lost weight since then. Losing hasn't felt any harder than it was before. Make sure your logging is tight!
  • peterjens
    peterjens Posts: 235 Member
    I was on 10mg Lexapro starting last December and gained weight but more importantly I couldn't sleep. I wasn't logging my food at the time so I can't say that Lexapro caused my weight. I talked to my doctor about both issues and he put me on 10mg Bupropion. At the same time I found MyFitnessPal. The weight has come off probably because I log my calories. But most importantly, I now can sleep. Bottom line - talk to your doctor.
  • courtneywinsteadalves
    courtneywinsteadalves Posts: 1 Member
    A LOT of psychiatric medications have weight gain as a side effect. It's important to remember that EVERY ONE responds differently to every medication. I would suggest talk to your doctor and trying and different med. The first med I was put on led to a 30 pound gain in 2 months... wish I would have gone to my doc sooner.
  • mom2nicknat
    mom2nicknat Posts: 56 Member
    I've been on it for 2 years and I have lost weight. I think the meds themselves don't cause weight gain but can cause increased hunger. So for me it was managing my meals and eating frequently to keep hunger away.
  • amalzingsong
    amalzingsong Posts: 62 Member
    I was on it for PTSD for a few months and gained 30 lbs. Oy vey. I talked to my doctor and we both agreed to take me off of it because weight was coming on way too fast. Now I'm trying to get it off and it's not going anywhere.
  • LBeet
    LBeet Posts: 12 Member
    edited May 2015
    Try asking your doctor about Wellbutrin (bupropion). It's weight-neutral and actually can have the side effect of weight loss for some people. I didn't lose weight on it but I didn't gain either.
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