anti-depressants and weight change!

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  • 1shauna1
    1shauna1 Posts: 993 Member
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    As mentioned, some do have side effects (wellbutrin, etc.). But it could be that now you're feeling better, you're just eating more (was loss of appetite a side effect of your depression as well?).
  • mbaker566
    mbaker566 Posts: 11,233 Member
    edited July 2015
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    Adrobins wrote: »
    - Talk to your doctor...

    Antidepressants are not supposed to be taken for such a long period of time.

    um no
    that is between you and your dr.
    some people will always be on some sort of medication. or they die


    op: yes, some medications lead to weight loss and some to weight gain. I gained 50 lbs on one 10 years ago. and as soon as I stopped taking it, weight fell off of me.

    so now you need to log your food and eat a calorie deficit. and you will lose the weight
    you certainly do not need to stay on the medication if your dr says your good to go without. you just have to make some changes in your life
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,982 Member
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    alexhendryjnr wrote: »
    OKAY I know I may be looking for excuses but when I started my anti depressants over 9 months ago I dropped weight like god knows! I went from 14st to 10st!!! And now I've came off them I've balloon'd up to 13st! Could this be due to anti depressants?? Will I need to stay on them to stay skinny?::

    While the anti-depressants could have decreased your appetite and/or made you want to move more, the most likely reason you gained weight is due to eating more than you burned. In that scenario, you don't need to stay on anti-depressants, but to better monitor what you eat and how much exercise you get.

  • demoiselle2014
    demoiselle2014 Posts: 474 Member
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    Adrobins wrote: »
    - Talk to your doctor...

    Antidepressants are not supposed to be taken for such a long period of time. Seriously talk to your doctor, and I'd suggest seeing a psychologist with a minimum of experience for more advice. AND QUESTION THEM. Not random people on a blog.

    That being said, of course it can make you gain weight, it can do a lot more than that too. Go read about the side effects of your medication.

    This is wrong.

    Some (like me) people need to take antidepressants long term, possibly forever. If a person has had more than one period of acute depression, their doctor may consider having them on a maintenance dose for good to help prevent relapse.
  • demoiselle2014
    demoiselle2014 Posts: 474 Member
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    1shauna1 wrote: »
    As mentioned, some do have side effects (wellbutrin, etc.). But it could be that now you're feeling better, you're just eating more (was loss of appetite a side effect of your depression as well?).

    Wellbutrin's side effect in terms of food is typically to suppress apatite.

  • divvyh
    divvyh Posts: 32 Member
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    Adrobins wrote: »
    - Talk to your doctor...

    Antidepressants are not supposed to be taken for such a long period of time. Seriously talk to your doctor, and I'd suggest seeing a psychologist with a minimum of experience for more advice. AND QUESTION THEM. Not random people on a blog.

    That being said, of course it can make you gain weight, it can do a lot more than that too. Go read about the side effects of your medication.

    Scary and untrue. You don't know her situation well enough to make this statement.
  • paris458
    paris458 Posts: 231 Member
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    when I took them I had no appetite, I lost a lot of weight. after I got used to them I started eating again. I was able to lose weight and maintain my weight for 5 years without them. you do not need to take them forever, its about how much you eat. you probably just feel more hungry now.
  • senecarr
    senecarr Posts: 5,377 Member
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    ncboiler89 wrote: »
    alexhendryjnr wrote: »
    OKAY I know I may be looking for excuses but when I started my anti depressants over 9 months ago I dropped weight like god knows! I went from 14st to 10st!!! And now I've came off them I've balloon'd up to 13st! Could this be due to anti depressants?? Will I need to stay on them to stay skinny?::

    Medication does not make you lose or gain weight. It changes your appetite to make you susceptible to doing one or the other.
    Not exactly. Wellbutrin tends to cause weight loss, not because of appetite suppression (or not only), but it also increases NEAT to a small extent. Depression creates psychomotor fatigue, and norepinephrine alleviates that.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,598 Member
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    There have been meds that made me gain (Celexa, grrr) and meds that made me lose. They affected my feelings of hunger a LOT as well as my energy levels. Also Wellbutrin just was kind of speedy overall. When I got off it, the weight I'd lost on it came right back.

    If you are gaining, adjust calories down and exercise up to compensate. I currently take Lexapro which does not affect my weight at all.
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
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    demoiselle2014 wrote: »
    Adrobins wrote: »
    - Talk to your doctor...

    Antidepressants are not supposed to be taken for such a long period of time. Seriously talk to your doctor, and I'd suggest seeing a psychologist with a minimum of experience for more advice. AND QUESTION THEM. Not random people on a blog.

    That being said, of course it can make you gain weight, it can do a lot more than that too. Go read about the side effects of your medication.

    This is wrong.

    Some (like me) people need to take antidepressants long term, possibly forever. If a person has had more than one period of acute depression, their doctor may consider having them on a maintenance dose for good to help prevent relapse.

    Seconding this. I know that I'll be on mine for the rest of my life. Don't like it, but resigned to it. At least now I can actually keep my emotional state balanced so one bad day doesn't make me withdraw for a week.

    I know mine didn't cause me to lose or gain weight. There was a period of time that it affected my appetite, but since I was already logging everything, I was able to keep from going over or under my goal for the day. However, everybody responds to drugs a little differently, so you'll need to discuss with your doctor. As for gaining after getting off them, if you're not logging precisely, doesn't matter what drugs you're taking, you will probably gain weight. Logging and keeping track of your calories shouldn't depend on what drug you're taking.
  • Adrobins
    Adrobins Posts: 13 Member
    edited July 2015
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    I began by saying the conversation should take place between her and a doctor. Stop wasting your time. You're all 100% right.

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