Can we lose successfully while on antidepressants?

Sarahasn87
Sarahasn87 Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hey everyone, I'm currently on antidepressants and continously gaining weight
I really wana lose but don't know if specific diets will work since my metabolism is dead slow cuz of the medications. Plz help !
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Replies

  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited August 2015
    What specific medications are you on? Most antidepressants do not *directly* cause unexplained weight gain. Some of them *can* increase appetite causing you to eat more and gain weight that way.

    Regardless, there's no specific diet needed. All you need to do is eat less than you burn each day and you will lose weight.

  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    All you need to do is make sure you're eating fewer calories than your body uses in a day. The meds might make you hungrier or more lethargic, but you can still lose weight by tracking what you eat.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    What snickercharlie said. There's also some that can slow metabolism, but you can still lose weight if you make adjustments for that fact.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    What specific medications are you on? Most antidepressants do not *directly* cause unexplained weight gain. Some of them *can* increase appetite causing you to eat more and gain weight that way.

    Regardless, there's no specific diet needed. All you need to do is eat less than you burn each day and you will lose weight.

    This ! Its going to come down to calories !
  • Sarahasn87
    Sarahasn87 Posts: 9 Member
    Thanks @snickerscharlie , I'm taking cipralex for my anxiety majorly along with pentoxol m which is an anti phsycotic. They have increased my appetite to a great extent . I'm trying to cut down my calories now by counting exactly with the help of this app. I hope I stop craving sweets as I'm hating myself :(
  • Sarahasn87
    Sarahasn87 Posts: 9 Member
    Well I'm starting from tomorrow . Going to strictly restrict sweets and carbs intake and will try to stick to protiens . Let's see how my metabolism reacts to my diet change .! Wish me luck
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    edited August 2015
    I didn't gain weight when I started anti depressants. I have been on them for around 7 years and my weight has never gone up due to Anti Depressant use. I echo the above posters - they can give you more of an appetite but you just have to learn not to cave in to it unfortunately. I was the opposite and LOST weight when I started Anti Depressants, but I'm around 99% certain that was due to the stress I was under hence being put on them! The joys of medication! :open_mouth:
  • LesbianBicycle
    LesbianBicycle Posts: 9 Member
    You should talk to your doctor about that, there are other anti-depressants you can take that won't cause you to put on weight. I was on a few different ones, some were really weird and made me feel outside of myself, but eventually I got one that worked. I never had any problems with weight while on them.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Sarahasn87 wrote: »
    Well I'm starting from tomorrow . Going to strictly restrict sweets and carbs intake and will try to stick to protiens . Let's see how my metabolism reacts to my diet change .! Wish me luck

    While those sorts of changes aren't always necessary for all dieters, for someone in your situation, those changes might be a really good idea.

    For some people, a low-carb approach helps with cravings AND hunger.

    If you find yourself craving something sweet, a tip I learned long ago was to eat a small piece of really sharp cheese. For some reason, that seemed to help me back when I used to low carb.

    Do remember that ultimately, it's calories which count, though. Remember to accurately log your food.

    Good luck!

  • Sarahasn87
    Sarahasn87 Posts: 9 Member
    Thanks @PeachyCarol I will keep that in mind ,ofcorse in the end it's the number of calories that matters the most . Stay in touch . :)
  • Sarahasn87
    Sarahasn87 Posts: 9 Member
    LesbianBicycle wrote: »
    You should talk to your doctor about that, there are other anti-depressants you can take that won't cause you to put on weight. I was on a few different ones, some were really weird and made me feel outside of myself, but eventually I got one that worked. I never had any problems with weight while on them.

    I tried different kinds of antidepressants and settled for this one as it's easy to digest . Although it's been only 2 months and it already has huge impact on my appetite. I already had eating disorder due to anxiety and I feel that just got worse . Will try to discuss with my doc soon. Thanks .
  • Mezzie1024
    Mezzie1024 Posts: 380 Member
    edited August 2015
    In the case of a hard to control appetite, you might try creating most or all of your deficit from exercise.

    Let's say you wanted to lose 0.5lbs/week. That's a deficit of only 250 calories/day, but that could be hard to meet if you're constantly hungry. If your maintenance amount is 1800 (I'm just throwing out a number), you could exercise enough to burn 250 calories a day fairly easily and still be able to eat 1800 calories which could be more satisfying than trying to only eat 1550. Plus, the time that you're exercising is time you're not eating (and hopefully so focused on the exercise that you're not thinking about your hunger, either).

    I've been on medication that increased my appetite before, and it made me feel like I could never be satisfied. Even when I was clearly physically full from a large meal, I wanted to snack on something after. Luckily, it was a short-term medicine for me, but during that period, exercise was my best friend.

    Meal timing might help, too. If you know you have a pre-logged snack waiting for you every 2-3 hours, maybe self-control will be a little easier.

    Good luck!
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Experiment with different forms of exercise. There are some which suppress my appetite (brisk walking) and others which increase my appetite (strength training), for example.

    If you find that some form of exercise helps suppress your appetite, that might help things along too.
  • Sarahasn87
    Sarahasn87 Posts: 9 Member
    Mezzie1024 wrote: »
    In the case of a hard to control appetite, you migh try creating most or all of your deficit from exercise.

    Let's say you wanted to lose 0.5lbs/week. That's a deficit of only 250 calories/day, but that could be hard to meet if you're constantly hungry. If your maintenance amount is 1800 (I'm just throwing out a number), you could exercise enough to burn 250 calories a day fairly easily and still be able to eat 1800 calories which could be more satisfying than trying to only eat 1550. Plus, the time that you're exercising is time you're not eating (and hopefully so focused on the exercise that you're not thinking about your hunger, either).

    I've been on medication that increased my appetite before, and it made me feel like I could never be satisfied. Even when I was clearly physically full from a large meal, I wanted to snack on something after. Luckily, it was a short-term medicine for me, but during that period, exercise was my best friend.

    Meal timing might help, too. If you know you have a pre-logged snack waiting for you every 2-3 hours, maybe self-control will be a little easier.

    Good luck!

    Wow thanks alot , I am actually constantly hungry and i think the best way is to work my *kitten* out everyday for an hour at least ! And pre snack idea is also absolutely marvellous ..Thanks love :)
  • Sarahasn87
    Sarahasn87 Posts: 9 Member
    PeachyCarol wrote: »
    Experiment with different forms of exercise. There are some which suppress my appetite (brisk walking) and others which increase my appetite (strength training), for example.

    If you find that some form of exercise helps suppress your appetite, that might help things along too.

    I love doing aerobics and zumba .. its fun and also keeps my mind occupied for a while .
  • vespiquenn
    vespiquenn Posts: 1,455 Member
    Although I agree with the above posters about talking to your doc, I definitely feel your pain with out of whack appetite with anti-depressants. I have been on them since I was 14 or 15, and hated it. I still sometimes get a bout of "rebellion" where I don't want to take them, but that may be the bipolar speaking.

    But, when I got a new doctor, I told him of all the problems I had. From not eating because how ill they made me to eating everything in sight. He did tell me that anything over a 5lb gain with anti-depressants was no longer a med issue than a mind issue, which I guess I could see. What helped most though is he basically cleared everything and started over. We found the brand I was using was not working because I was constantly sick, and we discovered that a smaller dose of a different brand helped. You may need to continue to play around with them, and don't be afraid to voice your opinion on a problem with them. They are there to help
  • fiveminutes
    fiveminutes Posts: 30 Member
    edited August 2015
    Sarahasn87 wrote: »
    Thanks @snickerscharlie , I'm taking cipralex for my anxiety majorly along with pentoxol m which is an anti phsycotic. They have increased my appetite to a great extent . I'm trying to cut down my calories now by counting exactly with the help of this app. I hope I stop craving sweets as I'm hating myself :(

    Majority of SSRIs (what you're on) cause around 25% of people to gain weight when they use it long term. I'm currently on Wellbutrin and it's acting as an appetite suppressant for me. I have to remind myself to eat. I'm just not hungry. I was put on Wellbutrin because when I spoke to my GP, I specifically expressed that one of the reasons I didn't want to go on an anti-depressant was because of the potential to gain weight - and typically with me, if a side effect is listed, I get it :/. I would definitely talk to your GP to see if you can try another medication. Not all SSRI side effects will affect you the same way. Do some research prior to your GP visit and look up some weight-neutral anti-depressants and read the reviews of the people taking them. That way you can go in with a list and you can discuss the different options with your GP. FWIW - I'm dealing with dysthymia (now called persistent depressive disorder) and PTSD.
  • Sarahasn87
    Sarahasn87 Posts: 9 Member
    fiveminutes wrote: »
    Sarahasn87 wrote: »
    Thanks @snickerscharlie , I'm taking cipralex for my anxiety majorly along with pentoxol m which is an anti phsycotic. They have increased my appetite to a great extent . I'm trying to cut down my calories now by counting exactly with the help of this app. I hope I stop craving sweets as I'm hating myself :(

    Majority of SSRIs (what you're on) cause around 25% of people to gain weight when they use it long term. I'm currently on Wellbutrin and it's acting as an appetite suppressant for me. I have to remind myself to eat. I'm just not hungry. I was put on Wellbutrin because when I spoke to my GP, I specifically expressed that one of the reasons I didn't want to go on an anti-depressant was because of the potential to gain weight - and typically with me, if a side effect is listed, I get it :/. I would definitely talk to your GP to see if you can try another medication. Not all SSRI side effects will affect you the same way. Do some research prior to your GP visit and look up some weight-neutral anti-depressants and read the reviews of the people taking them. That way you can go in with a list and you can discuss the different options with your GP. FWIW - I'm dealing with dysthymia (now called persistent depressive disorder) and PTSD.

    Ahan , well actually u r right about wellbutrin, I did some research and found out that wellbutrin helps in losing weight! I'm definitely trying this ,after discussing with my doc ofcorse . Thanks :)
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited August 2015
    Sarahasn87 wrote: »
    Thanks @snickerscharlie , I'm taking cipralex for my anxiety majorly along with pentoxol m which is an anti phsycotic. They have increased my appetite to a great extent .
    I'm glad that you recognize and appreciate the difference between a medication causing unexplained weight gain, and a medication causing an increase in appetite which leads you to eat more and gain weight. :)

    It's an important distinction, because in the former, it's easy to get into a victim mentality, such as, "There's nothing I can do - the meds are packing on the pounds!" and the latter where you absolutely *do* have control over whether or not the increase in weight continues.

  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited August 2015
    Sarahasn87 wrote: »
    fiveminutes wrote: »
    Sarahasn87 wrote: »
    Thanks @snickerscharlie , I'm taking cipralex for my anxiety majorly along with pentoxol m which is an anti phsycotic. They have increased my appetite to a great extent . I'm trying to cut down my calories now by counting exactly with the help of this app. I hope I stop craving sweets as I'm hating myself :(

    Majority of SSRIs (what you're on) cause around 25% of people to gain weight when they use it long term. I'm currently on Wellbutrin and it's acting as an appetite suppressant for me. I have to remind myself to eat. I'm just not hungry. I was put on Wellbutrin because when I spoke to my GP, I specifically expressed that one of the reasons I didn't want to go on an anti-depressant was because of the potential to gain weight - and typically with me, if a side effect is listed, I get it :/. I would definitely talk to your GP to see if you can try another medication. Not all SSRI side effects will affect you the same way. Do some research prior to your GP visit and look up some weight-neutral anti-depressants and read the reviews of the people taking them. That way you can go in with a list and you can discuss the different options with your GP. FWIW - I'm dealing with dysthymia (now called persistent depressive disorder) and PTSD.

    Ahan , well actually u r right about wellbutrin, I did some research and found out that wellbutrin helps in losing weight! I'm definitely trying this ,after discussing with my doc ofcorse . Thanks :)

    I've been on Wellbutrin (as a stop smoking aid = Zyban) and I can attest that yes, I did lose weight because I was so freaking nauseous all the time I was on it. I also got *extremely* anxious on this med and had to quit using it.

    Not saying for a second that you would have the same results, but I do think that it's waaaay more important that you find the right medication to treat your anxiety and depression, first and foremost. If you happen to find you're eating more due to increased appetite, that should not be a reason to switch off of meds that are otherwise working for you.

    Just my 2 cents, and worth what you paid for it. :)
  • fiveminutes
    fiveminutes Posts: 30 Member
    Sarahasn87 wrote: »

    Ahan , well actually u r right about wellbutrin, I did some research and found out that wellbutrin helps in losing weight! I'm definitely trying this ,after discussing with my doc ofcorse . Thanks :)

    From what I know about Wellbutrin, and what you said about taking medication for anxiety, it might not be for you. I was actually asked if I had an anxiety disorder before it was prescribed, because Wellbutrin has been known to increase someone's anxiety, because it is technically a stimulant (and it can pop up in drug tests as an amphetamine). Definitely don't take something because it is known to help lose weight. Wellbutrin is also not an SSRI and triggers dopamine mostly, not serotonin like an SSRI does. There are a lot of different classes of anti-depressants (SSRIs, SNRIs, MAOIs, etc). If the SSRI is working for you, speak with your doctor and see if you can have something prescribed that can help control your appetite since your medication is causing you to have overwhelming cravings.
  • katelynneelswick
    katelynneelswick Posts: 16 Member
    Does anyone take paxil? I'm on it and I have a feeling its slowing my metabolism down
  • Gozergirl
    Gozergirl Posts: 36 Member
    I am on Abilify and Prozac, I have lost 12 pounds so far. I don't think the meds themselves cause weight gain, it's the cravings they cause.
  • maidentl
    maidentl Posts: 3,203 Member
    Sarahasn87 wrote: »
    fiveminutes wrote: »
    Sarahasn87 wrote: »
    Thanks @snickerscharlie , I'm taking cipralex for my anxiety majorly along with pentoxol m which is an anti phsycotic. They have increased my appetite to a great extent . I'm trying to cut down my calories now by counting exactly with the help of this app. I hope I stop craving sweets as I'm hating myself :(

    Majority of SSRIs (what you're on) cause around 25% of people to gain weight when they use it long term. I'm currently on Wellbutrin and it's acting as an appetite suppressant for me. I have to remind myself to eat. I'm just not hungry. I was put on Wellbutrin because when I spoke to my GP, I specifically expressed that one of the reasons I didn't want to go on an anti-depressant was because of the potential to gain weight - and typically with me, if a side effect is listed, I get it :/. I would definitely talk to your GP to see if you can try another medication. Not all SSRI side effects will affect you the same way. Do some research prior to your GP visit and look up some weight-neutral anti-depressants and read the reviews of the people taking them. That way you can go in with a list and you can discuss the different options with your GP. FWIW - I'm dealing with dysthymia (now called persistent depressive disorder) and PTSD.

    Ahan , well actually u r right about wellbutrin, I did some research and found out that wellbutrin helps in losing weight! I'm definitely trying this ,after discussing with my doc ofcorse . Thanks :)

    Just know that it might not have that effect on you. I was really hoping for the appetite suppression myself, but alas, it was not to be.
  • wjbennett1960
    wjbennett1960 Posts: 1 Member
    I'm on sertraline and zoplicone. I'm struggling to lose weight
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited August 2015
    wjbennett1960 wrote: »
    I'm on sertraline and zoplicone. I'm struggling to lose weight

    Do you mean zopiclone? (Lunesta) As a sleep aid?
  • katalinax87
    katalinax87 Posts: 146 Member
    I'm bipolar so on an antipsychotic (quetiapine). Initially with the extra cravings and low mood plus feeling like a zombie I piled on 24 lbs but once the dose got lowered I was able to get a handle on things and have lost 40 lbs. Exercise is going to be your best friend here. It will give you more calories to eat, distract you from eating and I can't stress this enough do WONDERS for your mental health.

    First things first though you need to get stable enough that losing weight isn't going to overwhelm you.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Yes you can.
  • JessicaOphelia
    JessicaOphelia Posts: 3 Member
    Also on antidepressants. Just have to find the one that works well for you and your body. Some will make you gain and you will need to be more cautious of what you eat :)
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    katelynneelswick wrote: »
    Does anyone take paxil? I'm on it and I have a feeling its slowing my metabolism down

    It's only a small effect and easily offset by going for an extra 30-60 minute walk each day.

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