Antidepressants and weight gain.

TheUnwritten wrote: »

Anyone on antidepressants and gained some weight? I've been on 60mg fluoxetine (Prozac) and amitriptyline 25mg at night for about 6 months. During that time I've put on 40lbs! I'm now feeling really depressed about my weight now. My co workers are now noticing my weight increase which add more stress. During my work week I eat around 2,000 calories and try to be more active when I can. I'm a janitor at a college and at times it can get pretty busy with a lot of bending and moving around. On the weekend I do binge to be honest. I pretty much eat what I deprive myself of during the week. I tell myself in my head that I eat good during the week and I should just enjoy life during the weekends. These are excuses I know. I remembered before I was on any antidepressants I did the same thing during the weekends and just had the usual bloat and water weight for a few days. Having a one year old baby and the daily stress may have added to more emotional eating on those days maybe but I'm at a point where I wanna call my doctor and ask for a different medication option.

Sure, you could try a different medication. I hated Prozac and love Wellbutrin. However, you'll still need to revise your thinking about the weekends. Maybe also ask your doctor for a referral to someone who does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which is the most effective therapy for binge eating.

I firmly believe I would not have had a weight problem were it not for the antidepressants I had to take. I used to be skinny, but since starting medication my weight just started to go up and up and up, until there I was at 255 pounds. Unfortunately, I think it's because these medications increase your appetite quite a bit, so I just ate and ate and ate. Since I started rethinking what I put into my mouth and really watching calories, I've been able to take off a little weight, and I'm still working on it. My doctor switched my meds to something that has a lesser chance of weight gain (Latuda) as well, which helps, I think.

I've been on seemingly every dang medication for depression and bipolar there is in the last 20 years. Some made me gain, some made me lose, one made my hair fall out which was just lovely. There are now certain medications I will refuse to take because I know they caused significant weight gain (I'm looking at you, Abilify). I will have to be on some sort of meds the rest of my life, so I really need to be careful about what I eat and also make sure I exercise.

Psych meds caused me to put on the majority of my weight and I was already overweight. They increase your appetite so it becomes essential to keep a grip on what you're eating, easier said than done though. You can try different meds but most psychoactive medications have increased appetite as a side effect so it's really going to come down to addressing how you deal with the increased appetite, whether it's finding ways to distract from the hunger or switching to volume eating lower calorie foods so that you can stay satisfied within your calorie goal.

I feel your struggle! I gained 50lbs in 6months after starting Prozac. I had just lost 25lbs and was so happy about it, only to double the gain back. I talked to my doctor and was put on Wellbutrin, which stopped the speeding gain, but left me stalled no matter what I did. I decided the weight gain was making my depression 10x's, no 1000x's worse so I stopped taking all meds (talk to your doctor first!!) and now use exercise as my antidepressant. It's still hard, and I know not everyone can do this, and I still have to put up with bad days or strings of bad days, but to me it's worth it. It took me 2 months of not taking any medication to finally see a small change in my weight and feel happy on my up days. Good luck. I know the pain and it's real.

Wellbutrin is recommended. When I was on it, I lost a bunch of weight without even trying. Currently I'm med free.

Beautiful baby, by the way. Congratulations.

Antidepressants can do that. I've been on all kinds. I also lost weight when I got off Prozac and onto welbutrin and zoloft. Then after a proper diagnosis they took me off zoloft and put me on abilify which is a mood stabilizer and I gained weight again. IF YOUR MEDS ARE WORKING DON'T STOP. so many times in my life I stopped taking my meds but I really do need them. Id rather be happy above all else, even if I do have to work harder to be fit.

I'm on Geodon and Wellbutrin. Geodon is supposed to be weight neutral and a side effect is appetite suppression.