Antidepressants and weight gain

timtam163
timtam163 Posts: 500 Member
edited November 22 in Health and Weight Loss
Anyone got any experience/advice? It's shallow of me to worry about weight gain with something so important as mental health on the line but I don't want to lose all my progress if I were to start a medication. I've never been on anything before so I don't know what to expect.
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Replies

  • timtam163
    timtam163 Posts: 500 Member
    HeidiCooksSupper wrote: »
    If you get the right drug or mix of drugs (which may take a bit of trial and error), you may not experience any effect on weight. It's mostly a question of how a change in mood and emotions affects your eating habits. If you eat when you are happy but not when you are sad, you may gain weight. If you eat when you're sad but not when you are happy, you may lose weight. The trick to controlling it is being mindful of any changes in your behaviors.

    Best wishes to you. I've taken Prozac (fluoxetine) and Welbutrin (bupropion) for years with intermittent counseling and using light therapy in the winter for decades. It keeps my depression at bay in ways the self-treatment with alcohol and temper tantrums never did for my similarly afflicted relatives. I find it helps to treat mental health/illness as you would any chronic illness.

    Now, someone is bound to chime in with a tale of weight gain or loss from some psychotropic drug and there are folks who react that way -- just not most of us so assume you will be the norm until proven otherwise. And if a drug causes you problems or doesn't do what's intended, make your physician try a different drug.

    We never know when we are going to be an "outlier" who experiences side effects. My Mom just last night got wild hallucinations from Zantac (ranitidine), a somewhat common side effect, especially among the elderly. This doesn't mean we should all avoid Zantac nor does it mean my mother and her Dr. shouldn't try other means of dealing with her stomach issues. (And, happily, my 94-year-old Mom is back on planet earth today now that the drug is leaving her system!)

    Thanks for your insight Heidi. Yeah like with everything I guess it's a matter of staying mindful.
  • nickssweetheart
    nickssweetheart Posts: 874 Member
    Weight gain can be an issue, but if you mention that as a concern to your psychiatrist, there are some anti-depressants that can actually help you lose weight. You may be a candidate for one of those. I say "may" because it really depends on your accompanying symptoms and your own personal biochemistry.

    I gained quite a bit of weight on the wrong drug, but I also didn't make a concerted effort to avoid weight gain and I was on one of the oldest and cheapest prescriptions. If you are committed to protecting your progress and are upfront with your doctors, there's no reason for you to repeat my experience. If anything, not having the daily struggle with depression has made it easier for me to do things like plan my meals and exercise.

    Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.
  • jasummers76
    jasummers76 Posts: 225 Member
    I second the opinion of making your doctor aware of your concern about weight gain. Never being on a antidepressant prior they can start you off with meds that are not commonly known to cause weight gain. Hopefully those will work for you. If not even if you're one of us that do take meds for depression that can cause weight gain, I can tell you getting out of the depression will allow you to make better choices in diet and exercise. When I was on the wrong meds all I wanted to do was sleep to escape the depression and when I did eat it was one of the only things that brought any kinda of relief and it was never eating something healthy.
  • jasummers76
    jasummers76 Posts: 225 Member
    One more thing.. After getting your prescription go online and check for side effects. If on more than one check for possible interactions. Ten years ago when I was diagnosed with Bipolar and social anxiety I trusted my doctor 1000% big mistake. While I am sure it was not being done trying to hurt me he had me on so many drugs I was a zombie. I now call some doctor's pill Pushers. You will get a side affect from drug a instead of trying a lower dose or a different drug they will give you one to counter drug A's side affects. Also a great person to ask is your pharmacist.
  • mph323
    mph323 Posts: 3,563 Member
    edited October 2017
    I've been on various antidepressants for over 25 years (I've been on Seroquel and Lamictal for over seven years now). In that time I've gained weight and lost it, and I really don't associate the fluctuations with the meds. The meds don't make you gain weight by themselves, you may retain water, or experience increased hunger temporarily, but I found that those symptoms go away with time. I agree with others above, stay mindful and you'll be fine - in fact you might find that your weight is easier to manage when your mental health is supported. I wish you the best of luck, and hope you feel better soon :)

    eta: worrying about gaining weight and losing the progress you worked for is not shallow, I think it's a legitimate concern that you can feel comfortable discussing with your doctor.
  • Graelwyn75
    Graelwyn75 Posts: 4,404 Member
    My weight experiences on psychiatric drugs have been variable in terms of weight. I have been on chlorpromazine, Prozac and sertraline to name a few. My weight never went above 145 Ibs and generally stayed around 140 without being that active or watching what I ate. Then I stupidly decided to cave in after decades free of meds’ and tried Cymbalta. First 5 months I didn’t really gain much but then the last three months of taking it, my weight went up around 28 Ibs and I gained 2 sizes. My body was unrecognisable to me and it the way the meds made me so emotionless made it hard to care. I had been 12% bodyfat and peak fitness just prior to starting that med. never again. Took me 6 months to lose it and has made me more fearful of getting that size again even off that drug. I now only take very low dose seroquel and diazepam to keep my steadier. Not ideal but I’m terrified of trying any other ness given my complex combination of illnesses.
  • saraonly9913
    saraonly9913 Posts: 469 Member
    I blew up on Zoloft and Prozac but only because I had out of control cravings for carbs, mainly sweets. Stopped the meds and stopped the major cravings. Good luck.
  • 90Ibs
    90Ibs Posts: 22 Member
    Just speak with your medical team and tell them that you don't want to go on medications that will lead to weight gain. There are antidepressants that don't have the weight gain side-effect, and a good doctor will accommodate you. If you couldn't go on antidepressants without gaining weight, a lot of people with eating disorders/disordered eating habits who have other mental illnesses would relapse or have their mental health go down the drain. Communication is important.
  • esquivel121486
    esquivel121486 Posts: 1 Member
    IDreamskinny85- I can totally relate to what you are going through!!! It pisses me off that when you tell a doctor that you live a healthy life style, they turn and say that you don't just because they don't want to either help or be proven wrong. I have depression and anxiety and medication made me gain weight which now made me even more depressed. I'm done taking medication now i'm going to look for a natural path to healing my depression and anxiety.
  • counting_kilojoules
    counting_kilojoules Posts: 170 Member
    I've been on five or six different anti-depressants that all had a *possible* side effect of weight gain. Two of them increased my appetite which led to weight gain but I had absolutely no side effects on the others. With any medication there is a list of possible side effects, some serious, some not so serious. Some people will get side effects and others won't.

    If you find the medication your doctor gives you is making you gain weight then talk to them. If they don't listen to your concerns you might need to find another doctor. Your mental health is very important but your self-image and your weight ties into that.
  • kbmnurse
    kbmnurse Posts: 2,484 Member
    I am just not a fan of meds, period. This is my opinion only.
  • GottaBurnEmAll
    GottaBurnEmAll Posts: 7,722 Member
    kbmnurse wrote: »
    I am just not a fan of meds, period. This is my opinion only.

    You have quite a profession (I checked her profile, she's an RN alrighty) for someone who's not a fan of meds.

    Me? I love them and thank *kitten* every day for better living through chemistry.

    OP, I'm on a rather high dose of Cymbalta as part of my migraine protocol. I've lost 90 pounds while taking it.

    I've been on various SSRIs over the years (Prozac, Wellbutrin, Effexor, Celexa) and overall, I don't know that I'd directly correlate any of them specifically with weight gain/loss. Then again, I have had other factors that played into weight gain/loss and my eating issues, so it would have been difficult to pin anything specifically on one of those meds.
  • idreamskinny85
    idreamskinny85 Posts: 38 Member
    esquivel121486 wrote: »
    IDreamskinny85- I can totally relate to what you are going through!!! It pisses me off that when you tell a doctor that you live a healthy life style, they turn and say that you don't just because they don't want to either help or be proven wrong. I have depression and anxiety and medication made me gain weight which now made me even more depressed. I'm done taking medication now i'm going to look for a natural path to healing my depression and anxiety.

    It's nice to hear from someone in a similar situation. I just got engaged and I have no desire to even plan the wedding because of my looks. I don't recognize myself and don't want to be in a wedding dress. To add onto it.....my fiance has mentioned concern for my weight. We work out together and I meal prep both our meals weekly. I still can't lose an ounce. I am afraid he will leave me. We haven't had sex in months. I hope the weight comes off soon so I can start planning a wedding and hopefully get laid again.
  • timtam163
    timtam163 Posts: 500 Member
    edited October 2017
    johnwelk wrote: »
    Sunna_W wrote: »
    See this website: https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/mental-health/why-do-antidepressants-cause-weight-gain/

    Also, consider that according to popular theory, most of your serotonin is made in your gut. If you have an overgrowth of bad bacteria, yeast, parasites (yes, even Western countries get them), then it can affect your ability to make enough serotonin.

    I really like doTERRA On Guard for the synergistic action of the various essential oils. I have been taking 2 capsules a day for several months and it helped get somethings working better. (Bacteril also works well, but is more expensive.)

    FIVE LAC is a favorite of mine for addressing yeast overgrowth.

    Pyrantel Pamoate is an anti-parasitic and addresses many intestinal and stomach complaints. It is harmless to humans and works to paralyze the parasites (clove oil in the doTERRA On Guard does teh same thing) so they can pass through your system.

    Some easy things to do, that won't interfere with your medication would be to switch to a Paleo / Keto / Atkins type diet and keep your sugar / carbs at around 100 grams total and ensure that most of them are from resistant starch. (This will help keep the cravings under control).

    Ref: https://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-resistant-starch

    Include home made lacto fermented veggies in at least one meal each day. A great resource would be Sandor Katz's "Wild Fermentation".

    Alternatively, consider this article which boinks everything I just said on its head:

    http://kellybroganmd.com/depression-serotonin/

    These articles address your adrenals and your thyroid - maybe look for a doc that treats your symptoms not your lab results?

    https://www.yourhormones.com/adrenal-glands/

    https://www.yourhormones.com/adrenal-fatigue/

    https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/adrenal-wisdom/

    https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/thyroid-depression-mental-health/

    Whatever you decide, make an informed decision and do whatever you feel is best for you and makes you feel better! Good luck!

    OP, please ignore this steaming pile of horse manure. It's complete pseudoscienctific nonsense.

    Thank you :) I did, I ignored it right away. I have no stomach issues or thyroid issues, so this doesn't apply (nor does it seem very scientific). And yeah ultimately the decision to take meds or not is a personal one, I ignore any advice that generalizes based on personal belief: to those who put down meds in general, please give yourselves swirlies.

    To everyone else. Thank you for sharing your personal experiences, it sounds like YMMV... lots to think about. Hugs.
  • timtam163
    timtam163 Posts: 500 Member
    edited October 2017
    idreamskinny85 wrote: »
    esquivel121486 wrote: »
    IDreamskinny85- I can totally relate to what you are going through!!! It pisses me off that when you tell a doctor that you live a healthy life style, they turn and say that you don't just because they don't want to either help or be proven wrong. I have depression and anxiety and medication made me gain weight which now made me even more depressed. I'm done taking medication now i'm going to look for a natural path to healing my depression and anxiety.

    It's nice to hear from someone in a similar situation. I just got engaged and I have no desire to even plan the wedding because of my looks. I don't recognize myself and don't want to be in a wedding dress. To add onto it.....my fiance has mentioned concern for my weight. We work out together and I meal prep both our meals weekly. I still can't lose an ounce. I am afraid he will leave me. We haven't had sex in months. I hope the weight comes off soon so I can start planning a wedding and hopefully get laid again.

    This sounds exhausting, having the entire weight of your future together resting on your weight.
    Hugs. <3
  • sgtx81
    sgtx81 Posts: 466 Member
    edited October 2017
    If you look up the information on reputable websites for your medication, you can find out exactly how it might cause weight gain and then you might be able to find a way to mitigate the issue. Sites like WebMD, Mayo Clinic, nih.gov, or the manufacturer of the medication could shed some light on it for you.

    Do you find yourself depressed in reaction to certain situations or does it just come in for no reason at all?

    I used to be on anti-depressants when I was younger, but they didn't really do much for me. I trained myself to change my perception of certain things, and the issue was solved. No more depression.

    It's not always a medical issue, and it might pay to keep in mind that we are one of the unhealthiest nations (obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc) and also the most overmedicated. If meds were as much of a silver bullet as some would like to believe we wouldn't be as far down this path of bad health as we are.

    A lot of the time meds treat a symptom rather than the cause. Take blood pressure medicine, for instance, it helps to lower it, but you may also be able to reduce sodium, lose weight and change your diet which would take care of it. Or type 2 diabetes, how a nih.gov study showed that 81% of type two diabetics were able to reduce their medication or get off of it all together based on dietary change, specifically going on a ketogenic diet.
  • sgtx81
    sgtx81 Posts: 466 Member
    shillbert wrote: »
    kbmnurse wrote: »
    I am just not a fan of meds, period. This is my opinion only.

    I am not a fan of crippling panic attacks that literally trigger the fear of death and are treated with medication, period. This is my opinion only.

    Not necessarily. It depends on what is causing them. I used to have those too, and I know it is not something you would ever want to go through. I stumbled upon what was causing them by accident. I used to eat a lot of msg, and I cut that out, why I don't recall, but I stopped eating it.

    A few years later I started eating it again with spicy Asian noodles I would make, and after about a month they began to come back. The noodles were the only thing I would put the stuff in. I remembered I had first started getting them when I would buy noodle bowls from an Asian store where I used to live.

    I tried cutting the msg out, and they went away again. I looked it up, and it turns out it does cause panic attacks in some people. Thank God for that too, because they were about the worst experiences I've ever had to live through.

    But if meds are doing it for you, more power to ya. If I had gotten meds for them and it worked, I would have stayed on them. Anything to avoid having them anymore.
  • crackpotbaby
    crackpotbaby Posts: 1,297 Member
    sgtx81 wrote: »
    shillbert wrote: »
    kbmnurse wrote: »
    I am just not a fan of meds, period. This is my opinion only.

    I am not a fan of crippling panic attacks that literally trigger the fear of death and are treated with medication, period. This is my opinion only.

    Not necessarily. It depends on what is causing them. I used to have those too, and I know it is not something you would ever want to go through. I stumbled upon what was causing them by accident. I used to eat a lot of msg, and I cut that out, why I don't recall, but I stopped eating it.

    A few years later I started eating it again with spicy Asian noodles I would make, and after about a month they began to come back. The noodles were the only thing I would put the stuff in. I remembered I had first started getting them when I would buy noodle bowls from an Asian store where I used to live.

    I tried cutting the msg out, and they went away again. I looked it up, and it turns out it does cause panic attacks in some people. Thank God for that too, because they were about the worst experiences I've ever had to live through.

    But if meds are doing it for you, more power to ya. If I had gotten meds for them and it worked, I would have stayed on them. Anything to avoid having them anymore.

    Sounds like you were having an adverse to msg and not an anxiety attack at all.

    Obviously treating this with medication would be inaffective.

    Correct diagnosis and treatment is essential.

    For many medical and psychiatric conditions medication is part of the correct treatment.

    Not a every one is lucky enough to be able simply avoid a food additive and be asymptomatic.



  • timtam163
    timtam163 Posts: 500 Member
    sgtx81 wrote: »
    If you look up the information on reputable websites for your medication, you can find out exactly how it might cause weight gain and then you might be able to find a way to mitigate the issue. Sites like WebMD, Mayo Clinic, nih.gov, or the manufacturer of the medication could shed some light on it for you.

    Do you find yourself depressed in reaction to certain situations or does it just come in for no reason at all?

    I used to be on anti-depressants when I was younger, but they didn't really do much for me. I trained myself to change my perception of certain things, and the issue was solved. No more depression.

    It's not always a medical issue, and it might pay to keep in mind that we are one of the unhealthiest nations (obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc) and also the most overmedicated. If meds were as much of a silver bullet as some would like to believe we wouldn't be as far down this path of bad health as we are.

    A lot of the time meds treat a symptom rather than the cause. Take blood pressure medicine, for instance, it helps to lower it, but you may also be able to reduce sodium, lose weight and change your diet which would take care of it. Or type 2 diabetes, how a nih.gov study showed that 81% of type two diabetics were able to reduce their medication or get off of it all together based on dietary change, specifically going on a ketogenic diet.

    And similarly, someone with situational depression might benefit from pharmacological intervention if they can't remove themselves from a situation. A friend of mine was in an abusive relationship and until they were able to get their ex to move out they had to be on pretty intense antidepressants to stay under control. Once the ex moved out things got better, but the meds were necessary to bridge that gap. It's not always either-or.

    You bring up a good point, that sometimes solutions come from hard internal work and changing attitudes/perceptions. For me, I benefit from mindfulness etc, but I do have periods of poor functioning because I'm in a general state of stress all the time (6 years of grad school hello) plus periodic hormonal swings cause really bad symptoms, so that's why I would consider other solutions; but yes there are other ways I manage my depression. Mental health is just a hugely complex beast, and depression is so different from one person to another, and sometimes the symptoms can interfere with daily functioning and prevent someone from being able to treat the causes. And sometimes the causes are biological. Or sometimes the causes are unsolvable. It's great that you found non-drug ways to handle your depression, but the same might not work for every person.
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