Antidepressant weight gain...
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kuregrl
Posts: 5 Member
I've been taking Pristiq 50mg for almost a year now and have gained 12 lbs all in my belly. I watch what I eat but my belly stays big. I've always been thin my whole life at 115lbs really flat belly...I tried to stop the medicine but had nad withdrawls and horrible anxiety. This was my last option of anxiety drugs my primary care doctor could try with me since we tried so many others. Next step would be to see a psychiatrist...anyone have success losing weight after stopping Pristiq?
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Replies
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I'm here to follow this thread. I stopped taking Lexapro back in October after a 30 pound gain. My anxiety has both its controllable and incontrollable moments so I understand!2
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Work with a psychiatrist. They know a lot more than a GP. There are medications that work that don't cause weight gain. Wellbutrin for example7
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My GP had said we could try to get me into a psychiatrist but that it would be expensive and difficult. The belly fat makes me want to stop, but when I did the amxiety returned with a vengeance!0
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Were you tracking your calories and logging all food during this time of weight gain? I ask because that makes a difference in what you need to look for as a solution.
Some patients taking antidepressants find their hunger increases as a side effect, therefore they consume more calories and gain weight.5 -
I wasn't tracking anything as I never have in the past, I've always been naturally thin, I could eat whatever I wanted. However I cut out sweets and junk food to see if it would help and it hasn't. I also do take wellbutrin which is supposed to help offset the weight issue but it doesnt help yet.3
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I wasn't tracking anything as I never have in the past, I've always been naturally thin, I could eat whatever I wanted. However I cut out sweets and junk food to see if it would help and it hasn't. I also do take wellbutrin which is supposed to help offset the weight issue but it doesnt help yet.
It’s not the kind of calories that matter in the end, but the total amount. An energy surplus (too much food) cause weight gain.
Anti-depressants can cause an increase in appetite. And simultaneously, the depression can cause you to be lethargic and less active than usual. Double whammy. But the drugs themselves on their own don’t cause weight gain, they can’t create calories from nothing. But they can cause behavior changes which can lead to weight gain, along with the depression.
Understanding how much energy you’re expending and how much you’re taking in can help rebalance the equation for you.
Seeing a therapist could be helpful in moving through the depression. Generally, therapy and medication should go hand in hand in helping people recover from depression. Developing and enhancing coping skills really helps with depressive episodes as well as diverting the mind away from eating. Many of us eat when depressed, I know I have!
Set MFP to lose .5 pounds per week, set it to the correct activity level (according to your daily job—exercise is not counted here) and enable negative calorie adjustments, log your food (weigh all solids on a food scale including yogurts, frozen foods, slices of bread and eggs; and use measuring cups and spoons for all liquids, connect a fitness tracker if you have one and you want to, and eat back 50% of your exercise calories to start.
Understand that weight loss isn’t linear. No one loses weight every day, regardless of what they eat or don’t eat. Water weight fluctuates, hormones play a role, as does salt and food waste. Trust the process and give it at least four weeks.
Slow and steady wins the race. Weight loss is a marathon, not a sprint. You’ll get there!3 -
I am no expert but I had an experience a few years ago on Prozac. I actually lost weight because I think I'm a stress eater. I lost for about 3 months then regained it as my body adjusted to the meds. I only share this because I'm wondering if your gain could work the same. Perhaps once your body adjusts the gain might come off. Still I agree that you need to track how many calories you are eating in the meantime because I know many people on mental health drugs do gain weight. Good luck and I hope you get your anxiety under control.0
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Thanks all the medicine is for anxiety not depression even though thats what Pristiq is technically for, it does help my anxiety but im always tired now and so he added wellbutrin but so far still tired. Not good when I have a 4 year old and 2 year old!0
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Have you talked to your Dr about Cymbalta (duloxetine) or Effexor (venlafaxine)? They are in the same class of drugs (SNRI) as the Pristiq - maybe you'd tolerate them better?0
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I have take my fair share of anxiety and antidepressant medications. I was taking Zoloft and found I gained a lot of weight when I was on it.. mostly due to the fact I had no energy and would hardly leave my house apart from to work! I also craved a lot more sugar during that time and was consuming more soda calories than food at times0
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I have been on every antidepressant, celexa, Effexor, Zoloft, Wellbutrin... never gained weight until I began Effexor. Between sept 2017 & today, I have gained 30+ lbs from Effexor!! Never have I ever had rapid weight gain from any other antidepressant until this one!! I am on day 2 cold turkey quitting the Effexor. I haven’t been this heavy since I was 7mo pregnant. And I’m feeling pretty discouraged. I’ve watched everything I’ve ate for a week, only drinking water, & still gained 2 pounds!! That’s when I realized the Effexor had to go! But now, it’s kind of like choosing to be very heavy, or feeling depressed! I hate this!!!2
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But please remember, all antidepressants (ssri) can potentially cause weight gain. It just depends how your body reacts & everybody is different.
Ssri medications work in/around the same region of your brain that control food/hunger, happiness and cravings. When you feel sad, you might eat. When you’re finally feeling better, you might eat. everybody is made differently some lose & some gain! I have noticed on medications I crave more carbs, & sweets!!! It’s killing me. I have been logging for a week, every little candy & drink, but I’ve still gained 2 lbs in 7 days & have been trying my best.. I’m very discouraged0 -
I have had anxiety and depression for over 30 years - since I was a teenager. I've spent thousands of dollars trying doctors and medications - you name it, I tried it - none of which have worked. Many of which caused more harm - for example - Effexor caused my jaw to lock and now I've dealt with ear pain from it for years. Cymbalta had me in the bathroom all night long.
Everyone is different and what worked for me may not work for you, but I want to share my story. Living with anxiety and depression like I did is not truly living. Maybe someone will get something out of my story that will help.
In the last 2 years I have found my own way to a peaceful, happy life. I chose to put myself first for a change and thought about what do I want out of life. I've always been a people pleaser and taking care of others and my needs always came last.
I eventually revamped every area of my life. Here are a few of my changes:
1. My relationships - I cut toxic people who would cut me down constantly out of my life. If they were family, I now limit contact, but have a civil relationship. I don't let anyone hurt me anymore.
2. Exercise - I move my body for 20 min or more most days of the week. The more anxious I feel the more I move. If I'm feeling low, I tell myself that I'll just stretch that day, but most times end up doing more once I'm moving.
3. Diet - more Omega-3s. I've read studies that showed depression can be helped by these. One was on tv a while back- people were given so many servings of salmon a week and their depression lessened significantly. I like supplementing with Barlean's Omega-3 oils for when there isn't enough in my diet in a day.
4. Hobbies - I found hobbies that I LOVE! Spending time on them gets my mind off all the anxious thoughts that my brain loves to try to focus on as does exercise.
5. Relaxation - I do meditation and breathing for my anxiety. If I am able to, I go for a walk. Have had a couple of anxiety attacks in two years, but it is MUCH improved from when I lived in constant fight or flight mode.
6. L-Tyrosine - I treated myself like a science experiment and tried over the counter depression and anxiety remedies like SAM-e which actually made me extremely anxious. I eventually found l-tyrosine which is a precursor for dopamine in the brain. After just 3 days on 1 pill (5oomg), I had an interest in life again. It was like something clicked in my brain. I had energy and was interested in doing stuff. I've gone off of it a couple of times in the past two years, just to see if it is still working, and realize that it is making a difference for me. (I found a research article that mentioned psychiatrists often tell their patients to take l-tyrosine along with Effexor. If I recall correctly, the Effexor depleted the dopamine in the brain).
I empathize with everyone who's ever dealt with depression and anxiety. People who have never had either have no idea how deeply it can effect your life.
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I wasn't tracking anything as I never have in the past, I've always been naturally thin, I could eat whatever I wanted. However I cut out sweets and junk food to see if it would help and it hasn't. I also do take wellbutrin which is supposed to help offset the weight issue but it doesnt help yet.
How long have you been taking the Wellbutrin, which one are you taking, and what strength?- I like the SR, which I find a little speedy, which helps motivate me to be active. It's normally taken twice per day but the later one interferes with my sleep and I just need the morning one.
- The immediate release was too speedy for me.
- I didn't like the XL.
AD and anxiety meds generally work the same way to help (or hinder) weight loss - they suppress (or increase) appetite and/or increase (or decrease) the desire to be active.
If you're eating below maintenance, you'll lose weight.
MFP makes it easy to track what you're eating, but you could do like my brother who is on heavy-duty psyche meds and gets around their appetite-increasing properties by simply increasing his activity level. He gained weight in a hospital setting while not being very active, and lost weight when he got home and started drumming, walking, and doing yard work again.0 -
Hey all update. I finally slowly got off the medicine. The weight gain made me depressed when i only had anxiety beforehand. However im still 12 pounds heavier than before I started the meds. I've been trying to do strength training 3x a week and cutting out sweets for 2 weeks now. However no weight loss yet, but my belly does seem not as bloated looking still not flat as it was before.1
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You need a calorie deficit to lose weight. It wasn't directly the meds, it was eating too much, which the meds may have helped along by increasing your appetite.1
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