Anyone else on anti-depressants and feel like it's made you

Options
ash_rae84
ash_rae84 Posts: 2
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, my name is Ashley and I just started using this site. I have always been very fit, even after my first child. I had my second child in August 2010 and i gained 65lbs with that pregnancy. I managed to loose 55lbs within the first 4 months and then i started taking zoloft for post partum depression. I started at 50mg and I am now at 100mg. It has been 11 months since I started and i have gained 36lbs! I workout everyday and i eat healthy most of the time (i usually have 1 cheat day a week). I am so frustrated and i am starting to think it may be the meds. My mood has improved so much on them that i would be scared to come off of them however the weight gain is depressing in itself. Has anyone else experienced something like this? Any suggestions?

Replies

  • shovav91
    shovav91 Posts: 2,335 Member
    Options
    Zoloft made me gain as well, as did Lexapro. My only suggestion is to try to transition to another antidepressant, although I know it can be scary when things are going so well with your mood. Unfortunately, I think you may just have to decide between the medicine and dropping all of the weight. I truly wish I had better advice. The only other thing I can think of is possibly lowering your dose and combining it with regular exercise- it may stabilize your mood. Feel free to message me with any additional questions!
    -Elle
  • Umeboshi
    Umeboshi Posts: 1,637 Member
    Options
    It's REALLY common for antidepressants to increase your appetite and make you gain weight. :( I'd suggest asking your psychiatrist or doctor about it.
  • EmmaRankmore
    EmmaRankmore Posts: 125
    Options
    I'm on antidepressants as well, and I feel the same thing - like they've made me put some weight on. So what I did was lower my dose a little bit but increased my exercise a fair bit and ate better - that helped me a little. I decided in the end though, that I'd rather be a bit overweight and happy rather than depressed and skinny. You have to make that decision for you. Talk to your doctor about it though, there may well be another option for you. Good luck with it all though, and remember we are here for you if you need us :)
  • RagtimeLady
    RagtimeLady Posts: 172 Member
    Options
    Go look at my profile! My doc put me on some seriously bad meds after I had lost MORE THAN 100 POUNDS. I gained about 50 back - 30 right away. I went off the meds, but the depression was terrible. Earlier this year, while researching Cymbalta for joint pain (yes, in some people it causes weight gain), I read some user reviews on Wellbutrin. It increases the levels of dopamine and norepinephrine, and has actually caused weight loss in many patients. I asked my doc for it and it has literally given me my life back! It's hard to get used to, even harder to get off of, and I have NO desire to get off of this stuff. For the first time in years, I feel like myself again! Look at my diaries - see what I'm doing, especially exercise. This medication is a gift from God! If you decide to try it, ask me privately for the schedule to increase it - most docs make you go way too fast.

    Cheers!
  • DimplesInProgress
    DimplesInProgress Posts: 149 Member
    Options
    I defiantly feel the same way about Zoloft.. i was on Cymbalta before and the same thing. I jumped up 15-20 pounds when i started each of them. I have been on Zoloft for a while now and I am pretty adjusted to it... All I can say is that maybe you will get to a point where your body is used to the drug and then you can start to work back down? That's what I have done, but I know everyone is different! good luck! And stay happy!
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
    Options
    I gained 10 lbs when I went on Celexa, but I'm still on it and have been losing a pound a week or so.
  • marye2
    marye2 Posts: 25
    Options
    I started taking Pristiq about two years ago when I went through a bout of severe depression. I was also taking Abilify for anxiety but have since gone off of it because it was making me way too tired. I gained close to 40 lbs in a year and was miserable. With the urging of my sister, I went to an endocronologist and found out that I have an under active thyroid. The thing is that depression and hypothyroidism have similiar symptoms and most doctors do not check for it. You may want to look into it.
  • Rairarun
    Rairarun Posts: 5 Member
    Options
    I use prozac. It is one of the oldest antidepressants and it works. It actually decreased my appitite. Ive been on it for five months and have not gained any. I love it.
  • JenniferH007
    JenniferH007 Posts: 76
    Options
    i was on zolfot for 8 years and my weight was over 220 pound and and this year i have gotten off all my anit depression med and anit anxity med zolfot cause major side effect my addice is to get some modivation cd to listion to i listen to a guy by the name of Ed Foreman at night to retrain my brain and and one more i woke up and said i love where i am i am happy with my self check his web sit out listen to soft relaxing music anything to get your mind off the world working out should help if you have any q please mess me i was on 6 med i am now only taken 2 i have faith you can do it if you beleve in your self.
  • ash_rae84
    ash_rae84 Posts: 2
    Options
    Thank you all for your responses! I appreciate you sharing your experiences and advice with me. I am definitely going to talk to my doctor about the meds and having some other testing done :)
  • mvilla2426
    mvilla2426 Posts: 93
    Options
    I'm on an anti-depressant/anti-anxiety, an anti-psychotic, and a mood stabilizer (which doubles as my seizure medication) and medication for my neuropathy and other pain/problems. More than one of those causes weight gain. However I'd much rather have the weight gain than to be where I was before the medication. And then, of course I need the other medication for obvious reasons.

    EDIT: However, I do plan on talking to my psych. about it next visit, provided we have time (I just switched psychs.)

Categories