citalopram made me gain weight

I found this site, and found comfort that I wasnt on my own, but what I havent found is any recommendation for an alternative. I am now off Citalopram and through Weight Watchers very slowly loosing weight. However, I did actually feel mentally better with the medication, but I don't want to take anything if it means putting weight on. My doctor is very nice but not overly sympathetic and I think believes that I should take some medication - the spin side of this is that I dont really want to be taking any medication at all. I wish someone with a medical background could explain and suggest a better alternative to Citalopram. Is there a natural anti depressant that works?

 

I've stopped taking Citalopram. 

I started over a year and a half ago and I my weight crept up to 90kg.  I've always had a high metabolism and could eat most things and burn them off.  I started going to the gym as I felt some benefit from the tablets but no matter what, I could not achieve the same visible effects as I did when I wasn't taking them and my weight stayed around the 82/3kg mark (I've always been around 77).

I decided to stop the tablets.  It has been four weeks and I've lost 3.5kg.  It could be a coincidence but I've not been to the gym and my work is fairly desk based so I tend to agree that they make you put some weight on.

I feel fantastic though.  I don't doubt they work, I just felt they were not giving any benefit.  They fixed something but I hope to never have to take an antidepressant again.  Mental illness is dreadful, doesn't discriminate and I can tell you, I would much rather have my hand cut off than feel the way I did.

Best of luck to those taking the drug and your recovery.

 

Dan,

you are not alone i'm on 40 and im going to slowly cut down, i have gained so much weight, i,m not fat but im big for me, take it slow and don't stop suddenly.

I'm taking the same medicine and it made just eat more and gain weight. People had told me that I gain weight since the last time they saw me.

I hvae been taking Citrilopram for 18months and although i havent gained any weight, i cannot seem to loose any depsite my activity and health diet. I also have to take singulair for my asthma, the doctor has said this could be the reason for not loosing weight and would love to come off the tablets, but i also know i am not ready yet!

I have been on Citalopram for about two years now. I started at 118lbs (I'm 5'5") and I never went to the gym or had to watch what I ate. I am now pushing 150 lbs and I am COMPLETELY disgusted. I eat sooo much better than I ever have in my life and I even exercise now, but the weight WON'T STOP! I am calling my doctor on Monday and switching. I hate the way I look now and I would much rather have a little anxiety than be this huge. What's the point in taking an AD if it makes me more depressed about myself than I was before. Not worth it!!

I have been taking citalopram for many years and like most of you; gained weight.  I am a 42 year old male.Is there certain foods that shouldn't be eaten along with citalopram which may cause more weight gain or is it just a common side effect which we all need to monitor what we eat. Any comments? 

 

 

The point that so many people ask this question is in itself significant.  

 

I've been on Citalopram for three years and yes gained weight.  I dropped the dose at Chrismas and for the first time in three years the creeping weight has stopped and a diet is actually working albeit slow.  20mg down to 10mg.

Now I am on phase two of dropping the dose to 5mg a day.  I believe this is the lowest I can go without  rebounding back into depression again.  It is not advisable to stop taking any anti D's if you are prone to depression, a maintenance dose might be advisable.  I have opted for 5mg.  

 

The NHS  run free weight loss clinics and I joined one.  By keeping a strict food diary it became apparent that I, like many, started to crave carbs and my metabolism slowed.    Looking back over the three years my diet had changed and so had my energy levels.I lacked oomph and libido.  I use to be super fit and loved exercise but over the last three years some strange tiredness has struck me.  It creeped up on me, nothing over-night.  

I have reverted back to more veg and fruit and find I have missed them.  I do allow myself a carb day once a week by way of rice and pasta.  A dietitian told me that a perpetual diet is soul destroying as we as humans love our food.  So a normal eating day once twice a week does no harm, plus it helps ups and maintains a healthy metabolism. So really I diet five six days a week and then eat normal carbs for my gender.

I now force myself to do some exercise but do not go over the top.  Three bouts of twenty minutes a week to start, this is a very fast walk around a local park.  I am about to do hydro-therapy once/ twice a week, (look it up on you tube, most pools will let you wear the shoes for support, just give them a ring and ask.  Shoes are relatively cheap, £7-10). hydro therapy is good for those who have joint problems due to weight gain (my back got it!).

 

I am on day two of 5mg and feel the effects already....but more like a head cold, so could be a head cold lol.

I will let peeps know how weight and cravings are going over the next couple of months.  would be good if a few of us do this as it may prove useful all round.

Racs

i started this medication about 6 months ago and in that time i have gained 1 stone and half stone:( i agree that this just adds to the issues you are aready carrying. this is the biggest i have been in years, i exercise but because i feel tired all the time i feel im eating for extra energy, and when i do eat i struggle to feel full so i feel i am binge eating, i have become greedy. 

I am terrified of stopping the medication, or trying something new because of how mentally poorly i had become and the terrable side effects i went through when i began the medication. i do feel i need to try a new type so that i can get back to a personally happy weight and keep my new happy positve brain, without stress and worry.

 

:)  

I started taking 20mg of citalopram in 2010 and immediately gained 10lbs despite being in the gym regularly.  When my dose was increased to 40mg, I gained another 10lbs, then it plateaued.  I've never been fat and now none of my clothes fit despite cutting out junk food. 

I was recently prescribed citalopram to treat ptsd and depression. However I have only been taking for a few days and after reading about some of the horrendous weight gain others have experienced, have decided I'm probably better off without it. I have also had terrible insomnia, taking a long time to fall asleep and then waking up to 6 times a night before waking completely hours earlier than usual. I have never experienced insomnia like this before and its making my depression worse. I have found within half an hour of taking the tablet they give me a wonderful floaty happy feeling, than numb me. I still feel, but something that would have sent me into a panic before is only a mild annoyance and I feel pretty apathetic and a bit stoned truth be told lol. However the combination of weight gain/insomnia is not worth the benefit to me, not to mention how difficult it is to withdraw them. I'm thinking of just keeping the tablets as one offs for particularly bad days, since they seem to affect me pretty much instantly rather than take them every day.

my doctor told me that weight gain is a side effect, i was on 2 pills and like you couldn't loose the weight, so a year later I have dropped to 1 pill and my doc has advised me to stay on that 1 pill for about 6months and then doc & I will re look at it. you should stop slowly as that also has BAD side effects.

Hi Kerry,
Yes this is the way my dr told me to wean off, but he wants me to go.....
20mg down to 10mg for 6months, then down to 5mg for 6months, down to 5mg every second day then the same every 3rd day then every 4th day then none etc ....but these are to be done in 6 month jumps Cheers

me too! I am now 60 pounds over my weight!

This is making things make sense to me. I went on citalopram nearly two years ago because my dad died, and i put on weight not actually thinking it could be because of these tablets, i came off the tablets about 3 weeks ago and i feel thinner (don't look it yet) but i feel it, and as low self esteem dies not help depression and anxiety i would prefer to not take them. The tablets only number me from reality that im better off and healthier facing