citalopram made me gain weight

Hi so glad i found this site,i took citalapram for 5 weeks nearly 3 years ago for depression,they instantly made me binge eat!! Before citalapram iwas very slim and exercised a lot and felt great,i had such bad side effects that i stopped taking citalapram[they also made me suicidal]  But unfortunately i have carried on binge eating,was not on any anti depressants for a couple of years and still the binging!! I am now on dosulepin and they are not as severe as citalapram but the binging is still with me.

thanks for that info Kerry, I'm so sure that this med causes weight gain eventhough my doc doesn't agree and i'm sure it i causing me to be depressed now rather than what caused the depression and anxiety 2 yrs ago. I've gone from 55kg to 65 kg in 2 yrs. I work out for 1.5 hrs 5 days a week. I don't eat sweets or junk food, nothing in my diet has changed to cause weight gain, i exercise more now than i ever have before. I've gone down to half tablet for 8 weeks will now go to 1/4 . I have always been 50 to 55 kg none of my clothes fit me and it's effecting my relationship with my partner as i don't wont to be seen naked, i have a family reunion that i don't want to got to. It amazes me how many people put on weight for no reason while taking citalapram and docs insist that it isn't the cause!!  It hasn't caused appetite increase for me at all, I probably eat a bit less due to my busy lifestyle and I don't binge eat at all, it has to be the meds

I am a female who just turned 40 yrs old. I've been taking Citalopram for several months as well. I have gained approx 10 lbs. Despite walking daily and cutting out unnecessary snacking I seem to be packing on the weight. It would be extremely nice to find a medication that didn't do this.

I have been on citalopram for three months and gained 14 pounds. My weight has always been a steady 110 so this is huge. I'm eating and exercising the same as before and have decided the bouts of depression are preferable to my growing ass and boobs... I've been on 10mg a day

I've gained 14 pounds in 3 months. I've never been over weight and my weight didn't used to fluctuate. Exercise and appetite the same so it's definitely the 10mg citalopram which I'm now stopping

The same thing happened to me. I took Citalopram a lot longer, for nearly 2 years (stopped in 2010) and was so misguided at the time to not connect it to my new, uncontrollable appetite and 80lb weight gain until it was too late. Now it's 3 years later, just like you, and I still have the eating and weight problems and have felt like the Citalopram changed something in my on a more permanent basis too.

Hi

UPDATE - UPDATE

Once I came completely off Citalopram my depression and anxiety returned ten fold needless to say I opted to take 20 mg and to be honest, yes, I have gained some weight however with the knowledge of what the drug causes I am more cautious and try to be careful and make conscious decisions to eat not just keep eating.

I would much rather have peace of mind and an extra half a stone with curves than feel low and depressed.

For me it is about mind set and acceptance.

Hope this helps just one person.

:-)

This has been very helpful for me to hear your experience on citalopram. I have been on it for 10 months and I have gained so much weight that I am afraid to step on the scale. Starting tomorrow I am going to begin weaning myself off of these and see how that goes. I just went up a size about a month ago and they are already feeling tight on me. Good luck to all...

I have gained almost 4 stone on citalipram over 12 yrs and find dieting has little or no effects

Thank-you for the different situations.  Am on it for hot flushes post cancer treatment and though it worked first out it seems to have stopped and am just a bad as I was before and on top of that I am just getting bigger and bigger and bigger - up to 83 kg now and started out 2 months ago at 80 and was loosing weight at that time.  going to see the doc to sort this out.

Hi, i was on citalopram for about 18 months and gained nearly 2 and a half stones, i wasnt warned this could happen. When i came off them as i felt better the weight Just fell off which then made me realise it was the meds that made me gain the weight. Im suffering from bad anxiety again and im considering taking them again but dont want my weight to balloon, i really dont know what to do!!!

Over the past year I gained 30 lbs while on citalopram. And, before that I had to over eat in order just to maintain a decent weight.  I am switching to Sertraline after being on citalopram during the past 3 years.  I worked hard to lose 125 lbs 4 years ago and I simply can't go back to being fat again.

Kerry, your post is extremely helpful and should be clearly stated with the medication insert. I have been on and off Citalopram for 15 years. I actually used to lose weight when on the medication but this time, I gained. Other unwanted side effects are HAIR LOSS and SKIN PROBLEMS, every time. Also the apathy is pathetic. ;) At first you feel like you are on vacations from the worries of this world but then you slowly realize that you are not even caring about things you need to get done (job change, tax declaration, keeping up with friends). But when people want to get off Citalopram they make the mistake of going cold turkey. WARNING! Not only will you get the physiological effects but you may make some very bad decisions which change your life. It's not just about you, think about your loved ones and the stability you all need in your life to avoid depression, panic, etc. Be responsible. SOLUTION - Just as Kerry says, reduce the dosage by 1/2, each time for 10-14 days. And try ST JEAN'S WORT instead of Citalopram. It is a natural antidepressant you can take for winter blues, difficult periods, etc which is NOT addictive and which has no weight, hair, skin, psychotic side effects. For panic attacks, consider RESCUE REMEDY. Both of these medications are OTC. Unless you are seriously contemplating hurting yourself, you probably can do without Citalopram. Be good to yourselves

Hello Fellow Guest,
I know it is hard having to choose between anxiety and weight control.
If you already started taking a prescription medication which works for you, continue that and please disregard this message. If you have not started one, and are still panicking, there are natural solutions which have been used for centuries. Depression, like childbirth, is not new and we don't always need the medical world to take over with cesareans and Citalopram.

Please consider the potent St John's Wort. It works like Citalopram, without the side effects. And also look into Rescue Remedy, which can alleviate the panicking. Avoid caffeine and sugar, keep up the outdoor exercise and talk to friends daily.

Hi Guest

Thank you for your kind words. I am now getting my weight under control as I prefer to remain taking Citalopram (20mg) the outbursts of angry and overwhelming anxiety are better controlled by citalopram. I know how to eat healthily yet I found the citalopram did encourage cravings for carb rich foods and sweets - I weight 12 stones and I was 9.5 stones pre Citalopram - largely due to not eating when depressed, I may add - I have returned to Slimming World classes as i find the support and encouragement there a God send and now I have control of my eating and late night 'crisp eating binges' kicked into touch- The best thing to do is to find YOUR way of coping - My plan may not work for everyone and on good days I too consider coming off the citalopram and when I fill my head with everyone else's experiences too but then i think back to the chaos and black moods of anxiety and depression and I feel better about the way our modern scientists have assisted the pressures of the modern world we live in.

I agree if you can try and do things naturally then do it but in my humble opinion without the intelligence and dedication of many scientists and pharmacists the World would be full of more sick people and more suicides would occur.

Hope that helps just one person.

I will keep updating -

PS Exercise helps my mood too :-)

Kerry