how to lose weight gained from antidepressants

sorry to say, I was on Prozac in 2000 and after gaining 30-40 pounds very quickly, I stopped it. It is now 12 years later and I have tried various diets, I exercised 6 days a week for years, and I even did ballroom dancing about 3 days a week and nothing helped. I went to a doctor to find out about it, because I had read on the Internet that a side effect of Prozac was increased breast size. My breasts were growing a lot and still are. I went from 38C to 38 DDDD in the last 12 years. He said, after I pushed him for an answer, that some antidepressants will cause a shift in metabolism that does not shift back and that the only way to fix that is to medically treat someone as if they are hypothyroid, even if tests do not indicate that. And he said he would not do that because it was unethical. (but giving people antidepressants like they are candy, and then chastising them for gaining weight is okay?)

Guest wrote:

Lady Penelope wrote:

Regarding Cipralex and weight gain - I have been on Cipralex for a year. Anxiety-wise it's been wonderful, but I have gained 10 kg. Would really like to know if this has happened to anyone else and what their GP's suggested they do about it. Not prepared to come off Cipralex as it's been a life saver!

I am also on cipralex and it has been a great drug for me but the weight gain is terrible. I exercise everyday and since July have gained 10 lbs. I hate the weight. I will consult my Dr. and see if there is something else I can take. good luck. kitt

me too - on Cipralex well over a year now - 15lbs there that should not be - but yes,...it has been a lifesaver as well...today I spoke with my pharmacist who said maybe a conversation with my doctor about switching to Fluoxetene (used to be Prozac) ? - so will research that,...and book appt with doctor and see what she says.

from jan - jul/11 I lost 17 lbs and in feb/12 went on ciprelax for anxiety and have now gained it all back. Talk about making me feel worse. I worked so hard for it and now its all back.

I totally agree with this. I have gained 30 lbs. since starting Cipralex. I don't know why they claim it doesn't cause weight gain because it did for me. When I see those comments on their site, I felt guilty and blamed myself for the extra weight. Now I feel better about it by reading what you wrote.

I also eat very healthe (weight watchers) and exercise with a rowing machine but to no avail so I am ready to just eat what I want. Reading about the withdrawl symptoms scares me about getting off the pills. Catch 22 situation if there ever was one.

I did go off them over 3 wks, was taking 10mg went to 1/2 every day for a wk then 1/2 everyother day and then every third then done.....now have to watch i don't become a raving 'b*&^*h but going back on weight watchers with my spouse to lose the 20 lb's + I had already lost

I have been on 150 mg of fast acting wellbutrin for about 3 years and I have gained about 30 lbs in that time.  They say that Wellbutrin is "weight neutral", but that is NOT the case for me.

I now spend every day of my life thinking about my weight - from sunrise to sundown.  I workout all of the time, I went vegetarian (almost vegan soon) about a year ago, I eat hemp/chia/maca smoothies everyday, I am taking different supplements.  I cook a lot and eat very low carb and high protein.  I am very active.  I told my doctor about this and she said it could cause weight gain, but then asked me "would you rather be overweight and happy or skinny and miserable?"  I couldn't believe it!!

I am glad to hear that I am not the only one who has gained weight on Wellbutrin and antidepressants.  I am very wary to get off of this medication though because the thought of being the person I was like before is very scary to me.  I had overwhelming anxiety and some phobia/fear like problems before I got on Wellbutrin.  It even cost me a couple of jobs.  

It seems like I am in a better place now anxiety related and feeling better, but I am pretty scared to even try to get off of this drug.  But, I don't know how much longer I can take never being able to lose weight again.  I have NEVER had this problem!  Anxiety/depression is very rampant in my family and a lot of my family members take medication.  I am scared. : (

I am going to look into South Beach or Atkins for vegetarians.  I don't know what to do anymore..: ( : (

Anyone??

I was on anti anxiety and anti depressants, and gained 10 kilos. While weight is a concern to me, I am more glad that I can function independently. My folks prefer to disgaree the reason I am plum in is due to medicines, and often chide me that I am eating too much. I tried to understand the mechanism of action of the medicines, tried to control my diet. But its the uncontrollable craving that needs to be controlled, and no I cannot control, I just tend to eat, it just happens. When I am off medication, a little stress is enough to cause weight loss. After medication, I am back to 'normal' ;).  

oh My, I thought I was the only one. I have been taking cipralex just under a year and in the last 5 months, I have gained 40pounds.. which for me is ridiculous. I workout every day, run 1/2 marathons and eat healthy. I have never in my life been this heavy. My dr insists that cipralex is the "one" antidepressant that does not cause weight gain.. I disagree, but it has been so helpful in my mental state, I REALLY dont want to go off them, but then again this agressive weight gain isn't helping my mental state either, , I wish there was a way to still maintain a healthy weight and still be happy.

my pharmacist mentioned a few other anti-anxiety meds that do not induce weight gain so maybe ask and then you can have a couple of name to toss at your doctor and research yourself. I've been off now since end of july and recently joined weight watchers which is how I lost my 20lbs last year (and gained back on meds) so giving it another shot

I want to point out, lexapro was the only SSRI that worked and had hardly any side effects EXCEPT for the weight gain. I gained 30lbs on it. i strictly stopped the lexapro to lose the weight, i ended up in ER because i was soo unstable. I am now debating on going back on the medication even tho it bloats me like a fish. I guess its a catch 22.

My husband died in January, 2010, massive coronary.  After his death, I had very little appetite, and lost about 20 pounds.  Over the next year and 1/2 I stayed at about the same weight, no matter what I ate.  Last Dec I started taking Cipralex for depression.  The second anniversary of my husbands death was coming and I was not coping very well.  The cipralex helped, but I have gained weight, about 25 pounds.  I have now taken myself off of cipralex, about 2 weeks now.  I am feeling all right emotionally, the third anniversary of his death is coming up in January, but I seem to have turned a corner, and cope better than a year ago.  In the summer I started to try to lose the weight I had put on, tried WW and Slimfast, and while I did not really lose, I did not gain.  I sort of gave up on losing, and started noticing that no matter how little or much I ate, I was gaining again slowly.  That is when I started reading up on Cipralex, and found it was one of the antidepressants that could cause weight gain.  My doctor had told me when he prescribed it, that it might affect my appetite, and I might lose weight.  Boy was he wrong.  As I said, I have been totally off the medication for two weeks.  I am feeling fine, but am sure some of the Cipralex may still be in my system.  I guess my question is this....after going off antidepressants, what will happen with this weight gain, will I have to struggle to lose it, or because no longer taking the Cipralex, will I gradually lose back to my weight when I started taking it. I would like to hear from someone who has lost the weight after coming off antidepressants, and hear how long it took, and what you did to lose the weight.  Some things I read about weight gain on Cipralex indicated that something in the drug slowed down the metabolism, so I am wondering that when the drug is out of system, the metabolism will go back to normal.  Any thoughts on any of this will be appreciated.  Thanks

Hi there - since I started this blog I thought I would reply - I have been off my meds since end of July/12 and last year July I had lost 20 lbs thru WW (Jan/11-Jul/11) it took some time but did it slowly and kept it off till I went on meds this past march/12 then gained it all back. I have started back on WW beginning of Oct and its the only one that did work for me, its gradual and healthy and if you give it another shot stay for the meetings they make a big difference. You may not have been totally ready the last time with the emotion part of dealing with your husbands death, but you sound like now your ready to do some things for yourself and WW would be a good start to connect with some new people as well as lose the weight. Good Luck it does work I'm already down 4 lbs.

Thought I would share some info from my spin instructor who is also a nurse.

She told me it takes about 6 months to get Cipralex out of your system.....don't know about you all, but that helps me to know not to expect immediate results, but that they will come, just hang in there!

I too have experienced significant weight gain, 30 pounds being on Cipralex (30mg) (from Sept 2010 to Oct 2012).  Finally put two & two together.  I am weaning off slowly, dropping 5mg every 3 weeks. (Currently at 20mg, down to 15mg in 4 days.)  My doctor  was going to switch me over to another SSRI once I am down to 10mg, but after reading all your posts,  I REALLY want to try it on my own without drugs so that I can lose this weight.

My body is VERY stubborn.  I work out 3+ days a week, boxing, spin, running, trained & ran a marathon in May 2012, but can't lose a single pound!  Who does that!  It took me a year (Nov 2006-Nov 2007) to lose 53 pounds on Herbal Magic, and I learned how to eat to maintain it.  So I am confident that once it gets out of my system I will see a weight loss.

Hopefully the above helps to relieve the frustration/wondering when to expect results from being off Cipralex.

 

walk on a tred mill at least 3 times a week for 1/2 hour.....don't eat junk foods......have a fruit for dessert. Eat fruits, at least 2 a day

I have been on anti-depressions for 20 years. I am slim, healthy and most important feel great (in my head)

The posts related to Cipralex are very interesting as I had been led to believe it is "weight neutral." In fact, during the first 3 months I was on it, I actually lost 10# and was very encouraged about this drug. I thought it was a miracle to find something that not only helped my mental state, but also fascilitated a small weight loss.

Now, after being on Cipralex for 17 months I am 40# heavier than when I started it, and I am very worried and becoming depressed about the health ramifications of living with this weight.

After reading this blog I think it is time to reduce my dosage from 20 mg. to 10 mg, and then possibly begin to wean off altogether. The crisis that got me on this drug in the first place has been resolved for the most part, or perhaps I can cope with it better now that some time has passed.

Could anyone tell me what the side effects of weaning off the drug was like for them? i will see my doc once I've reduced dosage successfully.
Thank you :)