how to lose weight gained from antidepressants

First - I have gained 15lbs in 6 months on this drug. I am a gym goer, and had cut all processed sugar out of my life prior to starting this medication. My carb cravings are intense to say the least. I would have thought that it was just the depression but my very fit friend started this drug near the same time as me and her weight has balloned - she has beer cravings - she is NOT a beer drinker. I have heard anecdotally that cravings intensify on this med. The side effects of going off this medication??? If you don't do it properly and medically supervised - anxiety, dizziness, fatigue and "brain zaps". Not fun at all. Do it with your dr's help.

Thanks Merrilt, it is really good to know I'm not alone with this "weight gain" side effect. I'm on day #4 of cutting back from 20 mg. to 10 mg. per day. I won't go off the med without my doc's supervision, but I really wanted to see what, if anything, a reduction in strength would do. So far nothing to report, but if I notice anything new I will share the information here.

Diane, I have been weaning off this drug successfully based on my doctors recommendations - 3 week increments Oct 10 @ 20mg, Oct 31 @ 15mg, Nov 10 @ 10mg, Nov 24 at 5mg. No side affects for me thus far doing it this way. Feeling great and mentally told myself that there may be ups and downs and not to let them spiral out of control. I'm excited to get totally off them..this week!

OMG was 174 the end of May. June 1st stopped taking antidepressants and gained 10lbs. in one month. I went back on immediately because I was getting married in August. Now I have stopped AD since end of August and have lost 2 lbs. only. It's been three months. OMG I know these pills caused my body to be out of wack. I never weighed this much after discharged from hospital with babies. I hope the weight will come off soon. Joined WW 2 weeks ago. I am so sad. I just want to go back to a somewhat normal weight.

When I questioned my gynecologist about weight gain as a side effect, he said it was weight neutral. After gaining 15 pounds, I asked my GP if it could be related to the Lexapro .... he told me the average weight gain is 9 pounds per year .... PER YEAR!!! I'm going off the Lexapro and will try to deal with the chest pain from anxiety on my own.

Poohbear, are you totally off the Cipralex by now...I imagine that you are since you last wrote on this blog in November.

I'm still taking 10 mg. day (down from 20 mg.) and really there is not much to complain about except for slightly restless legs in the evening. Since I am going on a trip soon I've decided to wait until that is over before cutting down anymore, such as to 5 mg. My appetite and cravings appear to have diminished on the lower dose of 10 mg.

How about you? Have you seen any reduction in appetite and/or cravings since you quit the meds altogether?

Diane

From what I have seen on this blog it is very important to reduce dosage very very slowly. I've been on 1/2 dosage (20 mg to 10 mg) for the past 8 weeks and still don't feel ready to lower it any further. Some go off cold turkey, but I don't see any point in doing that.
Diane

Hi Diane,

Yes I have been totally off Cipralex since Nov 24! I didn’t experience any brain zaps or problems, nothing like I have read about. I’m sure that is due to lowering them slowly as per Dr’s recommendation as I previously posted.

It’s going good! Twice over the past 6 weeks, I felt a bit over-stressed, so I took 5 mg each time and that took the edge off. I find that even if I do feel a bit of anxiety creeping in, once I go to bed, it’s like my brain re-sets itself over night…kind of like it has a memory of how it was on the Cipralex.

I haven’t lost any weight yet, BUT we were away on vacation for 2 weeks, all-inclusive and I didn’t gain a pound, so I know being off is helping. Plus I haven’t had the cravings I used to have to manage, which is a big help.

Personally, I am telling myself it could take a year to see all the weight come off, and possibly 6 months to see anything as it takes that long to get the meds totally out of my system. For me this is a way to help me not to get anxious/frustrated if I don’t see immediate results.

A girl I work with gained 50 pounds on her meds (not Cipralex, I think Paxel). She was off them for 8 months and dropped 30 pounds, watching what she ate the same way she had prior to her meds and after being off them…so that is encouraging to just hang in there…it will happen.

Hope that helps…I’ll keep you posted on how it’s going….hang in there, it’s worth it!

I agree. I have put on about 12 kg since being on prozac 20 mg in last 2 years, but also had hip replacement and hysterectomy in that time too. Nevertheless, I too would rather have the help / evenness, without anxiety, though I hate this weight gain. Prozac has been great for me. I agree its very possible to keep working on our weight if you exercise and eat properly. We still have to control and watch what goes passed our lips, especially as we get older ( I'm 50). ANYONE can weight watch - no excuses really. I believe it is totally feasible to lose weight on medications too. Otherwise we would just give up, and not try - and that's simply unwise = No quick solutions; simple.

My sister went on welbutrin and gained 15 lbs. in a month and a half. why tell us these drugs don't cause weight gain when they do. I have been on almost all different kinds and they have all made me gain weight.

I Have Been taking anti depression meds 4 The past 4 years n gain n gain im on Lexapro @ This time I Try to Loose The weight n i can t loose it anybody Have any answers Im Trying and Cant How Do I Loose it

I Take Leapro i eat healthy n walk everyother night n still looks like im not looosing what can i Do

I went on anti depressants in the summer sometime.... I think May?  I was on them for 7 months and gained 25 pounds suddenly and without warning or change.  I started exercising heavily, seeing a trainer 3 times week, exercising 2-3 times by myself, and eating 1500 calories a day (I'm a 5'5'' woman). 

 

I've been working harder than I ever have in a very very long time, and normally the weight would be coming off.  I went off cipralex cold turkey january 18th so it's been about 6 weeks and I haven't lost a single pounds.  People think that there's "no way" I can't be losing weight, and I'm getting desperate.  I was already too heavey at 160 and now that I'm 185 I feel like a blimp.  I'm having a hard time staying motivated because I'm working SO HARD for no change.  My trainer says I've gained 5 pounds, not lost any fat, or inches, since I started in October.

 

I'm panicking, I hate my body, and I have no idea what to do.  I thought the weight would be coming off by now, and my mood hasn't changed and I still feel fine.  My anti deprssants were for mild anxiety and that was all gone, and still is, when I was taking it.

 

any advice?  Am I doomed to be fat forever?

Hi can someone help me please, I have been on Prozac a year and have gained over 20 pounds. I'm so depressed, how do I loose the excess weight I have gained?! I have now stopped taking it cold turkey as the weight gain was really getting to me.

but I don't know what I can do to loose the weight I have out on? 

Someone please help :( 

I had the EXACT same side effect.  1 yr on Prozac = 20 lb weight gain.  These pounds are STUBBORN!  I worked out and kept up my healthy eating during that year and still gained that much weight.  I normally can work off excess weight no problem but these pounds are stubborn.  I have been off Prozac for 8 months and just now getting down to full 20 lbs but should not have taken me this long; I know my body.  Pounds gained from anti-depressants are difficult to shed and in some cases can be permanent (per other posts Ive read).