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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

If you take/took anti-depressants, which one worked best and did you gain weight?

74 replies

user298472938 · 09/08/2017 15:59

Posting here for more traffic. My question is;

If you take/took anti-depressants which one was best in terms of helping with depression and anxiety and with the fewest side effects such as weight changes (did you put on or lose weight) and sexual dysfunction?

I am seeing my GP next week and would like to do research into which one will work best for my mental health without putting on weight as I normally do on anti-depressants. Thanks.

OP posts:

Stressedoutandfedup · 09/08/2017 17:03

Citalopram 20mg. I loved it, it gave my brain a rest. I came off it when ttc and didn't go back on it despite saying I would as soon as I had dc. I sometimes feel that I might be less anxious on it but did put on 2.5 stone quickly.

I also put on weight on propranolol which did nothing for my anxiety

Fanjango · 09/08/2017 17:05

Interesting. My 12 year old son has just been put on sertraline for anxiety. As his issues keep him indoors I was worried about the possibility of weight gain. Looks like he should be okay from these responses.

Original poster

user298472938 · 09/08/2017 17:08

I also found Escitalopram very good for my depression but I put on almost a stone which I have found very difficult to lose. I wish I could get Wellbutrin here in the UK as it is supposed to be the best anti-depressant in terms of function and few side effects but for some reason you cannot get it on the NHS unless it is prescribed for giving up smoking.

OP posts:

hedwig2001 · 09/08/2017 17:14

Sertraline. Has worked wonders for my anxiety. Have put on a fair amount of weight, but more because my self control with food is diminished. I'm definitely eating more.

Crowdo · 09/08/2017 17:15

I take trazodone, which actually increases my sex drive. Although, it's has big sedative effects so doesn't help if you have more depression than anxiety as it will make you more tired.

It's been an absolute godsend to me though.

Skittlesss · 09/08/2017 17:16

Im on Duloxetine and Mirtazapine. I seem to be losing weight slowly.

Crowdo · 09/08/2017 17:16

Oh, and I haven't put on any weight at all with it. And it helps me sleep better.

IdoHaveAName · 09/08/2017 17:18

Agomelatine. No side effects. Saved my life.
Relatively unheard of in England.

fishonabicycle · 09/08/2017 17:19

I lost stupid amounts of weight on Prozac.

AlmostAJillSandwich · 09/08/2017 17:20

Ive tried prozac citalopram and ecitalopram unsucessfully.
Im now on a tca rather than an ssri ( i think tbey only give tca's when multiple ssri fail as they are more dangerous) but it has made a huge difference. Awful side effects tho, nausea and blurred vision an hour after taking, falling blood pressure and near fainting when i stand up, and awful heartburn unless i drink loads of water when taking it.

Ive never had weight gain on any of them

Teaformeplease · 09/08/2017 17:24

Everyone reacts differently. I've had some horrendous side effects on some SSRIs and had to stop taking them. Worst were Duloxetine which interfered with urine production and sertraline which made me hypothyroid. Best for me was fluoxetine but had to be on a high dose and it stopped working after a couple of years. I needed them but counselling has helped the most and I've been off them for 4 months now. Awful withdrawal symptoms when coming off. They are not magic bullets by any means.

iveburntthetoast · 09/08/2017 17:26

I'm bipolar so a bit of a different situation but I take agomelatine. No side effects and works for me. But it's not generally available on the NHS in Scotland. I had to get special permission/funding. It is funded in England, but I doubt a GP would prescribe it.

HappyUnicorn · 09/08/2017 17:26

Escitalopram; apparently less likely to suffer side affects than Citalopram but GP did not want to give it to me so he was overruled by psychiatrist. Have gained 10lbs but husband days he has his wife back now.

Good luck, OP

Stressedoutandfedup · 09/08/2017 17:33

I also seemed to experience hair thinning while on citalopram

crazycatgal · 09/08/2017 17:40

Sertraline - was on it for around 4 years and put on lots of weight. I wouldn't go on it again for this reason.

MargaretTwatyer · 09/08/2017 17:44

Venlaflaxine is brilliant and I have lost a lot of weight easily on it

Citalopram worked but put on lots of weight

Had terrible side effects on Sertraline, in particular sleeplessness

Marmalady75 · 09/08/2017 17:48

I put on weight with citalopram and found it hard to lose again.

WhiskyChick · 09/08/2017 17:50

I'm on citalopram and propranolol and weight has been constantly creeping up. For the past few months I've upped exercise and cut out so much food and weight had stayed the same. Can't say it's the tablets but I'm getting so frustrated

Badbadbird · 09/08/2017 17:52

Fluoxatine. Only for a few months. I actually lost weight on it.

Flowerpower321 · 09/08/2017 18:04

I've been on almost all of them at various times over the last 25 years- started with Prozac age 14 and have done all the ssris, several tricyclics, snris snd atypicals. Mirtazipine made me very very sleepy so I couldn't function (even on the less sedating higher dose). Coming off venlafaxine is the worst I have ever felt in my life (and I've been hospitalised for severe pain several times on morphine)- brain zaps, pain, pins and needles- worked brilliantly while I took it but was horrendous to come off. Lofepramine worked very well but I had to reduce the dose by 1/4 tablet per week (down from 3/day) and still had a day of vomiting unable to move each time so again- awful to come off. Imipramine also was ok but hard to come off. Have asked for agomelatine but been told it has to be prescribed by a psychiatrist (England) so gp won't do it. Also asked for tryptophan but it's been discontinued. Have taken 5htp from Amazon which didn't do much.

Currently on citalopram which is the only ssri I've tried that hasn't had sexual side effects, very few side effects in fact. Felt numb on most of the other ssris - this stops the hourly suicidal thoughts but I do still have feelings. Weight is a bit of a disaster area but I think that's due to steroids rather than anti depressants!

Mari50 · 09/08/2017 18:28

Sertraline- no weight gain, sex drive stayed intact, was slightly concerned about hair loss (a problem for me generally so I'm a bit paranoid), terrible brain shocks on withdrawal, terrible joint pain which was why I discontinued. Felt amazing on it.
Prozac/fluoxetine - killed my orgasm dead, didn't help moods much, no weight gain, wasn't on it v long.
Citalopram- no weight gain, sex drive intact, felt great, joint pain again.
I don't take any ssri's now and don't want to try tricyclics or other earlier A-D's. I go running now and I've dumped the bastard who was sexually and emotionally abusing me and I feel amazing.

clippityclock · 09/08/2017 18:28

Citalopram 3.5-4 stone weight gain in the space of 6 months! Very tired all the time and stopped taking it despite not really being well.

I've never really lost the weight but I can't say my diet is great tbh. After 4 years of no meds I'm now on prozac and just finished 4th week and the side effects are tailing off - awful loose stools for a few hours after, tired etc. Not noticed any weight gain as yet but according to research it normally happens when on them longer than 6 months.

I am beginning to feel better and have bought a mindfulness and CBT 8 week workbook that is supposed to be really good. Hopefully in 6 months I'll be okay again.

FreyaJade · 09/08/2017 20:14

I have recurrent depressive disorder among other things, and my psychiatrist put me on 300mg Venlafaxine modified release.

It's an SNRI (affects both the serotonin & noradrenaline).

It's the only thing that's worked for me... sometimes I still get a bit depressed but the tablets soon lift my mood, it's weird because I can't get too upset about things even if I want too!

No weight gain but there are some bad side effects.
For me it's been sleepiness & has affected some of my muscles i.e. My eye muscles get tired which gives me blurry vision so have to wear glasses with a new pair yearly (!) & also my bladder muscles are weaker so I have to take Oxybutynin to maintain continence.

So it's probably not the first anti depressant you would try; also it's quite expensive for Drs so I expect you would be given a different one first.

flippyflapper · 09/08/2017 20:57

Been on citalipram 8 years. 20mg

First 2 weeks had shakes felt sick on edge
Lost weight few months.

After that no symptoms but I did put on weight and found hard to shift but I would rather that than how I was before I never want to check to feeling like that again.
Hasn't effected my sex drive at all.

My sister is in citalopram and had first same symptoms for 2 weeks but she hasn't put on any weight at all

IdoHaveAName · 09/08/2017 21:26

If some of you are not getting anywhere with GP prescribed meds, ask for a referral to psychiatry.

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