Setraline-weight gain?

[Cherryblossomtree2]

Hi everyone
I’m going through a bad period of depression due to life style changes, moving home and being isolated, very lonely as a single parent. I’m currently out of work etc and it’s had a real impact on my mental health. I feel so down, lacking motivation, very tearful and have no get up and go. I just feel dead inside, no spark. I’m thinking it’s time I went back on anti depressants. I did have a GP appointment last week and she mentioned Anti depressants but at the time I said I would see how I go but I really think I should as nothing else seems to be helping. I’m very much stuck in a rut.

My only worry is I am around 3 stone over weight and I am trying to lose weight at the moment. I’ve heard setraline causes weight gain so I’m caught cautious about taking this and was wondering if anybody could sure their experiences. Thank you

Hiya
I am also very depressed at the moment due to a couple of bad decisions I made in my past. A few weeks ago I felt suicidal so the doctor put me on sertraline. At first I wasn’t eating because of the depression but the last week I have started eating again. I wouldn’t say it’s made me over eat in anyway. Before this time I was on sertraline for a good few years and it didn’t effect my eating or weight at all . The only thing is they effect everyone in different ways so it’s hard to say. Once you start to feel abit better my advice is to walk as much as possible. Some days I don’t even want to wake up but if I force myself to have a walk it definitely helps x

@Lonleygal thank you for your reply, I will give it a go and see how I get on with it. I do find that I comfort eat when things are getting had so hopefully if the sertraline makes me feel better I won’t feel the need to that do anymore. I’m Sorry to hear you’re having a good time too, I hope things improve for you soon. Have you had any talking therapy? My GP referred me to online counselling so I will doing that along side starting the medication.

Sorry that meant to say I’m sorry you’re not having a good time at the moment too

Hi just to let you know that the tablets can make your depression/ anxiety worse for the first 2-3 weeks . This can be really hard and you really need to stick with it. Tbh I was getting desperate but then on week 4 they really started to help and that’s when I actually had a full nights sleep and ate a proper meal in weeks ! I’m on week 5 now and there really taking the edge off until I can start my counselling. Good luck with the tablets and stick with it ! X

I was on sertraline a couple of years ago and the doctor was initially reluctant to prescribe it because I was quite severely underweight at the time, and apparently it's one of the ones that doesn't cause much of an increase in appetite. I definitely didn't notice any change, whereas with citalopram I was eating about five meals a day and still not feeling full. So I think you'll most likely be fine.

I lost weight on it
My appetite completely went

Sertraline for a lot of people gives them terrible food cravings, it did me.

I put on two stone on Sertraline (was a low BMI before) and had a horrible bloated look about my face. I don't think it did much to help me either. I came off it myself and once I'd got a job and started exercising I felt much better. It may work for you though. Sorry you are feeling so down, I hope things improve for you soon

I have completely lost my appetite on Sertraline also and have lost a few pounds, have only been taking it 4 weeks though.

I put on 3 stone on Sertraline. It was awful. Worse than fluoxetine.

I've been on and off Sertraline several times,and in the past I have worried about whether it causes weight gain. This time around Ihave decided fairly confidently that for me it does NOT cause weiht gain.

Even if it has made me gain weight in the past (which I am doubtful about), it would only be a matter of 5 or 6 pounds.

Agree with other posters that for the first few weeks it can cause loss of appetite and therefore a bit of weight loss.

The other thing to say is that for people that do put on a bit of weight, the reason for this is said to be increased appetite. So the claim is that if you are mindful of that danger and continue to eat sensibly you can prevent any weight gain

So the claim is that if you are mindful of that danger and continue to eat sensibly you can prevent any weight gain

But p couldn’t eat sensibly! It drove me to gorge entire packets of biscuits, no matter how hard l tried to stop!

I’ve been on it for 6 months now for pretty much same reasons you’ve mentioned. I’ve not put on any weight but I lost over 2 stone initially as had no appetite, not sure if it was the anxiety or the tablets. I felt pretty awful first few weeks but I feel completely back to myself but would say it took 2/3 months with an increase in dosage. I have a follow up appointment this month and am going to ask about reducing dosage. Good luck with it and try to stick with it, I found this forum very helpful

I’ve been on it for 6 months and I’ve always had a difficult relationship with food. It’s made me eat ‘normally’ rather than starve myself but also made me more active so the result has been a small net loss. I’m 8 1/2 stone though so don’t have much to spare anyway.

I was on this up until a few months ago. On them for a year in total.

When I first started taking it, I lost my appetite for two weeks and did lose weight.

I did then regain that weight and more. I can't be sure it was the tablets, but since I've stopped taking them, a few people have commented that I've lost a little weight.