2st weight gain - a year after coming off escitalopram and I still can't lose it

[asidream]

Hi

I'm feeling miserable about my weight, I've put on two stone and I just can't shift it. Sometimes I get down by a pound or two but my body seems determined to stick at this weight even when I eat healthier foods and I'm relatively active.

I packed it on in the 6 months I was taking escitalopram - it did help me, but I felt sluggish too and the weight gain was getting out of control so I stopped it. Please don't tell me it's worth it to feel better; it wasn't for me and I wish I'd never taken it as the weight gain and my clothes not fitting is almost as upsetting on a daily basis as the depression was. I'm over 11st now and used to be around 8.10 - this is an unhealthy weight for me as I'm an apple and my waist has now reached 36in.

I feel so much hungrier since taking the SSRI and any type of dieting seems so much harder than it used to be and the weight slower to come off. Did anybody else have this even after stopping an antidepressant and managed to get your weight under control in the end? I'm worried that my body has somehow recalibrated itself to be fat and I won't ever manage to go back to a healthy weight.

Hi @asidream I can see why that would be really getting you down. Do you think you are comfort eating as a coping mechanism for your depression or are you genuinely not eating more but still putting on weight? Have you tried fluoxetine as an alternative AD as that reduces appetite (so that is partly why it is sometimes prescribed for Binge Eating Disorder as well as depression)
Good luck, I feel your pain xxx

@BananaWaving I did try fluoxetine a while ago but only stayed on it about 6 weeks as it made me feel so sick and nauseous I couldn't eat at all (which maybe is what I need right now, lol). As far as I know though that usually settles down with time and you often get the usual weight gain side effects again, but I suppose I could think about trying it. That's useful, thank you. The other thing is that like most people, I get sexual side effects from any SSRI which is why I've never lasted long on them. Not enjoying sex makes me feel even more crap.

When I worked overseas I used to take bupropion, an NDRI which doesn't cause weight gain at all or interfere with sexual function. Unfortunately it's not licensed for depression in the UK and probably never will be.

Are you still taking it? I was a similar weight and put on 2-3 stone so I understand. And it's kind of true that the body constantly tries to keep you at the same weight. The only thing that has worked for me is consistency - calorie tracking and opting for a small 10% calories deficit while increasing steps. More vigorous exercise if you like for wellbeing but not essential. I lost maybe a stone just by cutting the crap and a slight deficit. It did eventually plateau and then I got round it by weight training - I actually ate more and put more weight on but it was in the form of muscle which is metabolically more active, I then did another deficit and shed some of the fat. I've not exercised or tracked for a couple of months but as long as I keep my steps up my weight seems to maintain itself better now.

@2024horizons No I came off it almost a year ago but I just can't shift the weight. I've always been a size 8-10 and if I ever gained a few pounds it was easy enough to lose it with the usual methods. Vigorous exercise is out for me as I've got a connective tissue disorder and my joints get injured easily, but walking and light gym stuff is ok.

I've had a few injuries which probably not helping but I will look at trying to put on more muscle, maybe that's the key although my condition makes it hard to put on muscle as well 🤣. I just didn't realise these drugs could still have an effect when you're off them.

I have yo yo-d quite a lot and whenever I have lost weight I have also lost muscle mass as the body loses both fat and muscle (unless you are weight training when it knows to keep the muscle) as muscle is an expensive tissue to maintain. I feel like this is the con of our diet industry and whole food industry to be honest as this is never discussed. Subsequently we try and try and cut calories and wonder why we are eating next to nothing and not losing weight - the body needs calories for so many processes. I don't know about the disorder and weight lifting but I lifted quite heavy and have a risk due to another condition, slow and steady..

Hi - sorry - I know this is an old message but were you able to lose the weight whilst taking escitalopram?