Antidepressants and weight gain

[CoffeeCakeAndDaisys]

Hi,
I have struggled with anxiety and mild depression for the past few years. I took Sertraline and it was wonderful in helping me feel like me again but like a better version of me, the side effects however were grinding teeth, night sweats, tiredness, no libido and weight gain. I managed with most side effects but the weight gain made me more depressed.

i was put into Escitalopram which did nothing for me aside from made me gain more weight, no matter what I’ve not lost any of the weight gained on both meds.

Recently I’ve been diagnosed with a chronic illness and my anxiety is through the roof, I know I need to get some medication but the thought of further weight gain is absolutely terrifying me (previous ED). Does anyone have any positive experiences with antidepressants/anxiety meds without the weight gain.

Fluoxetine doesn’t cause weight gain. It is often prescribed for bulimia and BED

I can't say antidepressants have ever made me gain weight. I've been on citalopram and escitalopram.

If it's for anxiety, you could try beta blockers like propanolol? They work differently to antidepressants, they reduce adrenaline in the body. They work brilliantly for me. Shouldn't cause weight gain. They don't affect your mental state though - will only reduce the physical effects of anxiety like racing heart or panic attacks etc.

Thank you, that’s the one I’ve been looking into. Really need to get sorted.

Thank you for the advice, I tried Propranolol when I was on Sertraline but it was making my heart rate drop too low (48bpm at night) so they took me off it.

Did you find much difference between the Escitalopram and Citalopram? The Escitalopram seemed to make no difference when I took it.

What dosage did you take of propanolol? I was originally put on 40mg tablets that gave me side effects. Now I take 10mg tablets and that works ok for me. My heart rate doesn't really drop below about 58 now resting (although I haven't checked what it is when I'm asleep 🤷 and nobody has asked me). I only take it when I need it - like if I'm not feeling too anxious one day, I won't take them. You can just take them as needed.

Umm, not really. But I discovered my anxiety/depression is due to a thyroid issue so antidepressants aren't really working for me at the mo. However when I first went on citalopram years ago when suffering bad anxiety it worked wonders then.

I’ve heard that Wellbutrin can actually help you lose weight. Maybe look it up and/or ask your doc.

Buproprion is the generic name.

I put on 4 stone over 5 years on fluoxetine! But it was the only antidepressant that helped my symptoms. I was given propranolol for my anxiety that was great for that and I just took when felt the familiar panic set in.

@Sprinkles211 did you manage to loose the weight? Ive gained 2 stone in about 4 months and feel terrible about myself after going nearly 2 dress sizes 😞 would love some tips, i have BPD and anxiety and depression, previous eating dissorder but still so make myself sick occaisionaly, on sertraline 150mg daily am and quitiapine 150mg pm and zopiclone 150mg pm, any advise would be so much appriciated

I've gained. I've slowly been building up on fluoxetine on the lower doses I didn't gain I'm now on 40mg have been for 2months and gaining about 1lb a week and I'm eating less to try to stop it. isn't helping it's still coming on. I'm now considering switching or coming off as I'm was size 14 I'm now a 16 and growing.

I gained 4 stone on fluoxetine. Although it is difficult getting the weight off I am not dieting at all so not that surprised stones haven't just dropped off! What I did notice once I stopped taking it and all the withdrawal from it stopped was how my waist changed - I actually had one again! That happened very quickly, I was barrel shaped while taking them.

They worked so well for my depression though I am OK with the weight gain.

And it was the same for me, just constant and quite even gain. Over Christmas with a huge amount of food and drink: couple of pounds. January with normal food and no alcohol: couple of pounds. February and March with a real focus on what I was eating and missing meals, no snacks and being really hungry: couple of pounds. Ridiculous!

If the op is in the U.K. then Buproprion is not prescribed here.