Clay Aiken Says Paxil Made Him Fat
American Idol runner-up Clay Aiken says he has lost a "ton" of weight since he stopped taking the antidepressant Paxil (paroxetine), according to celebrity gossip magazine US Weekly.
After Aiken shot to fame as a contestant on American Idol in 2003, his life reportedly became quite stressful due to being in the public eye and constant speculation about his sexuality. When his sister committed suicide in 2006, Aiken began to suffer panic attacks.
When the panic attacks became severe enough to send him to the hospital, Aiken said he began taking the antidepressant Paxil, which is prescribed for both anxiety and depression. "It was extremely helpful, but I gained weight!"
Since stopping the medication, Aiken says he has lost weight, some sources speculate as much as thirty pounds.
Aiken just wrapped up a five-month stint in the Broadway musical Spamalot and his fourth album, On My Way Here, will drop May 6. It is the first album of original material Aiken has released since Measure of a Man, his 2003 double-platinum debut. "Some of the songs on the album are personal; some are not. I like to...allow people to interpret it," he said.
What the US Weekly article doesn't mention, which is quite important, is that you should never go off your medication without consulting your doctor. In addition to the fact that your depression symptoms may return, there is also the risk that you will develop discontinuation syndrome if you stop taking your medication too abruptly. If you are concerned about weight gain or other medication side effects, please ask your doctor about your options rather than quitting treatment altogether.
Related Articles:
- Tips for Coping With Antidepressant Weight Gain
- What Is Discontinuation Syndrome?
- It Might Not Be the Flu!
- Are Antidepressants Addictive?
Photo Credit: Vince Bucci / Getty Images
Comments
Yes, I did well on Paxil at 200 mg, then started to gain a pound a day when I was increased to 400mg per day. In less than six months, I went from size 8 to size 18. This sudden weight gain did not help my depression, but I am afraid to stop the Paxil. Thanks Clay for talking about your depression.
The first antidepressant I took was Paxil and it helped me tremendously. I did gain weight, however. I also had sexual side effects–basically no libido. It took me a while before I asked the Dr. for something else. Then, he prescribed Wellbutrin. I was a wreck on that–crying all the time, etc. It took a long time to find the right combination of medications to treat the depression without creating other problems. With advances in meds for depression, I now take a low dose of Wellbutrin without the crying jags, and no weight gain. Don’t give up on finding the right treatment for your depression. It can take some time, but you can have a life that is free from the weight of depression. Hang in there and god bless.
I had MAJOR weight gain on Paxil as well. I gained about 30-40lbs.I am 5′0″ female and was at about 200lbs.It was from the meds.I stopped Paxil and went on another anti-depressant and lost the weight slowly.I avoid meds with weight gain as a side effect, as I have depression already, and it makes me worse when I gain weight.I am at 135-140lbs now,and alot happier about how i look.Still depressed, but my weight doesnt make it worse.Paxil works,but MAJOR weight gain.I will never take it again.Just be aware when your dr.prescribes it to you.
It’s odd, but there are two people I like in the music business that were prescribed anti-anxiety drugs, and they both gained a lot of weight as a result. Clay with Paxil, and another person was prescribed Klonopin. Hopefully, Paxil wasn’t as difficult to get off of as the other. The other was described as worse to get off of than cocaine.
It’s kind of scary what other things these drugs could be doing to people’s bodies.