Readers Respond: What is your best tip for dealing with weight gain caused by antidepressants?

Responses: 31

Updated September 29, 2011

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A few years ago I told the psychiatrist, who was then treating me for depression, that I was fed up taking the two prescribed medications. She told me that if I had a heart or other ogan disease I would have to take medications so what was the problem with my meds. I replied that they were making me fat and impotent and that if wasn't fully depressed before I started taking the *%@#+! things I certainly am depressed now!
—Guest John C

I gained weight... And that just made me even more depressed. I felt that I'd rather battle depression than take medicine that made me FAT... I'm off the meds now, I now manage my depression with St John's wort, and it doesn't cause me to gain weight.
—Guest Bev

I Almost gain 11 kg within 8 months time. Must admit, it's terrible not fitting into my clothes and sometimes this gets me down. My eating paterns did not change much, I'm not a bread lover, I use sweetners and not suger, fat free goodies ect. I'm to scared to try and changes meds for weight purposes.
—Guest Hatta

WEIGHT GAIN!!!! i still shop for size small & mediums coz dats how i see myself. My tip: use your favorite jeans and sexiest top and try fitting in to them once every 2 weeks.....& if you want them to fit sooner.....QUIT BREAD!!!!....perhaps it's time i implement this strategy :-)
—Guest Jules

Amitriptyline is the WORST for weight gain... I constantly battle with my weight anyway but being on Ami made it nearly impossible to diet succesfully.. all I wanted was carbs and chocolate. Fluoxitine is ok for weight initially (in the respect that it didn't effect my dieting efforts) but after a few months weight gain does tend to start sneaking up slowly.. ut i think that's due to feeling more 'settled'.
—Guest Hannah

Yes weightgain is a problem for some people. try and read something on the subject of ego-depletion. It explains a lot. Threat-psychology also comes into it and I agree to a large extend with grandma (I am a dr and I hope I do not get it wrong!) Try and read something on the SCARF Model. The underlying thing I would like to stress is that you can will/wish and want a lot: I would only be happy, if only I looked like so and so. Be happy and love yourself! People who love themselves become attractive, it is a natural process. The BMI is a lie!
—Guest Hans

i can't figure out if taking prozac has made me gain weight, or if it's just me. but lately i've been depressed about my weight, so do i switch to another antidepressant and possibly start the whole process over? prozac was great til i realized i was a cow. now i am spastic, crying, and wanting to harm myself just as i was when i started taking it eight months ago. i didn't want to go on medication in the first place but my dr insisted. my tip: make the decision for yourself.
—Guest aubrey

Whole grain healthy eating, no white carbohydrates, lots of Veg, no caffein. It stabilizes the Hormones and you can adjust to this diet slowly making a change a week Enjoy as much food as you want, snack on nuts,celery, humus, dried fruit.
—Guest Jo

It's gotta be one of the meds Ive been on for two years because once I met my new psychiatrist my weight slowly but surely shot up. I think it might be the lithium, however it saved my life, so I'd rather be fat and happy than skinny and miserable.
—Guest Emily

I know you don't want to. You probably don't feel like it. But, I know from experience, that when I exercise, I feel better, and the weight gain is not as much of an issue.
—Guest Anita

I ran out of room...google: women to women and try their Essential Nutrients Personal Program....I have been on it for 6 months and have founf that the weight is trickling off...but the most benefit is that I have more energy and am feeling better within myself...it isn't expensive and there is a money back guarantee...look for yourselves..Good Luck.
—Guest Grandmama

After 5 years or eating very little , changing drugs & exercise * I think I have finally realised that it is not the antidepressants that have put on the weight, it is the cause and effect of what bought me into depression and the body's natural way of combating what it perceived as threats. In the old says it was maneating dinosaurs or famine.I lived in 'fight or flight' for at least 4 years which sent my body into adrenalin overdrive and spun out not only my adrenaols but alos my thyroid and pituatory glands * all of the glands that need to be working to ensure your metabolism is in tip top shape.Basically, even if I had been living on a carrot a day, my liver would still have been making more fat cells thinking it needed to survive by storing fat. Add menopause to that and you have a real recipe for a HUGE figure.It is really hard but I am trying to eat more-sounds dumb * but it is slowly working. Remember, 3 regular meals and 3 snacks a must.Drs don't get it. Food is not the enemy.
—Guest Grandmama

I have been on zoloft for tooooo many years. as I am trying to get weened off and my doctor who knows I am 50 pounds over weight (nothing to do with zoloft) and prone to headaches puts me on effexor...guess what the side effects are? You got it! Sometimes we need to be our own doctor and do research....ask your pharmacists about meds before you take them...doctors only know what the Pharmaceutical sales companies tell them.
—soisson

i have been on generic Prozac and am already having huge cravings for junk food. i started the med., 3 weeks ago. i continually want to GRAZE! it has to be the fluoxitine...
—Guest sadie

just goes to show that everyone is different. i took prozac for 5 months and gained 20 pounds..... :(
—Guest robin

I think that the antidepressant you are using makes a big difference. I was lucky that I didn't experience any weight gain at all when I was using Prozac.
—Guest April Rains

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