Antidepressants & Anti-anxiety meds wt gain?

brandyII · 05-12-2008, 10:31 PM

I know that a lot of threads go in cycles and looked back at one about anti-depressants from a few years ago from someone who suffered from bipolar disorder. I suffer from depression/anxiety.

Anyone else having weight issues because they're on these types of meds.

I've gone off them before when I wanted to take the diet pill Meridia and was put on Wellbutrin which did nothing to help my moods. I lost 20 pounds which was about the norm for that diet drug. My moods were so bad that I'm surprised my DH didn't leave, lol.

Anyway I take Cymbalta as an antidepressant and clonazepam as an anti-anxiety med. It seems to me there are a variety of drugs in the same class but no matter what if they claim to not affect weight they always seem to with me and they always have sexual side effects. It's always been a factor when choosing the antidepressant for me is how it affects weight. Am I just special? LOL.

Anyway if you've read any of my previous posts you know I've had a struggle and still trying to work things out. My sugar is high and I may have to go back on Metformin now and it just seems I can't tweak this damn band and I don't know if it possibly could be the drugs I'm taking are making me crave sugar or slowing down my metabolism.

Anyway just thought I'd check out there if there's anyone else with this kind of prob, thanks, brandyII.

**Jack** · 05-13-2008, 12:25 AM

PreOp I suffered panic/anxiety disorder which required pharmaceuticals on occasion. PostOp that has melted away. Fortunately.

brandyII · 05-13-2008, 12:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jack

PreOp I suffered panic/anxiety disorder which required pharmaceuticals on occasion. PostOp that has melted away. Fortunately.

Jack, don't go all Tom Cruise on me now! I'm glad that you were able to get past it but it's a problem that a lot of people in my family suffer with and it goes back a few gens unfortunately. The bad part is I feel better in one sense but with the side effects it's hard to have it all!

Thanks brandyII.

**FairyFacade** · 05-13-2008, 10:55 AM

I haven't taken them, but I have had a couple friends (one was bi-polar, the other was border-line schizophrenic (sp?!)) and both of them gained quite a bit of weight on their meds. One of them finally stopped the meds-- and she gained more weight. So I don't know what the correlation is. Both of them were bean poles when we were growing up, so I don't know if it's just an..after high school gain.. med gain.. depression gain.. etc.

green · 05-13-2008, 11:03 AM

Most of my family are depressives and I am one, too. I ran into weight gain issues when I was under the care of a shrink who decided that I was bi-polar. This is when I was placed on drugs which fall into the class of anti-psychotics. These drugs will cause a grrl to gain weight and they are often prescribed for folks who suffer from anxiety.
My slim husband was placed on one of these drugs because of his anxiety issues. He ended up gaining a lot of weight which he quickly shed once he stopped taking his meds. I also have a friend who was blessed with one of those little skinny gymnast-type bodies. She gained 60 lbs in one year after being placed on an anti-psychotic drug for reason of her anxiety problems.

brandyII · 05-13-2008, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FairyFacade

I haven't taken them, but I have had a couple friends (one was bi-polar, the other was border-line schizophrenic (sp?!)) and both of them gained quite a bit of weight on their meds. One of them finally stopped the meds-- and she gained more weight. So I don't know what the correlation is. Both of them were bean poles when we were growing up, so I don't know if it's just an..after high school gain.. med gain.. depression gain.. etc.

I'm kind of curious as to what drugs they were on. Sometimes they use the same drug for a variety of personality disorders, not speaking of boring ones of course

Thanks Nancy

brandyII · 05-13-2008, 02:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by green

Most of my family are depressives and I am one, too. I ran into weight gain issues when I was under the care of a shrink who decided that I was bi-polar. This is when I was placed on drugs which fall into the class of anti-psychotics. These drugs will cause a grrl to gain weight and they are often prescribed for folks who suffer from anxiety.
My slim husband was placed on one of these drugs because of his anxiety issues. He ended up gaining a lot of weight which he quickly shed once he stopped taking his meds. I also have a friend who was blessed with one of those little skinny gymnast-type bodies. She gained 60 lbs in one year after being placed on an anti-psychotic drug for reason of her anxiety problems.

I guess there's some fine line with bi-polar disorder, do you shop a lot and like it well you're either a girl or bi-polar. Are you taking any at the moment or is that too personal, just wondering if it's still an issue for you, thanks. I don't think I could handle not being on these meds because when I went off them it was badddddd, not jump off a bridge bad but just really bitchy, moody etc....thanks Nancy.

mango24 · 05-13-2008, 02:39 PM

Brandy - I've been on Tofranil for panic attacks for 17yrs. My weight loss is ridiculous slow, but it steady.

mango24 · 05-13-2008, 02:41 PM

oops, I forgot the s. It's steady

MollyMolly · 05-13-2008, 02:56 PM

I'm on antidepressants (an SSRI) and still losing OK.

Everyone I know who has taken anti-anxiety meds has gained weight on them, although I don't know if they were actively trying to lose weight and failing at it or just not paying attention and it snuck up on them.

mylah · 05-13-2008, 03:21 PM

Hi Brandy
I'm on paxil,didn't notice any weight gain but I do have the other side effects I was really sick when I started taking paxil,it lasted about 3 weeks lost 20lbs but soon gained that back once i was not sick.I think paxil saved my life because I now feel so normal.I think I was depressed all my life and didn't know what was wrong.I like you have generations of family depression.It spiraled out of control once I hit forty.Hang there we'll get through it.I wonder if the meds are the reason I don't feel full for so long.

brandyII · 05-13-2008, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mango24

oops, I forgot the s. It's steady

Thanks Mango, I'm not on that one but it's helps to know others are having issues with theirs too, just add to my issues!! brandyII

skinnymike · 05-13-2008, 06:10 PM

hello i too take anti depressants and that is a concern of mine that i intend to talk to doctor about. i take lexapro xanax and welbrutin. ive not had my surgery date all i have left is the pulmonologist tommorow then back to the shrink the day after that he wanted me to lose weight and stop smoking at the same time. well i lost 10 lbs and no one died so i guess i should be alright but that was a anxiety moment that lasted about 2 weeks lol. Have you tried wellbrutrin my shrink prescribed that for me it curbs apetite reduces urge to smoke and give you sexuall energy good luck let me how that goes

dawgfan · 05-13-2008, 08:20 PM

I too take anti depressants. (cymbalta) Family history of depression too, mom, dad and both sisters. I use to take Zoloft and had been on it for about 15 years. When my mother died about 3 years ago I was in this funk I just could not get out of. Also Zoloft went generic about that time, so I talked to my doctor about 2 months ago and changed to Cymbalta. BIG difference... I still have my days, but not nearly as bad as before. I will NEVER go off of them!!! (possibility of too many bodies to hide) LOL

brandyII · 05-13-2008, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MollyMolly

I'm on antidepressants (an SSRI) and still losing OK.

Everyone I know who has taken anti-anxiety meds has gained weight on them, although I don't know if they were actively trying to lose weight and failing at it or just not paying attention and it snuck up on them.

I've been on an SSRI for probably 18 years? Can't remember, that part of my brain no longer functions

I wonder if possibly the clonapin (spelled a billion ways) for anxiety is the worse of the two evils. I mean I won't go off my antidepressant, and feel better with it fat than off it thin but I think I could go off the clonapin. I don't know, today I got my blood work results back and since my LAP-BAND^® surgery almost nine months ago I now have high cholesteral and am on lipator (sp) now and full blown type II diabetes and am back on my meds for that. It's like a bad casserole or something going on here, I don't know. I wish there was one simple answer besides eat less exercise more with all these things going on with me it's kind of a mind blower!