Anti-Depressant Medication and Weight Gain

Life comes at all of us. Sometimes things become very difficult and it is hard to go on as normal. At times such feelings are caused by events outside of our control or because a lapse in judgment on our part. In other instances, persons may simply be prone to depression and depressive moods.  Being overweight and depressed can be a double whammy and for some people and can cause a lot of frustration. Individuals who are trying to lose weight may be resistant to taking medication which they may need because they believe that it may cause them to gain weight.

 

Others are hopeful that certain drugs might be able to help them lose weight. There are a lot of rumors floating around about certain antidepressant medications being able to help individuals lose weight. In this post we are going to discuss commonly prescribed antidepressant medications and discuss whether or not they will cause weight gain or weight loss.

 

Now it is important to note that people’s bodies may react differently to even the same medications. While a particular antidepressant drug may cause some individuals to gain weight, in a different person it may cause them to actually lose weight you or may not cause any changes in their weight at all. 

 

The information included in this post includes researched generalizations about various anti-depressant medications and how they might affect your weight.  I am not a doctor. To get a better grasp on how your body may react with a particular medication, it is best to speak with your physician. It is also important to speak with your doctor about your depression and also about your feelings regarding weight and whether or you are trying to lose, maintain or even gain weight. This information may have some bearing on what type of medication your doctor prescribes for you.

 

It is believed that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as Lexapro, Luvox, Prozac, Celexa, Paxil and Zoloft generally will not have an impact on one’s weight either way. However, in some people Prozac may lead to weight lose and Paxil may cause some people to gain it. If you are looking to lose weight you may want to discuss this with your doctor and ask him to describe you an antidepressant medication besides Paxil.

 

Wellbutrin is another commonly prescribed weight loss medication. It affects persons differently. Some individuals gain weight while others lose it. However, for the most part it should not or does not affect weight in either direction.  Effexor, Serzone, Cymbalta and Desyrel (other anti-depressant meds) also are not believed to cause weight gain or loss.

 

If you are depressed or fear that you might be, it’s important to consult your doctor. He or she should be able to work with you and help you come up with a plan of attack. If you are in the process of losing weight or are hoping to, you should also discuss this with your physician.  They may be able to prescribe you a particular medication that will treat your symptoms and support your weight loss efforts.

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