Anti-depressant Anti-anxiety Medication that Doesn't Cause Weight Gain

[Marine0311]

Wish I could go back on wellbutrin for weight loss, and tobacco sensations.... It didn't work for my mental issues, so I'm on Effexor among other things.
I stopped the Gabapentin and have lossed 35 pounds in six months though.. I have to do light workouts involving my legs. Due to many injuries. I've polled many who have been on Gabapentin and they all gained 40 to 60 pounds.

 

[Seeking_Nirvana]

Thanks for the replies and input from everyone.

Good luck
Tammy

 

[cat]

After 6 months of resistance I'm about to start taking Citalopram. I'd be very interested in others' experience of this; I'm very nervous about taking it.

 

[IndigoCharm]

I have taken Lexapro before, which only made me more depressed and nauseated all the time. Currently I am taking Welbutrin for depression and cutting down on cigarettes. It works halfheartedly on my depression, and very well with cigs, but it doesn't work too well on anxiety for me and it's made my anger issues a bit more pronounced. It has also made me lose weight because it's made my appetite pretty much disappear. It might be triggering if you are recovering from anorexia, though -- I used to have bulimia and/or anorexia (it was sort of a mix of two) for some years and it mostly disappeared when I moved away from my abusers, but the sensation of prolonged hunger it causes definetely remind me of the ones I craved back then and occasionally brings back the thoughts from back then.

 

[SunnyBrookFarm]

The older anti-depressants (Elavil etc.) can cause a large amount of weight gain. I gained 15 pounds almost right away on a low dose of Elavil for chronic pain. My daughter was on Lexapro and only gained about 5 pounds but like someone else mentioned it actually made her more depressed. She also tried Wellbutrin at one point and did not gain any weight on that. I have taken Valium for almost 3 years now and have not gained any weight on it but most docs are hesistant to prescribe benzos especially as a first try type of med. (I was prescribed a low dose for chronic muscle related pelvic pain). Either way - these meds are trial and error and the first one you take may not be the one for you - so try not to let the "possible" side effects scare you off. Remember, though if you can't tolerate something a slow taper if at all possible is always best. Good Luck!

 

[justme4]

I was on Celexa for a couple of weeks prior to switching to Prozac and lost 6 pounds. When taking the Celexa it completely knocked out my need for food. Now mind you I told my husband I should go on the show Suvivor to win $ for the kids to go to college because I have enough bodyfat to outlast them all!

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Please don't rule out a medication just because somebody else says that it causes weight gain. If you look at the side effect profile for any medication, there will always be people who gained weight from it.

Also, just because a medication is known for a particular side effect, that does not mean that you will experience that side effect. For example, I was on mirtazapine/Remeron, a medication which is notorious for weight gain, yet I lost weight on it. Also, I am currently on Geodon, an atypical anti-psychotic that is known to not cause weight gain, yet I gained a lot of weight very quickly as soon as I started the medication.

If you only listen to what other people say about medications, you could be ruling out medications which could potentially help you out a great deal. And as we all know, not all medications work the same.

Yes, the weight gain side effect is a pain, but I am still on Geodon dispite the fact that it causes me to gain weight. I have made drastic changes to my diet in order to stay with this medication because when you find something that works, you'll make sacrifices to be able to stick with it. I've been able to lose the weight I gained when I first started on Geodon, and I'm able to continue to lose weight. So taking medications that cause weight gain aren't an automatic fat sentence. Good Luck!