Social Anxiety Support

eva · 11-28-2009, 10:01 PM

I've been dealing with social anxiety and depression for about 5 years now. First I tried Zoloft (helped me a lot for about 6 months, then stopped working), then Pristiq and Buspirone (both made me feel awful and I stopped taking them pretty quick), and now I'm on LEXAPRO.

So far it seems to have helped me a bit, in the same way Zoloft did for the first few months. I guess this means that I respond well to SSRI's...
Here's my problem... since starting Lexapro about 1.5 months ago I have gained almost ten pounds. My weight tends to vary a bit generally but ten pounds is a lot to have put on and I can't help but think that Lexapro is to blame. My doctor said I wouldn't gain weight from this drug but I don't know...

Has anyone else had this experience with Lexapro? Is weight gain a common side effect? I think this drug is helping me and I don't want to stop but I think I may have to, due to the weight gain. I'm an actor and gaining a sudden amount of weight is really not an option for me. I've been eating less lately and working out more but the weight is still not coming off.. Does anyone know of another SSRI that doesn't have this effect? When I took Zoloft I actually lost weight! Never gained a pound! any help would be very much appreciated!

pollster · 11-28-2009, 10:07 PM

I've been on a handful of SSRIs - last one being escitalopram - and feel that weight gain was part of all of them, unfortunately. I have yet to find one for me that works without annoying side effects, and without weight gain. Guess that's just how my body is.

Interestingly, I read somewhere that some people think SSRIs raise insulin, and a rise in insulin can contribute to weight gain. Not sure if it's really true (i.e. that SSRIs raise insulin), but it would make sense to me if that's the case.

Did you try higher doses of Zoloft before quitting it?

eva · 11-28-2009, 10:11 PM

Yes, I got up to 150mg of Zoloft. It just didn't seem like it was helping as much as it did when I first started, which is why I stopped.

I've heard that adding Wellbutrin or a stimulant like Adderall to an SSRI can help with the weight gain and with depression/ anxiety. Has anyone tried this? I'd be interesting in trying Adderall since I know it can lower appetite and lead to weight loss..

pollster · 11-28-2009, 10:16 PM

I did try wellbutrin on its own - for the primary reason of wanting to be on an SSRI and not gain weight (and possibly lose it). Unfortunately I felt the wellbutrin actually made my anxiety worse. (I have both depression and anxiety issues.) So I stopped it.

You should consider asking your doctor about adding something though. It's possible it will help. I think the only real way to know is to try it, because I've often found that other people's experiences on medications may be nothing at all like what you will experience yourself. Drugs are funny that way -- one person's miracle can be another person's nightmare.

Sorry, that's probably not helpful.

Maybe others here will have better experiences to share. (Keeping in mind what I said above.)

arth98 · 11-29-2009, 03:22 PM

docs agree that antidepressants dont alter the metabloism or cause weight gain or loss, some have been associated with causing compulsive eating, though

fear of weight agin is a popular excuse for refusal to take them

pollster · 11-29-2009, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arth98

docs agree that antidepressants dont alter the metabloism or cause weight gain or loss, some have been associated with causing compulsive eating, though

fear of weight agin is a popular excuse for refusal to take them

I have to politely disagree with you. My eating habits did not change on SSRIs, yet I gained weight unexplainably. I also gained weight on birth control pills, and doctors say that that shouldn't happen either.

Doctors say a lot of things - that doesn't always mean they are right. I put as much faith in personal experiences as I do doctor opinions.

That said, you have to try a drug to know how it will work for you. So one shouldn't avoid it because of a fear of weight gain - especially since every body reacts differently.

TigerLilyie · 11-29-2009, 03:36 PM

Ugh. I'm sorry to hear about that. I was on medication for years. In a matter of months I gained 30 pounds. I've lost some here and there but I'm not as skinny as I used to be. If you gain weight as an actor and you miss out because of weight you may become bitter later on. Sometimes, I feel bitter because I wanted to pursue modeling and I'm in my prime. I wish I never started taking my medications but at the time I was having it pretty rough.

arth98 · 11-29-2009, 10:41 PM

if antidepressants caused weight gain dont you think anorexics would be force fed on them

we gain weight from eating more and/or exercising less

No Surprises · 11-30-2009, 06:38 AM

I haven't noticed any weight gain from Lexapro. But I have a pretty high metabolic rate and I tend to count calories and regulate my intake pretty heavily, so my weight doesn't tend to fluctuate much.

My first suggestion -- and yes, it seems way too simple, almost to the point of condescension -- would be to count calories and lower your food intake until you've reattained your previous weight. If you find that it's beyond your control, then you may want to consider a secondary prescription.

Adderall is contraindicated with SSRIs, and doctors are generally skeptical of prescribing it for weight loss anyway, so I wouldn't count on that. Modafinil, on the other hand, is often prescribed in tandem with SSRIs, and it has been shown to decrease appetite and food intake with similar efficacy to amphetamines in a limited number of studies. If the situation is getting out of hand, and you'd rather not quit the Lexapro, then you may want to discuss a secondary prescription for Modafinil with your doctor.

11-28-2009, 10:01 PM	#1 (permalink)
eva Status: SAS Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 12	Weight Gain with LEXAPRO? I've been dealing with social anxiety and depression for about 5 years now. First I tried Zoloft (helped me a lot for about 6 months, then stopped working), then Pristiq and Buspirone (both made me feel awful and I stopped taking them pretty quick), and now I'm on LEXAPRO. So far it seems to have helped me a bit, in the same way Zoloft did for the first few months. I guess this means that I respond well to SSRI's... Here's my problem... since starting Lexapro about 1.5 months ago I have gained almost ten pounds. My weight tends to vary a bit generally but ten pounds is a lot to have put on and I can't help but think that Lexapro is to blame. My doctor said I wouldn't gain weight from this drug but I don't know... Has anyone else had this experience with Lexapro? Is weight gain a common side effect? I think this drug is helping me and I don't want to stop but I think I may have to, due to the weight gain. I'm an actor and gaining a sudden amount of weight is really not an option for me. I've been eating less lately and working out more but the weight is still not coming off.. Does anyone know of another SSRI that doesn't have this effect? When I took Zoloft I actually lost weight! Never gained a pound! any help would be very much appreciated!

11-28-2009, 10:07 PM	#2 (permalink)
pollster Status: triumph of stupid Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Canada Gender: Female Age: 34 Posts: 711	I've been on a handful of SSRIs - last one being escitalopram - and feel that weight gain was part of all of them, unfortunately. I have yet to find one for me that works without annoying side effects, and without weight gain. Guess that's just how my body is. Interestingly, I read somewhere that some people think SSRIs raise insulin, and a rise in insulin can contribute to weight gain. Not sure if it's really true (i.e. that SSRIs raise insulin), but it would make sense to me if that's the case. Did you try higher doses of Zoloft before quitting it? __________________ But I would rather be alone, Than pretend I feel alright - Arcade Fire

11-28-2009, 10:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
pollster Status: triumph of stupid Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Canada Gender: Female Age: 34 Posts: 711	I did try wellbutrin on its own - for the primary reason of wanting to be on an SSRI and not gain weight (and possibly lose it). Unfortunately I felt the wellbutrin actually made my anxiety worse. (I have both depression and anxiety issues.) So I stopped it. You should consider asking your doctor about adding something though. It's possible it will help. I think the only real way to know is to try it, because I've often found that other people's experiences on medications may be nothing at all like what you will experience yourself. Drugs are funny that way -- one person's miracle can be another person's nightmare. Sorry, that's probably not helpful. Maybe others here will have better experiences to share. (Keeping in mind what I said above.) __________________ But I would rather be alone, Than pretend I feel alright - Arcade Fire

11-29-2009, 03:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
TigerLilyie Status: Professor Genius Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Oklahoma City Gender: Female Age: 24 Posts: 61	Ugh. I'm sorry to hear about that. I was on medication for years. In a matter of months I gained 30 pounds. I've lost some here and there but I'm not as skinny as I used to be. If you gain weight as an actor and you miss out because of weight you may become bitter later on. Sometimes, I feel bitter because I wanted to pursue modeling and I'm in my prime. I wish I never started taking my medications but at the time I was having it pretty rough. __________________ "Just when the caterpillar thought the world was over, it became a butterfly"

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11-28-2009, 10:11 PM	#3 (permalink)
eva Status: SAS Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 12	Yes, I got up to 150mg of Zoloft. It just didn't seem like it was helping as much as it did when I first started, which is why I stopped. I've heard that adding Wellbutrin or a stimulant like Adderall to an SSRI can help with the weight gain and with depression/ anxiety. Has anyone tried this? I'd be interesting in trying Adderall since I know it can lower appetite and lead to weight loss..

11-29-2009, 03:22 PM	#5 (permalink)
arth98 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: melbourne australia Posts: 201	docs agree that antidepressants dont alter the metabloism or cause weight gain or loss, some have been associated with causing compulsive eating, though fear of weight agin is a popular excuse for refusal to take them

11-29-2009, 10:41 PM	#8 (permalink)
arth98 Status: SAS Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: melbourne australia Posts: 201	if antidepressants caused weight gain dont you think anorexics would be force fed on them we gain weight from eating more and/or exercising less

11-30-2009, 06:38 AM	#9 (permalink)
No Surprises Status: SAS Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Canada Gender: Male Age: 25 Posts: 182	I haven't noticed any weight gain from Lexapro. But I have a pretty high metabolic rate and I tend to count calories and regulate my intake pretty heavily, so my weight doesn't tend to fluctuate much. My first suggestion -- and yes, it seems way too simple, almost to the point of condescension -- would be to count calories and lower your food intake until you've reattained your previous weight. If you find that it's beyond your control, then you may want to consider a secondary prescription. Adderall is contraindicated with SSRIs, and doctors are generally skeptical of prescribing it for weight loss anyway, so I wouldn't count on that. Modafinil, on the other hand, is often prescribed in tandem with SSRIs, and it has been shown to decrease appetite and food intake with similar efficacy to amphetamines in a limited number of studies. If the situation is getting out of hand, and you'd rather not quit the Lexapro, then you may want to discuss a secondary prescription for Modafinil with your doctor.