« Brightspark - Homeopathic Relief for ADHD Symptoms
Best boarding high schools in the US for girls (no behavioral issues)? »

Do antidepressants themselves actually cause weight gain?

03 Jul 2009

3 Jul, 2009  adhd nutrition

I have to go to a psychiatrist to be evaluated about my depression/social anxiety disorder to see if I need medications for it. One thing that concerns me about it weight gain. If I have a negative self image, I really don’t want to take something that would make that worse, such as gaining weight. But I’m wondering if the medication itself actually causes the weight.

If the medication increases appetite, it doesn’t necessarily make you gain weight. It’s the extra eating that does. Say if you were able to avoid the extra eating, the weight gain wouldn’t be there. I obviously don’t know how the meds would affect me, but I’m an athlete and have my food and nutrition planned out accordingly to my workouts and lifting routines. I have everything calculated to my body weight and know how much I actually need and keep daily journals. I’m hoping since I’ve been training for years and know what I need that I wouldn’t give in to the medication’s appetite increases. I have ADHD too and just because the Adderall seems to make me want to smoke doesn’t mean I do it. Foolishly, I did a bit in high school and even though I wasn’t a regular smoker; I still get nicotine cravings. Just putting this an example to compare against antidepressants and increased appeitite.

So do you think that medications themselves cause the weight gain?

no the medications themselves definitely do not cause weight gain. i was put on anti depressants and anti anxiety medications when i was diagnosed with anorexia and the dr knew that if they caused weight gain i wouldn’t take it. i didn’t even have any appetite increases. obviously i did have to gain weight because of the eating disorder but now i’m at a normal but thin weight and i am still taking anti depressants and don’t notice any appetite changes at all.

powered by Yahoo answers

TrackBack URI | RSS feed for comments on this post

6 Responses

  1. Jan C

    2008 Dec 07 1

    Since you are going to the Dr. for help, this isn’t the time to be so concerned about this. Allow the Dr. to diagnose and prescribe what he/she feels is the best for you. You may also ask about this if you choose. From my experience, I have taken many antidepressants and none of them have caused increased appetite.
    References :

  2. Ravie S

    2008 Dec 07 2

    I’ve been on several different anti-depressants, none of them have ever caused me to gain weight.
    References :

  3. fairydust4u24

    2008 Dec 07 3

    Hello, I have been on psych meds since I was 11, I am now 20. A lot of anti depressants have both weight gain/weight loss. It just depends on the person. And yes, you are correct, it makes your appetite go up or down. With my experience. When you go to your doctor, you should ask what meds have people most gained weight, thats what I did and it worked wonderfully! Good Luck!
    References :

  4. alexandra m

    2008 Dec 07 4

    no the medications themselves definitely do not cause weight gain. i was put on anti depressants and anti anxiety medications when i was diagnosed with anorexia and the dr knew that if they caused weight gain i wouldn’t take it. i didn’t even have any appetite increases. obviously i did have to gain weight because of the eating disorder but now i’m at a normal but thin weight and i am still taking anti depressants and don’t notice any appetite changes at all.
    References :

  5. Stephanie B

    2008 Dec 07 5

    Thats a great question! I was wondering the same. Im on tons of pills that ave side effects listed as weight gain and weight loss. So if its a side effect, then you cant help it right? They dont put might cause drowsiness….but if you just around for a while it will go away. The way my psychytrist put it was that people who easily gain weight will most likley. Trust me I dont like that I gained weight, but ya gotta pick your battles.
    References :

  6. Paul A

    2008 Dec 07 6

    I take Wellbutrin SR (150 mg) in the morning, and Lexapro (10 mg) in the evening, for depression and anxiety. I’ve been taking that for over a year and a half, and it’s working very well for me.

    The Wellbutrin SR seems to help me to be more alert and active - and wanting to do things - while the Lexapro makes me more mellow, and it helps me sleep better, too.

    The last time I was in the doctor office, I had lost 8 lbs - not a lot, but in the right direction. I give the Wellbutrin SR the credit for the weight loss, since it does help me to be more active.

    I think weight gain is from medications causing people to be more docile. The Lexapro does that to me - it takes away the motivation and make me want to sleep a lot more.
    References :


Leave a reply