!!Your Imput!! Lexapro Weight Issues.

[Amy]

=) Lexapro causes weight gain because of metabolism slowing down or increase appatite
Taking green tea extract pills, drinking lots of green tea and hungry pills (depending on your scenerio) really helps

[Laura]

I am just starting this - I already take xanax, so that helps, should I feel jittery? I have a huge self-image complex so if this makes me gain, I've already told my doctor I'll want him to prescribe me a diet pill! Haha... I know, I'm dreaming.

julie wrote:

i started taking zoloft four weeks ago for anxiety. three days after starting zoloft i felt more anxious then ever and really jittery. i went to another doc and he changed me to lexapro. i have been taking that for four days now and i am still jittery and have to take a zanax to calm down. i am also very concerned about the weight gain issue. has anyone else ever felt jittery and how fast will it go away and will i gain weight?

[April]

I have been taking lexapro for 2 or more years and I feel great, No more panic attacks and no more anxiety attacks.
The story is before I started this drug I had stopped smoking and eating more, before I weighed 117 when I stopped smoking I put on alot of weight do to eating all the time and not so motivated.
Then I started Lexapro I had lost 39 pounds in 2 years which is not that bad considering that I was still eating junk.
So I decided to go on a diet and give up on pop of all kind even the diet soda because its worse than the regular soda and I drink lots of water all the time.
I also eat alot of fruits and veggys and I treat myself to some snack from time to time I also work out 3 times a week just doing some brisk walking nothing dramatic and I have lost another 20 pounds
So what Im trying to say is that I think it all depends on the individual some drugs work well for others and not so well others

You just need to keep trying different ones until you find the one that works well for you.

[Jamie Summers]

Melissa wrote:

I am in the SAME exact boat as you.. everytime I read a post that says they lost weight, i'm like wow awesome, then i'll read some that say they gained 60lbs and my stomach drops.. i just started taking it today so I couldn't tell you my story, I noticed you posted this a few months ago...what happened with you?

Feeling the same way. Just started taking it today, really worried about the weight gain and the withdrawl symptoms but I'm so far less hungry so I can't imagine gaining weight on it. It must be that it works so well for people they are happier and eating more. Of course everyone is different. The insomnia last night was what really scares me, I don't need that back.

The Bionic Woman

[jj_mclure]

makes me lose weight. take in morning and you will sleep like a little baby at night.

sweet dreams

[Nancy]

asara wrote:

just fatter around the middle, bloated, couldn't get my jeans on and had fat overhang when I squeezed into clothes. I DID NOT eat more. In fact, I cut back....I also experience lethagy...It DOES help with sadness and obsessive thinking...

I am experiencing the same thing. Started taking 10mg back in March. I had lost 20 pounds in 3 weeks because I was so depressed and was skipping meals. I felt great physically, but I knew skipping meals was wrong.

The Lexapro kicked in quickly. Within a week I felt better emotionally. Now 5-6 months later, I feel like no matter what I eat (or don't eat) I gain weight. I'm probably handling it better emotionally, but I'm growing out of my clothing!
I've cut back on sugar and carbs and have been eating less in general and I still gain.

I feel like I have to get off the meds before I grow out of everything! Which is sad, because they have helped me in every other way. I just don't want to get any bigger!!

[Pam Perth WA]

I started Lexapro only yesterday. It's 3.30am and I am awake unable to sleep. Hope this is just an early side effect which will go away.
I found within one hour of taking Lexapro I couldn't sit still and my anxiety levels went up.
Some two year's ago I took Effexor-XR, a great drug for depression and anxiety. Came off due to weight gain like 18kgs.
I so hope Lexapro doesn't do this to me.

[John]

Thanks for all the feedback. this is my 1st day on Lexipro (10mg)...keep you all posted!!!

[gujumuji]

hi,
my docter just prescribed me lex. Im a bit nervous bc the process of getting the evaluation and meds was quick.

Im going to be taking 10mg to start tonight. Is it important to take it at the same time everyday?

I am in fact sort of worried about the weight gain. Considering I have gained 30 pounds in the past couple months....

So jumping into this, Im pretending its all a mind game, and im going to tell myself that it makes me not feel hungry.

Wish me luck!.........We shall see.....

[anne]

Jacqueline wrote:

<quoted text>
I respect what your saying but in the beginning you won't see the weight gain. You will feel better in the beginning and I did experience a weight loss in the beginning. But I have been on it for a year at 10mg (this is my second time) and I have 20 pounds in my belly area and waist area. So good luck but peope need to hear the truth.

I couldn't agree more. I was on the drug for about 1 year before the 20 pounds piled on. I thought I was just eating more or something. I'm so scared to try to get off of it.

[anne in ny]

Hello: don't know if anybody still visits this board... If so, I am about to start Lexapro and have read through this board and am very concerned about the weight gain -- I have just quit smoking and have gained 6 pounds and can't afford to gain any more - I am taking it for deppresion, irritability, anger etc.... sounds like all the gals on the board have gained

[jj_mclure]

i am a guy so i don't know if my metabolism experience counts towards women. i went off lex 4 months ago and have been a miserable grouch ever since. i also gained weight. i went from 155 to 165 in 4 months. for me, when i'm on lex i am able to control my eating urges. i think the people that gain weight on this drug come to this board and others to complain. so you get a distorted view. you have to watch what you eat on or off i have found. i don't think the drug makes a difference. the drug may make you feel better and when that happens we tend to enjoy ourselves more. you quitting smoking is big time.

[anne in ny]

jj_mclure wrote:

i am a guy so i don't know if my metabolism experience counts towards women. i went off lex 4 months ago and have been a miserable grouch ever since. i also gained weight. i went from 155 to 165 in 4 months. for me, when i'm on lex i am able to control my eating urges. i think the people that gain weight on this drug come to this board and others to complain. so you get a distorted view. you have to watch what you eat on or off i have found. i don't think the drug makes a difference. the drug may make you feel better and when that happens we tend to enjoy ourselves more. you quitting smoking is big time.

Thanks for the reply - why did you go off the drug? if you feel so cranky, can you go back on? Glad to hear that you didn't gain weight on the drug - hope it is the case for me. I have read that a side effect for anti deppressants, with the exception on wellbutrin is weight gain, that the drug actually slows down your metabolism... oh, well, I took 1/4 pill today to see how i reach to the med, will take the other 1/4 tomorrow then go up to 1/2 pill. I will watch the scale very carefully. did you wean off the drug? or stop abruptly? sometimes stoping the drug without a weaning off period creates a severe reation in the form of depression, irritability, physical issues etc... thanks again for you respones

[kelly]

i just started lexapro today with its instant calming effect and a horribly dry sore throat. ive been battling anxiety for years so i am excited to finally be doing something about it. but i am a loyal gym member with 6 pack abs and love running and being fit. i don't know if its worth risking the weight gain for a peace of mind which sounds so shallow. im hoping but will keep u posted on my results for i wont change my diet or workout routine.

[April]

ThANKS I'M TRING LEXAPRO FOR THE FIRST TIME AND HOPE NOT TO GAIN WEIGHT. I HAVE TRIED ZOLOFT AND WELLBURTIN AND THEY BOTH DIDN'T WORK WELL FOR ME

[danvers]

kelly wrote:

i just started lexapro today with its instant calming effect and a horribly dry sore throat. ive been battling anxiety for years so i am excited to finally be doing something about it. but i am a loyal gym member with 6 pack abs and love running and being fit. i don't know if its worth risking the weight gain for a peace of mind which sounds so shallow. im hoping but will keep u posted on my results for i wont change my diet or workout routine.

Hi Kelly: did you tell your doctor about your dry sore throat? it could just be a side effect, or it could be a reaction. I hear you re the weight gain. I have been on it for 2 weeks,.5mg i have not gained, havn't lossed... watching carefully. keep me posted and let me know how it goes for you

[Bratney Beers]

pelk wrote:

I have been on Lex for only 3 days now and already I cannot even force myself to eat. I am experiencing some mild depression which I hear is normal when starting the drug. My sex drive is already non-existant. If anyone has undergone the same side effects so early could you kindly tell me what's in store for me?

I have no sex drive, up and down with my mood at times. Weight gain. Diarreah.

[Molly]

I've been on Lexapro since January & I've lost about 20 pounds. It doesn't seem to be correlated with how much/little I eat. I think it just depends on the person. My sex drive is not what it used to be, but if I put forth a little effort, then it is very enjoyable. Good luck to all of you in finding the right medicine/dosage.

[bobby]

Hi I switched to lexzpro from remeron in which I gained some weight so hoping to not gain using ttlexapro

[Ingrid]

Amy wrote:

I have been on Lexapro for 6 months now and can honestly say that it helped a huge amount with my depression but I have gained 30 pounds since starting it. I am weaning myself now because I fell worse than I did before taking it because now I am fat!

Hi Amy, lifes really weird for me at the moment. I have just weaned myself off Lexapro after two years (under the doctors advise) but I am feeling very upset with my weight gain of 8 kilos. I feel worse now too and the extra weight gain is extremely depressing. How have you gone with the withdrawl symptons?? I have had dizziness, tingling lips, headaches, tension in both my shoulders and quite irritable. Did you start to get your own body back? And how long did it take?
Would love to chat, Ingrid in Australia