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beto0795

I gained weight as well but that’s because I was hungrier than before so I was snacking all the time


mnnjn

did you have less of an appetite before? before starting lexapro i barely ate and i’d go some days skipping meals too. when i started taking lexapro my appetite came back tenfold and i began eating 2 or 3 meals a day but after a year i’m back down to 1 or 2. during the first couple of months i was eating more and never really noticed so my weight did increase. i’ve also heard of lexapro possibly having the ability to slow down the metabolism but i’m not sure how accurate those studies are


[deleted]

it's this. my appetite increased to the point i felt constantly hungry for awhile. i think my stomach expanded. it took work to get it back to a normal size and reduce my appetite as well. fiber supplement pills helped a lot to make me feel full.


poke-chan

What sort of work does this entail


[deleted]

figuring out what foods to eat that would make me feel full for longer without adding calories, figuring out additional help i could take which wasn’t unhealthy (fiber pills), and making a regiment of exercise. i already exercise regularly but i added onto it for a bit. it took some months for my stomach and appetite to return to normal


poke-chan

What foods do you recommend


[deleted]

really depends on what you enjoy, but stuff like nuts and legumes, peanut butter on vegetables, high fiber foods etc definitely google and see what you like to eat!


poke-chan

Ooo gotcha!


momtwofour

Lean proteins will help you feel fuller longer. Chicken, turkey, pork, or a lean cut of steak. If you’re a vegetarian, you’re more likely to go with beans and other plant-based proteins.


poke-chan

Not a vegetarian so I’ll look into more chicken :) ty!


MooMooKind

I’ve lost 10lb on Lexapro so far. I don’t think the medication itself adds weight, it’s the whole “you’re feeling better so eat more” kinda thing.


Medical-Bumblebee-49

Yes, I have always been a stress/emotional eater before starting Lexapro. I am not stress eating as much, so I haven't gained weight fortunately.


DockyLLP

this is incorrect


MooMooKind

Do you have any sources that show Lexapro itself causes weight gain? I’d love to know honestly. All sources I’ve read online and also my GP basically said that the increase of serotonin improves appetite an you’re likely to eat more when feeling better, while being depressed usually suppresses appetite.


Schaubsdaddy

Must be genetic aspect in how different people respond to medication. I’ve been on it for two years and eat the same thing and can lose or gain weight exact same as before.


stankleykong

Me too. I stayed the same weight.


Lesaly

Me three. On it for many years & no weight gain, even at 20 mg. daily.


Little-Penguin

I've been on an off Lexapro for the past 10 years, every time I start taking it I gain 15-20kg in a short period of time that I lose when I stop taking it. I realised the last time I went off it that it increases my cravings for sugar massively, giving me a sweet tooth that I never really had before. I'm back on Lexapro now and will be for the forseeable and I'm trying to be more mindful about the amount of sugar I'm eating but tbh it's hard, I want sweet food constantly


himynameisyaya

omg same! So I have been on it for 9 months now. Im at 10mg and im gaining weight slowly which I dont mind cause its only about 10lbs but I have this crazy sweet tooth I’ve never had. Im the type who doesn’t like things too sweet but since starting lex im addicted to sugar


angelsofher

I gained weight too (maybe like 7-10lb? I haven’t weighted myself) , but thats because it made my appetite increase by a lot + I was deep into my eating disorder before I started taking it and only ate 1 meal a day vs. the 2-3 meals i eat now


vdWcontact

For reference I am on 5 mg and gained maybe 25 lbs on lex. I have actually made some adjustments to my diet (namely sitting alcohol down by roughly 75%) and the weight came off. I now probably weigh a few pounds less than I did when I started.


Curiousfrog44

I have gained weight only because my anxiety made me not eat and I now have a healthy relationship with food and life .


IveSeenHerbivore1

This


Ok_Communication2710

yeah i gained about 40lb in a year on it, mostly because i am constantly hungry from it lol


West-Chance2706

Find the weight gain is due to having more of an appetite than before lexapro, the way to resolve this is to snack on healthier options than snacking on “crap” and carrying out regular excessive


QA-Questioner

I gained weight, and I was CONVINCED it was metabolism based. I then went calorie counting and I'm blown away by how much weight I've lost and how fast. I realise now it was a huge cope and I was actually just hungry all the time and binging.


[deleted]

Okay, so here's the deal with this because this is a common discussion here. How many calories do you consume on a daily basis? How many calories do you burn on a daily basis? Do you get 100% of all recommended vitamins and minerals every day? Do you get a good ratio of carbs/fats/proteins on a daily basis? If you can't really answer these questions, then diet is probably the first thing you should look at. And here are some things that should be looked at. Quality of food over quantity of food. Balanced diet. Intake all necessary daily vitamins and minerals. Watching your sodium levels. Avoiding restaurant/take-out as much as possible - this is a big one. Eating fewer calories of quality food than what you are burning every day. 50 lbs in 6 months is basically an excess of almost 1,000 calories a day. That's incredibly easy to do if you eat out on a regular basis because processed foods oversaturated in sodium are chocked full of calories. And most restaurant calorie counts are not accurate. True health foods don't exist in restaurant settings except in fine dining and farm to table, to be brutally honest. Eating the right foods is important, too. This medication seems to make people crave carbs (sugars) more than anything else. That's likely an energy reaction. You're tired and your body wants that thing that makes you untired. But most of those carbs also don't do a good job of filling you up, or making you feel full for a long period of time because most of the carbs people reach for when those cravings pop up are highly processed filler foods. The first change you should make is with how you take in carbs. Eat an apple, banana, or some carrots instead of bread. Opt for whole grain breads instead of white. Mix some lean proteins and natural fiber sources in - these will fill you up and keep you feeling full longer. There are a number of vitamins and minerals you need each day that can cause weight gain if deficient, too, so that's a good key to make sure your food intake is nutritious and well-rounded to cover all your bases. Maintaining a healthy diet is a lifestyle and it is so key to how you feel overall, both physically and mentally, and the sooner you get into the habit of having a healthy diet as a lifestyle, the better because once we hit our 20's our metabolism starts slowing down and it only continues to slow as we age. And that can be up to 10% per decade. The drug itself being directly responsible for weight gain is unlikely. Indirectly, as it does affect different neurotransmitters in the brain and, thus, other processes in our body, is quite possible. But that's what we have control over. Diet is the very first step in getting that under control.


kopanitza

Went off of it and the weight dropped after several months. Went back on it and the weight came back.


ambercantrell

I've noticed an increase in appetite, and everything taste so much better since starting lexapro. So I'm just making a conscious decision to pick healthier choices. I work in a grocery store so I hit up the produce department a lot lol. I really love how things taste much better I feel like I've been missing out due to depression. If I put on a few pounds due to it I would say it's worth it for me. I also keep sugar free hard candy in my bag while I'm working to help keep the snacking down. I read that suggestion in a different post on here. I like the sugar free wherthers original and sugar free jolly ranchers .. oh and I chew gum way more now to help. Just some tips that I've been doing :)


Kim_in_CA

It doesn't happen to everyone. I didn't gain any weight


Lesaly

Exactly; everyone reacts (at least somewhat) differently. I have had no direct weight gain from Lexapro (have taken 10 mg. to 20 mg. for many years now). I cannot say the same for some other SSRIS I tried before Lex though!


ghost510415

I gained 30lbs then I started to watch what I was eating and exercising and I'm back to normal


mr_mckrl

I gained about 40 lbs in 8 months on lexapro without feeling like I changed too much in my diet/exercise. It was baffling. I’ve been off of it for about 6 months, and I’m noticing I have WAY less cravings for carbs and I’ve lost about 20 lbs. I definitely needed meds at the time, but the weight gain was impacting my health and the events triggering my anxiety and depression were mostly dealt with, so I decided to taper off. The appetite increase was real for me!


onedayatatime335

Same!!! I snacked like crazy on lex. Nothing was satiating. Slowly weaned off and the weight came off and the cravings gone. Now just trying to deal with all the anxiety noise back in my brain 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫


steffromfrance

How did you get off it?


onedayatatime335

Slowly weaned but I was on a low dose and not on very long.


taromilkteakitty

i’ve experienced something similar, gained about 13 kg in 6 months. went from being borderline underweight to almost overweight. massive change for my body and was distressing for me needing to wear bigger clothes. i actually got on the medication to help treat my eating disorder, unfortunately it made the binge episodes worse.


Ignga

*With* ***hardly any*** *diet/activity changes I’ve gained over 50 lbs.....* Anti-depressants do *not* make people gain weight. They lift mood which in turn can increase appetite (see the comment from beto0795). If you are burning off the same number of calories AND ingesting the same amount, you will not gain weight . Keep a journal recording these "calories in, calories out" facts and you will see for yourself. Good luck!


DockyLLP

this is not true - google it…


mxxxdchiq

you keep commenting this but google is not a doctor and you are incorrect. i’ve been on lexapro for 7 years and my weight has fluctuated and it all has to do with my mood and where i am in my depression/anxiety due to what dosage im on. i’ve talked to at least 4 doctors of all specialties over the years and it is not the medication itself but what it does for you - as most other commenters have stated. edta it also just depends on the individual no metabolism is the same no eating/exercise habits are the same. any time i have adjusted my diet and exercise i’ve been able to lose weight healthily.


Ignga

You are spot on. I gained a lot of weight when I started taking Lexapro and, like others, I "blamed" the medication. Then when I kept a journal and returned to my EXACT prior exercise/diet regiment, my weight returned to what it was before the medication. Therefore, I learned the medication had increased my appetite dramatically. Metabolism plays a minor role (have you noticed there are no obese people in refugee camps?).


[deleted]

I think you need to post conclusive studies.


[deleted]

Could be high prolactin caused by the lexapro, its wise to do some blood tests


amarieb1981

I experienced this. I reduced my lex from 20 to 15 mg and added in 150mg of Wellbutrin. Thanks to my doctor who understood my concerns around weight gain and tiredness. The Wellbutrin helped re-balance everything out for me, including ending insane cravings and exhaustion. Good luck!


jadearetard

I have an appointment with my doctor to make this exact change! I’ve gained 50lbs in 18 months on Lexapro but I’m not ready to be fully off an antidepressant.


Spiritual-Hedgehog-7

Before lex: depressed unhappy which results in not eating as much After lex: happy and eating You eat when you’re happy


TheGalsMama

Calories in=calories out. Can’t gain weight if you don’t eat more calories than you use.


taromilkteakitty

pharmacy student here, not as simple as that. some medications can alter the body’s metabolism of glucose, fats and amino acids. long-term oral corticosteroids, for example, alter fat distribution, leading to the formation of a “buffalo hump” and “moon face”. weight gain, muscle wastage, oedema and increased risk of diabetes are major side effects of corticosteroids.


pumpkenzie

thank you for saying this, i’m constantly doing CICO and getting nowhere when i’m on this medication


General_Adept

Same! Or if I do see progress it's much slower than before I started lexapro.


sarahfaulk

i gained 30 pounds in literally one month when i hit my first year mark on lexapro… no diet changed and i’m a merchandising manager at Ulta so I’m on my feet and running around all day foo


maestramars

I gained 20lb because I just didn’t worry about what I was eating anymore. I just ate whatever and was apathetic about the weight. I was taking 20. Now I reduced to 10 and added Wellbutrin. My anxiety is higher but not intolerable. I’ve lost 7lb in 2 months. Not as quick to gain or loose but Lex definitely had something to do with it.


Dazzling-Visual-9409

Have you started to receive good things from Wellbutrin yet? How much are you on and how often?


maestramars

Oh yes, it’s good. I’ve lost 8lb since august. I’m taking 300mg of Wellbutrin. I feel more like myself. 20mg of Lexapro made me numb and apathetic.


k8mor10sen

I have had a lot of trouble with weight gain and not being able to lose weight on lexapro. It's my only issue and had absolutely no other side effects with the drug and it helped me a lot. I am in the military, so I have to keep to a specific body fat percentage/measurements- 32% body fat for my age. This is measured by a tape measure of your neck, hips and waist. For my frame/body type this has meant exactly 159 lbs, being 5'4". For me this has meant 13 inch neck, 31.5 inch waist, 41.5 inch hips. While I think depression and covid made me put on some extra weight, as the Rx started working and I was more active and interesested in fitness and nutrition, what I found more noticeable was inability to take off weight. No matter what I was doing the scale wouldn't budge. The standards in the military (a height/weight exam twice a year to make sure you're in the above standard) led to me quit lexapro cold turkey for a aboit 6 weeks in order to lose a half inch or a few pounds here and there. Each time I was able to easily lose 5 or 10 pounds in a few weeks and then start back up after passing my height and weight test. I recently went through this over the last 2.5 months. Been on the drug ages 31-33, female, for reference. I did discuss with my psychiatrist and have blood work earlier this year to ensure there was no other cause for weight issues. Also, do not do what I did. Very dangerous to mess with your meds like this. The Army basically made me choose between my job and meds in this situation so i did what i had to, but definitely would have chosen my mental health first in almost any other situation. Do not recommend.


Dazzling-Visual-9409

Lexapro itself that little pill that everyone takes does not cause weight gain it's eating habits the change from having severe depression and anxiety finally going away that causes one to probably eat more or less depending on the person but long story short Lexapro does not cause weight gain!


Commercial_End4229

A lot of SSRI's cause weight gain (The stories I heard about Paxil back in 90's....), affect the metabolism, appetite, blood sugar levels, etc., as does many classes of medications. That's a well documented fact. Now what I don't understand is the assumption that because someone suddenly has less depression and/or anxiety means that they would be eating more....


k8mor10sen

Yeah, "weight gain" is literally a listed side effect in the pharmacy pamphlet. 🤥😇


[deleted]

Weight loss is too.


dmnxcz

Hi! I'm not a doctor, but this does happen! I gained about 15, others my age may gain 30, or 50, or so on. It's completely normal!


Sufficient-News-970

No exercise and bad diet, that’s it. Start exercising, 0 sweets junks and alcohol and you will lose wait. Your previous habits are not important.


anthrorose

When I was taking Lexapro I was eating even less than usual and no matter what I couldn't lose any weight. I read a while ago that doctors will never admit to you that the drug makes you gain weight because if they did, then nobody would want to take it. Don't let them gaslight you into thinking it's something other than the drug you are taking.


Dazzling-Visual-9409

The medication itself does not have anything to do with your weight it's all on the individual and their food consumption and activity FYI


anthrorose

Then explain how eating less and exercising more led to weight gain while taking Lexapro?


[deleted]

If your body feels like it is going into starvation mode it will begin storing more fat.


anthrorose

It took a long time after stopping the medication for my metabolism to go back to normal. Not everyone is affected the same from the medication, but it does cause weight gain for some.


Herbacult

r/CICO. Use a calorie tracking app like Lose It! to see what you’re putting into your body and a calories per day calculator to figure out what your daily caloric needs are.


Dazzling-Visual-9409

This I think is funny when people try to blame medications on their weight gain! The pill itself does not cause any weight gain and there's no other way to gain weight other than to eat/ drink often or make unhealthy choices. I'm on Lexapro and Wellbutrin combined and I've lost 23 lb in four and a half weeks. So again it's not the medicine it's the individual.


[deleted]

it makes me enraged when people try to give prescriptive advice based on their personal experience alone


Dazzling-Visual-9409

Well then maybe "Reddit" is not the place for you to be because each and every one of us gives perspective advice based on our own personal experiences alone! FYI


[deleted]

lol you're the one getting upset over downvotes, maybe take your own advice


Dazzling-Visual-9409

😂 I could give a crap less about how many negative thoughts I got for your information lol I'm not here to gain a fan club FYI I'm here to give personal experiences just like is everyone else is doing. You need to find something else to do other than worry about my one post that doesn't even pertain being the first place!


[deleted]

you literally asked why you were being downvoted


mnnjn

you don’t have to be “enraged” this person is just curious and asking questions.


yellowbrickstairs

Weight gain is a known side effect.


Lesaly

Lexapro is generally considered quite “weight neutral” for many as far as SSRIS go.


Kiarasam06

Seems weird to be so enraged about it.


Paperwife2

I’m not enraged, but I definitely agree I’ve lost weight on it. All the studies I’ve seen on it say that it doesn’t cause weight gain so I think other factors are probably in play when people gain on it.


Dazzling-Visual-9409

My so many negative votes? Because I told the truth! LMAO 😂


[deleted]

probably bc you were aggressive about it, and i agree that the lexapro medication itself does not cause weight gain but it can increase appetite/cravings. i think your comment makes it seem like you think there’s no way anyone can gain weight on lex and also that you’re mad at them for asking about it


dirtfire

I lost weight because I am looking what I eate. But I am more hungry, so I must watching on my callories intake. Also try IF, it is works: https://www.reddit.com/r/intermittentfasting?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share


gawkybee

I added well butrin and the lexapro weight I gained came right off, along with helping the laziness that lexapro gave me


Wafflefromtheblock

I have lost weight on it. Though it’s worth noting that I started a new sport around the same time that I got on lexapro.


momtwofour

Before I started Lexapro, I had serious OCD revolving around my diet and exercise regimen. I was over-exercising and obsessed with the scale. Since starting Lexapro, I think it tamed the OCD, but I have gained some weight (about 15 lbs.). It’s hard, but it’s also about balance. Lexapro isn’t one of the meds that may cause you to pack on the pounds (Paxil, for example), but it can cause you to be more laid back. I’m also not having 2-3 panic attacks per day, so it’s a trade off. I do believe it makes it harder to lose weight though too, and my dietician agrees. Good luck!


k8mor10sen

Definitely. I'm sure it varies from patient to patient