Good morning,
I’m getting ready to wean off my Zoloft because I can’t handle the weight gain. I’ve reduced my calories, I’m exercising and still I’m gaining weight. Typically I’m a rather thin woman but find that the weight is causing me a lot of anxiety. Anyone else relate or have advice? I hate that I’m having to go off a medication that has been working rather well for me...
Hi I am on the same med and it's not made me put on weight. Maybe try another. x
I have the same issue with lamictal.
Did not have it on zoloft though.
The weird part is the weight distribution.
I used to evenly distribute weight over my frame.
I'm 6 feet so can carry a few extra lbs.
But this med weight is only in my boobs, and now i have a big round belly. Like all the fat just congregated there.
Its discouraging because i am feeling better emotionally but now hate how i look.
I've never had body image issues ever so its weird.
Also, i just feel really bloated all the time.
I think I'm actually eating less because i get full so fast with the bloating.
Adulting is so hard and complicated. 🤷🏻♀️🤦♀️🙁🥺
I stopped a med due to this belly weight gain. It is so unhealthy and I couldn't deal with it anymore. Once I stopped the med the weight came right off.
My psychiatrist was very supportive. I was getting depressed over the weight gain and told her I just couldn't do it anymore.
After the two month period of coming off I did have to resume another med. my weight fluctuates by 5 pounds and I'm ok with that.
What's odd is, i just had a physical last week and i actually LOST weight.
I'm usually 170 ish but was 163 at my physical.
I feel 'heavier' so i was pretty surprised.
I think part is maybe the constipation i deal with from the lamictal. I feel bloated alot.
I need to take a couple days off work, sit down with some metamucil and get back to 'baseline'.
I had weight gain with an anti psychotic drug. I came off it for two months and the weight came right off.
Hi Mongea.
Nice to hear from you and I am so glad you are doing well.
I too have gained weight on my antidepressant but I think the important thing is to decide on what your priorities are.
How ill did you become before you started on Zoloft? In my case I was so ill with GAD and depression that life was not worth living. The antidepressant made me so much better that I have to accept weight gain as a side effect along with wind which is not unpleasant for me, but may be for others, lol, and constipation which is just a mild nuisance.
Some loss of libido is also a problem but as I am 64 and my husband is older and has less libido than me now anyway, again I am prepared to accept this for all the gains.
I have additional gains as I am also more sociable than I was before I was ill and really enjoy every minute which I would before, have taken for granted. I worry far less about everything even though I never saw myself as a worrier and I have stayed in an almost constant positive but not flat mood. I am on an SNRI which means I can have periods of euphoria but with this I also become unable to sleep and suffer a bit of short term memory loss. This is counteracted by the rare use of sleeping tablets which means I get a good night's sleep and my memory gets back to normal.
The thing I would really like to lose is my feelings of mild breathlessness alot of the time but I know this is not a side effect but rather that I am still experiencing a little break through anxiety.
So in your place you have to weigh up your losses and gains. Weight gain can definitely be worked on. I have to eat less and increase my excercise to keep it under control and I know I can do it but need to be on top of it all the time by monitoring my weight daily.
If you are pretty sure you no longer have anxiety in that you never get any anxiety symptoms that you only got when you became ill now, it may be you can do a very slow phased stop to your medication but if you are still getting symptoms that tell you that your body is still over producing flight or flight chemicals then if you stop taking Zoloft, your anxiety is very likely to return.
If you feel you are not still in an anxiety disordered state, you may be able to phase off and feel very well and not have to deal with side effects, but you may have to deal with effects of coming off the drug even if you come off gradually and you risk the return of your anxiety condition when dealing with day to day living, particularly if something out if the ordinary takes place.
I definitely will not risk coming off my antidepressants unless they stop working or I have to for health reasons.
Very best wishes
Kim
Hi Kim! I was looking back through our messages and thought this was an interesting one! I went off the Zoloft to lose weight back in June. Now I find myself back where I started. High anxiety, not able to eat, not able to sleep, etc. it’s interesting how quickly things are put in perspective when you’re not feeling mentally well.
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