Does Celexa = weight gain?

[USAmma]

I started on this after years and years of PPD and depression. It's helping a lot. I've been on it for about 4 months. I have noticed that even though I eat pretty healthy, I have put on about 4-5 pounds. I like to be at a certain ideal weight and that weight is a healthy one for my age/size. About 2 months ago I started to actively try to lose those extra pounds and get back to my ideal weight. I cut out sweets and soda, counted calories, and exercised more. I am not starving myself, just trying to be sensible in what and how much I eat. I did not lose any weight, but at least I stopped gaining. I recently started to exercise 2x a day for 30 minutes each (walking or stair stepping) and I have finally started to drop some weight (1.5 pounds over 2 weeks).

What's the deal? Is it the meds? I have always been super thin and could eat what I wanted and still not gain, and even would lose weight if I was not careful.

[mom0810]

It COULD be the meds, but heck, for 4-5 lbs, and if you are feeling better, than really you have to ask yourself, isn't it worth it to have the extra pounds if you are feeling so much better and coping so much better?

I have not lost the weight I lost last time when I was nursing, because this time I am taking zoloft. But I am functioning. The extra weight is very frustrating, but I have to keep reminding myself how much better I am doing ON the meds than I was before, and that a few pounds are kind of worth dealing with, at least right now, in order to get myself feeling better.

Of course you have to be happy. But I would talk to your therapist about how you are feeling about the weight and see what they say. SSRI's can cause some weight gain, or make it harder to lose weight. But again, you have to ask yourself what the trade-off is, and if it's worth it.

Wellbutrin is an antidepressant that is associated with weight LOSS, so you could ask your doctor about that one, too.

[gwerydd]

i am on Celexa and i gained about 20 lbs. : i spent 8 months trying very hard to gain weight while pregnant, lost it all after dd was born and then gained it all back in 4-5 weeks. :

[finn'smama]

I am taking celexa and haven't noticed any weight gain. I don't have a scale though, so it is possible that I could gain 4 or 5 pounds without noticing.
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[USAmma]

Thanks! Maybe I just have more appetite because I'm feeling better, or maybe I'm just not a nervous wreck anymore so I'm not burning calories being nervous and angry. I'm not considering getting off or switching meds because I have no daily side effects and it's working for me. (The first week was rough but the side effects went away after that.)

[abbylotus]

I have been on Celexa for about a month and am actually losing weight. Go figure.

[CharlieBrown]

When I was taking anti-depressants, one of my concerns was weight gain, so the doctor prescribed Celexa.

[moonmama22]

Originally Posted by abbylotus

I have been on Celexa for about a month and am actually losing weight. Go figure.

I think that I eat sometimes as a "grounding" type behavior. I know sometimes people who have anxiety have no appetite, but it seems to me that I eat more. So I would like to think that maybe being on medication would relax me and take away that need to eat to feel grounded.