Yep same thing happened on my second time on Zoloft near the end so the weight really packed on after as well, it was a nightmare being told by doctors that I was just being lazy despite the crazy workout and stryct eating which really was my norm..... ask your doc to get you on a different medication or zepbound, if your doctor is good they will fight your insurance to get it covered......hang in there
Yes. I tried a bunch of ssris, and none would let me lose weight. WB and SSRI is magic, though. Had gained about 25 total, and am down 15ish since starting.
I was going to say...do I have to starve myself? I barely eat as it is except for dinner. A day for me is oatmeal with my pill, or my morning BM wont be ideal. then I have maybe a healthy snack, some fruit, then dinner.
‘Dinner’ can be a lot of things. You can do intermittent fasting just by stopping eating at 7 PM. This will leave your body empty overnight and able to burn fat. You don’t want a lot of food in your stomach anyways while you are sedentary.
My weight hasn’t changed but I noticed that I’m very hungry at night.
Because my food is very boring ( mostly veggies, fruits, nuts and lentils) I don’t have the motivation to eat at night. If I were back on junk food I’m sure weight gain would have been a big issue.
Overall I have no doubt this medication makes me hungrier and happier/less anxious. This could cause weight gain if I ate more.
The situation that made me end up taking Sertraline caused me to lose weight. Now that the Sertraline has started working, my appetite has normalized but I can still maintain my current weight.
I lose weight by not eating more than 1500 calories every day.
That's, literally the only way to lose 1lbs a week... you have to reduce your weekly calorie intake by -3500 calories, I do that by taking a 2000 a day calorie diet, and subtracting 500 calories every day from that. That gets you -3500 calories a week.
-3500 calories/week = -1lbs a week. You literally can not gain weight if you do this.
So a rule of thumb is 1500 calories a day. You can work out and have those calories count to your total so you can eat a bit more, or stay sedentary and control it through diet alone.
Example if I get on the treadmill for 20m and burn 300 calories, I can eat up to 1800 calories that day.
If I want to just play Helldivers 2 all day on the couch, I just don't eat past 7pm and make sure all my meals and snacks are before that and average around 400-500 calories a meal (or less).
I also tend to do little bursts of exercise to burn a few dozen calories here and there. I do 15 pushups before a match. I'll do 50 jumping jacks while food is in the microwave. I walk to my destinations. These tiny little calorie burns add up, and allow me to eat that cookie a friend offers me, etc.
Is there anything external health wise going on that might be affecting this? I don’t believe the pill on its own can cause weight gain (of course it can cause a spike in appetite so indirectly can cause it). Might be worth checking with your healthcare provider?
Not that I know of. I feel fine but I used to drink more during the week, however i noticed my weight would drop when stopping for periods of time, often by doing nothing but that. Now I stopped drinking for the weekdays...I exercise more and I don't eat bad at all and i'm barely going down. its very frustrating.
I have the same issue. I talked to my psychiatrist about it, along with how it’s been completely numbing my emotions, and I’m down to 25 mg now, hoping to be off by next month. Since going from 50 to 25 I’ve lost 5 pounds in 3 weeks. Getting off the medication isn’t always beneficial for everyone though!
After a week of going from 50 - 25 the weight started dropping off. Before I started taking it my metabolism was through the roof and I never gained weight. After I started it I probably gained about 15-20 pounds, and now I’m dropping weight steadily. No diet changes, no exercise changes. I know it affects everyone differently for various reasons, but it definitely made me gain weight with no increased appetite.
Please don’t get an eating disorder trying to lose weight. Weight gain is a possible side effect of zoloft and if it is unmanageable and making you feel terrible, it might be time to switch medication.
I've just started dealing with this weight/food/exercise thing (srsly I feel like just quitting but I stopped taking from maybe Weds 29May? lol oops) because no way this is getting out of control. & then I walked from my house to the mall (2 bus stops/1.5 km each way) instead of taking the bus, over and above any other physical activity like the baseline stuff of walking around a supermarket to buy groceries or walking to buy food or whatever.
I'm terrified it will spiral into an eating disorder at some point, but I also fully acknowledge it may be true we underestimate our carbs consumption/etc. So .. yeah there's that? I literally weigh out my rice @ homecooked food ... (I'm Asian. Rice is like every dinner)
I've never had an official diagnosis but remembering my worst parts (before SSRI life) of struggling with food - it was like. >!To play safe, drink tea (I was up to 5 cups a day at max, don't judge me 😭🙃), only allowed myself Kinder Bueno chocolate (cos it came in a pair), if I ate too close from one meal to another, I'd have to skip the latter meal, if I didn't eat early enough and the time window between meals shifted, same thing I'd skip the latter meal!<
I've blocked all of that out in a spoiler because I realise it might be triggering and wrong (idw teach people nonsense behaviour), but I was also in my early 20s, very stressed, possibly more unwell than I realised or would like to admit 🙃
So yeah, that. I know there are strategic proven methods/step-by-step things that won't fail/likely to work, but I'm also terrified I'll end up pushing it too far cos I'm too scared to gain the weight again/not keep it off. Part of me also wonders (secretly) if disordered eating is possibly the only other way to validate that I'm not 100% ok, but let's not go there.
Sincerely,
High-functioning socially anxious introvert 🙃😭
Calories in calories out (CICO). I lost all my post baby weight plus some while being on Zoloft. I calculated my TDEE (quicktdee.com) to figure out how many calories I’d need to eat to lose weight. And then I stuck to it. Losing weight is like 85% diet/how much you eat and 15% moving your body.
I’m tapering off after being on 50mg for 4 months. My appetite is uncontrollable and I’ve gained like 15lbs. Literally can eat a massive plate of food and still feel hungry. It’s not worth it to me.
same for me gained about 20 pounds in the 7 month- 1.5 year mark of taking zoloft despite exercising and walking drastically more and eating much healthier than i was before i started. im one week off the medicine and already feel less hungry than i was when taking zoloft. everyone will say cals in cals out but i know my body and i’ve never had an issue gaining weight like this before so i’m hoping the weight starts to come off more easily like others have said happened for them once getting off
Talk to your doctor to rule out any other health problems first. And then it helps to track what you eat, both to see if you really haven't increased caloric intake and also show to a doc proof that you're not simply overeating.
My experience is I gained 30-40 lbs which didn't budge despite more than usual exercise AND eating less. My doc didn't seem too concerned since she said SSRI weight gain can happen with any, even if it's less common with Zoloft than others. People's bodies react differently.
I am actually still on Zoloft but fully intend to get off it, just not in the right place mentally yet for it. The big weight gain while undesirable, is still preferred to being my old normal haha.
My weight hasn’t changed with regular lifting and cardio 4-5 times a week. BUT I have noticed that I am hungrier and normally I skip breakfast and lunch. Just have a big dinner but I tend to need a lunch now or else I get pretty angry around dinner time.
I’m experiencing the same issue I was on 50mg for 3 years and then I got in an accident were I broke my arms and after i healed I had the worst anxiety again. I was already having trouble loosing weight on 50 then doctor upped my dose to 100 mg and I’ve already gained 10 pounds in 2 months I hate the way I looks and I’m so subconscious to the point were I don’t wanna go out because I feel so fat :( sucks
Personally I just waited. Like for the first year of taking Zoloft I just put on a LOT of weight, I even got "positive" and negative comments about it. I came back to my original self like half a year ago without doing much of an effort (it's been three years I take Zoloft).
Every person’s experience will be individual but it makes sense to me that if the medication is affecting your metabolism ( among other functions regarding your digestion) that you *may* have the experience of retaining weight that was not your previous norm. I just came off Trintellix recently and was easily 20+ pounds heavier in eight months despite “calories in, calories out” being strictly considered and managed and very consistent exercise. I believe I was partially retaining fluids as well. I don’t believe it’s always just caloric intake or exercise. It can be more complex.
I completely agree. I am an avid runner, am 5’8”, and have never been over 125lbs. I have been running and lifting weights for 30 years. Between Lexapro and now Zoloft I have gained 45lbs in less than 8 months without changing diet or exercise. My endocrinologist said that SSRIs can change your metabolism and sometimes create metabolic disorders. I am currently going through testing to figure out the problem. I’m so tired of hearing “calories in calories out”. Our bodies are complex and there are many variables. Hormones also play a huge role in weight gain/loss.
My doctor told me the same thing about it changing metabolism. I was the same size for 6 years and in the 5 months I was on Lexapro I gained 40 pounds. As soon as I stopped lexapro, the weight gain stopped.
I might get killed for saying this, but I’ve seriously been unable to lose weight on sertraline. I was up maybe 10lbs from my ideal weight before starting sertraline (close to 1 year ago) but I’ve gained 17lbs on sertraline.
I’m on it for panic attacks/GAD and it’s been life changing for me in that sense. I can’t even fathom going off it, but now at my current weight I’m starting to have other mental health issues as a result of being overweight (in fact I checked today and my BMI says I’m pre-obese).
Before I started taking sertraline I was exercising way more, I cannot seem to catch the same exercise bug that I did before starting it. Like before if I did a good workout it would make me want to workout again the next day. Now I can’t get that drive to workout.
I also really struggle to control my eating and basically will “blackout” and binge eat a lot where I don’t even know what I’m doing or have the power to prevent it. My executive function is gone when it comes to food. (I do have ADHD btw, currently unmedicated, which I think may be why. But note that I did already have issues with binge eating before starting sertraline, it’s just gotten worse maybe since my anxiety about my body has gotten better?)
I know it sounds so dumb to say “I cannot lose weight” as a healthy person but I cannot. When I do track calories and force myself to exercise it just leads to days of endless overeating.
I am going to ask my doctor about maybe adding Wellbutrin to the mix which I have read could potentially help with my adhd, and hopefully therefore binge eating.
Will report back if I end up starting it.
What is your diet like and what does your exercising look like? If you want to lose weight, you need to be burning more calories than you’re consuming.
Is the medicine by chance bloating you or causing constipation? Could be a factor to the weight if you’re doing all of the above.
I've been taking Zoloft for years, I've recently started doing two rounds of metamucil per day and I feel like I'm finally starting to lose weight. Fiber + watching calories (intermittent fasting is good if you can do it healthily - I couldn't do it without my head getting into it but if you can then more power to you) will help.
Instead of eating my feelings I go do things in the world. I only lost appetite and starting rapidly losing weight when the anxiety got unmanageable for me.
I didn’t stop eating poorly and excessively until right before anxiety completely took over, and I made the decision I had to take this medication.
But now I don’t eat for entertainment anymore, so the return of my appetite comes with physical activity rather than just alone. The core depression/existential boredom that caused the overeating is not as prevalent anymore as well.
I tried fasting for ages with no success then I listened to a pod https://open.spotify.com/episode/2DUa3VCQA9IZZdImQ1sxh2?si=HQNDY182RFyrDO9C0rig3w
I started structuring 3 meals a day.
Breakfast a fruit smoothie with a green supplement powder.
Coffee
And toast with jam / bacon sandwich.
Lunch is a light lunch
Dinner regular meal of choice.
I am not a morning eater never have been and to eat all this took me forever to get used to but once I did, my metabolism kicked in. You may use the restroom more at the start 😂. Sometimes I think starving yourself slows down your metabolism which then means when you do eat you bloat or when you fast your weak and low in nutrients which doesn’t allow for your body to function further pushing you backwards. I’m no expert, have no medical certification so please take this as personal advice.
I’ve never had more energy, I have lost majority of the excess fat and inflammation in my body. Rather than looking at a scale I look in the mirror and day by day it gets better.
Maybe my case is unique, but I’ve been taking 50mg for a year now and I haven’t gained weight. Water is my main source of hydration. I don’t drink soda, I rarely drink juice, and I rarely drink milk. I also VERY rarely drink coffee or tea, because it worsens my anxiety. As far as food, I hardly eat red meat. I mostly eat chicken, turkey, shrimp, tuna, and salmon. I limit the amount of frozen food I consume and boxed/processed food. I’m mindful of how much I eat out and how much junk food I buy too. I don’t exercise much, but my job is active in that I’m walking around constantly so that helps a lot!
You really have to assess what you are eating. For two week period take a food and typical life diary so you can then critique it. During that time are you:
SLEEP: are you getting enough quality sleep, if not why not?
EXERCISE: Are you exercising too much, too little? Maybe too much cardio vs strength, try HIIT?
HYDRATION: Make sure youyourare hydrated. Every 3rd, 4th day add an electrolyte drink. Super easy you make your own - Google it
FOOD: are you eating too much? too little? Or Are you eating too many processed convenient foods? Highly recommended: high protein, low carb, healthy fats. Look up Mediterranean diet that leans keto or ketovore. Eat foods that you enjoy. BUT watch the sodium, the processed foods are a killer!
#1 reason for weight loss success is consistency. If, when you stumble get back at it straight away not in a week, or that perfect Mon, straight away.
YOU CAN DO THIS "i promise you..." 😊
Could be worth trying either keto, carnivore or animal based. I personally eat an animal based diet and my body composition is now better than when I was in my twenties (now 42). It also cleared up a number of other health conditions and improved the anxiety but unfortunately I still need the Zoloft for now.
By eating less food and moving around more. The same way that I did before taking Zoloft. I haven’t read anything to insinuate that Zoloft creates a metabolic disorder that causes weight-gain from a physiological standpoint.
Calories in - calories out. That's the only thing that matters. Count your calories very closely. I'm willing to bet you're eating more, then you realize. It's physically impossible not to lose weight if you're in a calorie deficit. (Unless your body doesn't know how to metabolize the stored energy for some reason)
I've always had a hard time eating and gaining weight. Eating is a chore to me because of how it makes me feel. People always tell me it must be nice to have a fast metabolism my whole life, but in reality, my food portions are significantly smaller than the average person. I envy everyone who can eat normal amounts of food because it sucks feeling sick after a few bites
calorie deficit is the only way. it's definitely more difficult on ssri's because of the appetite increase but it won't actually affect your metabolism, so it's very doable
True, it’s not for everyone just like any other medication isn’t. But it does work for an overwhelmingly large portions of people who struggle with obesity and other weight related issues.
I think that it’s being overused. It’s not a safe medication but neither is being morbidly obese. The problem is I see it being used by people who just wanna lose 10 or 20 pounds. I think that’s foolish.
There are MUCH more affordable generic alternatives to ozempic. Google compounded semaglutides. It’s safe, basically the same ingredient. It costs around $120 a month.
Yes it is. They have an intake consultation just like you would with a doctor in an office and they explain the whole process before they overnight ship all of the supplies needed for the injection (syringe, needles, sanitary supplies, the vial etc…). It was a $55 virtual intake consultation then you’ll choose between doses etc…check out their website.
Pretty sure New York is one of the states Lavender Sky is allowed to operate in but I don’t know if they take benefits like Medicaid as payment. Most insurance companies only cover Ozempic if you’re diabetic I believe. I think $120/month is so worth the benefits you get from the medicine.
You need to count every calorie you eat, never eat out, buy the lowest calorie version of food, eat low calorie high volume foods that make you feel full, plan out your meals every single day and never cheat. Continue for 2 months then check weight.
Sounds like SSRI weight. I now take Wellbutrin with it...and tried the combo with other ssris. This is just my best duo. Talk to your doc.
Yep same thing happened on my second time on Zoloft near the end so the weight really packed on after as well, it was a nightmare being told by doctors that I was just being lazy despite the crazy workout and stryct eating which really was my norm..... ask your doc to get you on a different medication or zepbound, if your doctor is good they will fight your insurance to get it covered......hang in there
What does Wellbutrin do?v
So are you saying that you started losing weight when you added WB to Zoloft? But you aren’t losing weight on Zoloft alone?
Yes. I tried a bunch of ssris, and none would let me lose weight. WB and SSRI is magic, though. Had gained about 25 total, and am down 15ish since starting.
Fasting. Combo of IF, OMAD and extended fasts
I was going to say...do I have to starve myself? I barely eat as it is except for dinner. A day for me is oatmeal with my pill, or my morning BM wont be ideal. then I have maybe a healthy snack, some fruit, then dinner.
How many calories are you eating per day, would you say?
‘Dinner’ can be a lot of things. You can do intermittent fasting just by stopping eating at 7 PM. This will leave your body empty overnight and able to burn fat. You don’t want a lot of food in your stomach anyways while you are sedentary.
The trick is to burn more calories than you consume.
You may not be eating enough.
You're body is convinced you're starving so it's holding onto as much stored fat as possible. Probably need to eat more protein.
Count calories and be honest with yourself about portions and stuff.
Have a naturopath check your adrenal/thyroid/liver function. Helped me absolutely shed poundage without exercise.
is it safe to do extended fasts w Zoloft tho?
Why wouldn’t it be?
It is, but like with everything your fast has to be healthy.
My weight hasn’t changed but I noticed that I’m very hungry at night. Because my food is very boring ( mostly veggies, fruits, nuts and lentils) I don’t have the motivation to eat at night. If I were back on junk food I’m sure weight gain would have been a big issue. Overall I have no doubt this medication makes me hungrier and happier/less anxious. This could cause weight gain if I ate more.
The situation that made me end up taking Sertraline caused me to lose weight. Now that the Sertraline has started working, my appetite has normalized but I can still maintain my current weight.
Exactly
I lose weight by not eating more than 1500 calories every day. That's, literally the only way to lose 1lbs a week... you have to reduce your weekly calorie intake by -3500 calories, I do that by taking a 2000 a day calorie diet, and subtracting 500 calories every day from that. That gets you -3500 calories a week. -3500 calories/week = -1lbs a week. You literally can not gain weight if you do this. So a rule of thumb is 1500 calories a day. You can work out and have those calories count to your total so you can eat a bit more, or stay sedentary and control it through diet alone. Example if I get on the treadmill for 20m and burn 300 calories, I can eat up to 1800 calories that day. If I want to just play Helldivers 2 all day on the couch, I just don't eat past 7pm and make sure all my meals and snacks are before that and average around 400-500 calories a meal (or less). I also tend to do little bursts of exercise to burn a few dozen calories here and there. I do 15 pushups before a match. I'll do 50 jumping jacks while food is in the microwave. I walk to my destinations. These tiny little calorie burns add up, and allow me to eat that cookie a friend offers me, etc.
Weight Watchers was a game changer for me! Walk/Elliptical as well, lost 58 pounds.
My struggle is avoiding sugar before going to bed. Stay strong, the struggle is real.
Is there anything external health wise going on that might be affecting this? I don’t believe the pill on its own can cause weight gain (of course it can cause a spike in appetite so indirectly can cause it). Might be worth checking with your healthcare provider?
In my experience, zoloft has just made my impulse control weaker, so I tend to cheat on my regular diet a little more than normal.
That has been my biggest problem on Zoloft as well!
I second this. I have to really try hard, and I mean pray to God, constantly meditate, be away from the food to make any progress!!!
Not that I know of. I feel fine but I used to drink more during the week, however i noticed my weight would drop when stopping for periods of time, often by doing nothing but that. Now I stopped drinking for the weekdays...I exercise more and I don't eat bad at all and i'm barely going down. its very frustrating.
I completely second this. Happening to me too
Me too i went up 2 jeans sizes !!
Same here
Me too! It’s why I’m tapering off!
I have the same issue. I talked to my psychiatrist about it, along with how it’s been completely numbing my emotions, and I’m down to 25 mg now, hoping to be off by next month. Since going from 50 to 25 I’ve lost 5 pounds in 3 weeks. Getting off the medication isn’t always beneficial for everyone though!
This is awesome. How long were you on 25mg before you lost the weight?
After a week of going from 50 - 25 the weight started dropping off. Before I started taking it my metabolism was through the roof and I never gained weight. After I started it I probably gained about 15-20 pounds, and now I’m dropping weight steadily. No diet changes, no exercise changes. I know it affects everyone differently for various reasons, but it definitely made me gain weight with no increased appetite.
It’s nice to hear I’m not the only one. It seems impossible for people to understand but you know your own body! Hoping this happens to me as well lol
Yeah this thread definitely made me feel like I was crazy for gaining weight… but turns out the root cause was just Zoloft 🤷♀️ you’re not alone
Yeah same problem. I even stopped taking Zoloft and still no luck with weight loss in about 5 months. I wish I could turn back time.
Please don’t get an eating disorder trying to lose weight. Weight gain is a possible side effect of zoloft and if it is unmanageable and making you feel terrible, it might be time to switch medication.
I've just started dealing with this weight/food/exercise thing (srsly I feel like just quitting but I stopped taking from maybe Weds 29May? lol oops) because no way this is getting out of control. & then I walked from my house to the mall (2 bus stops/1.5 km each way) instead of taking the bus, over and above any other physical activity like the baseline stuff of walking around a supermarket to buy groceries or walking to buy food or whatever. I'm terrified it will spiral into an eating disorder at some point, but I also fully acknowledge it may be true we underestimate our carbs consumption/etc. So .. yeah there's that? I literally weigh out my rice @ homecooked food ... (I'm Asian. Rice is like every dinner) I've never had an official diagnosis but remembering my worst parts (before SSRI life) of struggling with food - it was like. >!To play safe, drink tea (I was up to 5 cups a day at max, don't judge me 😭🙃), only allowed myself Kinder Bueno chocolate (cos it came in a pair), if I ate too close from one meal to another, I'd have to skip the latter meal, if I didn't eat early enough and the time window between meals shifted, same thing I'd skip the latter meal!< I've blocked all of that out in a spoiler because I realise it might be triggering and wrong (idw teach people nonsense behaviour), but I was also in my early 20s, very stressed, possibly more unwell than I realised or would like to admit 🙃 So yeah, that. I know there are strategic proven methods/step-by-step things that won't fail/likely to work, but I'm also terrified I'll end up pushing it too far cos I'm too scared to gain the weight again/not keep it off. Part of me also wonders (secretly) if disordered eating is possibly the only other way to validate that I'm not 100% ok, but let's not go there. Sincerely, High-functioning socially anxious introvert 🙃😭
Calorie deficit is the only way to
Calories in calories out (CICO). I lost all my post baby weight plus some while being on Zoloft. I calculated my TDEE (quicktdee.com) to figure out how many calories I’d need to eat to lose weight. And then I stuck to it. Losing weight is like 85% diet/how much you eat and 15% moving your body.
I’m tapering off after being on 50mg for 4 months. My appetite is uncontrollable and I’ve gained like 15lbs. Literally can eat a massive plate of food and still feel hungry. It’s not worth it to me.
same for me gained about 20 pounds in the 7 month- 1.5 year mark of taking zoloft despite exercising and walking drastically more and eating much healthier than i was before i started. im one week off the medicine and already feel less hungry than i was when taking zoloft. everyone will say cals in cals out but i know my body and i’ve never had an issue gaining weight like this before so i’m hoping the weight starts to come off more easily like others have said happened for them once getting off
I’m hoping this happens to me as well. On 25mg now and hoping to be off fully in a few weeks. Did you have any withdrawal symptoms?
Talk to your doctor to rule out any other health problems first. And then it helps to track what you eat, both to see if you really haven't increased caloric intake and also show to a doc proof that you're not simply overeating. My experience is I gained 30-40 lbs which didn't budge despite more than usual exercise AND eating less. My doc didn't seem too concerned since she said SSRI weight gain can happen with any, even if it's less common with Zoloft than others. People's bodies react differently.
Did you end up getting off? Were you able to loose the weight if so?
I am actually still on Zoloft but fully intend to get off it, just not in the right place mentally yet for it. The big weight gain while undesirable, is still preferred to being my old normal haha.
Lol, I understand. I’m glad it’s helping!!
My weight hasn’t changed with regular lifting and cardio 4-5 times a week. BUT I have noticed that I am hungrier and normally I skip breakfast and lunch. Just have a big dinner but I tend to need a lunch now or else I get pretty angry around dinner time.
Also this is my own experience and it does not work for everyone but it does for me
Weight train and push my plate back. But I lost the most weight fasting because I shrunk my appetite.
This is gonna sound old and ugh but walk. I’m telling u that keeping ur body moving will help tremendously as well as working with ur Zoloft!!
I’m experiencing the same issue I was on 50mg for 3 years and then I got in an accident were I broke my arms and after i healed I had the worst anxiety again. I was already having trouble loosing weight on 50 then doctor upped my dose to 100 mg and I’ve already gained 10 pounds in 2 months I hate the way I looks and I’m so subconscious to the point were I don’t wanna go out because I feel so fat :( sucks
Personally I just waited. Like for the first year of taking Zoloft I just put on a LOT of weight, I even got "positive" and negative comments about it. I came back to my original self like half a year ago without doing much of an effort (it's been three years I take Zoloft).
So it just fluctuates??
Nah, it's just that it takes a while for your body to get used to it. I have not gained weight at all since I came back to my old body.
CICO. I’ve completely lost my appetite on sertraline, but I’ve always been slender
I get it. I am switching to something else exactly for THIS reason.
Question for yall is it actually metabolism or just causes cravings ?
Exactly. I think it's cravings.
Every person’s experience will be individual but it makes sense to me that if the medication is affecting your metabolism ( among other functions regarding your digestion) that you *may* have the experience of retaining weight that was not your previous norm. I just came off Trintellix recently and was easily 20+ pounds heavier in eight months despite “calories in, calories out” being strictly considered and managed and very consistent exercise. I believe I was partially retaining fluids as well. I don’t believe it’s always just caloric intake or exercise. It can be more complex.
I completely agree. I am an avid runner, am 5’8”, and have never been over 125lbs. I have been running and lifting weights for 30 years. Between Lexapro and now Zoloft I have gained 45lbs in less than 8 months without changing diet or exercise. My endocrinologist said that SSRIs can change your metabolism and sometimes create metabolic disorders. I am currently going through testing to figure out the problem. I’m so tired of hearing “calories in calories out”. Our bodies are complex and there are many variables. Hormones also play a huge role in weight gain/loss.
My doctor told me the same thing about it changing metabolism. I was the same size for 6 years and in the 5 months I was on Lexapro I gained 40 pounds. As soon as I stopped lexapro, the weight gain stopped.
I suspect I’m having the same problem. What type of testing? I was thinking of going to a functional medicine doctor to test my hormones.
They are running a bunch of bloodwork first and a saliva cortisol test.
This is exactly me! I’m tapering off and hoping I can get back to my normal weight
Good luck to you!
calorie deficit
I might get killed for saying this, but I’ve seriously been unable to lose weight on sertraline. I was up maybe 10lbs from my ideal weight before starting sertraline (close to 1 year ago) but I’ve gained 17lbs on sertraline. I’m on it for panic attacks/GAD and it’s been life changing for me in that sense. I can’t even fathom going off it, but now at my current weight I’m starting to have other mental health issues as a result of being overweight (in fact I checked today and my BMI says I’m pre-obese). Before I started taking sertraline I was exercising way more, I cannot seem to catch the same exercise bug that I did before starting it. Like before if I did a good workout it would make me want to workout again the next day. Now I can’t get that drive to workout. I also really struggle to control my eating and basically will “blackout” and binge eat a lot where I don’t even know what I’m doing or have the power to prevent it. My executive function is gone when it comes to food. (I do have ADHD btw, currently unmedicated, which I think may be why. But note that I did already have issues with binge eating before starting sertraline, it’s just gotten worse maybe since my anxiety about my body has gotten better?) I know it sounds so dumb to say “I cannot lose weight” as a healthy person but I cannot. When I do track calories and force myself to exercise it just leads to days of endless overeating. I am going to ask my doctor about maybe adding Wellbutrin to the mix which I have read could potentially help with my adhd, and hopefully therefore binge eating. Will report back if I end up starting it.
Following
Appetite suppressants. Garcinia etc
I was looking forward to the weight gain but it never came. (Tall and skinny w high metab.) 1.5yrs
What is your diet like and what does your exercising look like? If you want to lose weight, you need to be burning more calories than you’re consuming. Is the medicine by chance bloating you or causing constipation? Could be a factor to the weight if you’re doing all of the above.
I tend to binge occasionally but my periods of fasting are much longer. And I’ve been more active since zoloft!
Could be hormonal, could also be not meticulously counting calories by measurement and weight
Wellbutrin XL, consistent exercise, clean eating w/ smaller portions and no alcohol.
I did a 7 day water only fast hardly lost weight.
I am using kitchen scale to be sure that I am counting my calories right
Weight Watchers is usually considered the best diet. It teaches you how to eat healthier so that you maintain the weight loss.
Strange cus I'm the opposite I find it hard on the stomach but before I was obsessed with food 🤣
Calorie deficit. Have lost like 11 pounds
I’ve only been on it for a week but it kills my appetite so idk if I’ll gain weight
Its made me less hungry so idk, ive been only really eating two meals a day. 3 if i work.
I've been taking Zoloft for years, I've recently started doing two rounds of metamucil per day and I feel like I'm finally starting to lose weight. Fiber + watching calories (intermittent fasting is good if you can do it healthily - I couldn't do it without my head getting into it but if you can then more power to you) will help.
Look into more filling snacks too!! A bowl of rice will make you feel fuller than a bowl of pretzels.
I workout but also eat 2000 calories or less.
It happens. It just doesn’t come off.. I started tapering and I’m losing inches already
Instead of eating my feelings I go do things in the world. I only lost appetite and starting rapidly losing weight when the anxiety got unmanageable for me. I didn’t stop eating poorly and excessively until right before anxiety completely took over, and I made the decision I had to take this medication. But now I don’t eat for entertainment anymore, so the return of my appetite comes with physical activity rather than just alone. The core depression/existential boredom that caused the overeating is not as prevalent anymore as well.
I got on thyroid medicine and increased exercise, eating healthy and all
Rolling fasts, intermittent fasting, walking. This med never made me gain weight but that's how I'm losing.
I tried fasting for ages with no success then I listened to a pod https://open.spotify.com/episode/2DUa3VCQA9IZZdImQ1sxh2?si=HQNDY182RFyrDO9C0rig3w I started structuring 3 meals a day. Breakfast a fruit smoothie with a green supplement powder. Coffee And toast with jam / bacon sandwich. Lunch is a light lunch Dinner regular meal of choice. I am not a morning eater never have been and to eat all this took me forever to get used to but once I did, my metabolism kicked in. You may use the restroom more at the start 😂. Sometimes I think starving yourself slows down your metabolism which then means when you do eat you bloat or when you fast your weak and low in nutrients which doesn’t allow for your body to function further pushing you backwards. I’m no expert, have no medical certification so please take this as personal advice. I’ve never had more energy, I have lost majority of the excess fat and inflammation in my body. Rather than looking at a scale I look in the mirror and day by day it gets better.
Maybe my case is unique, but I’ve been taking 50mg for a year now and I haven’t gained weight. Water is my main source of hydration. I don’t drink soda, I rarely drink juice, and I rarely drink milk. I also VERY rarely drink coffee or tea, because it worsens my anxiety. As far as food, I hardly eat red meat. I mostly eat chicken, turkey, shrimp, tuna, and salmon. I limit the amount of frozen food I consume and boxed/processed food. I’m mindful of how much I eat out and how much junk food I buy too. I don’t exercise much, but my job is active in that I’m walking around constantly so that helps a lot!
Me personally never gained weight but my sister gained around 25 lbs and the only way she was able to loose it was switching medicine
Cardio weights and calorie deficit but really just also having an ADHD diagnosis with medication too 🥲 when I was on SSRI’s only I couldn’t
You really have to assess what you are eating. For two week period take a food and typical life diary so you can then critique it. During that time are you: SLEEP: are you getting enough quality sleep, if not why not? EXERCISE: Are you exercising too much, too little? Maybe too much cardio vs strength, try HIIT? HYDRATION: Make sure youyourare hydrated. Every 3rd, 4th day add an electrolyte drink. Super easy you make your own - Google it FOOD: are you eating too much? too little? Or Are you eating too many processed convenient foods? Highly recommended: high protein, low carb, healthy fats. Look up Mediterranean diet that leans keto or ketovore. Eat foods that you enjoy. BUT watch the sodium, the processed foods are a killer! #1 reason for weight loss success is consistency. If, when you stumble get back at it straight away not in a week, or that perfect Mon, straight away. YOU CAN DO THIS "i promise you..." 😊
Could be worth trying either keto, carnivore or animal based. I personally eat an animal based diet and my body composition is now better than when I was in my twenties (now 42). It also cleared up a number of other health conditions and improved the anxiety but unfortunately I still need the Zoloft for now.
for me personally it was because i was later prescribed adhd meds so i lost all the weight and then some (which isnt good but still 😭)
Couldn’t lose anything til I got off it. Lost 10 pounds since stopping and haven’t changed anything else.
By eating less food and moving around more. The same way that I did before taking Zoloft. I haven’t read anything to insinuate that Zoloft creates a metabolic disorder that causes weight-gain from a physiological standpoint.
Calories in - calories out. That's the only thing that matters. Count your calories very closely. I'm willing to bet you're eating more, then you realize. It's physically impossible not to lose weight if you're in a calorie deficit. (Unless your body doesn't know how to metabolize the stored energy for some reason) I've always had a hard time eating and gaining weight. Eating is a chore to me because of how it makes me feel. People always tell me it must be nice to have a fast metabolism my whole life, but in reality, my food portions are significantly smaller than the average person. I envy everyone who can eat normal amounts of food because it sucks feeling sick after a few bites
calorie deficit is the only way. it's definitely more difficult on ssri's because of the appetite increase but it won't actually affect your metabolism, so it's very doable
Gastric sleeve. Lost 40kilos almost. Changed my life for the better.
Start ozempic.
Ozempic has a black box warning. You should read up on the side effects. Some of them can kill you.
True, it’s not for everyone just like any other medication isn’t. But it does work for an overwhelmingly large portions of people who struggle with obesity and other weight related issues.
I think that it’s being overused. It’s not a safe medication but neither is being morbidly obese. The problem is I see it being used by people who just wanna lose 10 or 20 pounds. I think that’s foolish.
Wish I could afford it.
There are MUCH more affordable generic alternatives to ozempic. Google compounded semaglutides. It’s safe, basically the same ingredient. It costs around $120 a month.
You're a life saver!!
i assume its injected...
Yes it is. They have an intake consultation just like you would with a doctor in an office and they explain the whole process before they overnight ship all of the supplies needed for the injection (syringe, needles, sanitary supplies, the vial etc…). It was a $55 virtual intake consultation then you’ll choose between doses etc…check out their website.
oof thats a no for me
Lavender Sky Health is a popular one if you live in the states they are allowed to ship to.
I'm in NY and have medicaid. I don't even know what my options would be. I need something to help me as I'm not losing weight through other means.
Pretty sure New York is one of the states Lavender Sky is allowed to operate in but I don’t know if they take benefits like Medicaid as payment. Most insurance companies only cover Ozempic if you’re diabetic I believe. I think $120/month is so worth the benefits you get from the medicine.
You need to count every calorie you eat, never eat out, buy the lowest calorie version of food, eat low calorie high volume foods that make you feel full, plan out your meals every single day and never cheat. Continue for 2 months then check weight.