Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

Zoloft and weight gain - loss

Hello all zolof so called addicts!
I have been on Zoloft for 10 years (!) and finally decided to try without it. I don't think I need it anymore and I'm sick of being about 50 pounds overweight...My doctors tell me I have to lose weight and lover my blood pressure..I kind of get annoyed because I eat very healthy, cook my own food, bake my own bread (whole grain), exercise,and HARDLY EVER eat suger. I don't even like it!

I have tried numerous of times to get off Zolof but always ended back on the meds. This time I have done better. I tapered off and I now only take 1/10 of 50 mg once a week. I haven't felt dizzy or anything but my conern is - HOW DO I LOSE MY WEIGHT???? I have gained 50 pounds and I would REALLY like to get back in shape. I eat right, exercise, and really try to keep my carbs down...

I think it's been easy to get off the med since I'm really happy at work and I also think I'm in love...
Anna
48 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
I have been on 50 mg of Zoloft for about 8 months. Before going on was losing weight nicely eating right and exercising 3-4 times a week. I have gained about 10 pounds after increasing my workouts to 5-6 times a week and eating more carefully. I am now uncomfortable in my size 8 clothes and have tried everything to not only lose but at least stay the same weight. Nothing has worked....even my husband who is a health nut says I'm doing everything I can. I am going to talk to my doctor about going off Zoloft because I feel worse now that I'm gaining weight and have no control. I have pushed myself the past 8 months to stay on top if everything and can't seem to get anywhere.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I started zoloft about 7 weeks ago, I am currently on 50 mg and I have gained 15 pounds. It seems like it started when the dosage went from 25 to 50 and it came on quite suddenly. The weight gain has made me more anxious then ever before, so I decided to switch to wellbutrin after discussing it with my doctor. Does anyone know if this also causes weight gain. Like a lot of others that have psoted, I would rather be depressed than fat.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
wow.  this is all interesting.  i've been on zoloft for years.  more than ten years.  i'm up to 150mg now.  i'm basically dead w/o it, that's just how bad it gets.  but the weight issue is one that drs should really look into because it's for real.  I've gained over 50lbs.  i'm a vegetarian.  i exercise regularly.  i'm not a junk food eater.  but i know i can't be w/o zoloft.  i'll do more research and post again later.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I started taking 100mg Zoloft for PTSD following my combat tour in Iraq.  As a front-line soldier, I weighed about 170 lbs of pure muscle.  Initially, I had no appetite and lost about 10 lbs.  After about 6 months, the appetite returned, and so did the unexplained weight loss.  I lift weights and do cardio 3-5+ times a week and eat very healthily.  After taking Zoloft for 3 1/2 years, I now weigh 225 lbs and am being forced out of the Army for being overweight.  I really want to ween myself off Zoloft so I can lose weight, but I am afraid of myself when I'm not on the drug.  Has anyone had sufficient success losing weight after stopping Zoloft?  I really want to continue my career in the military.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have been taking Zoloft for about a year. I have had a number of unpleasant side effects such as terribly fatigue, very intense cravings for sweets, delays in my period. The worse part of all is that after I had my second child I worked very hard to lose my pregnancy weight. I lost about 20 pounds. Guess what? I stepped on the scale this morning and it's official. I have gained every last one of those pounds back plus three more. I am through with Zoloft. This is ridiculous. I exercise 6 days a week. I drink tons of water. I just pray that the weight will start to come off after this medicine is out of my system. I want my body back. I'll just have to learn how to deal with the depression and anxiety another way. Good luck to anyone else who is struggling with this. Not cool at all.....
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have been on Zoloft for about 2 weeks and I have lost weight so is that what happen first then you start to gain the longer you are on it.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I can completely sympathize, I have been on and off of Zoloft for 7 years.  When I'm taking the medication I have insatiable cravings for sugar, most often doughnuts, soda, and iced tea.  While taking Zoloft I gained 24 pounds.  I slowly tapered down my dose about one and a half years ago until I was completely off of the drug, and by that time figured that this was just a normal body weight for me as I got older.  Lo and behold, about six months after I stopped the drug entirely I started to lose my cravings and the weight just dropped off (I don't exercise, and I wasn't trying to diet).  It took a little over a year for me to lose all of the weight.  I just wanted to let people know that it really IS the Zoloft causing cravings, and that they will go away.  Good luck!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I can empathize with you. I was on Zoloft from Jan '10-May '10. My dosage was 50 mg. I gained 30 pounds! I went on zoloft because my doctor said one of the side effects was that I would not gain weight and I figured this was the best route for me. I have not been able to loose a pound. I am on weight watchers, which was successful for me three years ago (lost 30 pounds) I walk 2-3 miles everyday in less then an hour at the gym. I am eating lots of veggies, staying within my points range, drinking lots of water and nothing. I rather be depressed then fat. Reading this at least allows me to see that I am not going nuts and something with my metabolism has obviously changed. I wonder how long this will last for. I wont give up on my healthy eating or gym habits I just wish the pounds would start to come off. Don't know what to do at this point. Will it ever come off?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
i am more depressed now than ever! i have ballooned an easy 25-30 pounds on zoloft- tapered off finally and wondering how long until i am my normal weight? it made me crave wacky carbs- same thing happened 10 yrs ago on neurontin ( i also have migraines) but all women know fat can not occur- plus i am 43 and single in nyc-please help- i really would rather be thin & depressed b/c this is worse than awful
Helpful - 0
470217 tn?1360565361
I have to respectfully disagree with you there, M4YOU.  I was on Zoloft for about 4 months and gained about 30 lbs and my eating habits were nearly identical during that time as they were previously.   That was what was so bizarre about it, really.  It was like my body just decided to store every calorie once it got some Zoloft in it.

But my cousin had the opposite reaction - she lost weight.  I thought SSRIs generally caused weight gain and figured her experience was a fluke until I read this thread and see that this is very common as well.

Anyway, I wanted to respond to those who are afraid that they would never lose the weight.  I got pregnant immediately after discontinuing Zoloft and gained another 35 lbs during my pregnancy, naturally.  So if you're keeping track at home, that's 65 lbs total weight gain in a little over a year, albeit some of it baby :)

Well, here I am with my 1.5 year old beautiful daughter, looking into taking Zoloft again in order to PUT weight on.  I went through a horribly stressful year (divorce) and the anxiety caused me to lose a ton of weight.  I just could not choke down food.  Now I look like a bag of bones and want to put some back on as well as deal with this horrible anxiety.  I may or may not go the Zoloft route, though, as I remember the weight gain came very rapidly and I didn't like the sexual side effects and general numb feeling.  I'm just exploring ideas.

But anyway...yeah.  Your weight can come off after taking Zoloft.  Hopefully not too much though, and hopefully not due to anxiety but rather as a natural consequence of no longer having Zoloft + good diet and exercise.
Helpful - 0
1042487 tn?1275279899
Zoloft isn't supposed to give weight gain as a side effect. It is more related to habits, depression and such.

M4
Helpful - 0
217448 tn?1274735143
HI everyone, Zoloft actually does not cause me to gain weight, but i can eat when i start to feel better.  I get so sick with depression that I cannot eat, physically can't eat, but when I get stabilized with Zoloft I can eat again. My weight fluctuates.  Exercise is important though, for mood and weight.  good luck everyone
Helpful - 0
1032715 tn?1315984234
I've been on zoloft for 5 years 200mg a day,and yes I have gained weight,before the zoloft I was on prothiaden for 10 years.I am now doind 10 sessions in 5 days at the gym and have lost 44lbs in 8 months,I have to work harder than everyone else to lose the weight but it's worth it,I still need to lose about 80lbs.

Denise
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
After switching from Zoloft to Effexor did you ever end up losing any weight with the drug switch?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Been on zoloft for six weeks, recently increased to 100 mg/day.   I have lost 10 pounds in the past six weeks...probably due to the major depression.   My appetite has fallen off.  Been unable to focus/work.  I am walking 3.5 miles up and down hills 4-5 times a week.  I guess some report gaining weight while others report loosing weight on zoloft.   I am no doctor, but weigtht gain/loss comes down to simple math. Calories in vs. calories burned.  
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have been on Zoloft since January at first I went down in weight but once I hit the 3 month or so mark i started noticing weight gain.  I now am up 11 lbs! I have really been watching what I have been eating, but not dropping. Tonight I thought to search zoloft and weight gain and found all of this information. i am beginning to wean off tomorrow!! Now I am scared I won't be able to lose it. I have never had a weight problem and dont want one on top of depression. If I have to choose one or the other - i will take the depression. Please post any ways of successfully losing the weight...
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
desperate here. i was on 200mg on zoloft for about 18months, gaining weight, headaches etc - it was the third time i'd been on. since coming of it, about 3 months ago, i've put on another 20lbs!!!!! it makes NO sense!!! does it mess up your metabolism? permanently? feel awful :-( and know the doc won't take me seriously :-(
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have been on 50mg then 100mg of Zoloft for three months and i love it. I weighed 167 ponds at the beggining and i just got weighed yesterday and i weigh 123 pounds! I have no appatite and have to force myself to eat once a day. My mood is greatly improved. I have energy again. Plus i have bad dry mouth so i drink water constantly so that probably has alot to do with the weight loss. I also take a milti vitamin everyday because my diet is so poor. Hope this helps someone.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have posted about this on Effexor, but I was on Zoloft for 3 or 4 months (first half 50mg, second half 100mg) before I started Effexor, and was on Effexor for 4-6 weeks (lowest dosage).  It's been 5-6 months since I have been completely off Effexor and my weight will not budge.

I assure you, this is not because I'm eating too much.  Prior to my anxiety problems, I lost over 112 lbs doing it natural and hard work,  no drugs of any kind, supplements, etc.  I kept logs of daily food intake and measured everything out so I was positive I was eating exactly what I recorded.  I worked out 5-6 days a week vigorously for 45-1hr doing weights and cardio.  I was 342lbs and got all the way down to 230lbs.  I started taking Zoloft and then Effexor when I was around 230lbs and started gaining weight back, despite watching my calorie intake and exercising.  I am male 6'2, 259lbs now (29lbs heavier) and I am scared to death about gaining weight back.  Obviously, having been so big to start and losing it all, every pound that I see go on scares me.  I have tried my best to lose weight, and am doing everything I did previously, even harder, to lose but I cannot get 1lb to fall off.  I just don't understand it.  I regret taking these drugs.  I decided after 20lbs gain that I would quit the drugs and deal with anxiety on my own, and i've been successful at that.   But now I cannot lose this weight.  Every Saturday morning when I weigh myself and see no progress, I get quite upset and aggravated, because I know what definitely worked before and nothing I do is causing me to lose anything!  At my size, I'm eating 1800 calories a day and working out and I still can't even lose 1lb.  There's something wrong with that.  In the past, I was losing 2-3lbs a week doing exactly this.  Ive gotten some of my belly back, thigh fat, and fat under my arms.  It is driving me up a wall.

I really don't know what to do anymore.  I want to go back to the psychiatrist and cuss them out for this but I don't think that will solve anything.  They told me this would not happen and look what happened?  When I was gaining weight initially I talked to the psychiatrist and they said after 1-2 weeks coming off this would stop, well it hasn't.  I kept gaining weight for the next month or so after I quit the drug, then the weight gain stopped for the most part but I still cannot lose anything.

HELP!  PLEASE!

Dave
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I take zoloft for OCD/Bulimia along with Buspar and Inderal for anxiety and high blood pressure (as a result of my constant anxiety) and I have to say that I have to FORCE myself to eat on zoloft because I have ZERO appetite which is the extreme opposite of me a few months ago when I would binge on over 5,000 calories about 5 times a day.  I have no impulse to eat, I have no desire to binge...amazingly I have lost 14 lbs since being on zoloft without even trying.  I am shocked at all of the weight gain stories because I just have no appetite at all!  I wonder if the weight gain comes from the decreased energy you are getting from zoloft?  I am a very active person, I can't sit still so excersise for me begins when I get out of bed.  I'm surprised by all this weight gain, do you guys have cravings?  Hmmm
Helpful - 0
940642 tn?1336063511
I am on 100 mg a day.  I have not gained weight but I run or walk almost every day and pretty much watch what I eat.  The drug, plus therapy, have helped me get my life back.  Without it I was skinny and depressed.  I'd rather exercise and be happy.

Good luck to all of you struggling with depression.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Well... it's good and bad that i found all of these posts. i am also on 50mg of zoloft and a marathon runner. I run and work out a lot! on a usual day I do an AM run of 3 miles... an afternoon run of 3 - 6 miles and then do a 1hr spin/weights class at the gym. I run long runs on the weekend 10 - 20 miles and on the other weekend day I ride my bike for about 1 hr 40 mins. I have GAINED weight. Like 10lbs in the past three weeks. I have been working so hard. counting calories... adding an extra 20 minutes on the EFX machine before my aerobics classes. nothing. I have an appt with my dr for next Monday. If I plan on being any type of successful runner, I need to lose weight. I'm not sure if it's zoloft or another metabolic disorder. Now I'm depressed that getting off of zoloft won't work.

Thanks for the heads up.
Helpful - 0
638373 tn?1249407969
Wow, thank you to everyone for their input on this post.  I posted a new one yesterday called 'how to safely taper off of zoloft'.  Any of your input on my situation would be helpful, but it sounds like what I am hearing is 'if you gained weight, it takes a long time to lose it even after you have stopped taking it'.  This terrifyes me!!!......
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I never noticed weight gain with Zoloft, but my doctor had me on Zyprexia and I gained at an unbelievable rate.

I've struggled with weight for years.  "Healthy" eating just didn't seem to do it for me and diets are so difficult.  The thought of the long road ahead, caused me to loose willpower. I am happy to report that I have lost 34 pounds since spring and here is how I did it.

I set a start date on the calender.  I told myself 30 days.  I can do this for 30 days.  I went on a low carb diet.  I like Atkins diet because of the meal bars and shakes make portion control easy and they actually taste good.  I did not cheat at all for thirty days and I think it is because my goal was not to loose 30 pounds but to just loose as much weight as I could in 30 days.  I didn't starve myself.  I exercised as much as I could find time.  

At the end of the 30 days I gave myself permission to go off the diet, but because I could see such good results, and because I had gotten into the habbit of eating this way, I continued on with my diet.  It really worked for me.  As I got closer to reaching my weight woss goal, I ate more, to slow down the weight loss.  Anyway, this is how I did it.  Hope this helps.
Helpful - 0
2
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Depression Community

Top Mood Disorders Answerers
Avatar universal
Arlington, VA
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
15 signs that it’s more than just the blues
Discover the common symptoms of and treatment options for depression.
We've got five strategies to foster happiness in your everyday life.
Don’t let the winter chill send your smile into deep hibernation. Try these 10 mood-boosting tips to get your happy back
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.