dropping the Effexor/Lexapro weight gain

[bubeleh]

Can anyone give me an idea of how long it usually takes for your metabolism to recalibrate after stopping Effexor and/or Lexapro?  I've gained significant weight while on these drugs (despite an intense exercise program and careful diet).  My nutritionist and MD told me that the drugs likely altered my metabolism, but no one can tell me how long it will take to correct that.  Most frustrating, I've noticed that since I stopped taking both, my weight gain has accelerated.  Any ideas as to how long I need to endure this or ideas for correcting my metabolism?  Thanks.

[Bean4000]

Thanks for all of your inspiration. I'm meeting with my psychopharmacologist tonight to start weaning off of Lexapro (after 4 years). I've gained 15 and lost over 5 of that. I will be taking liquid form and going down (fr. 15 mg) 1.25 mg per month because I've had terrible side effects trying to get off twice. It will take a year (!), but I'm going to do it.
Wish me luck!
Bean4000

[starlyte3]

I started taking Lexapro about 6 months ago. I am 5'9" tall and weighed 150 lbs, which is a good weight for someone my height. This morning I weighed myself and I weigh 170lbs!  I don't diet or exercise, but none of my habits have changed. I noticed that I had started putting on weight, but attributed it to my age, and lack of exercise (I'm 31). 3 months into taking Lexapro I upped my prescription from 5mg to 10 mg, and keep gaining weight. The weight gain is very depressing for me. Luckily, I have a boyfriend that loves me no matter what, but I am not happy with myself. My stomach has ballooned, I am always tired, and always feel hungry. My mood has improved, but at what price? My doctor told me Lexapro would not cause weight gain, and she was wrong. It is time for me to ween myself off of it. There are many other ways to regulate mood and serotonin levels: certain foods, sex (orgasims), exercise, meditation. I just took a pill because it was the easiest thing to do. Time to try something else. I am sick of being fat!!! Good luck to everyone here...I feel your pain.

[4mytahsa]

I read the article and although I understand that getting back to normal eating when the depression subsides may be a cause for weight gain, Lexapro never made me feel better.
I have found that when I am less depressed, I lose weight which is what happens to the other 50% of people. Some people, while depressed, eat more while the other half eats less. The article really surprised me when it stated that Lexapro is one of the top 3 anti-depressants that cause weight gain when Drs. all say it doesn't. Maybe they should start reading AND listening to their patients.

[nrrrdygrrrl]

I found an interesting article in Psychology Today about this.  http://psychologytoday.com/articles/index.php?term=pto-3764.html&fromMod=popular_foodndiet

[4mytahsa]

I am going off the Lexapro NOW. I have never weighed so much and weighing this much is more depressing than my depression was before. The thought that it could take me 6 months to even begin to lose this weight has me so sad.
I started taking it in August and will go cold turkey. It has not helped me enough to put on so much weight. I have NEVER had a stomach (hardly even had one when I was pregnant) and now this?
How much do I eat? Once a day at the most as I'm still upset over a recent divorce. I have no appetite so my eating is NOT the problem. It's the Lexapro.
I have also been dealing with hair loss because of stress but since the Lexapro, it's gotten so out of hand that I am seeing my scalp.

[jkittie]

I have been posting on this website since Oct. I was prescribed sarafem (prozac) about 5 years ago for bad PMS. I went though a hard time in the last 2 years and then my dr prescribed 20 mg of lexapro, I proceeded to gain 30 lbs in a couple of years. A few months ago my dr prescribed 5 mg lexapro plus 300 mg of wellbutrin. My weight gain has stopped. My previous weight before all of this was 125/130, then went up to 155 (my height is 5'4). I am now stuck at 148-150. No matter how much I have been dieting and excercising it is very hard to lose weight. I really want to taper down off these drugs, but I am afraid of my bad moods. I am really upset about this weight gain. I have many important events to attend, weddings, parties plus I want to get pregnant in the future. I am afraid of gaining even more weight with preganancy and I want to try and get this weight off before hand. Do you have any suggestions?