How to lose SSRI weight?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not stuck. If you went on one of those weight loss drugs, you would lose the weight just like everyone else. You need to eat less and exercise.

Just stop. You know nothing about me or what I can or can’t do medically.

Everyone is losing weight with the new weight loss drugs, because cutting calories works. Person A may have to cut more calories than Person B, it’s true. My dog eats less food than her sister but is fatter. But despite her bad luck, when we feed her less she loses weight.

Personally I find it helpful to know it’s possible to control my weight rather than to just throw my hands up and say it’s either being depressed or being overweight. And that’s the only reason I weigh in. I don’t want people to be afraid to try SSRIs if they can be helped by them. But they may have to count calories. I do. And that’s not something I had to do before, because my anxiety was a “great” appetite suppressant.

[Anonymous]

They tend to increase insulin resistance. Targeting that with low carb and intermittent fasting can help shift weight and also help mood.

https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2021/09/insulin-resistance-major-depressive-disorder.html

Good resource for me https://www.amazon.com/End-Your-Carb-Confusion-Customize/dp/1628604298/ + YT vids by Dr. Jason Fung or The Fasting Method podcast.

Weight loss is mostly diet but exercise is also really good for depression https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/exercise-depression-effective-meds-psychotherapy-2024a10003s0?form=fpf

Good luck, OP. Hope you feel better very soon too!

[Anonymous]

My 17 year old daughter has been on an SSRI for 3-4 years and has gained a lot of weight. Her doctor says it’s not the SSRI because they are “weight neutral.” I hear stories like this all the time, and everyone I know who has gone on one has gained a significant amount of weight.

It’s so frustrating, my daughter has just accepted that she’s a little fat and thinks that is just who she is now (she’s about 30 pounds overweight). And she doesn’t want to go off of the SSRI because she’s afraid of the anxiety going away. She’s adorable and I think she looks fine, but I see it’s harder for her to run (she plays a varsity sport) and she’s had to buy all new clothes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You calorie count and increase your exercise. Its the only way.

Not if you are peri menopausal.

Sadly true

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My 17 year old daughter has been on an SSRI for 3-4 years and has gained a lot of weight. Her doctor says it’s not the SSRI because they are “weight neutral.” I hear stories like this all the time, and everyone I know who has gone on one has gained a significant amount of weight.

It’s so frustrating, my daughter has just accepted that she’s a little fat and thinks that is just who she is now (she’s about 30 pounds overweight). And she doesn’t want to go off of the SSRI because she’s afraid of the anxiety going away. She’s adorable and I think she looks fine, but I see it’s harder for her to run (she plays a varsity sport) and she’s had to buy all new clothes.

Doctors who say sSRI’s are weight neutral are ignorant and have never likely taken one. They’re just repeating something the manufacturer or drug rep likely said to them.

[Anonymous]

I took Remeron in my early 20s for several years and gained about 25 pounds because I felt like eating ALL THE TIME. When I finally tapered off of it I had to be very mindful in my eating, but it all came off. Still, it was hard at 22, I can't imagine trying to do this at 42 or 52! I feel for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 17 year old daughter has been on an SSRI for 3-4 years and has gained a lot of weight. Her doctor says it’s not the SSRI because they are “weight neutral.” I hear stories like this all the time, and everyone I know who has gone on one has gained a significant amount of weight.

It’s so frustrating, my daughter has just accepted that she’s a little fat and thinks that is just who she is now (she’s about 30 pounds overweight). And she doesn’t want to go off of the SSRI because she’s afraid of the anxiety going away. She’s adorable and I think she looks fine, but I see it’s harder for her to run (she plays a varsity sport) and she’s had to buy all new clothes.

Doctors who say sSRI’s are weight neutral are ignorant and have never likely taken one. They’re just repeating something the manufacturer or drug rep likely said to them.

It’s so strange because this doctor has a lot of experience and we otherwise really love him!

[Anonymous]

Have you tried eating less?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not stuck. If you went on one of those weight loss drugs, you would lose the weight just like everyone else. You need to eat less and exercise.

Just stop. You know nothing about me or what I can or can’t do medically.

Everyone is losing weight with the new weight loss drugs, because cutting calories works. Person A may have to cut more calories than Person B, it’s true. My dog eats less food than her sister but is fatter. But despite her bad luck, when we feed her less she loses weight.

Personally I find it helpful to know it’s possible to control my weight rather than to just throw my hands up and say it’s either being depressed or being overweight. And that’s the only reason I weigh in. I don’t want people to be afraid to try SSRIs if they can be helped by them. But they may have to count calories. I do. And that’s not something I had to do before, because my anxiety was a “great” appetite suppressant.

Aw. Sweet thing. You think it just cuts appetite. That must be why it works to halt diabetes and helps with depression and anxiety, right? Just gets those fatties to stop stuffing their faces, right?

I have no idea, OP. I went on one twenty years ago in my early twenties and the weight piled on as if by magic. I really haven’t been able to lose since no matter what, though I am starting semaglutide as soon as it gets delivered. I don’t know how you’re experiencing it, but the appetite that I developed on them was insatiable. Even through three pregnancies I never wanted to eat so much as I did on the meds. Good luck - and maybe try one of the semaglutides.

[Anonymous]

DP. I am so tired of the "just cut calories advice.". I am weigh and record all food. I exercise daily. I am currently netting 1000 calories a day and not losing weight. That is crazy.

My diet is excellent. High protein, high fiber focused. No protein powders. Protein sources are lean chicken and high fiber protein like lentils and beans and high fiber grains like bulgur wheat and hulled barley. No sugar, bread or flour. Low carb veggies. An apple a day.

Some will advise - you are eating too few calories - eat more and you will lose weight. Which is it? Simple as calories in/calories out or not? When I eat more calories, I gain the weight back.

Interestingly, because of the high protein, high fiber, I am not hungry on net 1000 calories a day.

I am not taking weight loss meds, but I can understand why people do.

[Anonymous]

Go keto/carnivore. Read “Brain Energy” and/or “Change Your Diet Change Your Mind”, both recent books by Harvard psychiatrists who have independently found that the gut-brain connection for most mental illness can be traced to metabolic disease and resolving that with a low carb/no carb, no processed foods, no seed oil approach is very healing and you will lose the weight!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You calorie count and increase your exercise. Its the only way.

Not if you are peri menopausal.

Ha. I'm a 55 yr old who has had success with this, peri or mid menopause, it makes zero difference

i

This. Eat less and move more. Stop blaming perimenopause.

51 year old female

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You calorie count and increase your exercise. Its the only way.

Not if you are peri menopausal.

Ha. I'm a 55 yr old who has had success with this, peri or mid menopause, it makes zero difference

i

This. Eat less and move more. Stop blaming perimenopause.

51 year old female

Okay, but you are on a post about losing weight gained from SSRI. This is a different subject...so please, let's avoid the peri discussion here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You calorie count and increase your exercise. Its the only way.

Spend $10 on a digital kitchen scale and weigh and record everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It is not stuck. If you went on one of those weight loss drugs, you would lose the weight just like everyone else. You need to eat less and exercise.

Just stop. You know nothing about me or what I can or can’t do medically.

Everyone is losing weight with the new weight loss drugs, because cutting calories works. Person A may have to cut more calories than Person B, it’s true. My dog eats less food than her sister but is fatter. But despite her bad luck, when we feed her less she loses weight.

Personally I find it helpful to know it’s possible to control my weight rather than to just throw my hands up and say it’s either being depressed or being overweight. And that’s the only reason I weigh in. I don’t want people to be afraid to try SSRIs if they can be helped by them. But they may have to count calories. I do. And that’s not something I had to do before, because my anxiety was a “great” appetite suppressant.

Aw. Sweet thing. You think it just cuts appetite. That must be why it works to halt diabetes and helps with depression and anxiety, right? Just gets those fatties to stop stuffing their faces, right?

I have no idea, OP. I went on one twenty years ago in my early twenties and the weight piled on as if by magic. I really haven’t been able to lose since no matter what, though I am starting semaglutide as soon as it gets delivered. I don’t know how you’re experiencing it, but the appetite that I developed on them was insatiable. Even through three pregnancies I never wanted to eat so much as I did on the meds. Good luck - and maybe try one of the semaglutides.

I didn’t accuse anyone of stuffing their faces (eg, my lab gains weight on 2 cups of food per day - that’s nothing in lab terms). You can gain weight quickly by eating 100 more calories than you need per day—and that’s incredibly easy to do if your appetite is deregulated. It’s an apple.

But if you’re someone who needs to be on an anti-depressant, I think paying attention to your caloric baseline and being really mindful of calories can help you manage that appetite increase you’re likely feeling. I think a lot of anxiety types are used to not being that hungry and listening to hunger cues, but that SSRIs can mess with those cues. So you may need to approach eating in a different way. At least I do. Because I think I’m more hungry than an extra 100 calories per day. I think I could snack all day long.

I’m sorry that people are taking that as blame-y. I felt empowered when the weight started actually coming off because I had read about that impossibility so much on here.

If you have tried to and can’t, then I’m sorry, that does suck. Maybe my experience only applies to some of us. I hope that one day we can pair SSRIs with semaglutides to help with whatever there drugs are doing.