Weight gain through ADs:will I lose it when I'm finally off them?

[Sleepy]

I've been on ADs for anxiety for 17 years, first Seroxat and then Trimipramine. I very quickly put on 4 stone in weight (56 pounds), but NOT through eating more. It has been impossible for me to lose any weight despite steady exercise and sensible eating.

I want to try coping without medication and have been tapering off Trimipramine since last June. The end is in sight.

I am very interested to know if the weight will come off, and if so, how quickly? Is there anyone with experience of this out there?

[Benjammin69]

Hi mate hope you are well.

I experienced the same thing being on mirtazapine and quetiapine I put on loads, I went to my psych he instructed a very fast taper and I find myself in full midst of anxiety and depression. I would say take it slow when reducing as the weight does come off I lost 10 pounds in a week but it’s not healthy. Do it the right way?

[Sleepy]

Hello Benjamin, thanks for replying.

Sorry to hear you're going through withdrawal too. Seroxat was hell to come off, I nearly didn't make it. So far Trimipramine has not been nearly as bad, but is still exhausting. I've lost weeks to feeling horrendous.

I really hope that the weight will come off. I've done the gym bunny thing for sustained periods (2 years of 3x weekly workouts, swimming, 5-2 diet, you name it) and I'd be happy to lose 1 lb a month, truly!

People seem to think you put weight on with ADs because of increased appetite. That hasn't been my experience. I eat less and exercise more. My metabolism just doesn't seem to do what it's supposed to.

I hope you feel better soon. The only way I've been able to taper off has been very slowly. Take care.

[Benjammin69]

Hello Benjamin, thanks for replying.

Sorry to hear you're going through withdrawal too. Seroxat was hell to come off, I nearly didn't make it. So far Trimipramine has not been nearly as bad, but is still exhausting. I've lost weeks to feeling horrendous.

I really hope that the weight will come off. I've done the gym bunny thing for sustained periods (2 years of 3x weekly workouts, swimming, 5-2 diet, you name it) and I'd be happy to lose 1 lb a month, truly!

People seem to think you put weight on with ADs because of increased appetite. That hasn't been my experience. I eat less and exercise more. My metabolism just doesn't seem to do what it's supposed to.

I hope you feel better soon. The only way I've been able to taper off has been very slowly. Take care.

Hi mate

Cheers it's just a waiting game I suppose until I feel better and trying not to dwell on how bad I feel. I'm off work due to being so sick I couldn't even drive it's awful.

Yeah mate I am the same I have tried everything even a diet that was under 1000 calories a day and honestly I just can't loose nothing at all and I was ballooning up to 18 stone - I'm taking wellbutrin now and reinstated mirtazapine so I have lost a stone so far in 3 weeks so it is the meds it's not what you eat.

[Sleepy]

An update on the withdrawal/weight issue.
I took my last Trimipramine 4 weeks ago. The last three weeks have been awful. My insomnia has been rampant, I have been horribly nauseous and my body temperature is all over the place.
And my weight? I've lost 7 pounds. This is incredible for me. Not altogether surprising though, as i have cut out all alcohol (reacts badly with sleeping tablets) and have no appetite owing to the nausea.
So weight loss yes, but because I'm off ADs, or because of the drop in calories?
Watch this space.

[Sleepy]

Well not long after that last post my anxiety went off the scale. I had panic attacks like I'd never had before and terrible insomnia. My GP put me on Mirtazapine, but it really didn't help and my consultant psychiatrist put me on Amitriptyline. This really helped the anxiety and insomnia, but gave me some urinary retention which triggered false urgency interspersed with frequent urination and I had to come off it.

Next stop was escitalopram. To recap, I put on four stone (56 pounds) on seroxat and trimipramine. I'd lost a bit after coming off the trimipramine. Now, 10 weeks into escitalopram I've lost 2 stone 3lbs (31 pounds). I've given up alcohol and am eating healthily and sensibly, but this would never have happened on the other drugs.

Long may it last. I never thought I'd be able to lose weight again.