Re: Will I lose weight when I stop Paxil?
Originally Posted by
alcopop
My question is, will the weight fall off if I stop Paxil, or is a permanent thing now?
Will I go back to my original metabolism or does Paxil permanently alter it?
It often does come off, but there are no guarantees.
There are several hypotheses to why ADs cause weight gain, but few definitive answers, however, affecting the metabolism is certainly one of them, possibly mediated by, among other factors, how ADs affect the enteric nervous system (ENS), the mini brain which controls the gut and the influence they could have on the gut biome. The ENS is by far the most serotonergic organ of the body, making about 95% of the serotonin produced compared to less than 2% for the brain, so it can be more affected by serotonergic ADs than the brain is. It is known that the gut bacteria can affect weight and the mix of gut flora may change due the the impact of ADs. Another factor seems to be that people simply enjoy eating more when they are no longer anxious and/or depressed.
You may find this useful: How to control weight gain when prescribing antidepressants (Medscape: free registration required to view)
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The opinions expressed above are based on my observations and, where applicable, interpretation of cited data and are general in nature. Consult your physician before acting on anything stated.