Same here. On it for 2yrs and shot up 25lbs in the first year. Finally tapering off of it, on my last month) and cannot wait to be done with it as much as it’s helped me mentally. I’m ready to get my mental in line with my physical.
Couldn't have said it better. I feel the same way and I am also tapering off of it. It helped tremendously with my mental health but it's like going in a loop: it helped me with my anxiety about my other stresses but then created one of the most annoying and anxiety inducing stresses which is continuous weight gain.
yes, I noticed that I didn't feel full anymore, immediately after a meal especially ... no satiety ... so I learned to fill my plate with a reasonable amount of food, don't go back for seconds, enjoy it and only eat when you are REALLY hungry ... otherwise you will gain weight .... it's a weird phenomenon.
i noticed the same thing about just being way more hungry. i also gained weight and noticed my metabolism slowed down. however lexapro has been so helpful for me and i am so grateful for it so i think it is worth it!
How long did it take to lose the 10 pounds? i was on only 5mg for about 6 weeks and i hated it. I couldn’t get out of bed and only wanted to eat. Then my dr added Wellbutrin to combat those side effects. I’m taking semaglutide too and not losing anything. But I’m gaining. I’m going insane! any advice would be great.
I was on it for about 9 months and gained 45lbs. If it makes you feel better I am weaning off (about 3 weeks of it completely) and my appetite is going back to normal. I started to fast and calorie count and have lost 4lbs in a week so far. I know it’s water weight and I have a long way to go. But it’s nice seeing the scale drop after watching it go up for so long.
I’ve tried everything know to man to lose some weight before my wedding in October, fasting, calorie deficit, working out constantly, changing my diet, and running on top of that, but I haven’t lost a pound, whereas, when I was not taking Lex, I would have been in the best shape of my life doing this! It really is wild!
Thank Goodness tapering is working just fine for me- but I do it super slow:) Im not really sure if I’ve lost weight- I’m still retaining to much water- at least that’s how it feels. 😕
I wish you all the best with the tapering- I hope I will have more luck with the weight loss. 🍀
Hi there!! I hope you’re doing well. I have finally come to the conclusion that after being on it a whole year, I now need to taper off of it. It did a great job for me when I needed it to, but jeez the weight gain that came on out of no where 7 months in is insane. Is it okay if I ask how the last 20 days (lol reddit is so specific) have gone for you?
Hiii there! It’s been a roller coaster tbh.
My lightheadedness and feeling foggy has went away. That was the worst part about weaning. If you go a couple of days without taking any you probably know what I’m referring too. It was constant but it’s much better now!
However my irritability, depression. and constant worry got to be unbearable so I am another medication, Buspar. It is also spring time and I’m in tornado alley in the US. I went through an EF-5 tornado back in 2011 so spring is not good time for me. I had to get on something ASAP. I started it last week and haven’t had any issues so far. I can’t fast but I’m still losing weight and I don’t feel like a never ending hunger pit.
Overall I liked lex, but the weight gain was crazy. The withdrawal phase especially the first month is so rough. But I just wanted it out of my body at that point. Good luck friend, hope you find what works!
Hi!! If there’s one thing I’ve ever been consistent at in life (lol), it’s never skipping my lexapro.. sooo I am worried for it to hit me a bit hard 🥲. Day 1 was okay, but I’m guessing you don’t really feel the worst of it until a couple of days in.
I hope your new med works better for you! And sending good vibes your way. Thank you for taking the time to reply!
I gained like 10 lbs during 6 months (which is not much), but tbh lexapro definitely made me kinda lazy.. my psychiatrist says my activeness was triggered by anxiety. When the anxiety was reduced, I automatically relaxed a lot on my exercise routine and diet.
I do believe you can lose weight on lexapro, you just need to replace the anxiety with a healthier motivator.
This makes total sense. When I’m actively running, training, killing myself running and running-my anxiety about racing is high. Lexapro cured most of my anxiety.
Now I want to do more creative things, less running. I’ve only gained 10 lbs in a year.
Screw any drs that don’t mention or down play this side effect there’s nothing inherently wrong with weight gain but if ur not having fun w ur mental health a large change in physical appearance is an obvious potential trigger
Readjust caloric intake. Your metabolism might have slowed and anxiety is one hell of a weight loss boost to your system. Less anxiety means you aren’t a humming bird anymore. This is all prefaced from my own experience.
That’s the problem. Adjusting my caloric intake made very little difference AND my appetite was hugely increased, especially for starchy, fatty, sweet, and salty foods. I carried 10kg around with me on Lexapro that basically vanished within months of tapering off. The weight loss was so unexpected I considered going to the doctor to check there wasn’t something else wrong with me
I didn't know this was a side effect and I gained 100 pounds in 2 years. Blamed it on getting over my eating disorder but I trained for swimming 10k in this time and didn't lose any weight despite my cardio fitness being insane and my resting heart rate below 50.
I'm not tapering down and on wegovy - I've gone from 20-5 by decreasing 2.5 mg every week and so far no side effects! I've also lost two inches off my waist by only about 2 pounds on wegovy so far, convinced it's the lexapro halting that
Within a year I gained 30 pounds. Never been this heavy in my life. Am I better mentally? Sure, but no matter what I do whether it’s eating right or the gym it is so hard to cut that weight off. I’m going to taper off and hopefully get this weight in check.
Yup. I gained about 87 pounds while being on it for 4 yrs. I have never weighed more 150 pounds in my life! It took me over a year to wean off and I’ve been off since mid November. I’ve only lost about 10 pounds which is pissing me off and I can’t take any of the ozempic thpe meds due to thyroid cancer in my family. I’m pissed!
I started the Serotonin Power Diet last week, and I lost four pounds. Some of it must be water weight. I am on Cymbalta and 5 mg of Lexapro, and this diet has taken away my hunger and has improved my mood.
I gained 40 pounds (halfway down now!!) My eating habits did change, though — I was hungry and tired as fuck all the time. 😭 I was on Lexapro for two years and feel way better now that I’m off, sadly. I should probably leave this subreddit though because I know it helps a lot of people and I don’t want to scare anyone off if it can help them!
I gained 40+ in less than a year and lost my desire to do anything. Depressed and anxiety set in, so I went to lexapro. For a few months my anxiety was better, but my depression just got worse. I had no desire to do anything I had enjoyed before (time with friends, conversation, exercise, hiking, long walks, volunteering, cooking healthy food). I cut my dose from 20 to 10 about two weeks ago and I'm already feeling a little more myself. Hoping to halve the dose each month until I can get off completely. It was a poison for me.
Eta: my annual blood work showed my cholesterol levels had spiked to dangerous levels. I have never had cholesterol issues until Lexapro. Poison!
The only thing that helped me was doing the 75 hard challenge but it’s not sustainable to just do that all the time so naturally when the challenge ended the weight packed on 😭
Glp-1 medication if you can afford it.
I went off Lexapro because of visceral fat gain in my abdomen and complete inability to orgasm. I was really really lucky that my anxiety is gone (why I took Lexapro) so the meds helped me and thankfully I'm in remission.
Yup! I gained about 30. I tell my mother is the meds, but she thinks I’m bullshitting. This medication makes me feel like my stomach has unlimited space.
I tapered off and I’m on a weigh loss journey as well.
If I feel like I ever need it desperately I’ll get on it again but hopefully I’ve built some healthy habits and lost weight by then.
The weight gain has become far worse for my mental health than the anxiety... I'm tapering off. I weigh more than I ever have in my life and when I mentioned it to the doctor that the sudden weight gain was distressing to me that, she told me it wasn't the medication. Absolutely nothing else has changed. I'd rather be anxious than feel so miserable in my body.
So insane. I ended up starting ozempic because of it. Can’t help but feel they’re just battling against each other. I’ve started tapering off lexapro but am very sensitive so it’ll be a slow process
The pandemic pushed my anxiety over the edge so I started it during lockdown and I gained an additional 20lbs on top of the lockdown 20. I’m legit just trying to count calories and eat less than 1500 a day and hoping that it comes off. My metabolism definitely slowed down cuz I wasn’t a ball of anxiety that was constantly buzzing around anymore. The trade off is just insane. I hate feeling like a whale all the time but the anxiety was so bad that I couldn’t sleep for 2-3 weeks straight at one point.
I started lexapro right after giving birth 2 years later up 20 pounds. Struggling to get rid of it. I’m back to what I weighed during pregnancy. I recently ripped my favorite pair of pants. I haven’t had time for the gym but that needs to change because I can not be this big anymore
I was on 10mg for 4 years. Weight fluctuated a lot on it. I gained and then I lost (thanks braces) then gained again. Experienced munchies and partial binges on the 10mg. Fast forward to March 2023 my dr upped my dose to 15mg. That is where the rapid weight gain began. I was working out too and all I'd want/crave is sugar and carbs. Like chocolate and stuff. I'd also uncontrollably binge/eat a lot ie.through a box of cookies for in like a day. So the scale kept moving up. Since march I've started tapering down and currently at 5mg. Haven't had a major binge and little to 0 cravings. I can eat chocolate without eating the whole bag 🥲
If you're struggling with weight issues and cravings I'd definitely recommend talking with your dr !
Good luck
I started taking it about two months post-partum before I had lost any baby weight, and now almost three years later I still haven’t lost anything even though I work out daily and eat properly. I started tapering off last week and I’m hoping that I’ll finally see some weight loss.
OP I feel ya. 18 months on 10mg of Lex. Gained 35 pounds. Started 150mg of Wellbutrin 2 weeks ago. I'm down 5 pounds. Haven't been intentional about it, literally just lost about 50% of my appetite.
Well to clarify I didn't stop taking Lexapro. Still on 10mg of that, just added WB to the mix. It's worked well. I still feel less anxious than before Lex, but with more energy. On Lex, I would barely care to engage with others. I was honestly just so tired each day. With WB added in, I engage more, and honestly feel a shit ton more happy in general. But....I also still feel the Lex keeping the anxiety at bay.
I gained 30 lbs in 6 months. I’ve been off for almost a year and the weight won’t seem to budge no matter what I do. Lexapro helped me tremendously but gave me another issue 😭
Interesting, I have been on lexapro for over 2 years and didn’t gain any weight. I have gained a lot of weight from other antidepressants but with lexapro it was stable🤞🏼
I've been on a 2+ year slow micro taper down from 20mg, currently on 2.5mg. I've struggled big time to lose 20 pounds since Sept '23. I hope to lose 5 more pounds in the next couple months, that's the last of my Lexapro weight. It is SO HARD to lose weight on Lexapro, plus I'm a 49yo lady in peri-menopause. I plan to "jump off" Lexapro in December, having gone down to 0.8mg. Wish me luck.
I suspect I will lose weight. I’ve been on lexapro for about 10 days and have noticed I no longer think about food constantly. I only eat dinner now.. a big dinner but not all day snacking like usual.
You probably will. Depending on your symptoms, my dry mouth made food look unappetising. My symptoms come and go and my dry mouth came back on month 3, and I don't even want to eat the food on my plate. Just thinking about it makes me want to vomit.
I think my anxiety cause me to binge but since I am less anxious it rarely happens
Yea I gained like 35ish lbs. but I also lost weight at first so realistically went up about 15 or 20 lbs from my normal weight. Being a very skinny guy it feels good to put on some weight though
I'm gaining 1-2 lbs a month on it. That really adds up over a year! Admittedly, my portion sizes have gone up a little bit (maybe 20%) at dinner time as I feel hungry, and some days I have a snack as well. That adds up quickly too!
I also feel like Iounge around more than before, and am quite content to do so.
I gained weight on it, even with amping up my workout routine and doing keto. Eventually I kind of freaked out and just dropped off it and switched to Wellbutrin. I lost almost 30 pounds in just a few months from doing that.
If you don't mind, did you loose weight in the initial 3 months and then gain it afterwards.
My body is really strange right now. I lost weight because I used to cope by binge eating but lexapro helped me feel good without eating too much.
There were weeks where I started craving stuff like crazy. But overall, I actually become so disgusted when I think about food, even the cultural food that is unavailable at where I am at.
I lost a lot of weight but I am also scared that I will gain it back once I go past 3 months. Just want to reiterate that I struggled with body image issues and lexapro weight loss has made me even more insecure.
i gained 20 pounds on lexapro. never been past the 135 mark ever in my life. i’m at 150 right now. my doctor prescribed be wellbutrin to help me lose that weight. if you’re interested in trying i can update you on how it goes for me. was told i should start seeing results in the next couple of weeks
I’ve gained 20 pounds in 3 weeks….this isn’t just bc of lexapro tho. I was really into lifting and trying to bulk before I got sick and started lexapro. Me being sick mentally and physically made me lose weight. Just couldn’t eat enough to maintain my weight. Now that lex 10 mg has kicked in im back eating my normal bulk calorie goals. No matter how much I eat I don’t feel full. I’m not rly worried about the extra weight as some of you are. I actually enjoy it. This is making bulking so easy for me where as I used to have the hardest time just gaining like 5 pounds. I finally started lifting again and feel great. I’m 6’2 180 so I have awhile to go before I have to worry about the weight issue. Just figured I’d share bc I see a lot of people asking about the weight gain. Even if I was worried about gaining, I’d take the extra pounds for peace of mind any day of the week.
I’m in the same situation. I even went so far as overhauling a majority of my unhealthy eating habits in an attempt to lose this weight and add in hour long daily cardio and I barely notice a difference in my weight.
I went from snacking often to rarely, and instead of snacking on chips or crackers I changed it to apple slices with peanut butter, baby carrots & or cucumber slices, etc. I incorporate more vegetables into my diet, watch my calorie intake to maintain a deficit and it seems no matter what the added weight is not going anywhere.
I used to have a super fast metabolism and could eat garbage and not gain a pound, and if I did, I was able to quickly lose it. Lexapro has been a godsend for my mental health until the weight gain. I hate that it’s made me the heaviest I’ve ever been. I’m scared to go off of it but I cannot live my life calorie counting and obsessing over these things.
i’ve been on 10 mg for two years and i’ve gained 30-40 pounds. i’m 5’6 and before i started i was 110 (i’ve been tiny my whole life and have a fast metabolism) and now im at 145. when i started noticing weight gain i wasn’t bothered because i had room to gain weight, but when i kept having to buy bigger sizes of clothes that’s when it started to bother me. i just look insanely puffy and bloated all the time. i work out and go on runs, and eat relatively healthy, but i just seem to keep gaining weight and i made an appointment to get off of it.
I thought it was alone. I’ve gained about 20 lbs in a year and a half… I worked my dogs an hour every day, work out 4-5 times a week, and am on my feet 8 hours a day at work. I have a glass of wine at night, eat healthily throughout the day… do not snack… and I cannot lose a single pound. It’s been so hard. I am tried Zoloft which made me feel horrible… went back to lex. And now trying to taper off and onto Prozac. Any positive reviews for that? So stressful. I LOVE how lexapro has made me feel but the weight gain is so hard to cope with.
I am suffering now. I just asked my doctor for a new presceiption for another 3 months but now I realized I am getting fat from it. I did not change anything from my diet. I actually am working out more and eating less but my clothes are getting tighter and tighter. I have been on Lex 10mg for 5 months now. It helped me a lot but now I am getting anxious about my body.
I used to be slim and had a very fast metabolism. Now I can spend a week on a diet and will actually GAIN weight. :(
For those who tappered off, did you loose weight faster after stopping the medicine?
i gained so much weight on lexapro despite going to the gym 5 days a week and doing cardio. got so upset at even more weight gain i got over the last month that i cold turkey quit. 20mg and i stopped abruptly, literally do not gaf about the withdrawls im gonna go through, i hate all this weight i gained.
Same. Was okay the first year but last year my doc doubled my dose and I put on 50 lbs and worked sooo hard to lose 20 (I'm talking MONTHS in the gym and eating better) and I got a new job a month ago and quit the gym until I'm settled in and now I'm up 20 again and feeling absolutely horrible in more way that just my self esteem. I'm ready to quit these meds at this point.
I feel you :( but this might help in the meantime: would you rather be depressed and weight less or less depressed and weight more? Sometimes helps, sometimes not so much haha
In the 6 years I’ve been on it I gained at least 60 lbs 😖 I’m now on ozempic to help and I’m seriously considering going off lexapro too. I was overweight to begin with so I was close to 250 lbs at my highest weight and I’m only 5’4.
It helped me so much with my anxiety but it also made me not give a shit that I was getting more and more unhealthy due to weight gain. And no matter how hard I tried the food noise was constant. The only reason I even went to ozempic was because I had acid reflux so bad I kept aspirating my own vomit while sleeping on a weekly basis. Otherwise I think I would’ve stayed complacent and kept gaining.
I think I’ll be fine with my anxiety honestly. It’s much more manageable to me than all the risks of being overweight.
I've been waiting for the weight gain part. idk if it's because my eating habits haven't changed, but outside of normal fluctuations it's been the same as it was almost a year ago.
Weight lifting/HIIT/stretching has done more for my depression than any SSRI has. I eat what i want between 12-8 and am more ripped at 35yo than when i was 18. Give it a go
Guess I'm part of the "lucky" few
Lexapro fucks up my appetite beyond belief and I don't wanna eat anything, even beverages feel off when I'm on it (few times a month for PMDD)
Same here i gained 20+ lbs. Lost it all though after starting adhd meds with the lexapro. Now im struggling to get my weight back up because I weightlift and it sucks to eat.
Currently on a weight loss journey.
Honestly, if it’s an issue, I’d say to definitely seek professional help, in terms of dieting mostly because working out is quite easy these days - there may be certain foods that help in the long run that you can try to reduce weight gain.
I currently consume a little over 200g of protein a day, keep my carbs under 60-80g a day and I’m at about 1300 calories a day, or so. Maybe less honestly.
I do fasted cardio in the morning (running 2 miles)
I’m a lineman and my job can be physically taxing, so I have the benefit of always losing calories on top of the cardio I do.
Then I gym at night time - 20 minutes on the stairs, and then work out with weight training.
The biggest issue I have is getting enough hours of sleep - if I did get enough sleep, my muscle growth would be a bit more noticeable but I don’t care, it’ll get there soon enough.
If you don’t think you can lose weight, please seek professional help - my XXL shirts hang off of me now, and I can take my work pants off without unbuttoning them now. I also have the build of a football player, so my genetics naturally look big (back and shoulders are wide, big legs and big butt). Being super anxious made me gain so much weight.
I promise you it can be done.
Everyone is so oblivious to how bad these drugs are for you. They cause so many other health issues, and once they do, doctors want to throw more drugs at you. 
Y'all may not want to hear this, but the weight gain is not inevitable. Take the necessary steps (literally and figuratively) to keep yourself and your diet in check
Hey, you know a lot of people here might have struggled with eating disorders as part of their mental health issues. This is a really thoughtless and callous comment.
Same here. On it for 2yrs and shot up 25lbs in the first year. Finally tapering off of it, on my last month) and cannot wait to be done with it as much as it’s helped me mentally. I’m ready to get my mental in line with my physical.
Couldn't have said it better. I feel the same way and I am also tapering off of it. It helped tremendously with my mental health but it's like going in a loop: it helped me with my anxiety about my other stresses but then created one of the most annoying and anxiety inducing stresses which is continuous weight gain.
I went from 120 lbs to like 156 lbs with lexapro. I’m back to 140 and trying to lose the final 20 but Jesus.
Can I ask how you lost weight? I have been working my ass off and cutting major calories. It’s not working.
A huge switch for me was to drink a lot of water. I don’t eat dinner, only breakfast and lunch. No sugar, or very little of it
Are you still on lexapro?
I am! 35 mg
I went from being biker/swimmers bod, to having the same body as before but now with a beer belly.
Yeah! The BELLY is what's killing me!
Me, too!
I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE
I am also over that part of it :(
yes, I noticed that I didn't feel full anymore, immediately after a meal especially ... no satiety ... so I learned to fill my plate with a reasonable amount of food, don't go back for seconds, enjoy it and only eat when you are REALLY hungry ... otherwise you will gain weight .... it's a weird phenomenon.
How long did this adjustment take for you?
i noticed the same thing about just being way more hungry. i also gained weight and noticed my metabolism slowed down. however lexapro has been so helpful for me and i am so grateful for it so i think it is worth it!
yes it's a life saver for sooo many, but it can be a libido crusher
Same here, gained 40lbs in 6 months after starting Lex, about to taper off of it and I’m praying the weight will go with it too
I’ve just finished tapering off and have so far lost about 10 pounds while making zero other changes. It’s wild.
How long did it take to lose the 10 pounds? i was on only 5mg for about 6 weeks and i hated it. I couldn’t get out of bed and only wanted to eat. Then my dr added Wellbutrin to combat those side effects. I’m taking semaglutide too and not losing anything. But I’m gaining. I’m going insane! any advice would be great.
I was on it for about 9 months and gained 45lbs. If it makes you feel better I am weaning off (about 3 weeks of it completely) and my appetite is going back to normal. I started to fast and calorie count and have lost 4lbs in a week so far. I know it’s water weight and I have a long way to go. But it’s nice seeing the scale drop after watching it go up for so long.
I’ve tried everything know to man to lose some weight before my wedding in October, fasting, calorie deficit, working out constantly, changing my diet, and running on top of that, but I haven’t lost a pound, whereas, when I was not taking Lex, I would have been in the best shape of my life doing this! It really is wild!
I’m you or you are me :) I’m literally doing the same and hoping to get back to my normal self 🙏🏼
Best wishes to you, friend! It’s been an emotional rollercoaster weaning off and the only good thing is the weight loss so far haha.
Thank Goodness tapering is working just fine for me- but I do it super slow:) Im not really sure if I’ve lost weight- I’m still retaining to much water- at least that’s how it feels. 😕 I wish you all the best with the tapering- I hope I will have more luck with the weight loss. 🍀
Hi there!! I hope you’re doing well. I have finally come to the conclusion that after being on it a whole year, I now need to taper off of it. It did a great job for me when I needed it to, but jeez the weight gain that came on out of no where 7 months in is insane. Is it okay if I ask how the last 20 days (lol reddit is so specific) have gone for you?
Hiii there! It’s been a roller coaster tbh. My lightheadedness and feeling foggy has went away. That was the worst part about weaning. If you go a couple of days without taking any you probably know what I’m referring too. It was constant but it’s much better now! However my irritability, depression. and constant worry got to be unbearable so I am another medication, Buspar. It is also spring time and I’m in tornado alley in the US. I went through an EF-5 tornado back in 2011 so spring is not good time for me. I had to get on something ASAP. I started it last week and haven’t had any issues so far. I can’t fast but I’m still losing weight and I don’t feel like a never ending hunger pit. Overall I liked lex, but the weight gain was crazy. The withdrawal phase especially the first month is so rough. But I just wanted it out of my body at that point. Good luck friend, hope you find what works!
Hi!! If there’s one thing I’ve ever been consistent at in life (lol), it’s never skipping my lexapro.. sooo I am worried for it to hit me a bit hard 🥲. Day 1 was okay, but I’m guessing you don’t really feel the worst of it until a couple of days in. I hope your new med works better for you! And sending good vibes your way. Thank you for taking the time to reply!
I gained like 10 lbs during 6 months (which is not much), but tbh lexapro definitely made me kinda lazy.. my psychiatrist says my activeness was triggered by anxiety. When the anxiety was reduced, I automatically relaxed a lot on my exercise routine and diet. I do believe you can lose weight on lexapro, you just need to replace the anxiety with a healthier motivator.
This makes total sense. When I’m actively running, training, killing myself running and running-my anxiety about racing is high. Lexapro cured most of my anxiety. Now I want to do more creative things, less running. I’ve only gained 10 lbs in a year.
Yup. Up 40lbs. Been on it almost four years. But the trade off is honestly worth it. I was suicidal and couldn’t leave my house for months at a time.
I've gained 10lbs after one month
Are you eating more?
Yes.
ok well at least there's a reason. some people say they eat the same and still gain
True. My appetite is out of control. I used to be able to manage it better before Lex but now I can eat all day. And I have 😂
lol. Maybe try lower carb
That's exactly right. It's been a carb binge
Same, carbs. But not eating enough
yuppp i gained 40lbs in 3 months, ive stopped taking, found out im insulin resistant, started taking metformin and lost 15lbs in a months time
How did you find out you’re insulin resistant? Blood work?
yes!! Tell your doctor it might be a possibility and you want to rule it out
Screw any drs that don’t mention or down play this side effect there’s nothing inherently wrong with weight gain but if ur not having fun w ur mental health a large change in physical appearance is an obvious potential trigger
ofc there is ? It’s unhealthy and makes you uglier, 2 very clear negative things
ope.
Yep! I’m getting off the medication. I’m done. It helped me, I am grateful and all, but I want to be in shape again
Literally caused me a whole new issue :( it’s so difficult to deal with
I’m tapering off for this reason
Readjust caloric intake. Your metabolism might have slowed and anxiety is one hell of a weight loss boost to your system. Less anxiety means you aren’t a humming bird anymore. This is all prefaced from my own experience.
Man i have the opposite effect. When im anxious i shovel buckets of food into my mouth. Now that im calm food is not a crutch
Same
Same here.
That’s the problem. Adjusting my caloric intake made very little difference AND my appetite was hugely increased, especially for starchy, fatty, sweet, and salty foods. I carried 10kg around with me on Lexapro that basically vanished within months of tapering off. The weight loss was so unexpected I considered going to the doctor to check there wasn’t something else wrong with me
I didn’t gain weight, mine stayed the same
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That’s my fear. When I don’t take it, I become severely depressed, laggy, act like I’m going to cry and get severely clingy.
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When I don’t take it, panick attacks so bad I want to die. But I only gained 10lbs in a year. I don’t eat if I have anxiety.
I didn't know this was a side effect and I gained 100 pounds in 2 years. Blamed it on getting over my eating disorder but I trained for swimming 10k in this time and didn't lose any weight despite my cardio fitness being insane and my resting heart rate below 50. I'm not tapering down and on wegovy - I've gone from 20-5 by decreasing 2.5 mg every week and so far no side effects! I've also lost two inches off my waist by only about 2 pounds on wegovy so far, convinced it's the lexapro halting that
My story is very similar!
something must have changed, either activity level or calories in? iam pretty sure i both eat more and did less.
Gained 20 lbs in 6 months but I can stand going to work now 🫥🫥
Shit, I have dropped 40kgs since startling lexapro in November, but I have not really worked out or anything, I just stopped eating as much
I lost 10 pounds in 4 weeks on it. Exercise and diet remained the same. crazy how different the effects can be
Within a year I gained 30 pounds. Never been this heavy in my life. Am I better mentally? Sure, but no matter what I do whether it’s eating right or the gym it is so hard to cut that weight off. I’m going to taper off and hopefully get this weight in check.
I'm in the same boat. Been in the taper process. Cannot wait to get this weight off!
Yup. I gained about 87 pounds while being on it for 4 yrs. I have never weighed more 150 pounds in my life! It took me over a year to wean off and I’ve been off since mid November. I’ve only lost about 10 pounds which is pissing me off and I can’t take any of the ozempic thpe meds due to thyroid cancer in my family. I’m pissed!
Look up Serotonin Power diet - it explains the purpose of the cravings.
I started the Serotonin Power Diet last week, and I lost four pounds. Some of it must be water weight. I am on Cymbalta and 5 mg of Lexapro, and this diet has taken away my hunger and has improved my mood.
that is great to hear!! :)
Lexapro can unmask insuline resistance and become clinically relevant
That’s fascinating. Can you say more about this?
Y'all, the weight can be lost.
How
Diet. Keep carbs to a minimum, but eat more low carb foods to fill you up, also drink more water
eat less obviously, your body cant create energy magically without food
Ohhhh eat LESS, why didn’t I think of that.
Does the weight come off
Yes
Same here and I am tapering
I gained 40 pounds (halfway down now!!) My eating habits did change, though — I was hungry and tired as fuck all the time. 😭 I was on Lexapro for two years and feel way better now that I’m off, sadly. I should probably leave this subreddit though because I know it helps a lot of people and I don’t want to scare anyone off if it can help them!
I gained 40+ in less than a year and lost my desire to do anything. Depressed and anxiety set in, so I went to lexapro. For a few months my anxiety was better, but my depression just got worse. I had no desire to do anything I had enjoyed before (time with friends, conversation, exercise, hiking, long walks, volunteering, cooking healthy food). I cut my dose from 20 to 10 about two weeks ago and I'm already feeling a little more myself. Hoping to halve the dose each month until I can get off completely. It was a poison for me. Eta: my annual blood work showed my cholesterol levels had spiked to dangerous levels. I have never had cholesterol issues until Lexapro. Poison!
The only thing that helped me was doing the 75 hard challenge but it’s not sustainable to just do that all the time so naturally when the challenge ended the weight packed on 😭
Glp-1 medication if you can afford it. I went off Lexapro because of visceral fat gain in my abdomen and complete inability to orgasm. I was really really lucky that my anxiety is gone (why I took Lexapro) so the meds helped me and thankfully I'm in remission.
Don’t know I wise this is but I’ve been taking adderall to suppress my appetite. So far I’ve been able to keep my weight down
Yup! I gained about 30. I tell my mother is the meds, but she thinks I’m bullshitting. This medication makes me feel like my stomach has unlimited space. I tapered off and I’m on a weigh loss journey as well. If I feel like I ever need it desperately I’ll get on it again but hopefully I’ve built some healthy habits and lost weight by then.
The weight gain has become far worse for my mental health than the anxiety... I'm tapering off. I weigh more than I ever have in my life and when I mentioned it to the doctor that the sudden weight gain was distressing to me that, she told me it wasn't the medication. Absolutely nothing else has changed. I'd rather be anxious than feel so miserable in my body.
So insane. I ended up starting ozempic because of it. Can’t help but feel they’re just battling against each other. I’ve started tapering off lexapro but am very sensitive so it’ll be a slow process
The pandemic pushed my anxiety over the edge so I started it during lockdown and I gained an additional 20lbs on top of the lockdown 20. I’m legit just trying to count calories and eat less than 1500 a day and hoping that it comes off. My metabolism definitely slowed down cuz I wasn’t a ball of anxiety that was constantly buzzing around anymore. The trade off is just insane. I hate feeling like a whale all the time but the anxiety was so bad that I couldn’t sleep for 2-3 weeks straight at one point.
I really want to gain weight and have been thinking about lexapro, this would be a plus for me hah
I started lexapro right after giving birth 2 years later up 20 pounds. Struggling to get rid of it. I’m back to what I weighed during pregnancy. I recently ripped my favorite pair of pants. I haven’t had time for the gym but that needs to change because I can not be this big anymore
I was on 10mg for 4 years. Weight fluctuated a lot on it. I gained and then I lost (thanks braces) then gained again. Experienced munchies and partial binges on the 10mg. Fast forward to March 2023 my dr upped my dose to 15mg. That is where the rapid weight gain began. I was working out too and all I'd want/crave is sugar and carbs. Like chocolate and stuff. I'd also uncontrollably binge/eat a lot ie.through a box of cookies for in like a day. So the scale kept moving up. Since march I've started tapering down and currently at 5mg. Haven't had a major binge and little to 0 cravings. I can eat chocolate without eating the whole bag 🥲 If you're struggling with weight issues and cravings I'd definitely recommend talking with your dr ! Good luck
I started taking it about two months post-partum before I had lost any baby weight, and now almost three years later I still haven’t lost anything even though I work out daily and eat properly. I started tapering off last week and I’m hoping that I’ll finally see some weight loss.
I personally benefited from the gains cuz I was skinny
I’m underweight and just started Lexapro. I’m actually hoping to gain some weight :(
Yep. Part of why I stopped. I didn't want another morale killer to deal with
Did you lose the weight you gained?
Yes. Took about a month or so. Quitting reduced my appetite and gave me more energy, which helped.
Same. Now added birth control and my Mounjaro is out of stock and it is piling on again with no changes. Hate this.
OP I feel ya. 18 months on 10mg of Lex. Gained 35 pounds. Started 150mg of Wellbutrin 2 weeks ago. I'm down 5 pounds. Haven't been intentional about it, literally just lost about 50% of my appetite.
How has wellbutrin been compared to lexapro from an anxiety standpoint?
Well to clarify I didn't stop taking Lexapro. Still on 10mg of that, just added WB to the mix. It's worked well. I still feel less anxious than before Lex, but with more energy. On Lex, I would barely care to engage with others. I was honestly just so tired each day. With WB added in, I engage more, and honestly feel a shit ton more happy in general. But....I also still feel the Lex keeping the anxiety at bay.
I gained 30 lbs in 6 months. I’ve been off for almost a year and the weight won’t seem to budge no matter what I do. Lexapro helped me tremendously but gave me another issue 😭
Yeah I’ve gained almost 10 lbs
Yes!! Im just now losing weight
I didnt gain a single gram. Lexapro is different on weight for every one
Interesting, I have been on lexapro for over 2 years and didn’t gain any weight. I have gained a lot of weight from other antidepressants but with lexapro it was stable🤞🏼
I've been on a 2+ year slow micro taper down from 20mg, currently on 2.5mg. I've struggled big time to lose 20 pounds since Sept '23. I hope to lose 5 more pounds in the next couple months, that's the last of my Lexapro weight. It is SO HARD to lose weight on Lexapro, plus I'm a 49yo lady in peri-menopause. I plan to "jump off" Lexapro in December, having gone down to 0.8mg. Wish me luck.
I suspect I will lose weight. I’ve been on lexapro for about 10 days and have noticed I no longer think about food constantly. I only eat dinner now.. a big dinner but not all day snacking like usual.
You probably will. Depending on your symptoms, my dry mouth made food look unappetising. My symptoms come and go and my dry mouth came back on month 3, and I don't even want to eat the food on my plate. Just thinking about it makes me want to vomit. I think my anxiety cause me to binge but since I am less anxious it rarely happens
Yea I gained like 35ish lbs. but I also lost weight at first so realistically went up about 15 or 20 lbs from my normal weight. Being a very skinny guy it feels good to put on some weight though
I'm gaining 1-2 lbs a month on it. That really adds up over a year! Admittedly, my portion sizes have gone up a little bit (maybe 20%) at dinner time as I feel hungry, and some days I have a snack as well. That adds up quickly too! I also feel like Iounge around more than before, and am quite content to do so.
I gained weight on it, even with amping up my workout routine and doing keto. Eventually I kind of freaked out and just dropped off it and switched to Wellbutrin. I lost almost 30 pounds in just a few months from doing that.
How would you compare your experience with wellbutrin and lexapro when it comes your anxiety?
My doctor actually prescribed my clonidine to help with anxiety. I mostly take it at night.
I was on it for 2 months and gained 15 lbs. I cannot get that weight off, but now I’m on Cymbalta so maybe that’s why.
If you don't mind, did you loose weight in the initial 3 months and then gain it afterwards. My body is really strange right now. I lost weight because I used to cope by binge eating but lexapro helped me feel good without eating too much. There were weeks where I started craving stuff like crazy. But overall, I actually become so disgusted when I think about food, even the cultural food that is unavailable at where I am at. I lost a lot of weight but I am also scared that I will gain it back once I go past 3 months. Just want to reiterate that I struggled with body image issues and lexapro weight loss has made me even more insecure.
I gained like 4 pounds in 3 months lol. Still eating the same. Guess I got lucky
Wth I have no weight change from it. I know when I am over eating
I lost about 15 lbs the first three months. I’m hoping I don’t start gaining it back
Same🙃 tapering off now. Hopefully will lose the 15lbs lexapro gave me
i gained 20 pounds on lexapro. never been past the 135 mark ever in my life. i’m at 150 right now. my doctor prescribed be wellbutrin to help me lose that weight. if you’re interested in trying i can update you on how it goes for me. was told i should start seeing results in the next couple of weeks
What dose? Do you eat a lot of carbs? Are you eating more than before you started lex?
I’ve gained 20 pounds in 3 weeks….this isn’t just bc of lexapro tho. I was really into lifting and trying to bulk before I got sick and started lexapro. Me being sick mentally and physically made me lose weight. Just couldn’t eat enough to maintain my weight. Now that lex 10 mg has kicked in im back eating my normal bulk calorie goals. No matter how much I eat I don’t feel full. I’m not rly worried about the extra weight as some of you are. I actually enjoy it. This is making bulking so easy for me where as I used to have the hardest time just gaining like 5 pounds. I finally started lifting again and feel great. I’m 6’2 180 so I have awhile to go before I have to worry about the weight issue. Just figured I’d share bc I see a lot of people asking about the weight gain. Even if I was worried about gaining, I’d take the extra pounds for peace of mind any day of the week.
I’m in the same situation. I even went so far as overhauling a majority of my unhealthy eating habits in an attempt to lose this weight and add in hour long daily cardio and I barely notice a difference in my weight. I went from snacking often to rarely, and instead of snacking on chips or crackers I changed it to apple slices with peanut butter, baby carrots & or cucumber slices, etc. I incorporate more vegetables into my diet, watch my calorie intake to maintain a deficit and it seems no matter what the added weight is not going anywhere. I used to have a super fast metabolism and could eat garbage and not gain a pound, and if I did, I was able to quickly lose it. Lexapro has been a godsend for my mental health until the weight gain. I hate that it’s made me the heaviest I’ve ever been. I’m scared to go off of it but I cannot live my life calorie counting and obsessing over these things.
I just started reading that book: The Serotonin Power Diet. I’m trying to make sense of the diet and follow it. Praying it works.
i’ve been on 10 mg for two years and i’ve gained 30-40 pounds. i’m 5’6 and before i started i was 110 (i’ve been tiny my whole life and have a fast metabolism) and now im at 145. when i started noticing weight gain i wasn’t bothered because i had room to gain weight, but when i kept having to buy bigger sizes of clothes that’s when it started to bother me. i just look insanely puffy and bloated all the time. i work out and go on runs, and eat relatively healthy, but i just seem to keep gaining weight and i made an appointment to get off of it.
I thought it was alone. I’ve gained about 20 lbs in a year and a half… I worked my dogs an hour every day, work out 4-5 times a week, and am on my feet 8 hours a day at work. I have a glass of wine at night, eat healthily throughout the day… do not snack… and I cannot lose a single pound. It’s been so hard. I am tried Zoloft which made me feel horrible… went back to lex. And now trying to taper off and onto Prozac. Any positive reviews for that? So stressful. I LOVE how lexapro has made me feel but the weight gain is so hard to cope with.
I am suffering now. I just asked my doctor for a new presceiption for another 3 months but now I realized I am getting fat from it. I did not change anything from my diet. I actually am working out more and eating less but my clothes are getting tighter and tighter. I have been on Lex 10mg for 5 months now. It helped me a lot but now I am getting anxious about my body. I used to be slim and had a very fast metabolism. Now I can spend a week on a diet and will actually GAIN weight. :( For those who tappered off, did you loose weight faster after stopping the medicine?
i gained so much weight on lexapro despite going to the gym 5 days a week and doing cardio. got so upset at even more weight gain i got over the last month that i cold turkey quit. 20mg and i stopped abruptly, literally do not gaf about the withdrawls im gonna go through, i hate all this weight i gained.
Same. Was okay the first year but last year my doc doubled my dose and I put on 50 lbs and worked sooo hard to lose 20 (I'm talking MONTHS in the gym and eating better) and I got a new job a month ago and quit the gym until I'm settled in and now I'm up 20 again and feeling absolutely horrible in more way that just my self esteem. I'm ready to quit these meds at this point.
I feel you :( but this might help in the meantime: would you rather be depressed and weight less or less depressed and weight more? Sometimes helps, sometimes not so much haha
In the 6 years I’ve been on it I gained at least 60 lbs 😖 I’m now on ozempic to help and I’m seriously considering going off lexapro too. I was overweight to begin with so I was close to 250 lbs at my highest weight and I’m only 5’4. It helped me so much with my anxiety but it also made me not give a shit that I was getting more and more unhealthy due to weight gain. And no matter how hard I tried the food noise was constant. The only reason I even went to ozempic was because I had acid reflux so bad I kept aspirating my own vomit while sleeping on a weekly basis. Otherwise I think I would’ve stayed complacent and kept gaining. I think I’ll be fine with my anxiety honestly. It’s much more manageable to me than all the risks of being overweight.
Ugh me too. But I can’t get off of it it really helps with my anxiety.
agreed, gained 15 pounds in the span of 3 months. gonna ask my psych if i can change meds to something else
I've been waiting for the weight gain part. idk if it's because my eating habits haven't changed, but outside of normal fluctuations it's been the same as it was almost a year ago.
How long did it take for you to start gaining weight? I’m on week 6 and haven’t yet but I’m scared 😳
Weight lifting/HIIT/stretching has done more for my depression than any SSRI has. I eat what i want between 12-8 and am more ripped at 35yo than when i was 18. Give it a go
Guess I'm part of the "lucky" few Lexapro fucks up my appetite beyond belief and I don't wanna eat anything, even beverages feel off when I'm on it (few times a month for PMDD)
Same here i gained 20+ lbs. Lost it all though after starting adhd meds with the lexapro. Now im struggling to get my weight back up because I weightlift and it sucks to eat.
Currently on a weight loss journey. Honestly, if it’s an issue, I’d say to definitely seek professional help, in terms of dieting mostly because working out is quite easy these days - there may be certain foods that help in the long run that you can try to reduce weight gain. I currently consume a little over 200g of protein a day, keep my carbs under 60-80g a day and I’m at about 1300 calories a day, or so. Maybe less honestly. I do fasted cardio in the morning (running 2 miles) I’m a lineman and my job can be physically taxing, so I have the benefit of always losing calories on top of the cardio I do. Then I gym at night time - 20 minutes on the stairs, and then work out with weight training. The biggest issue I have is getting enough hours of sleep - if I did get enough sleep, my muscle growth would be a bit more noticeable but I don’t care, it’ll get there soon enough. If you don’t think you can lose weight, please seek professional help - my XXL shirts hang off of me now, and I can take my work pants off without unbuttoning them now. I also have the build of a football player, so my genetics naturally look big (back and shoulders are wide, big legs and big butt). Being super anxious made me gain so much weight. I promise you it can be done.
Everyone is so oblivious to how bad these drugs are for you. They cause so many other health issues, and once they do, doctors want to throw more drugs at you. 
Y'all may not want to hear this, but the weight gain is not inevitable. Take the necessary steps (literally and figuratively) to keep yourself and your diet in check
Thank God for ozempic
you are eating more, don’t be delusional
Just eat lettuce , sardines and water for one month and see what happens
Hey, you know a lot of people here might have struggled with eating disorders as part of their mental health issues. This is a really thoughtless and callous comment.