I have been SSRI (Prozac) free for 4 weeks now, and do not take any other medication. SSRIs have caused me to gain weight, and so while on them I was always in the process of trying to lose. It was hard, but possible. Now that I have been off SSRIs for four weeks, I have been even stricter with my diet, and exercising 40 minutes 4 times weekly.

In the last few weeks I have GAINED weight!!!! And I just seem to keep gaining!

What is going on here? I am terrified and truly do not understand. Any help/thoughts are appreciated please!

If you have been cutting your calories and exercising more, you will lose weight. Sometimes it seems just when I am sick of trying is when the scale was about to register a loss. It always seems to be that way,. so dont stop doing what you are doing. It will show up pretty soon. Also maybe you have gained some muscle - which weighs more than fat. You sound like you are doing good. Dont give up.

GS

but...is there any literature out there that someone knows about, or has had an experience with weight gain after discontinuation?

i mean, i have discontinued before, and always lost weight at about week 4 or 5. AND i am being really honest with myself and I know my diet is strict, stricter than it was before, and exercising now 5 x weekly.

I would love to hear other people's comments on this also! I quit antidepressants in August after a hellacious year of trying everything under the sun after my prozac/wellbutrin (non-sustained release)/trazodone regimen of many years stopped working. I have been back on trazodone for about a month because of sleep problems, and I have gained 20 lbs. in 3-4 months. Very upsetting, to say the least!!!!

I am thinking of going back on the old drugs, even though I am not sure I am depressed at this point, because I have not been this heavy since I went away to college 30 years ago and gained freshman weight! Believe me, being fat like this is enough to lead to big time depression.

I am stopping the trazodone, and guess I'll have to try sleeping drugs again, which means working with the psychiatrist again, sigh... Any ideas are appreciated.

PS I am terrified also. To the person who says the weight will come off with diet and exercise--weight gain and loss is not always strictly about calories in and calories out.

ThAT is strange if you still are not registering a loss. Just yesterday my daughter told me she gained 9 lbs in 2 months and has been exercising and walking and not eating any more. But I think with Thanksgiving just over and some birthdays, she probably ate more than she realized and it is just now registering. If you guys keep gaining and you definitely are not eating more or exercising less, could it be your thyroid?

GS

i've done quite a bit of research on this. it seems prozac interferes with your adrenal gland/cortisol and blood sugar, just basically screwing everything up. as a long-time user of prozac (10+ years), I will say this.......

Basically you have to watch what you eat very strictly, and exercise quite a bit to maintain your weight. Any kind of overeating, or eating bad foods causes weight gain. For me, at least. it's ridiculous. that's why i have come off prozac. i was tired of killing myself trying to maintain (or lose) my weight.

spring x0

I came off Prozac two years ago. I gained weight while taking the medication, but I don't think the medication was the direct cause (being depressed and putting food in my mouth were the causes).

Last year I made a concerted effort to lose weight and went from 225 to 160 (65 pounds). So it's definitely does not permanently affect you.

I may be going back on it soon and will be very conscientious about my weight while doing so.

HEY THERE,

I HAVE BEEN OFF PROZAC NOW FOR ABOUT 6 TO 7 WEEKS AND I HAVE GAINED ABOUT 12 LBS, DO YOU SEEM TO WANT TO EAT MORE, MORE OFTEN?? I DO NOT SEEM TO NEED A LOT IN MY PORTIONS, BUT NEVER SEEM TO FEEL FULL... ARE YOU EXPERIENCING ANYTHING LIKE THIS..ANYBODY ELSE?? ANY BODY KNOW HOW LONG THIS MIGHT LAST.?

I hate to say it and discourage anyone but when I quit taking prozac I gained 40 pds. I craved sugar. It reminded me of being pregnant with cravings. I HAD to have Ho Ho's. I would eat at least one box a day. It took me a while to get out of the habit and am now back to my regular weight.

I wish you the best. I know you are traveling on a rocky road right now, but it will get better.

JUST STAY AWAY FROM HO HO'S!!!!

Best Wishes,
Lost in the Past

that is really interesting, but sugar and salt seem to be the things i crave. never did before, actually i hate candy, but not since the prozac discontinuation, sad but i am a 31 year old man, father of 2, and i am drinking all there kool-aid...thanks for the words/advice.

take care,
ihateprozac

Actually, I'm eating less and not really craving anything much. Just salt, but I always have craved that all my life.
I found out the thing causing my weight gain was actually this antibiotic "minocycline" that was taking for my skin. Didn't realize it. I lost that 5-10 lb I gained on the Minocycline, but still have the Prozac weight that is NOT dropping off.

I have researched more, and it seems it can take 10 months to a year before your weight and body start getting back to normal. Which sucks.

Hi All,

Just thought I would update in case anyone is interested.

It has been 6 months now that I have been off Prozac. Absolutely NOTHING has changed weight wise. I have not lost any weight, and still find it extremely easy to gain if I overeat or eat bad things. Have slacked in cardio workouts (usually 2-3 per week @ 30-45 min each) and just eat pretty normally. No dieting, but no "pigging" out either. I am pretty much exactly where I was 6 months ago.

So, after obvious frustration and sadness, I'm upping my workouts to 4-5 times weekly and really cutting back on all things junky.

Mood wise, things are okay. I just have to remind myself that after ten years of antidepressants, I can't just wake up and be "normal" and everything is fine without working through stuff. I remind myself daily that IT IS A PROCESS. A process of learning, trying, not being afraid, and not running back to medications if I have a few days of anxiety, etc.

Probably the only thing I might feel "depressed" about is my weight. The irony of this doesn't escape me.

Take care everyone!
~Spring~

Spring,

Its good to hear how your doing.

Just reading your post is an inspriration and how positive and focused you are.

Well done!!!

Hope the extra work outs help with the weight issue

Let us know how you go
HUGS
Isabeau

Update!

So...it has been 9 months now since discontinuing Prozac. I'm happy to report my mood is better than ever. Really, I feel like I have woken up into a brand new life. I have been using new coping strategies, seeing a psychologist, cognitive behavioral therapy, books and exercise.

As for the weight issue. It's basically the same. I have been working out like crazy, even got a new routine from a personal trainer, and only have lost a few pounds. I really don't understand it.

I hope to update here after a year and say finally the weight is coming off.

Just thought I would update you with some positive news!

Spring x0x00x

Hi springtimeofhisvoodoo
Did you ever try and get your thyroid checked? I joined a weight-loss programme once and STRUGGLED to lose any weight even though I was following it - and then it turned out my thyroid was underfunctioning. A bump up in the Eltroxin sorted it out.