Question:
Has anyone had any problems gaining weight while on Zoloft?

My Dr. just put me on Zoloft 100mg. I was just wondering will that hinder my weight loss any? It did say on the side effects that it may cause weight loss??? Has anyone heard of that? I have always heard the oposite. Are there any anti-depressants out there that have helped you with weight loss or that are better for weight loss? Just wondering. Thanks!!    — Allison T. (posted on May 10, 2003)

May 10, 2003
I was on Prozac a few years ago and took it for two years. I also heard it could cause weight loss, but I actually gained a lot. I think it depends on the person and how you respond to the SSRI drugs like prozac and zoloft. SSRI's are designed to level the seratonin in your brain. Seratonin is what is produced when you "carb out" under stress and get that sleepy feeling of well-being. I guess in my case, it made me "not care" as opposed to not being depressed. I have talked to several who gained on zoloft, so I guess it just me how the person responds to the drug.
   — Happy I.

May 10, 2003
Hi~One side effect for zoloft is loss of appetite and that is how it affected me when I was taking it.
   — jennifer A.

May 10, 2003
I had a lot of trouble with SSRIs...sleepiness (napping every day), mild nausea and weight gain (but it could have been due to my extra sleeping). When I quit smoking I used Wellbutrin which is chemically the same as the stop smoking medication Zyban (but insurance pays for Wellbutrin). I had no side effects but I know others who did have side effects. Everything affects everyone differently. Don't give up on a medication until you are sure that you are experiencing unacceptable side effects.
   — susanje

May 10, 2003
Hi, I use to be on zoloft an dmany other types of antidepressants and all of them I had great side effects including gaining alot of weight, but now I am on lexapro and have no problems, so I think it just depends on the person and how your body reacts. I am now 3 mths. post-op and don't have any problems so far. good luck to you.
   — Melodee S.

May 10, 2003
An interesting article on the topic at: http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/14220/20807/356711.html Paxil (also known as paroxetine) is a member of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) group of antidepressants. Other SSRI antidepressants include Zoloft, Celexa and Prozac. All of the antidepressants have weight gain as a side effect. While each patient seems to behave differently, some of the antidepressants seem more likely to cause the problem than others. Although this is a common problem and frequently causes people to stop taking their antidepressants, we don't have much information about why weight gain occurs. A decreased appetite is sometimes seen in people with depression, so the weight gain seen with therapy may be related to enjoying food again. But that doesn't explain why just about everyone will see a gain in weight when taking antidepressants. All of the SSRIs like Paxil work by increasing the levels of a brain chemical called serotonin. Phenfluramine (the PHEN in the popular Fen-Phen combination for weight loss) works by doing essentially the same thing. So, a drug that causes weight gain and one that reduces appetite seem to have very similar actions in the brain. It is clear we don't quite understand what is going on. Why the SSRI antidepressants cause weight gain is a mystery, but is likely to be related to an increase in appetite and food intake rather than a resetting of metabolism. That's as much as we known at the moment, but there is a good deal of research going on in this area and we will learn more in the future. People who do gain weight with SSRI antidepressants should speak with their physicians about options. Not all of the SSRIs are the same as far as producing weight gain. Researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital compared the rates of weight gain in people taking Prozac, Zoloft and Paxil. About 25 percent of people on Paxil, 5 percent of those on Zoloft, and about 7 percent of people on Prozac experienced weight gain. A better option, especially for those people who are helped by their antidepressant, is to make a change in diet and to exercise more.
   — [Deactivated Member]

May 11, 2003
Hi... I have been on Zoloft for years (pre-op and post-op). I am 6 months post-op and down 90 lbs, I don't feel like it has been a problem with my weight loss.
   — Nan G.