Question:
Paxil, Xanax, Zoloft, Klonopin, Celexa....Which ones don't make you gain weight?

Hello WLS family, I just started taking PAXIL and XANAX due to some extremely emotional issues and MY nerves were out of control. I recently ended a long and intense relationship (and it left me in financial ruins) and I fell APART. I feel like I had a nervous break down and I could not sleep or eat for weeks (I forced myself to drink my protein during this time and I was grateful for that). I COULD NOT HANDLE THE DEPRESSION AT ALL.........My doctor and close friends are helping me through these painful times and the paxil and xanax are helping me also! THANK GOD! I lost 125 pounds (MY SURGERY WAS A YEAR AND 3 MONTHS AGO) and I pray to god every day for allowing me to have this surgery. My question about the anti-depressants are: Can anyone tell me which ones have less side effects and which ones won't make me gain any of my weight back? I read somewhere that Klonopin is the same as Xanax and I heard that Celexa has less side effects compared to other anti-depressants. I also heard that they affect your sex drive also, is this true? I read that people with liver problems cant take Serzone! I read that Buspar has little or no side effects? Can someone tell what you think or give me some advice? I was hurting inside so bad for the last month that the xanax helped me out a lot. Please give me your opinions.........I need all of the help that I can get. Please reply back. I am also going to a therapist soon as my financial problems are better. Thanks everyone and god bless you all. Shirley    — Shirley M. (posted on July 10, 2003)

July 10, 2003
Hi Shirley, to be honest you may just have to experiment. All of these drugs affect different people in different ways. I swear by my Celexa...it actually suppressed my appetite slightly and I've had no side effects at all, libidinal or otherwise. Others can't take Celexa and love the particular medication that they take. It's highly individual. Good luck!
   — Maria N.

July 10, 2003
Shirley, I would check into the standard Wellbutrin, it helped me and didn't make me gain weight, I know wexactly what you're going threw about the depression, hang on in there and defiently check on the wellbutrin it'll help you out allot. Best of luck.
   — tannedtigress

July 10, 2003
You are not alone. I was asking some of the anti-depressant question about 3 weeks ago. Amazing how far you can come within 3 weeks. I am almost 6 weeks out and I was having anxiety problems around week 2! I took Lexapro for about a week and a half. It started to work immediately. I felt better emotionally, but I too was worried about the weight issues that go along with antidepressants. I mean that is what made me have this weight problem to begin with. My advice is to stick to one thing. Give it time to start working, with Lexapro it take about 2 days. It is a new form of Celexa. Less side affects. I swore it caused a plateau, but I think it was just because I had just lost 23 pounds my first 2 weeks. The anxiety attacks really made me lose fast at first. I am fine now, in fact, I no longer have to take anything! It funny how far a positive attitude will go. I know you can't imagine it yet, but this too shall pass, and you will be so glad because you can learn and move on to a much happier part of your life. Celexa would be good one. Paxil and Zoloft are weight gainers. I lost 23 pounds on Prozac and then I changed to zoloft and gained back 35 pounds. Yikes. I would stay on them a while, as long as you need too. Just know you are not crazy or alone. Email me if you need to. -Patra P.S. Xanax is additive, and if you smoked cigs it will make you start back.
   — Patra R.

July 10, 2003
My PCP prescribed Celexa for me (before my surgery) because it is one of the few anti-depressants not associated with weight gain. It's really helped me a lot, though I hope to get off of it as I lose more weight. I have a friend who swears by her Wellbutrin; I also know someone (male) who took Paxil for a while and said it really messed with his sexual functioning. Everyone is different; like the previous posters said, you may have to experiment to find what works best for you. Good luck, and I hope things get better for you soon!
   — Maggie T.

July 10, 2003
stay away from serzone. i took it for about 6 months and was immediately taken off when the liver warning come out. i have had liver problems ever since. my liver enzymes have gone so high that i have had an ultrasound and am going in next month for a liver biopsy. well see what happens.
   — Keri P.

July 10, 2003
I started off on Celexa, then they came out with Lexapro, I don't think either of them caused any of my weight gain (I am still pre-op)! I think they both work well!
   — Saxbyd

July 11, 2003
All I have to say is that before surgery, and even still now after surgery, I have fought with serious anxiety attacks, and the ONLY thing that has ever worked for me was xanax. I don't have to take anything else with them, just that. I tried the zoloft, and the others, and it didn't get rid of the panic in my chest. Everyone needs something different, but, I have never had any problems with it for weight loss after surgery.
   — sheri H.