I've been taking Bupropion for depression (as well as lithium) as it seems like the only drug that does not cause me to gain weight. After some research and answeres some of you have provided me with, bupropion and lithium may not be the best combination of drugs. Also, being bipolor I wonder if this is the right drug for me. Maybe this is whats causing me some of my anxiety. Can anyone recommend something else to take that will not cause weight gain or worsen by manic episodes?
Are thier any anti depressants that don't cause weight gain?
Question posted by booboo02 on 23 March 2010
Last updated on 8 January 2019 by zev83
8 Answers
zev83
9 Jan 2019
Yes, I take 450mg of lithium and 25 mg of Pristiq. This is a maintenance dosage. Sometimes I forget to eat. It’s hard even to get required 1000cal in and my Fitbit constantly requires me to eat. I’m actually loosing weight.
sruasonid
11 Feb 2013
Iwhile it's partially true that some antidepressants can stimulate the appetite, it is NOT the only reason patients gain weight on them. Some actually alter the metabolic process, causing rapid and profound weight gain, in addition to diabetes, etc. Such extreme metabolic changes render efforts to lose the weight impossible unless one restricts caloric intake severely - think gastric bypass surgery, as in less than 500 calories a day. Zyprexa is one such drug. There is a plethora of credible, reliable, and well-documented evidence of this fact promulgated by psychopharmacologists, drug manufacturers,: psychiatrists, and even health insurance providers. It's not about will power, I'm afraid. Lamictal is one of the few drugs used to treat bipolar that has been shown not to cause weight gain; Latuda, a relatively new atypical antipsychotic routinely used for depression, is another. Unfortunately, there is no generic yet for either, so cost may be a problem if insurance balks at coverage. Good luck.
pegasi9
16 April 2012
I am Bipolar II. Do you know if you're Bipolar or Bipolar II (you experience hypomania)? Lithium does not work for me. Also, it's a weight gainer. It made me retain fluid -- especially in the Summer. For anxiety, I take .5 mg. Clonazepam three times a day. DO NOT TAKE THE ANTI-DEPRESSANT CYMBALTA. It made me manic and I had to be hospitalized for two weeks. Also, it has horrible withdrawal symptoms if you have to stop taking it (see CymbaltaWithdrawal.com). I take 65 mg. of anti-depressants for sleep: Remeron 15 mg., Amitryptilline 50 mg (also takes away the ache of Fibromyalgia). I had a slight weight gain of five pounds. These two anti-depressants haven't caused me to go manic. However, I am depressed. I've taken anti-depressants since my 20s (62 now). I've had five hospitalizations for mania from 1993 to 2012. Perhaps I'm just experiencing the highs and lows of life that most people do.
My psychiatrist did increase my anti-psychotic medication from five to 10 mg. (Saphris) to help with my depression. However, it was much too sedating and impaired my cognitive thinking. So, I'm back to five mg. It helps me to sleep. Hope this helps.
Inactive
17 April 2012
Thanks for sharing about Cymbalta! My doctor has been telling me that for a year now & I try to tell everyone about the bad side effects of coming off of it... Mary
smileyhappy
16 April 2012
Hi Booboo,
I have been on Manerix and Lithium. I gained some weight but I don't think it's that. I had hypothyroid and believe it may have been why yI gained.
Good luck!
bumblebee90
16 April 2012
Dear booboo02,
Everybody is different, of course, but I take Pristiq and haven't had any weight gain on it. I wish you good luck and best wishes. Ruth
Inactive
16 April 2012
My husband is bipolar & has OCD also. The drugs that work the best for him & don't cause him weight gain are Zoloft, & Wellbutrin. I must say he is a type 2 diabetic, & has other problems that he has trouble eating too, but hasn't had a weight problem in years. I also think that if the meds are working right, your appetite will increase just because you are feeling better & that alone will increase the appetitie. I agree with the other poster that controlling what & when you eat would be the best policy to follow. Will pwer is your best friend if the meds are working. Stay away from sugar & flour. Sugar includes corn syrup added as a sweetener. good luck to you... Mary
Inactive
16 April 2012
I should metion too, that all meds work differently on different people so you can't get a real strait answer on that. Your doctor needs to be in on this so you are properly medicated for your condition, & the weight will be up to you... Mary
pickles503
16 April 2012
Hi booboo02! The two meds that are effective and I don't gain weight, are Cymbalta and Lamictal.
Enjoy your day.
Anna
Nyar
6 April 2010
Bupropion is documented to increase anxiety, especially in people who are susceptible/sensitive to it. If this is a problem for you I would definitely suggest talking to your doctor about another option.
Secondly, most anti-depressants don't actually CAUSE weight gain. Most of them are associated with weight gain because it stimulates the serotonin system, which increases appetite and cravings for foods that are particularly sugary or full of carbs. Although it's much easier said than done, if you're having problems with weight gain on meds either control your eating or exercise more and you shouldn't have a huge problem. Or change meds (gotta admit, I went with the last option cuz I reeeeaaaally don't want to gain weight lol).
You could try other drugs like Abilify, Zyprexa, Depakote, Lamictal, Tegretol, and Trileptal. Etc, etc, etc. Or, you could try taking one of these AND Lithium which is especially helpful, or so I read on http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/guide/medications-bipolar-disorder
Sacosam
8 April 2010
You might check out Sertraline. It dosen't cause weight gain but I'm not sure how good it is re Bipolar. Sacosam
Related topics
depression, mania, bipolar disorder, panic disorder, bupropion, lithium, weight
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