Lexapro and Weight Gain: What Users Say (Page 3)

• Spa...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 21, 2014

For Anxiety "Starting Lexapro was tough. Shivering with stomach cramps, for a week I constantly felt like I had taken some bad, terribly impure Ecstasy. Once I became acclimated to the drug, my postpartum anxiety disappeared; however, I was incredibly fatigued during the day. I also stopped caring about most things in general. My house wasn't as clean, and creative endeavors came to a halt. My short-term memory declined. It felt like my brain was muffled. I experienced lucid, unnerving dreams/nightmares most nights while taking Lexapro. I gained 8 pounds in the 8 months I took it, all in my middle. It took a long time to get this off afterward. Getting off Lexapro was also tough, with back pain, insomnia, and 10 days of 'brain zaps'."

• kyl...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 11, 2023

For Anxiety "I had been against taking medication my entire life until the inherent sadness in my mind and soul became too much to handle. The destructive thoughts that plagued me made me worry about my future. However, Lexapro has allowed the normal chemicals that most humans have to produce naturally within my mind. I've been in awe that I could have been feeling this way for so much longer. There are mild disadvantages, such as a slight weight gain (which I think looks pretty good, so maybe it's an advantage), but the main disadvantage is that the sadness I've known every day of my life isn't so present anymore. This new happiness is great, but what do I do if I'm not on the edge of crying? Just kidding. There's just a small part of me that wishes I could retain a bit of that sadness, but the happiness and anxiety-free life are so much better than this slight 'loss of myself' is something I can deal with. It's much better than a foggy, zombie Benzo. Lexapro is as subtle as one could hope."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 9, 2012

For Anxiety "Been taking 20 mg per day of Lexapro for 15 months now. Was diagnosed with anxiety and slight depression. Would have panic attacks and hyperventilate. Took about 4 weeks to see full effect. Was given Klonopin as needed until Lexapro kicked in. It has made me feel so much better. I have not had a panic attack in a year. I can actually get out of bed in the morning now. At first, it would make me very tired when I took it, but that stopped after a few months. It made a huge difference in my life. Did not really have any side effects. A little weight gain, but I would rather have that than have panic attacks."

• Bug...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 23, 2016

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I have been on 10 mg of Lexapro (generic version) since 2012. It has helped me a great deal. I was prescribed the med for generalized anxiety, which used to impair my ability to function - I could not sleep at all; an extended period of sleep deprivation would trigger depression, which was hell. I experienced panic attacks just as I would start to fall asleep; it would jolt me up, and I was never able to fall back to sleep. I could not eat and lost a lot of weight. I got a very good doctor, and he prescribed a sleeping aid with Lexapro until Lexapro's anti-anxiety effects kicked in. I took the sleeping aid for about 5-6 weeks until I started to sleep 4-5 hours. One big adverse side effect is weight gain; I gained 25 pounds in 3 years."

• mon...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 1, 2013

For Depression "I was on Lexapro for 14 months, 10 mg. I was hungry every 3 hours and gained 8 lbs. After I stopped Lexapro, the excessive hunger disappeared. Also, while on Lexapro, I thought I had developed irritable bowel syndrome, but all symptoms stopped when I went off Lexapro."

• Dev...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 12, 2015

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I am on 20 mg Lexapro for 18 months now. I feel better than I have in years, however, I've gained about 30 lbs, which is now really getting me down. I suppose I need to balance my mental health with how I look, but it does get to me. Anyone else suffered with weight gain?"

• Anonymous
• February 24, 2009

For Bipolar Disorder "I'm 27 years old and have been on Lexapro for about 2 1/2 years now. It has really saved my life. I fought depression and anger problems for most of my life. I tried all kinds of other medicines, and nothing helped. I went through a really bad divorce about three years ago and got very depressed. I never really knew how I was treating people until I started taking Lexapro and getting better. I felt good about my life. Lexapro saved my life when I thought there was hope. I'm so thankful. The only side effect I've had is a little weight gain. I don't like the weight gain, but I wouldn't give up Lexapro for anything."

• Hap...
• October 13, 2022

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "Female, 28, dose 20 mg daily for 5 months. I wouldn't say I liked the thought of medication. Before medication, I did therapy for about four years, and it did help me a lot, but I still would be so anxious. My chest would literally be sore for the sheer amount of anxiety I was feeling every day. I could function and do life, but I was suffering. My husband finally convinced me to try medication, and I'm so glad he did. The first several weeks, I felt worse, but slowly I started to feel better. A LOT better, things that used to send me spiraling didn't even phase me. I feel like a totally different person. I constantly run into things I know freaked me out in the past and think to myself, “this must be how other people feel every day.” It's fantastic. Now, for the negatives, it did get rid of my sex drive for the first four months, and I couldn't orgasm either. I also gained about 15 pounds. I'm feeling good enough, so I started going to the gym last week. Give it a shot."

• MCB...
• August 19, 2014

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "Really helps to stabilize the constant anxiety I've experienced before starting this medicine. I've noticed that the dose that works best for my generalized anxiety disorder is 20 mg, but I've also gained 20 lbs since starting this medicine despite being active. I'm curious to know what dosage of this medicine has worked for your condition and how you manage the weight gain on this pill."

• Lyn...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 30, 2021

For Major Depressive Disorder "After my daughter was born, I developed severe postpartum depression and anxiety. I started Lexapro 20 mg. Now, 9 years later, same dose. There is good and bad. My anxiety was much better, and I was able to function again. I have dealt with the side effects for 9 years - extreme apathy and carelessness, no natural affection for my family, weight gain. I get in a terrible way when I try to taper off and quit. Very ill physically and mentally. I will likely take it forever."

• Luc...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 5, 2016

For Major Depressive Disorder "Lexapro has been the only antidepressant I've taken that has alleviated my depression at all. It worked well for me, and it started working within 2 days! I could laugh again, and my anxiety went down. I took 20 mg daily. Unfortunately, within 6 months, I gained 25 lbs! That was the only drawback, and I had to stop taking it because of the weight gain. The first couple of times I took it, everything looked fuzzy and psychedelic, but that went away quickly. I'd say it's definitely worth a try if you're depressed or anxious."

• sha...
• June 2, 2009

For Anxiety "I was on Paxil and switched to Lexapro a few years back (3) and have not had many side effects. It really does calm me down, so I have become a nicer person and shrug off things that I would normally go crazy about, less shouting, etc. I take 20 mg. I do feel it has made me lazier and as a result, I have been putting on some weight as I exercise less. It does affect orgasms, which are much harder to pull off and take incredible effort. I tried 3 times to go off the drug cold turkey, with terrible results. I just became depressed. After a few days, I just went back on it again and after 15 minutes felt the glow of calm come into my body and I was 'normal' again. It is addictive, to quit, definitely need to decrease dose gradually."

• sha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 14, 2019

For Anxiety "I am a 62-year-old male and have been taking 10 mg of Lexapro for 7 weeks and have been experiencing a myriad of side effects. I have had mild headaches, teeth aches, gas that could launch a small rocket, heartburn, loss of libido, inability to ejaculate, and extremely sleepy shortly after taking it. I have gained about 10 lbs in 7 weeks due to eating everything in sight. While my family says my mood has improved, I personally do not see or feel enough of an improvement to put up with all these side effects."

• Did...
• February 27, 2016

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "Before beginning Lexapro, I suffered from multiple debilitating panic attacks a day. Everywhere I went, I had shortness of breath and extreme tightening in my chest and felt as though I would pass out. I went to the hospital at one point because my BP would not come down and my boyfriend, who is an EMT, thought that I would start seizing, my BP was so high. After that episode, I started Lexapro again. I was on it when I was 17, but stopped because I gained so much weight while on it. Now at 27, I've decided to try it again. It has helped immensely with my anxiety, and I feel like my old self again. While I do notice weight gain again, somewhere around the 15-20 lb range, I will happily take that over feeling incapable of living."

• Bri...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 28, 2019

For Depression "I have depression and anxiety with OCD. I was on Lexapro for a year. I didn't notice much in terms of lessening my depression. I was much more tired, and I still had loss of interest in my usual activities. I also gained about 28 lbs during the year while on this medicine. All I wanted to do was sleep, I never could get enough. I combated the leftover anxiety with my as-needed benzos. I was on 20 mg Lexapro. The pills also gave me heartburn. I'm now on Prozac awaiting to see if there's a difference. It's worked for me in the past, so here's to hoping!"

• Tod...
• January 17, 2021

For Depression "I’m in my early 30s. This was my first time taking antidepressants after struggling with depression and anxiety since I was a teenager. It did a great job of managing my depression and anxiety. It took the edge off and evened me out emotionally. I stopped being irritable and snapping at all those around me, I didn’t sweat the small stuff, and I didn’t get stuck in negative thought patterns. I no longer had intrusive thoughts. It made me a better person. There is a downside: the weight gain. In the first 8 months of being on Lexapro, I put on 20 pounds. Over the next 12 months, I put on an additional 22 lbs and was tipping the scales at 212 lbs, 42 lbs more than my “normal” weight. When I started outgrowing size large shirts, I decided that enough was enough and stopped taking Lexapro. Within 6 months, I was back to 170 lbs and I didn’t change anything about my eating habits or workouts. If anything, I was eating way worse than before. I will probably try a new AD at some point."

• jrm...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• January 13, 2013

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I'm a hoarder. Depressed all my life. My doctor said Lexapro would work. I tried it and took 20 mg then 40 mg. I don't go garbage dumping anymore, gained weight and sleeping problems. I don't know if it's working very well. I know I get a little angry without it. I'm taking Wellbutrin too. I wish everyone luck."

• Cel...
• January 30, 2019

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "Started Lexapro 3/2018 after brain surgery. Dr. recommended for anxiety. 1st week was 5mg/morning. I felt sleepy, headaches, and some nausea. 2nd week headaches and slight nausea but totally fine after week 2. This pill also helped to mask pains from my chronic illness, Chiari malformation. I was walking 2 1/2 miles every day, traveled with my family. The short temper or bad moods were gone. The biggest letdown was the weight gain! I kept telling the docs, and they kept saying I shouldn't gain much more. I was on it for 6 months and gained 30 lbs even while exercising and eating clean, DASH diet. Lexapro slows down the metabolism and increases appetite. I HAD to come off because of the weight gain. I stopped it 3 months ago and have not lost not 1 lb! Withdrawal symptoms were worse than going on the pill. Took a month and a half to taper off 10mg. I felt zaps, jolts, irritability, and my chronic pains are totally back. I am struggling to lose this weight so bad. The weight is the factor for me coming off it."

• Bun...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 23, 2016

For Depression "I've been taking 10 mg for about 8 months. About a month ago, I went through some tough times that sent me to the mental hospital. After I got out, I told the psych to cut the Lexapro because it was making me fat and it didn't keep me from going to the hospital. Within a week of starting it, I felt overwhelming sadness that progressed to the point that I couldn't get out of bed and I would draw the blinds in the day and just sob. My psych is on vacation right now, but I couldn't take the sadness anymore, so I restarted my Lexapro and within 2 days, I was feeling so much better. I'm grateful for it now."

• Fac...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 4, 2019

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I have been taking this medication for nine years. When I began taking it, I was suffering from severe generalized anxiety disorder. Once the medication kicked in and I got the full benefits, I found myself able to travel, I actually learned to fly an airplane. I found my anger and stress levels dropped dramatically. I did also note that I gained weight and my libido dropped a bit, and my ejaculation was delayed. However, none of the side effects was as troubling to me as the original generalized anxiety disorder. Now, nine years later, I find that the effects of the medication are somewhat reduced with regard to my ability to tolerate other people's behavior, etc. My patience is somewhat shorter, however, my anxiety levels remain mostly reduced, and I am continuing to travel, to fly, and to live my life. I have noticed that among the generics, the Mylan brand was the most effective. Unfortunately, Mylan discontinued distributing this drug on December 28, 2018."

• Anonymous
• January 4, 2012

For Anxiety "I was prescribed 10 mg a day for anxiety/panic attacks. I'd never taken any sort of SSRI before. I took one pill and it scared me, I threw up several hours later and had the worst panic attack of my life. But I don't know if that was me or the pill. So, two weeks later, I chopped it in half and have taken 5 mg every day for the past 6 months. It has completely turned down the volume of anxiety and paranoia. I may never be able to go off of it. I have not had weight gain, anorgasmia, or decreased sex drive. I love it. I can live my life, it has taken that fog surrounding everything away. If you are super sensitive to medications like me, I encourage you to start with the lowest dose possible."

• cla...
• April 4, 2008

For Anxiety "My son is 8 years old and has Asperger's with an emphasis on anxiety. When the doc prescribed Lexapro at 10 mg, he had a manic episode, but when decreased to 5 mg, my son smiled for the first time in 2 years! For a mom, there is no greater feeling. We have to occasionally use an additional anxiety medicine during periods of intense stress, but for maintenance therapy, it's great. I only gave it a rating of 7 due to the severe weight gain he has experienced. Good luck to all who suffer."

• Mia...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 2, 2019

For Generalized Anxiety Disorder "I started off at 113 lbs, and my diet and exercise have always been constant, but after 4 months on Lexapro, I weighed 155 lbs. Had to switch medicines because I gained so much weight so fast. Works alright, but I’m constantly sweating and fat now."

• NoO...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 26, 2016

For Depression "I was prescribed this drug for major depression and C-PTSD. I only took it for one week, 5 mg. It was awful. I was exhausted all of the time, had trouble falling asleep, and my sleep was disturbed by very vivid and bizarre dreams. I woke up every morning shaking, dizzy, and disoriented. During the day, my legs hurt so bad it made walking difficult. It made me so hungry, craving carbs, I gained 9 lbs of belly fat in one week! It left me with zero motivation and unable to feel any joy, excitement, or pleasure. I felt detached, empty, I felt dead. I stopped taking it, and while I'm still struggling with depression, I do feel like me again. I feel alive and have lost all of the weight gained while taking it."

• Jer...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 19, 2016

For Depression "My rheumatologist put me on Lexapro for both depression and fibromyalgia, after Cymbalta stopped working for me. I started it two weeks ago Tuesday, and I absolutely love what it's doing for my depression and anxiety, but hate that it's caused me to gain at least 5 lbs already. I'm going to try to stick with it for another 4-6 weeks, but if my weight continues to increase, I'll have to wean off of it. I dread weaning off of antidepressants."