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

• Mis...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 7, 2021

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "It didn't do much for my OCD, made me feel anxious, and I went from a healthy 8.5 stone to a nearly morbidly obese zombie in 2 years. Took 3 years to lose the weight, about 4 stone. Just made me eat and sleep all the time, could hardly keep my eyes open most days. Rubbish drug. Did nothing for my mood either, waste of time and just made things a LOT worse for me!"

• Ell...
• February 19, 2021

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "First few weeks were tough, but after the third week, it gets so much better. My anxiety decreased dramatically, however, I did notice right away that my breasts were sore and swollen, like with PMS, but all the time. Then weight started going up pretty quickly (I initially lost weight in the first few weeks). I'm a trainer, so I work out daily and watch what I eat, so it was very weird. I thought maybe it was hormonal, so I saw my doctor, and it turns out Prozac can really increase your prolactin levels. Because of that, I can’t stay on it, which is a shame because it completely got rid of my anxiety:("

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 29, 2018

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "This drug has done wonders for me. It changed my life. No more fear or negative thoughts. The only major problem: weight gain and decrease of sexual desires. I don’t know what to do. I love this drug but can’t take the weight gain. I go to the gym and try to eat less, and still my weight doesn’t go down. I really don’t know what to do. Any advice? I am a new person on this medication."

• Ang...
• June 14, 2018

For Major Depressive Disorder "Prozac is the medication I always come back to. Doctors want to try this one or that one, but always come back to Prozac. I am able to tell the doctor now that I will not switch medications, 30 mg. The weight gain makes me have a different kind of depression (self-loathing). I suffer from PTSD, anxiety, stress, depression, and social anxiety. I have had multiple traumas throughout my life without time to heal before the next one hits. Thank you, Rondog, for sharing, I thought I was the only one to hang onto things, not let go, and obsess over the past. Jcb2334, I also had the gene test, and that convinced the doctor to leave me on this med. Thanks for sharing. We can learn from one another, the doc can only suggest, we decide what we put in our bodies. This site was better than a month of therapy. Thanks to all. I feel better that you are all here."

• Nim...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 27, 2015

For Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I have OCD, and I've been on Prozac for a short time, but it is so, so helpful. It's stemmed my obsessions a lot, to the point where I can actually focus in class and get my schoolwork done. I've had a few side effects, such as weight gain, irregular appetite, and some weird moods, but it's all worth it."

• Krr...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 14, 2016

For Anxiety and Stress "I've been on this medicine for almost ten years. At first, it helped me, and now I think I am having the long-term side effects of the drug. My anxiety is through the roof, and I have gained 50 lbs in 6 months. I'm not depressed, but have major anxiety, I would say I have a panic attack almost every day. I take 60 mg and was on 80, but had to lower it because I was getting bad chest pain. I'm thinking about going off of it because the anxiety is so bad I can't stand it hardly. I guess for short-term use, it is a good drug, but long-term use, it sucks, everybody is different, though."

• Ale...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• September 3, 2021

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "I was on 20 mg Prozac for a while. To me, it worked very well. Day-to-day I felt very calm and at peace. However, my sex drive plummeted. I mean, it was almost non-existent. I've been on Lexapro as well and although that one didn't affect my libido quite as much, I gained weight on Lexapro. Prozac didn't have any weight gain effects."

• Sol...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 24, 2019

For Depression "This is an excellent SSRI, and it does work. There is, however, a trade-off. I am more calm and 'happy,' but my desire is completely gone, and feelings of joy are also a bit muted. The more I increase the dose, the more I feel these things, and there is also weight gain, albeit small. I am currently taking 10 mg as opposed to 20 mg to help offset these side effects. I'm hoping I can get away with 10. Although it isn't quite as effective as 20, I gain some desire back. I don't expect most people would choose to completely lose their libido and be okay with it. My husband isn't happy, that's for sure."

• Pau...
• February 16, 2015

For Anxiety and Stress "I was on Paxil 40 mg for years, and my anxiety was very minimal. I switched to Prozac a couple of months ago because I thought the weight gain and side effects from Paxil were too much. Now, after about 8 weeks on Prozac 20 mg, my anxiety isn't getting better, and I'm often dealing with anxiety/panic again. My NP tried to switch me from 20 mg daily to 40 mg 3 days a week, but I thought that was making anxiety worse."

• rat...
• June 15, 2011

Fluoxetine for Depression "I have bipolar disorder. I just started 10 mg of Prozac 3 weeks ago, and I love it. I needed an antidepressant to work with the lithium I was taking. And I feel terrific. So far, I haven't gained any weight. I gained 30 lbs because my thyroid stopped working, and 20 of it has come off, and I've lowered the lithium, and I attribute this to the Prozac. I have Wellbutrin as a standby if the weight starts coming on, but I really don't want to change. I am in control, and for someone with bipolar, that's a hard place to get to."

• dg...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 10, 2016

For Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder "I am a 50-year-old woman going through pre-menopause. Still have it, but very little. I was on Prozac a long time ago and then went off of it because I didn't like taking pills. Just recently had to go back on, it was affecting my work life (not that great anyway). But I can deal with it now that I am on it. Waiting to find another job soon. Anyway, it's really making me gain weight. I was working out for a while, doing pretty good. Then (the job took our gym benefit away), which was a perk at one time for now almost 8 years that I have worked here. Anyway, I don't feel that I overeat. But everyone is telling me that Prozac makes you gain weight. If anyone has any ideas? I am so tired of yo-yo dieting and am thinking of meal replacements now..."

• Ove...
• November 4, 2011

Fluoxetine for Anxiety and Stress "Prozac was the first medicine I tried for anxiety. I tend to worry a lot and obsess over things. I felt a decrease in my anxiety, but it made me too lazy. I didn't want to do anything except sit on the couch and watch TV. I was even too lazy to eat, which caused me to lose weight. I then tried Lexapro, which I gained weight on, but felt a significant decrease in anxiety, and now I am on Cymbalta and do not feel a significant decrease in my anxiety and am thinking about talking to my doctor about trying something new again."

• LRt...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 8, 2021

For Depression "I wanted to share my positive experience since more reviews are heavy on the negative. This is the medicine for me. I've tried many antidepressants in the past, and they either didn't work or made me worse. I have severe, and I mean SEVERE, anxiety. I also have OCD. This medication makes me functional. I've gone on and off it a few times (noting the long half-life makes it easy to wean off if needed). I'm on it to stay. I do not really have side effects except for some weight gain, which only tends to happen when I take a high dose. I'm on the lowest dose right now, and it keeps me good and level."

• jcb...
• April 19, 2018

Fluoxetine for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder "I was on Paxil over 10 years ago, but ended up gaining a lot of weight on it, even with working out like a madman and watching what I eat very meticulously. After being on several meds in the next 10 years, which did not appear to work (although I wasn't on them for a long period of time), I decided to try Prozac from the advice of my psychiatrist, who is a very good doctor. I took a gene test to see what medicine would be best for me, and the tests revealed that Prozac would be best. I started off on 20mg, increased to 40mg, and eventually went up to 60mg (due to my OCD). At first, I kept the weight off and, in fact, was losing a bit of weight. However, after being on 60mg for a long period of time, I decided to weigh myself and was totally dismayed and went into a deep depression over how much weight I gained. I always thought weight gain was one thing under my control, as I work out and watch what I eat. To say it mildly, it was like a punch in the stomach."

• Anonymous
• March 7, 2012

Fluoxetine for Depression "I am 19 years old, and I was on liquid Prozac for about 3 months. During the 3 months of Prozac, I found that I was more tired and unable to concentrate. I found that I was even more anxious when on this medicine, more depressed, and I gained a considerable amount of weight. Before Prozac, I was 130 lbs, then I was around 155 lbs by the end of the 3 months. While on this, I had no energy, no motivation to move on with my life, or no desire to engage in social interaction. My sex drive had gone way down, and I was not very interested in having sex. Now, I have been off the Prozac for about 6-7 months, and I am slightly more motivated, my sex drive has gone way up, but my weight is still the same."

• Sar...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 19, 2021

Fluoxetine for Panic Disorder "I've been on Prozac for about a year now for anxiety/panic disorder. Switching from 30 mg to 40 mg. Currently on 30 mg, it's been working great for me. Only side effects are weight gain, but then again I don't know if it's from that. I do sometimes have a little anxiety here and there, but nothing like before, which was every day. I'd recommend it for someone dealing with anxiety, etc."

• Tri...
• February 25, 2020

For Major Depressive Disorder "Took the fluoxetine pill for around 4 years along with generic Cymbalta. What a weight gain! A good 68 pounds. And I still felt bad, although I had 2 major surgeries, back and hip replacement. The depression and anxiety were severe. My very, very dark time. And they stopped working. I was glad to get off them, losing the weight and changed meds that work!"

• Hot...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• October 16, 2021

For Hot Flashes "Really effective! I was having hot flushes every 15 minutes through the night, and I was absolutely exhausted. I didn’t want HRT due to breast cancer in my family and the pill not agreeing with me in the past. I felt a little spacey in the first few weeks, and after 6 months, my hot flushes are few and far between. I have put on weight, but I do seem to be eating like the store horse these days?! My doctor said that these tablets can increase your appetite, but that’s the payoff for being able to sleep. Also, very vivid dreams, sometimes like a movie!"

• Nat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• May 25, 2021

For Depression "While fluoxetine was better than other SSRIs I have tried, it was not good for me by any means. If anything, this really neutralized me out and didn’t help my anxiety. It also destroyed any libido I had and made me gain 20 lbs. When I went off it, I gained an additional 10 lbs, despite being active and a healthy vegetarian of 13+ years. For the first time in my life, I am obese. It’s been difficult trying to shed the extra pounds and it’s not helping my confidence."

• Aud...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 20, 2016

For Depression "I've only been on fluoxetine now for 12 days at 20 mg. I have a feeling I'll be going up to 40 mg soon. Nothing much yet except I have noticed I don't 'blow up' as much at everyone, but it's only 12 days. You need 3-4 weeks to see really. I've tried Lexapro (sleepy all the time & weight gain), Sertraline (went toxic in my body, liver enzymes went up, constant diarrhea, major weight loss), and lastly Cymbalta (helped with pain but not mentally, and withdrawals were horrible). So, antidepressant #4. I hope this one works! I do have loose bowels a lot in the morning but take 1 Loperamide every day. That's all really except sometimes anxiety goes up. Exercise will help."

• Liz...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 12, 2018

For Depression "I have been on fluoxetine for 10 months, and it has greatly helped my depression, but with some unwanted side effects. I have horrible night sweats, sometimes I get tremors in my hands, I've had 3 ocular migraines (which I've never experienced before), and I'm maintaining a weight that is 10 lbs more than where I've always been. I'm 30 years old, so I don't know if I will continue the medicine and deal with it or if this is too much bad with the good."

• Kim...
• February 1, 2016

For Depression "After being suicidal for many months and self-harming in addition to extreme anxiety, I had taken Prozac 6 years earlier and it didn't work at all. It has now almost eliminated my depression. I feel happier than I have in years. The only downside is I have gained about 20 lbs. My lowest weight was 133, considered healthy for someone 5'7" and athletic, but despite my clean eating and exercise, I've blown up to 163 lbs in 2 years and nothing seems to get the weight off. This has been my only negative side effect. I choose my mental health over my body image, although I also have an eating disorder, BDD."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 20, 2017

For Anxiety and Stress "I'm taking this for general anxiety disorder and major depression disorder. 20 mg. It's been a couple of months. It works great, nicer and happier, and I have lost 17 pounds. I have tried to get my medicine right the past year by trying everything. I was on Celexa (was on it for a few years, gained a lot of weight, and it stopped working), Latuda, Strattera, Pristiq, and Vyvanse I'm allergic to. The only problem is Prozac doesn't mix well with Concerta that I took a long time ago, it used to work so well. Now I tried it with Prozac and it's cry all day long. So, going back to the doctor soon, need to find something else to mix in with my Prozac."

• Tea...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 24, 2022

For Depression "After struggling with severe depression and after much resistance to medication, I was put on fluoxetine. Originally, I started at 20 mg but increased over the course of a month to 80 mg per day. The initial first week I started on fluoxetine was hard - I felt completely out of it and could think properly. However, this was such a little sacrifice to what it did for myself in weeks/months to come. This medication was the biggest blessing for myself - I was finally able to function properly and go about my day-to-day life. Side effects were headaches and feeling a bit out of it. I have now been on it for 12 months and noticed from the 9-month mark, I began to put on weight and could not lose it (5 kg). I am now tapering myself off the medication but have all the tools and practices to put in place to ensure I stick to a healthy routine and stay out of depression. Highly recommend for short-term usage but not long-term."

• Fra...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 3, 2021

For Panic Disorder "I have been on it for 8 months because of my panic disorder. It has really helped me. The first two weeks, I had some little side effects, like nausea, sleeplessness, and headache, but I am really happy because I no longer have panic attacks or disorder anymore. I started with 20 mg and now 40 mg. I take it in the morning. I use some other helpful things, like chamomile tea and once a lavender pill too. So far, it has really helped me with my panic attacks. The main side effect I have had till now is weight gain."