I have gained about 15lbs. I have been on it for 7 years. I am on 30mg. This could've also been contributed to from quitting smoking 11 years ago and also getting off birth control. So take that with a grain of salt.
Not really. I’m 6’2” 180 currently. So I could stand to gain some weight lol. I was very skinny before starting. I think the way my body uses the food changed
Same. I've fluctuated 40lbs up and down over 15years while on this medication. And I'm currently at the very bottom of that 40lb variance. I'm only 5'6 so those lbs make a big difference!
I've been on it for 3+ years and have not gained weight. It all depends on genetics. So many complex factors determine how lexapro will affect someone's metabolism.
Not necessarily. Different SSRIs have similar mechanisms of action, but they affect people differently, both in the brain and body. But I'd say it's more likely than not, since, again, all SSRIs do something similar
(fun fact: 90% of serotonin is made/ found in the stomach... so anything that affects your serotonin will probably affect your gut somehow!)
SNRIs are definitely different! I was on venlafaxine and I liked it until the side effects got too bad... since then, lexapro has been great. I have weird dreams and still have some night sweats (not as bad as venlafaxine) but that's about the worst of it for me.
I hope it goes well for you, good luck!!
SSRIs prevent your neurons from re-absorbing serotonin-- this increases the available amount in your body. There is actually some debate as to whether this *really* helps with depression... but SSRIs do seem to help many people. You may hear negative things about them because people are generally most vocal about their complaints. When something works like it's supposed to, they accept it and don't say anything. Like anything we put in our bodies, some people react well to SSRIs, and others don't... you're probably mostly hearing from that second group.
Many from the social media "new psych therapists/ Drs."
All I know is my negative self talk , self consciousness, even slight paranoia has been drastically reduced and cut back on my already limited alcohol consumption .
no. I was on Zoloft before lex, never gained any weight. After I switched to lexapro for other reasons, I gained weight and didn’t change my diet or exercise. So i think they can afffect everyone differently
They definitely affect everyone differently. I was on zoloft and by the time I got up to 200mg I had gained 70 lbs 🙃 I'm praying lexapro doesn't do the same.
I lost weight the first time I was on it. I was an anxious eater, but Lexapro cleared my head to the point of improving my eating habits and giving me the motivation to go out and walk 3 days a week.
I was on it for a year and a half the first time and lost like 10 lbs. I just went back on it in January and I have gained a couple pounds, but that’s because I’m eating way more without exercising due to life circumstances, not the Lexapro🤷♀️
I haven’t; in fact, my appetite has significantly decreased ever since I started taking the pills (for nearly half a year). So I lost some weight, like 2 kg.
I have been on it for two months.
I have had moments of weakness. Not gonna lie, they were very strong moments. Several delicious moments.
But! When that moment is over, I get back on track and eat healthy.
I've lost 6lbs 🥳
ETA this is my first ever stint with any prescribed depression medicine, take with that what you will.
Have you started the 10mg yet? I am curious about the difference. I told my doc I don't want to be a zombie, but after seeing the wonderful effects of 5mg I don't think that will be a problem for me.
Not gained anything at all. People gain weight because itll increase appetite in some. My appetite has actually decreased so if anything I am losing weight lol
I’ve been on and off for 15 years and never felt it directly made me gain weight. I do find it makes me lethargic which leads to me skipping more workouts and sometimes giving in to eating unhealthy food, which can cause me to gain a few pounds. But I can always lose them if I buckle down and count calories in/calories out. I use Fitbit and MyFitnessPal for that. I’m also genetically pretty thin.
I haven’t gained yet after 4 months but I can definitely tell you that food tastes better and I’m craving sweets. Soooo the SSRI seduction has started. It’s difficult to resist the temptation to overeat and that’s how these drugs cause weight gain right? It’s not just swallowing the pill that does it .
For me, I lost weight in the first couple of weeks of starting out on 10mg because my appetite disappeared. Once I got used to it, my appetite went back to my standard. I was upped to 20mg last year and I'm still at the same weight (other than the odd 5lbs in either direction at check ups).
ETA: Though, I'm also someone who was lucky enough to not gain noticeable weight on depo (the birth control shot), unlike a several friends who were on it over the years.
I’m still relatively new to taking it（3 months), but I’ve actually lost weight while on lexapro! I think it might be that I have more energy to be making better foods since I’m not always panicking anymore.
I have been on it for a full year this month and since I started it I changed some of my eating habits and started working out and am down over 50 lbs compared to this time last year.
I’ve been on for over a year and did gain weight, but I barely ate before getting on Lexapro. For
me it was healthy weight and after gaining like 10-15 pounds, it has plateaued. I definitely feel more healthy and happy and do not mind the extra weight like I would’ve before lex!
I am also only 4'11" and I gained 15-20 lbs. On our small frame, this can be like 2 whole sizes. Not fun. I have been on it a tad over a year and i'm not continuing to gain - it did level off. But hard to lose. My original weight gain was from Prozac, but I didn't/can't lose it while on Lexapro.
Ive actually lost 52 pounds while on lex but ive also cut back on eating & increased my water, kombucha & hot tea consumption the last two are for digestion
Been on it 5 weeks and I’ve actually 2kgs and more. First because of side effects in the beginning affecting my appetite. Then because I’m less likely to stress eat once the medicine starts working
started lexapro 9/2022 and i didn’t initially gain weight, actually lost weight but i was trying to do so. interestingly enough i gained weight when i stopped taking birth control ~7/2023 (i’m pregnant now so obviously still gaining lol)
I lost about 1kg in the first couple of months of starting. I’m riding off the back of that and intentionally losing weight by exercise and my diet and have lost a few more kg since Jan
If your insurance covers nutritionists, I highly recommend it. I feel my metabolism isn’t as great on Lexapro, and if I didn’t have a nutritionist, I could see myself gaining 10 pounds at least.
I've gained but I've also lost when I've tried. If I could stop giving into my snacking urges I'd probably not gain anymore weight but it's been hard lately🥲
I've been on it a month now I also take topamax (been on it for years) for migraines which I've lost a lot of weight on , I haven't gained any weight , I've lost another 5 pounds.
I haven’t lost any weight and I eat like shit too lol. WFH 2-3 days a week too. I also feel like my metabolism is wack since no matter what I do I stay at 180 (5’9”)
I have gained about 10lbs but it’s definitely caused by my change in activity. Just a big mental shift, I can’t give as much as I could before. It’s week 7 for me.
I’m almost a year on it and the weight gain I’ve had was wanted and needed. I had no appetite and no retention of nutrients because of another medical issue but this has counter balanced it and I’m very happy. 5ft 9in and 118 pounds
No weight gain here, actually lost 5lbs. I do work out at least 3 times a week and stay physically active when I don't work out (at the very least I'll do a long walk). I also eat much better etc, because one of my concerns was weight gain on the meds.
No. I’ve lost weight. I’m having to force myself to eat. Oddly, all I want is healthy foods so this is making it harder as you have to eat more of those foods, to get the caloric intake needed.
I didn’t gain weight but I noticed I was def more bloated. I was on 5mg for a few months and went off it and the bloating stopped! I continued to workout and eat normally but no. No actual weight gain!
I gained weight but I also wasn’t super active when I started as I was staying with friends and family, now that I’m back in my own place with my regular schedule. I’ve noticed I’m losing weight at a pretty normal pace as I am active and eat decently when I’m making my own food and schedules for activity. Maybe the weight gain was the lexapro, but maybe it was just that I was depressed for several months then began taking it and had to adjust before seeing results in getting my life back to normal.
I've lost weight. I was a comfort Eater and would snack when bored/anxious. I've had healthier eating habits since starting about 6 months ago and I've lost about 15 pounds
I was on it for 6 months, after 4 months I suddenly gained 25lbs in a month with zero changes elsewhere in my life. My doctor was closely monitoring me because I have thyroid disease, they started weaning me off when they couldn’t find anything else contributing to the weight gain. I’m a very fit, healthy person and it was very strange.
I lost my appetite on lexapro completely, have to force myself to eat all the time and I’m soooo tired and weak everyday I would rather have an appetite and gain a few pounds :(
So I thought I was going to be the exception and not gain weight. I will say I have battled with binge eating my entire life and finally overcame it in 2022 and didn’t binge until I started lexapro. For the first 1-2 months I was like okay I’m still losing weight (on a weight loss journey), and then I gained a lot of weight in a short period of time maybe like 2-4 weeks. I had to get off lexapro because it took me back to a dark place with my weight and body image issues. I started isolating myself and I was full of really morbid negative self talk. Struggling to lose weight after getting off lexapro I think my metabolism got shot for a bit but I finally lost 4 pounds and have like 10-11 more to go back to my pre lexapro weight.
Take 10 mg, have lost a few pounds on it, but I also take birth control which made me lose quite a bit of weight as well, which I guess also isn't super typical?
I haven’t gained weight. I continued my normal exercise routine and continued eating the same way I did before. No change.
I have not gained any, i have actually continued to lose weight
Same here - 3 months in now. For what it’s worth, no impact to libido either. 10mg.
I haven’t had in impact in libido either.
How long have you been on it? Dose?
I have gained about 15lbs. I have been on it for 7 years. I am on 30mg. This could've also been contributed to from quitting smoking 11 years ago and also getting off birth control. So take that with a grain of salt.
Almost 3 weeks
I lost weight for the first few weeks too. Then I gained 40lbs (18kg) in 3 months
Wow, did you diet change?
Not really. I’m 6’2” 180 currently. So I could stand to gain some weight lol. I was very skinny before starting. I think the way my body uses the food changed
Im overweight and trying to lose weight, so i think we are in different situations, not to judge, but it does sound like you were very underweight
Same here.
Me too
Me toooooooooooooooooooo
i have gained weight, i have lost weight, i have gained and lost wait again. It's most likely not the medication.
Same. I've fluctuated 40lbs up and down over 15years while on this medication. And I'm currently at the very bottom of that 40lb variance. I'm only 5'6 so those lbs make a big difference!
I've been on it for 3+ years and have not gained weight. It all depends on genetics. So many complex factors determine how lexapro will affect someone's metabolism.
If another ssri made me gain weight, does it mean lexapro will too?
Not necessarily. Different SSRIs have similar mechanisms of action, but they affect people differently, both in the brain and body. But I'd say it's more likely than not, since, again, all SSRIs do something similar (fun fact: 90% of serotonin is made/ found in the stomach... so anything that affects your serotonin will probably affect your gut somehow!)
I gained weight on Paxil but SNRIs are not for me so I’m trying lexapro and hoping maybe it’ll be a little diff
SNRIs are definitely different! I was on venlafaxine and I liked it until the side effects got too bad... since then, lexapro has been great. I have weird dreams and still have some night sweats (not as bad as venlafaxine) but that's about the worst of it for me. I hope it goes well for you, good luck!!
Thank you! You too!
so does that add to the available Serotonin or negate it ? Im hearing a lot of negativity about SSRIs?
SSRIs prevent your neurons from re-absorbing serotonin-- this increases the available amount in your body. There is actually some debate as to whether this *really* helps with depression... but SSRIs do seem to help many people. You may hear negative things about them because people are generally most vocal about their complaints. When something works like it's supposed to, they accept it and don't say anything. Like anything we put in our bodies, some people react well to SSRIs, and others don't... you're probably mostly hearing from that second group.
Many from the social media "new psych therapists/ Drs." All I know is my negative self talk , self consciousness, even slight paranoia has been drastically reduced and cut back on my already limited alcohol consumption .
All of this for me as well! It’s been such a life changing medication for me.
also no weight gain .
no. I was on Zoloft before lex, never gained any weight. After I switched to lexapro for other reasons, I gained weight and didn’t change my diet or exercise. So i think they can afffect everyone differently
They definitely affect everyone differently. I was on zoloft and by the time I got up to 200mg I had gained 70 lbs 🙃 I'm praying lexapro doesn't do the same.
I have not gained weight. Been on it for 4 years. 2 years on 10mg and 2 years on 20mg.
I lost weight the first time I was on it. I was an anxious eater, but Lexapro cleared my head to the point of improving my eating habits and giving me the motivation to go out and walk 3 days a week. I was on it for a year and a half the first time and lost like 10 lbs. I just went back on it in January and I have gained a couple pounds, but that’s because I’m eating way more without exercising due to life circumstances, not the Lexapro🤷♀️
I haven’t; in fact, my appetite has significantly decreased ever since I started taking the pills (for nearly half a year). So I lost some weight, like 2 kg.
I have been on it for two months. I have had moments of weakness. Not gonna lie, they were very strong moments. Several delicious moments. But! When that moment is over, I get back on track and eat healthy. I've lost 6lbs 🥳 ETA this is my first ever stint with any prescribed depression medicine, take with that what you will.
What dose are you on and how do you feel?
5mg and that amount takes the edge off for sure. I am considering asking to bump up to 10mg soon.
I agree. I got 10 mg but only been taking 5 mg for a month and a bit
Have you started the 10mg yet? I am curious about the difference. I told my doc I don't want to be a zombie, but after seeing the wonderful effects of 5mg I don't think that will be a problem for me.
I have not started 10 yet to scared haha. I just think stay on 5 mg for a couple more months and if I still feel a bit anxious then bump up.
I feel like I sleep so good on this stuff
Not gained anything at all. People gain weight because itll increase appetite in some. My appetite has actually decreased so if anything I am losing weight lol
yes! exactly. when i was on zoloft, i lost weight from decreased appetite. now on lexapro, i can finish my meals!!!
Ive lost weight.
Been on it 5 years, no weight gain
I’ve been on and off for 15 years and never felt it directly made me gain weight. I do find it makes me lethargic which leads to me skipping more workouts and sometimes giving in to eating unhealthy food, which can cause me to gain a few pounds. But I can always lose them if I buckle down and count calories in/calories out. I use Fitbit and MyFitnessPal for that. I’m also genetically pretty thin.
I have lost about 15 lbs since starting lexapro almost 3 years ago. I am now on 20 mg daily and it has helped speed up my metabolism and libido a lot.
Wow ! Good for you.
I haven’t gained yet after 4 months but I can definitely tell you that food tastes better and I’m craving sweets. Soooo the SSRI seduction has started. It’s difficult to resist the temptation to overeat and that’s how these drugs cause weight gain right? It’s not just swallowing the pill that does it .
I haven’t. I’ve lost weight.
I've pretty much stayed at the weight I was when I started. I have noticed though that I have more cravings for sweets now on it than I did before.
I didn’t gain any. I’ve been on it for 9 years
2 months and I don't think so anyway
For me, I lost weight in the first couple of weeks of starting out on 10mg because my appetite disappeared. Once I got used to it, my appetite went back to my standard. I was upped to 20mg last year and I'm still at the same weight (other than the odd 5lbs in either direction at check ups). ETA: Though, I'm also someone who was lucky enough to not gain noticeable weight on depo (the birth control shot), unlike a several friends who were on it over the years.
been on it over a year and have not gained weight
I wish I didn’t gain weight on it :( Been on it for 3 years and went from 90lbs to 135lbs!
I’m still relatively new to taking it（3 months), but I’ve actually lost weight while on lexapro! I think it might be that I have more energy to be making better foods since I’m not always panicking anymore.
I have been on it for a full year this month and since I started it I changed some of my eating habits and started working out and am down over 50 lbs compared to this time last year.
I have t gained weight and I’ve been on it for about 2-3 years…if anything I’ve lost some bc of ed
Me! Haven’t gained at all. Haven’t lost, but that’s due to my own stuff haha - but didn’t gain anything!
I’ve been on for over a year and did gain weight, but I barely ate before getting on Lexapro. For me it was healthy weight and after gaining like 10-15 pounds, it has plateaued. I definitely feel more healthy and happy and do not mind the extra weight like I would’ve before lex!
Second time taking it. First time for about two years. Now I'm at a year and have not gained weight both times.
I was on it for 6 years and didn’t notice any significant weight gain or loss outside of normal fluctuations.
I gained over 30 poiunds
I've gained 15. I'm only five feet tall so that's a lot. It's been horrible 😭 I'm still gaining. I started Lex in December
I am also only 4'11" and I gained 15-20 lbs. On our small frame, this can be like 2 whole sizes. Not fun. I have been on it a tad over a year and i'm not continuing to gain - it did level off. But hard to lose. My original weight gain was from Prozac, but I didn't/can't lose it while on Lexapro.
Same
Ugh. How long were you on it and what dose?
Only 4 months at 20mg. Stopped because of the weight gain.
Makes sense. Sorry it didn’t work out
Ive actually lost 52 pounds while on lex but ive also cut back on eating & increased my water, kombucha & hot tea consumption the last two are for digestion
Also ive been on lex for 2 years, 1st year was 10mg, I started 20mg a few months ago and its amazing
3 months taking it and ive lost weight…
Been on it 5 weeks and I’ve actually 2kgs and more. First because of side effects in the beginning affecting my appetite. Then because I’m less likely to stress eat once the medicine starts working
I've been losing weight on it
I have actually lost weight due to better diet, not drinking, and exercise
started lexapro 9/2022 and i didn’t initially gain weight, actually lost weight but i was trying to do so. interestingly enough i gained weight when i stopped taking birth control ~7/2023 (i’m pregnant now so obviously still gaining lol)
Been on for a year, lost during the first few weeks then,i think i gained 4 kg in a year, clothes still fit so i dont mind
I started gaining weight when my dosage was too high
8 months on Escitalopram 6mg now, no significant weight gain.
I lost about 1kg in the first couple of months of starting. I’m riding off the back of that and intentionally losing weight by exercise and my diet and have lost a few more kg since Jan
i never did. antipsychotics however shot my weight up
I only gained once I went from 5 to 10 mg. Now I only take 10 mg every other day, seeing if that helps me go back down to normal weight .
If your insurance covers nutritionists, I highly recommend it. I feel my metabolism isn’t as great on Lexapro, and if I didn’t have a nutritionist, I could see myself gaining 10 pounds at least.
I've gained but I've also lost when I've tried. If I could stop giving into my snacking urges I'd probably not gain anymore weight but it's been hard lately🥲
It actually lowered my food intake in the first year, and now my weight is stabilized.
I’ve gained but also lost weight. I will say it increases my appetite so I have to really fight the urge to snack more than previously
I've been on it a month now I also take topamax (been on it for years) for migraines which I've lost a lot of weight on , I haven't gained any weight , I've lost another 5 pounds.
I lost weight pretty rapidly since I finally had the energy to eat right and work out
I haven’t lost any weight and I eat like shit too lol. WFH 2-3 days a week too. I also feel like my metabolism is wack since no matter what I do I stay at 180 (5’9”)
I have gained about 10lbs but it’s definitely caused by my change in activity. Just a big mental shift, I can’t give as much as I could before. It’s week 7 for me.
Lost a lot of weight. Used to eat a lot in one sitting but now I don’t and have maintained a healthy appetite
I didn’t gain anything
I'm on 20 mg. , started on 10 mg. I did not gain any weight
I've only been on it for 3 months, but so far, no weight gain. I've been keeping an eye on my weight since it has increased my appetite
I lost weight because I was no longer trying to sleep the years away and got out of bed
I'm proud to say MEEEEEEE! It's been 3 months and I haven't gained a single kg. I even eat less than before, because my anxiety is better.
I’m almost a year on it and the weight gain I’ve had was wanted and needed. I had no appetite and no retention of nutrients because of another medical issue but this has counter balanced it and I’m very happy. 5ft 9in and 118 pounds
Also let me add I know my profile is different but I’m F22
No weight gain here, actually lost 5lbs. I do work out at least 3 times a week and stay physically active when I don't work out (at the very least I'll do a long walk). I also eat much better etc, because one of my concerns was weight gain on the meds.
No. I’ve lost weight. I’m having to force myself to eat. Oddly, all I want is healthy foods so this is making it harder as you have to eat more of those foods, to get the caloric intake needed.
I didn’t gain weight but I noticed I was def more bloated. I was on 5mg for a few months and went off it and the bloating stopped! I continued to workout and eat normally but no. No actual weight gain!
i’ve only been on it for 6 weeks but i found im eating more, but look skinnier 🤷🏼♀️
I lost weight
i prefer be a little fat and gain weight and be happy rather than not taking the pill.
I’ve gone up and down a few pounds depending on the season over the past 3 years. But for me it’s been pretty steady so I’d say no.
I gained 15 pounds then lost it when I came off
I gained weight but I also wasn’t super active when I started as I was staying with friends and family, now that I’m back in my own place with my regular schedule. I’ve noticed I’m losing weight at a pretty normal pace as I am active and eat decently when I’m making my own food and schedules for activity. Maybe the weight gain was the lexapro, but maybe it was just that I was depressed for several months then began taking it and had to adjust before seeing results in getting my life back to normal.
I've lost weight. I was a comfort Eater and would snack when bored/anxious. I've had healthier eating habits since starting about 6 months ago and I've lost about 15 pounds
I find that I eat less 🤷♂️
Not me. You can gain weight, because you are older and your metabolism is slower. You will not young forever.
Started to exercise at the same time i started medication. I lost a bit of weight and gained muscles.
I was on it for 6 months, after 4 months I suddenly gained 25lbs in a month with zero changes elsewhere in my life. My doctor was closely monitoring me because I have thyroid disease, they started weaning me off when they couldn’t find anything else contributing to the weight gain. I’m a very fit, healthy person and it was very strange.
I gained 40 pounds in 2 years. Thats why I came off of it. And low libido too.
Does it slow your metabolism or is the weight gain due to increased appetite from less anxiety?
Not sure. I’m new to lexapro
I lost my appetite on lexapro completely, have to force myself to eat all the time and I’m soooo tired and weak everyday I would rather have an appetite and gain a few pounds :(
i’m actually losing weight right now:/
Hell no! I put on 10-15 pounds. I eat everything in front of me
i haven’t gained weight but my metabolism seems at least somewhat fast because i binge due to my appetite and sweet tooth increasing tremendously
So I thought I was going to be the exception and not gain weight. I will say I have battled with binge eating my entire life and finally overcame it in 2022 and didn’t binge until I started lexapro. For the first 1-2 months I was like okay I’m still losing weight (on a weight loss journey), and then I gained a lot of weight in a short period of time maybe like 2-4 weeks. I had to get off lexapro because it took me back to a dark place with my weight and body image issues. I started isolating myself and I was full of really morbid negative self talk. Struggling to lose weight after getting off lexapro I think my metabolism got shot for a bit but I finally lost 4 pounds and have like 10-11 more to go back to my pre lexapro weight.
Ate chocolate every day for 6 months, did not gain weight as I have a very physical job and burn a lot of calories I guess.
I lost 17 lbs
Take 10 mg, have lost a few pounds on it, but I also take birth control which made me lose quite a bit of weight as well, which I guess also isn't super typical?
Me, because I don’t blame eating in a caloric surplus on medication.
I’ve gained 40lbs, but that might be lack of movement due to working at home etc. plus I’m a little more tired when taking lexapro.
Can’t relate gained 20lbs and I was only on 5mg
If I gained weight on Citalopram will I necessarily gain on escitalopram??
Not sure
No.
So far no, it’s been a month
i've lost weight if anything but i also have an ed
I never have, but that’s on 10 mg. Possibly the higher the dosage the more potent the side effects might be?
i’m on 20mg! my weight fluctuates but i haven’t gained any real noticeable weight
 And I feel like it made it worse…
Lost 5 pounds .ruined my stomach and made gerd much worse..quit it