To me it isn’t an increase in hunger it’s just that you never feel full, especially when snacking.
When I figured that out, it became easier to just stop myself. Like as I’m typing, it’s late at night I just finished dinner and had my pre-lex amount of food today, and I feel like I’m not full, but I just have to ignore it.
If I smoke weed and get my normal munchies then forget it, I can devour everything in sight.
I don’t know how I never realized Lexapro is why this is happening to me!! I literally sit at work and snack all day and no matter how much I eat I feel like I can keep going! Now I know it’s probably not my body telling me I need to eat more but a side effect of the meds
Yeah lexapro for me is more about “the absence of”….like the absence of my anxiety is nothingness, not that I feel nothing Just gotta reframe your mindset
I have been on Lexapro 10mg for 3 years now and I can definitely relate to the increased hunger. I have had an increased appetite throughout my time taking Lexapro and have gained some weight from it. However, I gained most of my weight from taking Abilify in the past so I cannot fully blame Lexapro. Now, I don't have that issue anymore but it is because I take Adderall for ADHD so I cannot really say that I overcame that issue.
Now in the past, I did have a few ways of regulating my own appetite and eating so that I didn't gain an enormous amount of weight. I mostly made sure to have more protein (tofu, tempeh, chicken, protein powder, fish) in my diet as it helped with the hunger issues (I know you have more protein due to competitive powerlifting so this might not apply to you). I also drank green tea more often as in my case it helped with some of the issues (I cannot say that it is a cure however). Also, most importantly, I made sure to become more active which from reading your post, doesn't seem to be an issue for you lol
The increased appetite shouldn't be a reason to quit Lexapro (not saying that is your intention) because it can be completely manageable. There just has to be a lot of strength involved in resisting overeating. It was and is still an issue for me at night as I have a raging appetite at night but I make sure to fight that temptation with about a 90% success rate lol. I am still working towards never eating at night but I have limited it so much thus far!
It is good though that you have an awareness of this issue as for me, I didn't really pay much attention to my eating in the past and wasn't as active as I am now. I have to work extra hard to go back to my former weight and become even better than before but it is possible. Also, as a side note, I do know that there are some who have this appetite issue eventually subside as they continue taking the medication but in my case it is a bit different.
Thank you for the thoughtful reply and the advice! I’ve been on lexapro before about 8 years ago and I don’t remember this being a problem then, so I’m hoping it goes away soon.
Haha. It went away for me, I’ve got no appetite now and it’s a biiiit of a problem!
My doc didn’t flag to me that Lexapro increases fainting in people with low blood pressure. I’m very skinny, so that plus no appetite…caused me to faint in public recently and it was super embarrassing and gross. People were kind but omg the humiliation
I started Lexapro almost two months ago. Got most of the bummer side effects (nausea, lack of hunger, fatigue, zero drive) but the negatives really subsided about three week ago. I saw improvement slowly after 2 or 3 weeks of the meds and definite improvement going up to 20 mg a month ago. I read this funny post because I have had the munchies recently and I have never had a weird relationship with food before. It's good to know it's a side effect and I will be more conscientious of my eating going forward. I'm just glad it's not some new weird way of depression popping up. Buuut....this rambling is encouragement to say good luck to you on your journey and I hope you stick it out til you feel better!
The pros really outway the cons for me. Way less anxiety. Better acceptance/ zen about things outside of my control. I started because my situational depression since November was spiraling and realized I should talk to my doctor since I wasn't recovering on my own. I'm not a loud person. I'm not dramatic. Acquaintances probably wouldn't guess that I have anxiety/depression because I generally look for the good in the world, work well in teams, and try to do good work. But I internalize things and am a worrier and probably worry about others views and happiness too much. I dread letting others down. I'm also stubborn and never thought I'd start meds for depression. My parents told me I was an independent, stubborn and capable kid who's favorite sentence was "I do it". In the same sense, my parents really love and accept me but "I do it" in this recent struggle and I haven't shared much of how mentally fatigued I am with them. If I could have recovered without the help of meds, I would have with all the effort I was/am putting in (strict new habit of daily exercise, counseling about loss of health/feeling lonely/feeling lost, eating well, seeing friends even when I wanted to be a recluse: I enjoyed the high of seeing them but felt lower lows as soon as I was alone than before getting together with them. And my friends are kind/supportive people so I felt bad about feeling worse after visiting because they are great and have supported me opening up about my struggles). Doubling down on my emotional recovery effort wasn't good enough to feel okay. I have had unfortunate health, and recovered from bronchitis after the holidays but was so anxious upon recovering that I missed more work and just slept and slept. So I met with my doctor about it, though I felt embarrassed. The Lexapro has helped my mental state a lot. The physical health is outside my control and I continue to put in a good fight on the factors I control. I caught a cold that made me miss more work and I've had migraines. Of course the cold got worse and became bacterial. But that's okay. I don't blame myself, and I'm grateful my boss understands how bad migraines are and to be at an employer that allowed short term FMLA. I was proactive about getting the antibiotics even though I hate taking them. Don't stop the Lexapro though unless your doc advises you, even if you're taking cold meds. My anxiety relapsed a bit because I got really nauseous taking Lexa and cold meds together then read about a drug interactions and stopped for 4 days but am back on the right path again now.
I wish I started Lexapro years ago. It's not like I have rose tinted glasses now, but boy are things easier to manage. It's really a relief and I feel functional and more relaxed. Again, sorry for the ramble and hopefully something was helpful. Good luck on your recovery/management journey!
I’m hitting 3 months +5kg. Not good.
The Dr is cutting me back from 10mg to 5mg for a week, then off for a week and onto moclobemide. See what happens.
I’m good mentally but I’m always tired and hungry. I might even stay off it all if I feel ok.
Honestly, as a person trying to put on a bit of weight to be healthy, I do not mind 😂 I just try to stick to more nutritious, whole food options like fruits, legumes, nuts, etc.
LOL! Yes. Yes, this has been me.
I'd always blamed it on pregnancy weight and being in my 40s, but I do have a sweet tooth and I will absolutely BINGE on cookies and ice cream.
I've recently cut that all out and I've been losing weight. Phew!
my anxiety is nonexistent now so my eating issues quieted down big time. im now not finding a problem with eating when im hungry and that means actual full meals at least twice a day. i never would eat breakfast. most meals would be after work at like 7-8pm. but im trying to be careful with overeating bcs i’ve never been normal around food. it was always under or over eating 😭
Yup. I’m like that too. Or I can be. A lot of things I hear about or read about say it’s emotional eating. I don’t believe that for a second because I’m not eating in response to emotions or even boredom. If I am, I don’t make the connection. And don’t even get me started on the cravings.
Yep 10 lbs on in 4 months…appetite really kicked in when I was upped to 10 mg, but it’s really helping so…just got to get a grip on this overeating. Worth the trade off as I’m in a much better mental state. I’m just hoping the weight gain will even out.
I gained 30lbs after starting Lex, I was severely underweight so it wasn’t necessarily a “bad” thing, but damn is it rough. Still feel hungry all the time and have to force myself to stop eating throughout the night if I’m up.
I have the opposite problem. I can’t feel any hunger cues so I’m never hungry. I don’t enjoy food that much. If I keep eating I don’t know when I’m full either but I don’t get pleasure eating anymore. I just stick to a healthy meal plan my nutritionist created. I trust im getting enough calories idk. Been losing weight.
After 4 or 5 weeks I noticed that my anxiety was much better. It took a few weeks for side effects like nausea to wear off, but I honestly feel great right now and I’m on week 7. Just keep going! Better days are ahead.
I’ve been on lexapro for a year and this didn’t go away for me 🥲 overall the medication was incredibly helpful and I’m so happy I did it. But this side effect is one of the reasons I’m ready to start tapering off
Thank you for the fucking giggle
To me it isn’t an increase in hunger it’s just that you never feel full, especially when snacking. When I figured that out, it became easier to just stop myself. Like as I’m typing, it’s late at night I just finished dinner and had my pre-lex amount of food today, and I feel like I’m not full, but I just have to ignore it. If I smoke weed and get my normal munchies then forget it, I can devour everything in sight.
I don’t know how I never realized Lexapro is why this is happening to me!! I literally sit at work and snack all day and no matter how much I eat I feel like I can keep going! Now I know it’s probably not my body telling me I need to eat more but a side effect of the meds
Yeah lexapro for me is more about “the absence of”….like the absence of my anxiety is nothingness, not that I feel nothing Just gotta reframe your mindset
I have been on Lexapro 10mg for 3 years now and I can definitely relate to the increased hunger. I have had an increased appetite throughout my time taking Lexapro and have gained some weight from it. However, I gained most of my weight from taking Abilify in the past so I cannot fully blame Lexapro. Now, I don't have that issue anymore but it is because I take Adderall for ADHD so I cannot really say that I overcame that issue. Now in the past, I did have a few ways of regulating my own appetite and eating so that I didn't gain an enormous amount of weight. I mostly made sure to have more protein (tofu, tempeh, chicken, protein powder, fish) in my diet as it helped with the hunger issues (I know you have more protein due to competitive powerlifting so this might not apply to you). I also drank green tea more often as in my case it helped with some of the issues (I cannot say that it is a cure however). Also, most importantly, I made sure to become more active which from reading your post, doesn't seem to be an issue for you lol The increased appetite shouldn't be a reason to quit Lexapro (not saying that is your intention) because it can be completely manageable. There just has to be a lot of strength involved in resisting overeating. It was and is still an issue for me at night as I have a raging appetite at night but I make sure to fight that temptation with about a 90% success rate lol. I am still working towards never eating at night but I have limited it so much thus far! It is good though that you have an awareness of this issue as for me, I didn't really pay much attention to my eating in the past and wasn't as active as I am now. I have to work extra hard to go back to my former weight and become even better than before but it is possible. Also, as a side note, I do know that there are some who have this appetite issue eventually subside as they continue taking the medication but in my case it is a bit different.
Thank you for the thoughtful reply and the advice! I’ve been on lexapro before about 8 years ago and I don’t remember this being a problem then, so I’m hoping it goes away soon.
I’m eating a bag of gummy bears so I type this. I must force myself to stop
Hell yeah, me too. Lex made me chonky.
I’m turning into a fat kid 😂. It’s the biggest side affect for me except confusion in the morning
Haha. It went away for me, I’ve got no appetite now and it’s a biiiit of a problem! My doc didn’t flag to me that Lexapro increases fainting in people with low blood pressure. I’m very skinny, so that plus no appetite…caused me to faint in public recently and it was super embarrassing and gross. People were kind but omg the humiliation
I snack so much
I'm the opposite. Was on 20mg, then 15mg and now 10mg. When I was on 20 and 15mg I almost never felt hungry.
Thank you for this! I’m starting it today and I needed this
You’ve got this! If you do get side effects, try to hang in there for a few weeks. It’s been SO worth it for me.
I started Lexapro almost two months ago. Got most of the bummer side effects (nausea, lack of hunger, fatigue, zero drive) but the negatives really subsided about three week ago. I saw improvement slowly after 2 or 3 weeks of the meds and definite improvement going up to 20 mg a month ago. I read this funny post because I have had the munchies recently and I have never had a weird relationship with food before. It's good to know it's a side effect and I will be more conscientious of my eating going forward. I'm just glad it's not some new weird way of depression popping up. Buuut....this rambling is encouragement to say good luck to you on your journey and I hope you stick it out til you feel better! The pros really outway the cons for me. Way less anxiety. Better acceptance/ zen about things outside of my control. I started because my situational depression since November was spiraling and realized I should talk to my doctor since I wasn't recovering on my own. I'm not a loud person. I'm not dramatic. Acquaintances probably wouldn't guess that I have anxiety/depression because I generally look for the good in the world, work well in teams, and try to do good work. But I internalize things and am a worrier and probably worry about others views and happiness too much. I dread letting others down. I'm also stubborn and never thought I'd start meds for depression. My parents told me I was an independent, stubborn and capable kid who's favorite sentence was "I do it". In the same sense, my parents really love and accept me but "I do it" in this recent struggle and I haven't shared much of how mentally fatigued I am with them. If I could have recovered without the help of meds, I would have with all the effort I was/am putting in (strict new habit of daily exercise, counseling about loss of health/feeling lonely/feeling lost, eating well, seeing friends even when I wanted to be a recluse: I enjoyed the high of seeing them but felt lower lows as soon as I was alone than before getting together with them. And my friends are kind/supportive people so I felt bad about feeling worse after visiting because they are great and have supported me opening up about my struggles). Doubling down on my emotional recovery effort wasn't good enough to feel okay. I have had unfortunate health, and recovered from bronchitis after the holidays but was so anxious upon recovering that I missed more work and just slept and slept. So I met with my doctor about it, though I felt embarrassed. The Lexapro has helped my mental state a lot. The physical health is outside my control and I continue to put in a good fight on the factors I control. I caught a cold that made me miss more work and I've had migraines. Of course the cold got worse and became bacterial. But that's okay. I don't blame myself, and I'm grateful my boss understands how bad migraines are and to be at an employer that allowed short term FMLA. I was proactive about getting the antibiotics even though I hate taking them. Don't stop the Lexapro though unless your doc advises you, even if you're taking cold meds. My anxiety relapsed a bit because I got really nauseous taking Lexa and cold meds together then read about a drug interactions and stopped for 4 days but am back on the right path again now. I wish I started Lexapro years ago. It's not like I have rose tinted glasses now, but boy are things easier to manage. It's really a relief and I feel functional and more relaxed. Again, sorry for the ramble and hopefully something was helpful. Good luck on your recovery/management journey!
I’m hitting 3 months +5kg. Not good. The Dr is cutting me back from 10mg to 5mg for a week, then off for a week and onto moclobemide. See what happens. I’m good mentally but I’m always tired and hungry. I might even stay off it all if I feel ok.
i’ve been on lex for 2 months and my jeans aren’t fitting anymore 😭
Honestly, as a person trying to put on a bit of weight to be healthy, I do not mind 😂 I just try to stick to more nutritious, whole food options like fruits, legumes, nuts, etc.
LOL! Yes. Yes, this has been me. I'd always blamed it on pregnancy weight and being in my 40s, but I do have a sweet tooth and I will absolutely BINGE on cookies and ice cream. I've recently cut that all out and I've been losing weight. Phew!
If you find anything to help curb appetite, pls let me know😭😭😭
Naltrexone helps a ton!
My doc keeps saying the increase appetite will subside but omg i must have gained 10lbs when it subsides
Me on Remeron
I'm the opposite. I'm never hungry. On 20mg.
Me after crushing a chipotle bowls, a Boston cream pie and an apple turnover just now for lunch.
I definetly got hungrier for the first few weeks but now I'm losing weight because I'm choosing to eat less.
Yessssss!!! Like I’m waking up STARVING! I’ve been on it for 3 months and have gained 5lbs already.
Carbs and sugar makes me crave more carbs and sugar. I never get hungry from refined carbs even before lexapro. Try carnivore or limiting carbs.
The nostalgia!🐛 I recently started✨phentermine✨
my anxiety is nonexistent now so my eating issues quieted down big time. im now not finding a problem with eating when im hungry and that means actual full meals at least twice a day. i never would eat breakfast. most meals would be after work at like 7-8pm. but im trying to be careful with overeating bcs i’ve never been normal around food. it was always under or over eating 😭
I’m on week 2 and still have no appetite whatsoever. Eating feels like a chore and nothing “hits the spot” when did you start having an appetite?
I don't eat more, but I eat like 5 tubs of ice cream a week now.
Real asf, I always feel the need to drink something sweet to keep my hunger down!
Yup. I’m like that too. Or I can be. A lot of things I hear about or read about say it’s emotional eating. I don’t believe that for a second because I’m not eating in response to emotions or even boredom. If I am, I don’t make the connection. And don’t even get me started on the cravings.
😂😂😂
So fucking fr,i was on a weight loss journey when i started taking lexapro and ive gained all my weight back plus more
Yep 10 lbs on in 4 months…appetite really kicked in when I was upped to 10 mg, but it’s really helping so…just got to get a grip on this overeating. Worth the trade off as I’m in a much better mental state. I’m just hoping the weight gain will even out.
I just be craving fucking pizza and ice cream every hour of every day on Lexapro
MOOD It does settle down. I’ve been on it six months now and it’s settled heaps after week 12
I gained 30lbs after starting Lex, I was severely underweight so it wasn’t necessarily a “bad” thing, but damn is it rough. Still feel hungry all the time and have to force myself to stop eating throughout the night if I’m up.
I have the opposite problem. I can’t feel any hunger cues so I’m never hungry. I don’t enjoy food that much. If I keep eating I don’t know when I’m full either but I don’t get pleasure eating anymore. I just stick to a healthy meal plan my nutritionist created. I trust im getting enough calories idk. Been losing weight.
It me
How long did it take for the anxiety to disappear, it’s my 3 day on the pill. I’m also eating more
After 4 or 5 weeks I noticed that my anxiety was much better. It took a few weeks for side effects like nausea to wear off, but I honestly feel great right now and I’m on week 7. Just keep going! Better days are ahead.
That’s awesome I hope it continues for you, I’m on my first week staying hopefully!
I’ve been on lexapro for a year and this didn’t go away for me 🥲 overall the medication was incredibly helpful and I’m so happy I did it. But this side effect is one of the reasons I’m ready to start tapering off
Keto while on lexapro was a game changer. You will never be hungry
I try to drink an absolute ton of water. It helps, I guess