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Weight gain an adverse affect of discontinuing citalopram

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tamsin
tamsin

Hi I was put on citalopram for a few months, within a month of stopping I started to gain weight within 6-8 weeks I was 2.5 dress sizes bigger and for 5yrs I exercised twice a day burned 2000 cals and ate under 1000 a day and couldn't shift the weight. The doctors did all sorts of tests and nothing came up. Thats when my normal happy life stopped i only went on them because i was ancious about a break up. I continued visiting the doctor with new research as to what it may be. Then 11 months ago something happened and I was prescribed citalopram again and within a few months I'd lost the weight I just assumed it was stress but I exercised less and ate more which was odd. Then 4months ago I came off the citalopram and got my energy back and started running again but started gaining weight and within 6/8 wks I was 2dress sizes bigger which is when I started researching citalopram I found American forums with many people in the same situation and someone called it paradoxical weight gain iv been in touch with lundbeck the makers of the drug but they so say have had no reports. This I find hard to believe there are so many people with the same reaction on the American sites. Also in the research iv done there are studies in animals that suggest the brain does not renormalise after coming off citalopram and they deny this could have anything to do with weight gain. How can it not? Your body needs serotonin and tryptophan receptors to burn fat, if this function does not renormalise surely it can affect weight?? Does anyone have anything to help me?? I'm thinking of taking them to court as I am now depressed on diazipam having panic attacks all because I was a little anxious about a break up 6 yrs ago. Please help if you know anything x

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  • Trueself
    Trueself tamsin

    Posted

    Everyone, I'm going through this NOW. After moving to a different address in London my GP practice de-registered me, and I wasn't able to re-register with a GP soon enough to renew my prescription (20mg). As a result, I was out of Citalopram in late December. Psychological effects included severe depression (also as a reaction to very difficult circumstances). I was barely able to wake up, was depressed and came back to sleep. My eating habits changed to favour sugary foods. I only noticed my weight gain when my baggy pants didn't fit. that was on March 9th. I had gained 6kg. This increased my stress levels, and my sugar and snack cravings did get more difficult to cope with. I started tracking my intake (1400-1800 cals) and went to the gym almost 6 days / week burining 500-700 cals. On 17th of March I noticed an extra 3kg weight gain to 62kg. Last time I was this heavy was when I was 16. My body weight had been 54-55 stable for the last 15 years. Yes stopping citalopram leads to weight gain, presumably because of low serotonin levels which makes people snack a lot of sugary foods. My daily sugar intake was 80-160g, depending on how much fruit and "healthy raw vegan balls" I'd eat. Yesterday I reduced my sugar intake to 25g and now to 15g. That's extremely hard. I am to consume 1200 cals, less than 15g of sugar and burn 600 cals daily. If my weight doesn't change for the better by 1st of May, then this is proof it's only Citalopram related and I will try to get back on 10mg to control this. Will update you guys. 

  • cat34298
    cat34298 tamsin

    Posted

    I'm so sorry you are going through all this!!! I hope all your efforts start to pay off.

  • gotmilke
    gotmilke tamsin

    Posted

    I had been on citalopram for a little over 2 years for anxiety.  The cause of the anxiety is no longer present so I told my doctor I wanted to stop taking.  My doctor instructed me to take 1 capsule every other day for a month to wean off.  Since I was on such a low dose, I decided to just quit cold turkey. BIG MISTAKE!!  In less than a month I went from 123lbs to 134lbs.  I exercise 5-6 times per week for 2.5 hours per day and eat conservatively.  I am so upset, and at first could not understand what was causing the rapid weight gain.  Then it dawned on me that I started gaining at the same time I discontinued citalopram.  Now I am having anxiety attacks over this weight gain.  As of yesterday, I started taking again.  Has anyone had success in getting back to their original weight, upon resuming citalopram?  I am so frustrated!  I believe that prescribing physicians should make it loud and clear that this is a possible side effect. 
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