weight gain from going off celexa

Amy Lou wrote:

For those that have been off of celexa before: does it cause you to gain weight once you stop taking it? Does anyone know? I'd appreciate it!! Thanks.

Yes, I've been off of the Citalopram for 2 weeks and I've gained 4lbs. already! It seems all I want to do it eat:(

I have taken celexa. It has been an effective anti-depressant. When I started taking it, I had severe depression, so the benefits outweighed the side effects. Now, I have no depression about 95% of the time, with a few days when I will be depressed until I talk to someone. However, I am tired of the sexual side effects and hope to wean off. Weight gain is an issue for me as my natural tendency, left to my own devices is to gain weight. I have lost 14lbs in the last 2 months, but continuing my regular exercise and by using myfitnesspal.com , a very easy to use food diary.

The cause of this weight gain usually seems to be from an increase in the urge to eat coupled with a decrease in activity, most likely due to a 'rebound' effect in serotonin levels. The urges and tendancies suppressed by an SSRI often tend to resurface more prominently upon cessation of the drug until the body reestablishes a balance.
Although some of you say you did not change the way you ate or exercised, it is likely that you subconciously may have made descisions causing you to be less active. Maybe even less moving around your place of work or home. Many small instances of inactivity adds up to much less calories burned over time. So my advise would be to conciously try to move around more. Park further away from the store, take the stairs, do 'chores' around the house. The more active you stay, the less you will be tempted to snack as well.

I was taking Celexa 20mg. (a half per day) So 10 mg. for almost 9 years. I Started taking it for Postpardom Depression. Tried to get off several times, and had BAD side effects. Agitated, irritated, snappy at everyone, drivers especially. A month ago. I went cold turkey. My Doctor told me that a half was not doing me any good anyway (like, I was taking it for nothing or something) WRONG. It was effecting me big time. You just don't know how much, until you stop, no matter how big or small the dose. And I will say this, my sex drive is better without taking it. I didn't think it was that big of a deal while taking it. Until I stopped and it's like a spark came back in my system. However, the bad side is, I feel like crap. I'm sick feeling, almost like I have (pregnant) morning sickness, except it's off an on all day long. I feel like puking, then I will feel sad at the least little thing. I feel like crying, for nothing big really (and I'm not the crying kind). So I get my sex drive back, but I start eating more and wanting to puke. And I have gained about 7 lbs. I'm actually eating more from trying to stop feeling sick. It's like I want something to eat, hoping it will make me feel better. WEIRD. I'm thinking, I need to start taking them again. I just hate feeling this way. Down and out and putting on pounds, not wanting to leave the house, scared I'll need to rush to the bathroom to poop or puke in public. Also, I feel run down, tired, not really wanting to sleep, just not wanting to move around, just lay around, I totally hate feeling this way. HORRIBLE. Antidepressants must be much more POWERFUL than we think they are. You can't win for losing. I actually thought I was dying from some internal illness, until I read this forum and can see that others are feeling the same exact thing as I am, after stopping Celexa cold turkey. And the crazy thing is that I was only taking a half anyway, (per day). And it has this kind of effect after a month. If anyone finds a cure that is comfortable and better than this feeling without having to re-start the meds back up. Please advise. Thanks so much for this site and all the people who have written about their side effects.

I've been on celexa for two years and have gained over 30 pounds. I'm very active n eat well. After hearing how you gain after weaning off, I'm scared to do so! Help, I want to be celexa free and get my body back!.

Oh and I'm on 60 mg so its going to take forever to wean off.should I just cut to half.??

Well it looks like the majority of us have put weight on when we stopped taking Celexa, I gained 16 pounds in 6 weeks when I stopped Celexa. It has now been 2 months, I am logging what I eat and exercising and have not lost any weight. Does anyone know how long after stopping Celexa the weight starts to come off?

Stay strong everyone. I've just slowly weaned myself off of 20mg of celexa and have been completely off it for 4 days now. I have the dizziness and increased desire to eat which has caused me to pack on a few pounds during the process which is frustrating. I believe it will take time for the body to adjust to the changes and I am going to attempt to set goals for myself to cut out the evening snacking and exercise on a regular consistant basis. I have been exercising 2 to 3x a week but now know that I'm going to have to work harder and give my body time to adjust to the hormonal changes. There are side effects to getting on medication and side effects to getting off these antidepressants frustrating indeed but I am going to defeat it:)

Rene wrote:

Oh and I'm on 60 mg so its going to take forever to wean off.should I just cut to half.??

NOOOO.... do it gradually or you will make yourself depressed and sick, talk to you doctor about it.

For 12 years I have been on 60mg of Celexa, I started going off of it two months ago and am now down to 25mg.... but I am up 20lbs, and that is making me depressed to say the least. Sorry to say it but I am glad to see that I am not alone in the weight gain. I had a friend at work that told me to look up the side effects of coming off of these pills, and I also have the dizzy spells, lightheadedness, and sweats. I am going to continue going off of them and hope that my body will adjust to the change in a few months of going off of them, until then I am going back to my doctor and telling her what is going on, I'll keep you posted.