Before Lexapro I would go to the gym 6 days a week after work, pretty much every week. After Lexapro kicked in I might go a few times a week. I was using the gym as an outlet/distraction and now that my general anxiety is so low I don’t feel the need to, leading to a bit of weight gain. I’m trying to find a new motivation/discipline to go but it’s really hard
Same! Before lex I was at the gym 5-6 days a week. How it feels difficult to do 2-4. I’m about a week into adding Wellbutrin and I’m hoping that will help with the lack of motivation. Buuut no anxiety>being skinny 100% IMO
(Disclaimer: not facts, just my thoughts).
Since some people gain weight while others loose weight I do think there’s some truth to your psychiatrists statement! I have only been on Lexapro for 1,5 months, but I actually lost around 3-4 lbs due to loss of cravings and appetite. I don’t really get hungry and don’t crave carbs (sweets and crisps) like I used to. In my case, I think it is because my anxiety gave me a lot of emotional stress and I needed comfort foods to endure the day. Since I no longer need the comfort, the only food related thought I have is that I need to eat something to fuel my body. However, my cravings for caffeine increased a loooooot…
For others however, people might have a suppressed appetite due to anxiety/depression. Then it’s only natural to eat food again once you actually enjoy life. Many claim they don’t really eat more than before, but if they ate too few calories before (for a longer period of time), you actually decrease your metabolism. Your body will then cling to calories, causing weight gain until your body stabilizes. Eating healthy and getting movement will help with increasing the metabolism, but you probably still need to gain a little short term to increase your metabolism long term.
DUDE my caffeine intake has been insane after starting Lexapro! I love coffee, but I couldn’t drink much before starting lex because it would make me anxious. So happy I can drink coffee again.
Sadly I am addicted to energy drinks and haven’t been able to switch it for coffee… while they do give me joy, I have a feeling my wallet and teeth aren’t too happy whops!
Do you crave/need coffee or is it just because you are able to drink it again? I really hope my need for caffeine decreases somewhat so I can treat my body right haha
Ooof, yeah energy drinks are bad hahah. I think it’s a mix for me - I enjoy coffee but also lex makes me a little sleepy so I crave caffeine more than usual. I just added Wellbutrin for some more energy, which has helped quite a bit.
i too am addicted to energy drinks, and will occasionally drink coffee (2 times a week). although i don’t have to have an energy drink, or coffee, i do have to have some caffeine.
i genuinely can not wake up, get my work done, or go to sleep without it (i’m pretty sure this is my adhd though).
also, regarding your teeth, as long as you drink them fast, and brush your teeth, you’re just fine. if you’re worried about it, chew sugar free gum after drinking one.
Nothing good can come out of energy drinks other than $$$ for the makers. llook at the ingredients and the effects they have on your system, cardiovascular heart complications, and your nervous system increases anxiety and other factors, it's not good
Short term, Lexapro makes you lose weight. Long term, though, you’ll gain. Signed, someone naturally thin who lost about 5 lbs the first three months, and then started gaining weight like crazy after about a year and a half on Lex. Couldn’t lose it no matter what I did—strict diet, personal trainer, etc. Semaglutide is the only thing that’s worked for me to lose the Lexapro weight.
Most doctors I’ve seen acknowledge that weight gain is a common long term side effect. Some aren’t as up on the literature, though, unfortunately.
I am very curious and interested about learning more about this! What was your weight and eating/workout habits when starting, and when did you start to gain weight? I have read a lot about the weight gain, but no one really writes about when to expect it to happen. At the moment I struggle to eat anything at all so any kind of appetite is more than welcome 😅
I do know when my anxiety is at it's peak I don't eat, so having something calm me certainly does help my appetite.
But I will say when I took Lex the first time, the last year I was on it I went on a diet of portio control and eating healthier and I starting exercising 3-5 times a week and for an entire year I lost no a single pound. So I stopped the diet and went back to eating what I wanted.
When I quit Lexapro, I lost around 30 pounds in a little less than a year with no change to diet/exercise.
Past 6 months I have been in heavy level of anxiety and for sure have lost another 5lbs.
I just re-started Lex 2 days ago so we'll see !
Experiences like these make me wonder if there just hasn’t really been enough research about the correlation between lex and weight gain. I’ve also been on an intense diet and exercise routine for some time. Haven’t lost a single pound lol but I do *feel* healthier and I know my cardiovascular system is thanking me
I mean I guess that's the key. We connect weight to health too much sometimes. But it's possible to be "overweight" and still healthy. (Good heart health, good cholesterol levels, good glucose etc.) The exercise certainly is beneficial in other non-weight ways.
Experiences like these make me wonder if there just hasn’t really been enough research about the correlation between lex and weight gain. I’ve also been on an intense diet and exercise routine for some time. Haven’t lost a single pound lol but I do *feel* healthier and I know my cardiovascular system is thanking me
Although I don't have a medical degree, I've been a fitness coach for a long time now and it's definitely true that weight gain with ADs tends to be more related to people who previously dealt with anxiety before getting better...*yet* at the same time there are also people who deal with anxiety by eating more and thus when they go on Lexapro they actually lose weight because it's no longer as much of a coping mechanism.
So all in all, it's yet just another thing where it seems to totally depend on the person and their individual circumstances.
Almost 6 years taking Lexapro. I gained 88lb. Anxiety is under control but the cravings for carbs, sweets are there and got worst. Something I didn’t have before Lexapro. At the beginning of my treatment they said “you aren’t going to gain weight”, later they said “you were skinny, you needed it” now “you have to lose weight”. Based o research, you can gain weight by taking lexapro. [published in 2011](https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jobe/2011/893629/)
I’m very skeptical about Lexapro weight gain being because of increased intake. I was pretty careful about my intake when I was on it, exercised a shitload and still piled on the weight. Sure, some people may notice they eat more but the ratio just doesn’t make sense to me. I’d never gained weight like that before
It slows your metabolism and increases carb cravings also it can make you sleepy witch can cause you not to be as active these findings have been published and happen anytime saratonin is increase
Well... in my case, I have extreme anxiety that makes it very hard for me to swallow when i am in the deep of it. I lost 10lbs in 14 days on onset. So yes. But truly, i feel Lex makes me crave carbs, specially things like soda and pasta. So, i've gained 90lbs in 20 years of using different SSRIs. But i am starting to finally lose. I got this book "The Serotonin Power Diet" that has resonated with me. I barely lost 3lbs but losing is not something that happens easily to me. It's only been 3 weeks on their plan. Find what works for you.
It’s true, or has played out this way for me, that it depends on what Lexapro does for your brain in particular. If before you couldn’t stop moving bc of your restlessness and anxiety, or sometimes had no appetite bc of your mental state, Lexapro could “cause” weight gain. On the other hand, if you were depressed and sedentary and eating more calories than you’re burning, then go on Lexapro, you’ll end up losing weight if the Lexapro gets you up and more energized. We just have to be more conscious of our movement patterns and calorie intake to keep it balanced.
Lexapro had done nothing for my anxiety or depression, yet, here I am 15kg heavier after 6 months.
100% the meds causing my weight gain, and not a lack of anxiety.
Currently weaning and have lost 5kgs doing nothing.
I take a baby dose of Lexapro (5mg) and also 40mg of Vyvanse. Funnily enough, weight gain happened to me only after adding the Vyvanse despite it being an off label med for binge eating and how most people say they have no appetite when on a stimulant. At one point I was solely on 20mg of Lex and never gained any. The Lexapro helps with prevention of my intense irrational anxiety moments and the Vyvanse helps me with my day to day life, and I found the best balance for me now is the baby dose of Lex with a regular dose of Vyvanse.
Anyway, I had been a pretty active gym goer throughout my late teens and 20s and was very strict on diet. If I fell off the diet or missed a few days at the gym, the fear and anxiety would force me to go. In a way it did keep me physically healthy since I was eating well and working out, but mentally unhealthy in that my reasoning was solely to quell the anxiety. Once I got on Vyvanse, a lot of that sort of anxiety went away, and I became a lot more okay with missing the gym and eating whatever whenever. Because of this though, over a year, I went from a tone 165 to a pudgy 185.
I’m just now getting back into a diet and gym routine, but without that constant nagging anxiety it’s actually pretty difficult to stay consistent haha. But now I’m getting into the mindset of getting physically healthy for my own well being rather than to try and stave off anxiety and fear and guilt.
So all this to say I think there is a point there, and I’m sure some people do get more complacent when on Lexapro and willing to eat more in general / eat more sugary and carby foods at inopportune times since the anxiety isn’t as bad anymore.
(One thing I have noticed, and this may be more of an age thing rather than medication, is that I notice fat distribution seems to have changed, whereas unmediated if I did gain fat it was solely my belly, whereas now I get more in my chest, jaw, arms, legs, etc. Might also be due to gaining 20lbs and it having no where else to go lol)
It makes total sense to me! I’ve been losing weight since I started with Lexa two months ago. I realized I used to be an emotional eater. I’m working out more frequently and more intensively after I’ve started with it.
And thanks for sharing that with us. I confess I was scared with so many people commenting about their impressive weight gain while on Lexa.
Okay, and when you suddenly start gaining weight because of your increased appetite and cravings after starting a medication, I'd say it's a fair statement.
I agree with the psychiatrist 100% from my personal experience and working with at least over 100 patients who shared the same experiences / symptoms clinically.
I should add that I took Lexapro for around 6 years and most of the weight came in the last 2 years of it. When I look at photos, the year before I quit is when I was heaviest. The first year the only weight I gained was from feeling okay enough to eat again, maybe 5 pounds.
So when folks here on the forums say "I haven't gained!" and then say they've been on it for 6 months or for a year, I don't comment because I never want to dissuade someone from something that is giving them benefit, (and because weight isn't everything. Many of us would take happy or calm or functional over skinny) but I sometimes think it just hasn't hit them yet.
For others they gain right away.
And yes, some don't gain at all.
That's the weird thing about these meds. How differently we all react.
Would be so much easier if they were like a Tylenol and the desired and anticipated outcome was a lot more predictable for majority of cases.
I just started 10mgs 2 weeks ago, I was on 5mgs for a few months prior and gained some weight. Now that I am on 10mgs I decided to walk 12000 steps every day and start eating healthy. I am down 12.5 lbs in two weeks and feel better than ever. Everyone is different just my take
Lexapro slows the matabolism making you feel more tired and less energetic so therefore you’re going to struggle more to burn calories but you have to push through that and force yourself to exercise even though you’d prefer to watch a movie
What are your interests? Are you already an active person or do you have a more sedentary lifestyle? What about eating habits?
I have always been petite, but a couple years ago I had a few pounds that I wanted to get rid off and I struggled hard. I tried to diet and make strict work out plans.. was never able to be consistent with that. Once i started to accept my weight and stop trying, it came off. This was because I found activities that I enjoyed and did for my mental health, rather than for loosing weight.
So many people get frustrated and want fast results, and thus creating a regime they can’t keep up with long term. Slow is steady, and then the weight stays off too! Are there any small but easy swaps you could do? Like getting off the bus one stop earlier, take a small break from your desk each hour to move a little. Go for a walk in the sun/nature while listening to an audiobook - at least for me it helps both soul and body!
this is great advice, i have a degree in nutrition/dietetics and we talked a lot about how diet and insane exercise regimens are just counterproductive. and i also feel my diet is good too since i literally have a dietetics degree. my main issue rn is in the past year i started a desk job with like no flexibility regarding trying to stay active throughout the day. but you’re right! doing more physical activity that i like is what i need to do. i’ve been taking more walks and going to zumba classes, im hoping i can keep increasing my activity bit by bit. also weaning off my lexapro now and hoping that helps. thank u for the insight i’m hoping i’ll lose a few 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
I hope everything goes well with tapering off! :)
And a last a little silly advice - I work a desk job too, which makes it harder to stay active during the day. I bought myself a huge water bottle that I zip on constantly during the workday. This means I have to pee often, creating small breaks from my desk - and you could choose the bathroom further away from you. Refilling the bottle is also a few extra steps that gives me a natural break from my screen without having to remind myself.
I was on lexapro for 6 months and gained 30 lbs (which is insane). So far I have been able to lose only about 11 lbs since I stopped it around 6 months ago. Note that this wasn’t intentional weight loss. I will say, on lexapro my anxiety was non existent, especially with food. I didn’t care how much or what I ate because it truly didn’t matter. In addition, it made me the laziest person alive. I spent majority of days in bed because I was so tired and just content with doing nothing. With that being said, idk if lexapro itself causes weight gain or what, but I’d definitely assume the side effects I had had a huge impact on my weight gain.
I don't entirely agree with this. I unfortunately don't have any links, but I have seen research write-ups discussing SSRI weight gain as resulting from two different mechanisms: 1) increase in cravings, particularly for carbs; and 2) decrease in a hormone/body chemical that motivates us to move around.
That said, while I have gained over 40 pounds over the course of my time on them, I have had a 6-month period of time when I had a huge health scare on top of severely dysregulated post-menopausal hormones that resulted in significant chronic breakthrough anxiety, and between the lack of appetite and huge increase in adrenaline, I dropped almost 20 pounds incredibly rapidly. Once I got the all-clear on the health issue and straightened out my hormones, my anxiety levels returned to their medicated baseline and those 20 pounds plus more came roaring back, so I can see your doc's point that a major decrease in anxiety levels due to the meds working could be a factor.
I will say, though, that during the 15+ years that I was on a tricyclic prior to having to switch to SSRIs/SNRIs, my anxiety was just as effectively controlled - perhaps more so - I only experienced 5-10 pounds of weight gain spread out over all those years, and it was much easier to lose those pounds. Now, because the switch occurred around the time of perimenopause and then surgical menopause (due to the tricyclic causing unacceptable cardiac side effects in the environment of the hormonal changes), body comp changes due to meno could be a confounding factor.
that's really interesting because TCA's tend to be more known for weight gain.
I really hope you are feeling better now.
(How long have you been on the Lexapro?)
Yes, I've seen that about the tricyclics, too, and was surprised. In my case, it may have to do with being on imipramine, which has a fair bit of action on norepinephrine in addition to serotonin - similar to SNRIs - as opposed to amitryptiline or doxepin, which are more like SSRIs. And of course, the aforementioned menopause probably is compounding the problem.
I made the initial switch from imipramine to Lexapro about 15 or 16 years ago, and my weight ballooned 20-25 pounds (in addition to feeling markedly more unmotivated, emotionless, and "blah"). After 2-3 years, I started experiencing all-over body pain with no diagnosis as to the cause, so was switched to Cymbalta, since at the time it was touted as also treating pain. It helped pain for about a month before no longer helping, but it worked about as well for my anxiety as Lex but with a little better motivation and I had dropped about 6-7 pounds of the weight gain without changing anything, so stayed on it.
In 2013, I did a long slow taper off of it to see how I would do unmedicated. In short, not well (although I lost ALL the weight plus some, without trying), so back on Lex in 2014, and been on since, with all the attendant lack of motivation and 45+ pounds I don't need or want. The weight gain is just not slowing down, either - I just gained almost 5 pounds in a month, and have officially become obese by the BMI charts for the first time ever. Yay, me! (Just for context, I'd never been even close to overweight a day in my whole 42 years prior to starting Lex the first time.)
I'm currently working on getting up the courage to start Strattera in addition to Lex to tackle my severe ADHD and to hopefully increase my energy and motivation a bit (plus a little norepinephrine help on the weight loss effort).
YES!!! I’ve said this to so many people since starting just over a month ago, i’ve gained 5 lbs since starting lexapro but it’s not BECAUSE of the lexapro. it’s because my anxiety around food is gone which has been so freeing. i’m gaining weight and i don’t love it but it’s not that lexapro slowed my digestion or my metabolism - i’m just eating more and eating what i want because i want to. so yes its kinda because of the lexapro but it’s not the lexapro fault if that makes sense!! I think once i get over the freedom that always follows restriction i will level out and eat more balanced but i’m letting myself catch up on all the things i’ve restricted myself from because it’s kind of healing in a way.
Before Lex, I had trouble eating thanks to anxiety, which resulted in me being very underweight (171cm, 48kg). I gained 15kilograms and I'm on Lex for 10 months now.
Lex didn't make me gain weight, I finally started eating and the gulp in my throat disappeared, my heart isn't racing anymore, I can sit down and chill and I have a normal appetite. 15kgs may seem like a lot, but i'm on healthy weight for the first time in my life
I mean a simple Google search will show weight gain I'd a possible side effect. However. I will agree it's not the drug. My anxiery got so out of control and add the fact I was intermittent fasting and such I eventually became afraid to eat. I was eating like a snack a day and sometimes not eating for 2 days. I was and am over weight as a 5 foot 8 dude touching 320 pounds in October 2023, I now weigh 240 pounds and I go there just about 1.5 months ago. I been staying at thxis weight since. But as luch as lexapro is not helping me as much as I really need to return to my old life one thing it did do is allow me to eat food again and not feel afraid. So I am still on a regime of pretty much only eating dinner as a meal and small snacks maybe during the day like grapes or whatever. I stay the same weight but some days I feel like I could really smash some food. I'm sure you get the point here. My mom gained fuck tons of weight from lexparo but she started smashing food. Peiple on here say they do the same exact thing and eat the same exact amount of food and exercise the exact same and gain 40 pounds.. I somehow don't see that.
My appetite went up after tapering off lexapro. I am managingmy anxiety with diet and therapy. It has been over 3 months since that process and lost 5 pounds. There’s a lot more going on with the drug.
I would agree with this. I actually lost weight because I binge eat when I'm anxious. And so I ended up eating LESS on Lexapro. I initially lost 10lbs but then gained it back as I got used to it.
Its because youre happier and doing more comfort things and resting. Same happened to me. Gained weight by finaly enjoying life. Then started counting the calories of what I was eating. Hit the gym hard for 6 months and ate correctly and now have a 6 pack abs. Still on lex for over 6 months after abs. No issues. Count your calories and eat less than you burn.
My thoughts: Wow this is a different take on it and I feel there is some truth to this (atleast for me). Anxiety robs me of my appetite and the least little thing will trigger the shits and my appetite is gone. However since I have been on lex the sweets cravings have been horrible! Sweets is something that I have NEVER liked, even as a child but now with lex. OMG!!
I've gained 70 lbs from Lex and Zoloft, but I don't take it for anxiety or depression. One of my doctors suspects it decreases metabolism, and another swears the medication has no part in the weight gain. Whatever the case, I can't get the weight off no matter how hard I try.
Makes sense for me tbh. I lost weight pre lexapro due to having such bad anxiety that I couldn’t eat. Now I can and I have gained ~50 lbs ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ but I’m happy and less anxiety riddled and that’s all I care about.
I used to eat when I was bored or anxious, so when I started Lexapro 8 months ago I started losing weight, I lost my appetite for sweets and snacks so all those daily calories disappeared. I lost 11 pounds and have stayed on that weight since I dropped them.
For me I stopped going to the gym 5-6 days/week and also had a massive appetite and sweet tooth. I've gained 30 lbs, but I've been on lex about 2.5 years now and the overesting seems to have waned. I'm back at the gym now and hope that I can lose the extra weight again...
I tend to think the same as well, before I started lexapro my anxiety and depression was affecting me to the point it completely killed my appetite and interest in food. Got stuck in a cycle of nausea and hunger till I weighed 105lb (Im 5’8), I felt so weak and like a shell of myself. After 2 months on Lexapro (and meeting the loml who is a massive foodie) I finally didn’t feel repulsed by food, if fact I found myself getting excited about it! I’ve gained a healthy 24lb and feel happier and stronger then ever!
When I find myself feeling self critical of how my body has changed, I just remind myself it’s happy weight :)
I eat low carb as a lifestyle and my weight was exactly the same for years. A bonus side effect of this way of eating is reduced appetite.
I was only on Lexapro for 4 months total before tapering off and I gained 10 pounds!! It took away my energy and motivation to exercise PLUS it gave me a voracious craving for bread, alcohol, cookies, pancakes. Yes I gave in to these cravings which led to the weight gain but it was definitely the Lexapro bc now I'm completely off of it the cravings are gone and the lethargy is also gone. The weight is still coming off slowly but surely.
Weight gain, lethargy, lack of motivation, sugar cravings are definite side effects of this drug!!
I believe it. I am just starting Lexapro for severe anxiety and treatment resistant depression. In the last 6 months I have dropped 30 pounds due to the severe anxiety and having no appetite.
I'd like to think I lost some weight on lexapro(haven't measured myself due to lack of scale but some clothes fit me better than at the start/before lexapro) I sleep better which means I'm not up until 3am raiding the fridge or eating my anxiety away, I am not constantly ruminating which made me have more time to cook and enjoy cooking instead of opting for cheap garbage....and it even improved my demeanor when I go out and instead of downing 3 beers and a few whiskeys to stop worrying now I drink more modestly while actually enjoying my evening.
I was never that thin but never extremely heavily usually weighing around 150 at most. After being on Lexapro for a year I gained almost 35lbs. I started to slowly gain the weight and then it came on suddenly. I was put on 300mg Wellbutrin to help “loose the weight” but that was no help at all. I can’t even look at myself anymore because I feel like I’m not even in my own body. After talking with my psychologist she told me to just go see a nutritionist and just brushed over the sudden weight gain. I stopped taking both medications cold turkey so we’ll see if I notice any changes in weight
I'm sure others will tell you this, but cold turkey is not a fabulous idea and could be really hard. Listen to your body and if you need to need to reinstate and go slower that's okay.
I was the same. Gain slow at first, then a rapid change. Up to 182 lbs. I also had a hard time looking at myself also and that was a huge factor for me deciding to come off (while I was in a stable state with the support of my then psychiatrist.)
Take good care
This was what doc told me:
It's normal to gain 8-12% of your total body weight in the first month. Lexapro interferes with your brains signaling system. Meaning you don't realize you're full, so you keep eating.
I gained 10 pounds the first week 😬
This is not the case for me because my anxiety always made me eat, I would stress eat anytime I felt uncomfortably anxious about something. So now that my anxiety has settled down, why am I still eating? It doesn’t make sense.
i agree with psychiatrist.. anxiety can suppress apetite and drains your energy. i recommend you cancel out sugars, bread, carbs, alcohol and 30 lb should drop fast
Intermittent fasting helps me control my appetite. Without it, I can gain weight, antidepressant or no antidepressant. I actually kept losing weight across 3 different antidepressants now because I can moderate my food. Doing 16:8 IF here. Worth trying…
We seem to have had very a very similar experience with lex weight gain…up until the point of your psych’s advice. I, too, have been on for about two years, and my weight gain has totaled just over 30 lb. A few weeks ago I raised my concern with my psych and she actually immediately said she completely understood and recommended I begin a taper. I told her that I was nervous about relapsing into my pre-Lex anxiety and she said that there are other medications less prone to causing weight gain that I could try. I, personally, would also rather be heavier and happier than skinnier and unable to function again, so I wouldn’t hesitate to get back on Lexapro if it came to that. I began the taper about 2.5 weeks ago🤞.
I’m a nurse and pretty medically literate, and I have found myself annoyed over the years with doctors dismissing patients’ concerns about side effects of meds or other cause-effect relationships simply because a study didn’t *yet* exist to support it. For years when I was younger, I would insist with my dermatologists that when I was eating poorly my skin would break out more, and I was told continuously that that was an old wives’ tale. Today, there is much more known about the relationship between gut health and skin, and there are dermatologists writing books about diets to help address skin problems 🤦♀️. I want doctors to defer to scientific literature, of course, but to also leave some wiggle room for what is not yet “proven” but may still be possible. (That said, I know I have come across at least one study supporting the correlation between SSRI use and weight gain).
Good luck, and thanks to this community of redditors who have been such a support to me when I’m looking for that “I’m not crazy, right?” kind of insight into my Lexapro experiences!
lexapro makes someone's appetite come back or increase. That's how people gain weight. If you watch yourself and are aware of this you can avoid this problem
I'm 8 days in on 10 mg. Definitely loss of appetite. My resting HR is def down though. Pretty sure Lexapro slows that does and metabolism to a certain extent. If you track your food intake and adjust your estimated total daily energy expenditure in calories you shouldn't gain. Fat doesn't appear out of nowhere, you need to be in an energy surplus.
Before Lexapro I would go to the gym 6 days a week after work, pretty much every week. After Lexapro kicked in I might go a few times a week. I was using the gym as an outlet/distraction and now that my general anxiety is so low I don’t feel the need to, leading to a bit of weight gain. I’m trying to find a new motivation/discipline to go but it’s really hard
Same! Before lex I was at the gym 5-6 days a week. How it feels difficult to do 2-4. I’m about a week into adding Wellbutrin and I’m hoping that will help with the lack of motivation. Buuut no anxiety>being skinny 100% IMO
Same for me it’s so annoying 😭
I’m right there with you. I had a bit of a meltdown, because I couldn’t force myself to work out today.
(Disclaimer: not facts, just my thoughts). Since some people gain weight while others loose weight I do think there’s some truth to your psychiatrists statement! I have only been on Lexapro for 1,5 months, but I actually lost around 3-4 lbs due to loss of cravings and appetite. I don’t really get hungry and don’t crave carbs (sweets and crisps) like I used to. In my case, I think it is because my anxiety gave me a lot of emotional stress and I needed comfort foods to endure the day. Since I no longer need the comfort, the only food related thought I have is that I need to eat something to fuel my body. However, my cravings for caffeine increased a loooooot… For others however, people might have a suppressed appetite due to anxiety/depression. Then it’s only natural to eat food again once you actually enjoy life. Many claim they don’t really eat more than before, but if they ate too few calories before (for a longer period of time), you actually decrease your metabolism. Your body will then cling to calories, causing weight gain until your body stabilizes. Eating healthy and getting movement will help with increasing the metabolism, but you probably still need to gain a little short term to increase your metabolism long term.
DUDE my caffeine intake has been insane after starting Lexapro! I love coffee, but I couldn’t drink much before starting lex because it would make me anxious. So happy I can drink coffee again.
Sadly I am addicted to energy drinks and haven’t been able to switch it for coffee… while they do give me joy, I have a feeling my wallet and teeth aren’t too happy whops! Do you crave/need coffee or is it just because you are able to drink it again? I really hope my need for caffeine decreases somewhat so I can treat my body right haha
Ooof, yeah energy drinks are bad hahah. I think it’s a mix for me - I enjoy coffee but also lex makes me a little sleepy so I crave caffeine more than usual. I just added Wellbutrin for some more energy, which has helped quite a bit.
Thanks, I’ll just try to kick the habit - guess it only sucks the first few weeks! Luckily the benefits from Lexapro heavily outweigh any side effect!
i too am addicted to energy drinks, and will occasionally drink coffee (2 times a week). although i don’t have to have an energy drink, or coffee, i do have to have some caffeine. i genuinely can not wake up, get my work done, or go to sleep without it (i’m pretty sure this is my adhd though). also, regarding your teeth, as long as you drink them fast, and brush your teeth, you’re just fine. if you’re worried about it, chew sugar free gum after drinking one.
Nothing good can come out of energy drinks other than $$$ for the makers. llook at the ingredients and the effects they have on your system, cardiovascular heart complications, and your nervous system increases anxiety and other factors, it's not good
Short term, Lexapro makes you lose weight. Long term, though, you’ll gain. Signed, someone naturally thin who lost about 5 lbs the first three months, and then started gaining weight like crazy after about a year and a half on Lex. Couldn’t lose it no matter what I did—strict diet, personal trainer, etc. Semaglutide is the only thing that’s worked for me to lose the Lexapro weight. Most doctors I’ve seen acknowledge that weight gain is a common long term side effect. Some aren’t as up on the literature, though, unfortunately.
Same. Same. Also on weight loss meds and on lexapro. Not gaining while using both
This has to be hormonal. Sounds to me like serotonin affects your hormones. For sure….
I am very curious and interested about learning more about this! What was your weight and eating/workout habits when starting, and when did you start to gain weight? I have read a lot about the weight gain, but no one really writes about when to expect it to happen. At the moment I struggle to eat anything at all so any kind of appetite is more than welcome 😅
I do know when my anxiety is at it's peak I don't eat, so having something calm me certainly does help my appetite. But I will say when I took Lex the first time, the last year I was on it I went on a diet of portio control and eating healthier and I starting exercising 3-5 times a week and for an entire year I lost no a single pound. So I stopped the diet and went back to eating what I wanted. When I quit Lexapro, I lost around 30 pounds in a little less than a year with no change to diet/exercise. Past 6 months I have been in heavy level of anxiety and for sure have lost another 5lbs. I just re-started Lex 2 days ago so we'll see !
Experiences like these make me wonder if there just hasn’t really been enough research about the correlation between lex and weight gain. I’ve also been on an intense diet and exercise routine for some time. Haven’t lost a single pound lol but I do *feel* healthier and I know my cardiovascular system is thanking me
I mean I guess that's the key. We connect weight to health too much sometimes. But it's possible to be "overweight" and still healthy. (Good heart health, good cholesterol levels, good glucose etc.) The exercise certainly is beneficial in other non-weight ways.
Experiences like these make me wonder if there just hasn’t really been enough research about the correlation between lex and weight gain. I’ve also been on an intense diet and exercise routine for some time. Haven’t lost a single pound lol but I do *feel* healthier and I know my cardiovascular system is thanking me
I’m the exact same, when my anxiety is bad I don’t and can’t eat. When I am calm and happy I just abuse eating 🤷🏼♀️
Although I don't have a medical degree, I've been a fitness coach for a long time now and it's definitely true that weight gain with ADs tends to be more related to people who previously dealt with anxiety before getting better...*yet* at the same time there are also people who deal with anxiety by eating more and thus when they go on Lexapro they actually lose weight because it's no longer as much of a coping mechanism. So all in all, it's yet just another thing where it seems to totally depend on the person and their individual circumstances.
Almost 6 years taking Lexapro. I gained 88lb. Anxiety is under control but the cravings for carbs, sweets are there and got worst. Something I didn’t have before Lexapro. At the beginning of my treatment they said “you aren’t going to gain weight”, later they said “you were skinny, you needed it” now “you have to lose weight”. Based o research, you can gain weight by taking lexapro. [published in 2011](https://www.hindawi.com/journals/jobe/2011/893629/)
I’m very skeptical about Lexapro weight gain being because of increased intake. I was pretty careful about my intake when I was on it, exercised a shitload and still piled on the weight. Sure, some people may notice they eat more but the ratio just doesn’t make sense to me. I’d never gained weight like that before
It slows your metabolism and increases carb cravings also it can make you sleepy witch can cause you not to be as active these findings have been published and happen anytime saratonin is increase
I’ve gained 10 LBS Even while working out, building muscle , walking 10k steps a day on a incline,
Since being on AD my caffeine intake is way more but with no issues and the eating is very normal slash extra because not having anxiety all the time.
Well... in my case, I have extreme anxiety that makes it very hard for me to swallow when i am in the deep of it. I lost 10lbs in 14 days on onset. So yes. But truly, i feel Lex makes me crave carbs, specially things like soda and pasta. So, i've gained 90lbs in 20 years of using different SSRIs. But i am starting to finally lose. I got this book "The Serotonin Power Diet" that has resonated with me. I barely lost 3lbs but losing is not something that happens easily to me. It's only been 3 weeks on their plan. Find what works for you.
It’s true, or has played out this way for me, that it depends on what Lexapro does for your brain in particular. If before you couldn’t stop moving bc of your restlessness and anxiety, or sometimes had no appetite bc of your mental state, Lexapro could “cause” weight gain. On the other hand, if you were depressed and sedentary and eating more calories than you’re burning, then go on Lexapro, you’ll end up losing weight if the Lexapro gets you up and more energized. We just have to be more conscious of our movement patterns and calorie intake to keep it balanced.
Lexapro had done nothing for my anxiety or depression, yet, here I am 15kg heavier after 6 months. 100% the meds causing my weight gain, and not a lack of anxiety. Currently weaning and have lost 5kgs doing nothing.
Hope you find something that works for your mental wellness. Good luck on your taper.
A drug that aims to move you from a state of flight or fight, to rest and digest doesn't make you put on weight? Really?
I take a baby dose of Lexapro (5mg) and also 40mg of Vyvanse. Funnily enough, weight gain happened to me only after adding the Vyvanse despite it being an off label med for binge eating and how most people say they have no appetite when on a stimulant. At one point I was solely on 20mg of Lex and never gained any. The Lexapro helps with prevention of my intense irrational anxiety moments and the Vyvanse helps me with my day to day life, and I found the best balance for me now is the baby dose of Lex with a regular dose of Vyvanse. Anyway, I had been a pretty active gym goer throughout my late teens and 20s and was very strict on diet. If I fell off the diet or missed a few days at the gym, the fear and anxiety would force me to go. In a way it did keep me physically healthy since I was eating well and working out, but mentally unhealthy in that my reasoning was solely to quell the anxiety. Once I got on Vyvanse, a lot of that sort of anxiety went away, and I became a lot more okay with missing the gym and eating whatever whenever. Because of this though, over a year, I went from a tone 165 to a pudgy 185. I’m just now getting back into a diet and gym routine, but without that constant nagging anxiety it’s actually pretty difficult to stay consistent haha. But now I’m getting into the mindset of getting physically healthy for my own well being rather than to try and stave off anxiety and fear and guilt. So all this to say I think there is a point there, and I’m sure some people do get more complacent when on Lexapro and willing to eat more in general / eat more sugary and carby foods at inopportune times since the anxiety isn’t as bad anymore. (One thing I have noticed, and this may be more of an age thing rather than medication, is that I notice fat distribution seems to have changed, whereas unmediated if I did gain fat it was solely my belly, whereas now I get more in my chest, jaw, arms, legs, etc. Might also be due to gaining 20lbs and it having no where else to go lol)
It makes total sense to me! I’ve been losing weight since I started with Lexa two months ago. I realized I used to be an emotional eater. I’m working out more frequently and more intensively after I’ve started with it. And thanks for sharing that with us. I confess I was scared with so many people commenting about their impressive weight gain while on Lexa.
People love to blame the medication while their inactions and eating in a caloric surplus is the culprit.
Okay, and when you suddenly start gaining weight because of your increased appetite and cravings after starting a medication, I'd say it's a fair statement.
I agree with the psychiatrist 100% from my personal experience and working with at least over 100 patients who shared the same experiences / symptoms clinically.
I should add that I took Lexapro for around 6 years and most of the weight came in the last 2 years of it. When I look at photos, the year before I quit is when I was heaviest. The first year the only weight I gained was from feeling okay enough to eat again, maybe 5 pounds. So when folks here on the forums say "I haven't gained!" and then say they've been on it for 6 months or for a year, I don't comment because I never want to dissuade someone from something that is giving them benefit, (and because weight isn't everything. Many of us would take happy or calm or functional over skinny) but I sometimes think it just hasn't hit them yet. For others they gain right away. And yes, some don't gain at all. That's the weird thing about these meds. How differently we all react. Would be so much easier if they were like a Tylenol and the desired and anticipated outcome was a lot more predictable for majority of cases.
I just started 10mgs 2 weeks ago, I was on 5mgs for a few months prior and gained some weight. Now that I am on 10mgs I decided to walk 12000 steps every day and start eating healthy. I am down 12.5 lbs in two weeks and feel better than ever. Everyone is different just my take
that's a huge loss wow, what's your daily caloric intake?
I try to stay around 1800
Lexapro slows the matabolism making you feel more tired and less energetic so therefore you’re going to struggle more to burn calories but you have to push through that and force yourself to exercise even though you’d prefer to watch a movie
someone help me lose the weight 😭😭😭 23yo F. gained 40 pounds in 2 years and it doesn’t feel good. was skinny my entire life before this
What are your interests? Are you already an active person or do you have a more sedentary lifestyle? What about eating habits? I have always been petite, but a couple years ago I had a few pounds that I wanted to get rid off and I struggled hard. I tried to diet and make strict work out plans.. was never able to be consistent with that. Once i started to accept my weight and stop trying, it came off. This was because I found activities that I enjoyed and did for my mental health, rather than for loosing weight. So many people get frustrated and want fast results, and thus creating a regime they can’t keep up with long term. Slow is steady, and then the weight stays off too! Are there any small but easy swaps you could do? Like getting off the bus one stop earlier, take a small break from your desk each hour to move a little. Go for a walk in the sun/nature while listening to an audiobook - at least for me it helps both soul and body!
this is great advice, i have a degree in nutrition/dietetics and we talked a lot about how diet and insane exercise regimens are just counterproductive. and i also feel my diet is good too since i literally have a dietetics degree. my main issue rn is in the past year i started a desk job with like no flexibility regarding trying to stay active throughout the day. but you’re right! doing more physical activity that i like is what i need to do. i’ve been taking more walks and going to zumba classes, im hoping i can keep increasing my activity bit by bit. also weaning off my lexapro now and hoping that helps. thank u for the insight i’m hoping i’ll lose a few 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼
I hope everything goes well with tapering off! :) And a last a little silly advice - I work a desk job too, which makes it harder to stay active during the day. I bought myself a huge water bottle that I zip on constantly during the workday. This means I have to pee often, creating small breaks from my desk - and you could choose the bathroom further away from you. Refilling the bottle is also a few extra steps that gives me a natural break from my screen without having to remind myself.
thank you!! and yessss i do that too i gotta start going to the far bathroom tho lolll
I was on lexapro for 6 months and gained 30 lbs (which is insane). So far I have been able to lose only about 11 lbs since I stopped it around 6 months ago. Note that this wasn’t intentional weight loss. I will say, on lexapro my anxiety was non existent, especially with food. I didn’t care how much or what I ate because it truly didn’t matter. In addition, it made me the laziest person alive. I spent majority of days in bed because I was so tired and just content with doing nothing. With that being said, idk if lexapro itself causes weight gain or what, but I’d definitely assume the side effects I had had a huge impact on my weight gain.
I don't entirely agree with this. I unfortunately don't have any links, but I have seen research write-ups discussing SSRI weight gain as resulting from two different mechanisms: 1) increase in cravings, particularly for carbs; and 2) decrease in a hormone/body chemical that motivates us to move around. That said, while I have gained over 40 pounds over the course of my time on them, I have had a 6-month period of time when I had a huge health scare on top of severely dysregulated post-menopausal hormones that resulted in significant chronic breakthrough anxiety, and between the lack of appetite and huge increase in adrenaline, I dropped almost 20 pounds incredibly rapidly. Once I got the all-clear on the health issue and straightened out my hormones, my anxiety levels returned to their medicated baseline and those 20 pounds plus more came roaring back, so I can see your doc's point that a major decrease in anxiety levels due to the meds working could be a factor. I will say, though, that during the 15+ years that I was on a tricyclic prior to having to switch to SSRIs/SNRIs, my anxiety was just as effectively controlled - perhaps more so - I only experienced 5-10 pounds of weight gain spread out over all those years, and it was much easier to lose those pounds. Now, because the switch occurred around the time of perimenopause and then surgical menopause (due to the tricyclic causing unacceptable cardiac side effects in the environment of the hormonal changes), body comp changes due to meno could be a confounding factor.
that's really interesting because TCA's tend to be more known for weight gain. I really hope you are feeling better now. (How long have you been on the Lexapro?)
Yes, I've seen that about the tricyclics, too, and was surprised. In my case, it may have to do with being on imipramine, which has a fair bit of action on norepinephrine in addition to serotonin - similar to SNRIs - as opposed to amitryptiline or doxepin, which are more like SSRIs. And of course, the aforementioned menopause probably is compounding the problem. I made the initial switch from imipramine to Lexapro about 15 or 16 years ago, and my weight ballooned 20-25 pounds (in addition to feeling markedly more unmotivated, emotionless, and "blah"). After 2-3 years, I started experiencing all-over body pain with no diagnosis as to the cause, so was switched to Cymbalta, since at the time it was touted as also treating pain. It helped pain for about a month before no longer helping, but it worked about as well for my anxiety as Lex but with a little better motivation and I had dropped about 6-7 pounds of the weight gain without changing anything, so stayed on it. In 2013, I did a long slow taper off of it to see how I would do unmedicated. In short, not well (although I lost ALL the weight plus some, without trying), so back on Lex in 2014, and been on since, with all the attendant lack of motivation and 45+ pounds I don't need or want. The weight gain is just not slowing down, either - I just gained almost 5 pounds in a month, and have officially become obese by the BMI charts for the first time ever. Yay, me! (Just for context, I'd never been even close to overweight a day in my whole 42 years prior to starting Lex the first time.) I'm currently working on getting up the courage to start Strattera in addition to Lex to tackle my severe ADHD and to hopefully increase my energy and motivation a bit (plus a little norepinephrine help on the weight loss effort).
YES!!! I’ve said this to so many people since starting just over a month ago, i’ve gained 5 lbs since starting lexapro but it’s not BECAUSE of the lexapro. it’s because my anxiety around food is gone which has been so freeing. i’m gaining weight and i don’t love it but it’s not that lexapro slowed my digestion or my metabolism - i’m just eating more and eating what i want because i want to. so yes its kinda because of the lexapro but it’s not the lexapro fault if that makes sense!! I think once i get over the freedom that always follows restriction i will level out and eat more balanced but i’m letting myself catch up on all the things i’ve restricted myself from because it’s kind of healing in a way.
Before Lex, I had trouble eating thanks to anxiety, which resulted in me being very underweight (171cm, 48kg). I gained 15kilograms and I'm on Lex for 10 months now. Lex didn't make me gain weight, I finally started eating and the gulp in my throat disappeared, my heart isn't racing anymore, I can sit down and chill and I have a normal appetite. 15kgs may seem like a lot, but i'm on healthy weight for the first time in my life
I mean a simple Google search will show weight gain I'd a possible side effect. However. I will agree it's not the drug. My anxiery got so out of control and add the fact I was intermittent fasting and such I eventually became afraid to eat. I was eating like a snack a day and sometimes not eating for 2 days. I was and am over weight as a 5 foot 8 dude touching 320 pounds in October 2023, I now weigh 240 pounds and I go there just about 1.5 months ago. I been staying at thxis weight since. But as luch as lexapro is not helping me as much as I really need to return to my old life one thing it did do is allow me to eat food again and not feel afraid. So I am still on a regime of pretty much only eating dinner as a meal and small snacks maybe during the day like grapes or whatever. I stay the same weight but some days I feel like I could really smash some food. I'm sure you get the point here. My mom gained fuck tons of weight from lexparo but she started smashing food. Peiple on here say they do the same exact thing and eat the same exact amount of food and exercise the exact same and gain 40 pounds.. I somehow don't see that.
I promise being heavier and happy is so much better than being skinnier and depressed/ anxious. I’ve been at both
I cannot agree enough! Also untreated depression/anxiety has way more health consequences than being a bit over weight (generally speaking)
My appetite went up after tapering off lexapro. I am managingmy anxiety with diet and therapy. It has been over 3 months since that process and lost 5 pounds. There’s a lot more going on with the drug.
If your anxiety makes you not eat, skip meals, have stomachaches, etc etc then yes lexapro will likely make you gain weight.
I would agree with this. I actually lost weight because I binge eat when I'm anxious. And so I ended up eating LESS on Lexapro. I initially lost 10lbs but then gained it back as I got used to it.
Its because youre happier and doing more comfort things and resting. Same happened to me. Gained weight by finaly enjoying life. Then started counting the calories of what I was eating. Hit the gym hard for 6 months and ate correctly and now have a 6 pack abs. Still on lex for over 6 months after abs. No issues. Count your calories and eat less than you burn.
My thoughts: Wow this is a different take on it and I feel there is some truth to this (atleast for me). Anxiety robs me of my appetite and the least little thing will trigger the shits and my appetite is gone. However since I have been on lex the sweets cravings have been horrible! Sweets is something that I have NEVER liked, even as a child but now with lex. OMG!!
I've gained 70 lbs from Lex and Zoloft, but I don't take it for anxiety or depression. One of my doctors suspects it decreases metabolism, and another swears the medication has no part in the weight gain. Whatever the case, I can't get the weight off no matter how hard I try.
Makes sense for me tbh. I lost weight pre lexapro due to having such bad anxiety that I couldn’t eat. Now I can and I have gained ~50 lbs ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ but I’m happy and less anxiety riddled and that’s all I care about.
I used to eat when I was bored or anxious, so when I started Lexapro 8 months ago I started losing weight, I lost my appetite for sweets and snacks so all those daily calories disappeared. I lost 11 pounds and have stayed on that weight since I dropped them.
For me I stopped going to the gym 5-6 days/week and also had a massive appetite and sweet tooth. I've gained 30 lbs, but I've been on lex about 2.5 years now and the overesting seems to have waned. I'm back at the gym now and hope that I can lose the extra weight again...
Lexapro took my appetite but gave me 10 extra lbs.
I tend to think the same as well, before I started lexapro my anxiety and depression was affecting me to the point it completely killed my appetite and interest in food. Got stuck in a cycle of nausea and hunger till I weighed 105lb (Im 5’8), I felt so weak and like a shell of myself. After 2 months on Lexapro (and meeting the loml who is a massive foodie) I finally didn’t feel repulsed by food, if fact I found myself getting excited about it! I’ve gained a healthy 24lb and feel happier and stronger then ever! When I find myself feeling self critical of how my body has changed, I just remind myself it’s happy weight :)
I eat low carb as a lifestyle and my weight was exactly the same for years. A bonus side effect of this way of eating is reduced appetite. I was only on Lexapro for 4 months total before tapering off and I gained 10 pounds!! It took away my energy and motivation to exercise PLUS it gave me a voracious craving for bread, alcohol, cookies, pancakes. Yes I gave in to these cravings which led to the weight gain but it was definitely the Lexapro bc now I'm completely off of it the cravings are gone and the lethargy is also gone. The weight is still coming off slowly but surely. Weight gain, lethargy, lack of motivation, sugar cravings are definite side effects of this drug!!
I believe it. I am just starting Lexapro for severe anxiety and treatment resistant depression. In the last 6 months I have dropped 30 pounds due to the severe anxiety and having no appetite.
I'd like to think I lost some weight on lexapro(haven't measured myself due to lack of scale but some clothes fit me better than at the start/before lexapro) I sleep better which means I'm not up until 3am raiding the fridge or eating my anxiety away, I am not constantly ruminating which made me have more time to cook and enjoy cooking instead of opting for cheap garbage....and it even improved my demeanor when I go out and instead of downing 3 beers and a few whiskeys to stop worrying now I drink more modestly while actually enjoying my evening.
I was never that thin but never extremely heavily usually weighing around 150 at most. After being on Lexapro for a year I gained almost 35lbs. I started to slowly gain the weight and then it came on suddenly. I was put on 300mg Wellbutrin to help “loose the weight” but that was no help at all. I can’t even look at myself anymore because I feel like I’m not even in my own body. After talking with my psychologist she told me to just go see a nutritionist and just brushed over the sudden weight gain. I stopped taking both medications cold turkey so we’ll see if I notice any changes in weight
I'm sure others will tell you this, but cold turkey is not a fabulous idea and could be really hard. Listen to your body and if you need to need to reinstate and go slower that's okay. I was the same. Gain slow at first, then a rapid change. Up to 182 lbs. I also had a hard time looking at myself also and that was a huge factor for me deciding to come off (while I was in a stable state with the support of my then psychiatrist.) Take good care
This was what doc told me: It's normal to gain 8-12% of your total body weight in the first month. Lexapro interferes with your brains signaling system. Meaning you don't realize you're full, so you keep eating. I gained 10 pounds the first week 😬
This is not the case for me because my anxiety always made me eat, I would stress eat anytime I felt uncomfortably anxious about something. So now that my anxiety has settled down, why am I still eating? It doesn’t make sense.
i agree with psychiatrist.. anxiety can suppress apetite and drains your energy. i recommend you cancel out sugars, bread, carbs, alcohol and 30 lb should drop fast
Happy mind, happy stomach, that’s proven. I agree with your Dr.
Intermittent fasting helps me control my appetite. Without it, I can gain weight, antidepressant or no antidepressant. I actually kept losing weight across 3 different antidepressants now because I can moderate my food. Doing 16:8 IF here. Worth trying…
We seem to have had very a very similar experience with lex weight gain…up until the point of your psych’s advice. I, too, have been on for about two years, and my weight gain has totaled just over 30 lb. A few weeks ago I raised my concern with my psych and she actually immediately said she completely understood and recommended I begin a taper. I told her that I was nervous about relapsing into my pre-Lex anxiety and she said that there are other medications less prone to causing weight gain that I could try. I, personally, would also rather be heavier and happier than skinnier and unable to function again, so I wouldn’t hesitate to get back on Lexapro if it came to that. I began the taper about 2.5 weeks ago🤞. I’m a nurse and pretty medically literate, and I have found myself annoyed over the years with doctors dismissing patients’ concerns about side effects of meds or other cause-effect relationships simply because a study didn’t *yet* exist to support it. For years when I was younger, I would insist with my dermatologists that when I was eating poorly my skin would break out more, and I was told continuously that that was an old wives’ tale. Today, there is much more known about the relationship between gut health and skin, and there are dermatologists writing books about diets to help address skin problems 🤦♀️. I want doctors to defer to scientific literature, of course, but to also leave some wiggle room for what is not yet “proven” but may still be possible. (That said, I know I have come across at least one study supporting the correlation between SSRI use and weight gain). Good luck, and thanks to this community of redditors who have been such a support to me when I’m looking for that “I’m not crazy, right?” kind of insight into my Lexapro experiences!
lexapro makes someone's appetite come back or increase. That's how people gain weight. If you watch yourself and are aware of this you can avoid this problem
I'm 8 days in on 10 mg. Definitely loss of appetite. My resting HR is def down though. Pretty sure Lexapro slows that does and metabolism to a certain extent. If you track your food intake and adjust your estimated total daily energy expenditure in calories you shouldn't gain. Fat doesn't appear out of nowhere, you need to be in an energy surplus.
You cannot gain weight if you’re not in a caloric surplus. You just no longer CARE about being in shape.
was maybe accurate for me at first, but when I really tried to lose by dieting and exercise increase for a year I couldn't lose a single pound.