Prozac Weight Gain

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It is ironic that doctors will often prescribe Prozac to overweight patients telling them that they are depressed and need an anti-depressant to make them feel better and get their weight under control. Prozac weight gain is a well knows side effect of this drug, so for many people the drug that was supposed to make the problem better has only made it worse. It is not uncommon for patients to report anywhere from a 20 to 40 pound weight gain while on this drug.

Unfortunately part of the problem is that antidepressants will slow your metabolism and if you are already overweight this can intensify a problem that may already exist. Furthermore Prozac weight gain can make it impossible for you to increase your metabolism putting you in the midst of a vicious circle that has no exit point. Antidepressants also affect hormones; these hormone fluxuations can cause an increase in appetite, further compounding the problem.

Perhaps the biggest problem of all is that Prozac has a calming and sedating effect and while this may be a desirable effect, it also gives a person the feeling of false euphoria like everything is all right in their world. They may not realize they are gaining weight till their pants no longer fit and the damage has already been done. All of this may have the undesired effect of taking too much of an edge off a person’s need to act and cause them to have too relaxed of an attitude about their eating habits.

While some antidepressants are worse than others Prozac comes in around the middle of the spectrum, the average person can expect to gain between 20 and 30 pounds while taking this drug. For some people this weight gain can be avoided by just being aware of the problem and watching what they eat as well as exercising. Staying active and keeping processed foods and foods high in fat and sugar out of your diet can help your metabolism from plummeting and you may be able to avoid the problem all together.

If you have taken every possible step to avoid weight gain and are still gaining weight it is important to talk to your doctor. You and your doctor will need to explore to see if there are any other medications that may be more suitable for you and then weigh the options to see if the risk that your Prozac weight gain puts you at outweighs the advantages for the condition you are taking it for.