Just Started Taking Zoloft, I Fear I Will Gain Weight

I am 63 years old, generally in fit condition. but it takes work. I have a fear that from what I've heard and read that Zoloft will make me gain weight. Then I will have an additional problem to overcome. Is it worth trading one issue and getting two in return? It is a personal decision, I know that, but why can't a Doctor prescribe a med that helps my panic attacks and depression without making me fat at the same time? Come on Doc! Get that prescription pad out, write something good. It's out there, gimme some of that!

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Hello, Sally! How are you?

Yes, I won't lie to you, Zoloft is very well known for causing weight gain. Other side effects, as listed by the FDA, may possibly include nausea, dizziness, headache and dry mouth.

If you're concerned about weight gain, you may want to speak to your doctor about trying Prozac. It is also an SSRI that treats the same conditions, but it isn't known to cause weight gain, like the others. It's actually caused weight loss much more frequently.

Is there anything else I can help with?

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Hi Verwon,

Not sure where you're getting your information from, but Zoloft is actually the antidepressant, in the category of SSRI, that is LEAST likely to cause weight gain. According to WebMD

Prozac is MORE likely to cause weight gain than Zoloft.

So that's good news for Sally and I, because we both recently started taking Zoloft. Not to mention, switching medication is a gradual process, Zoloft is not something you can just stop taking. You have to gradually come off of it with the help of your doctor before you can decide to try something else. There are major risks involved with just stopping cold turkey.

Hope that helps. :)

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Thanks for the info sweetie.

The weight gain concern that I referenced earlier was obtained from an official medical/prescription web site.

Good to hear.I won't need to worry about gettin' fat. I am 5'7" and always weighed between 115 #s (my high school weightl) and 125 #s (my current weight at 63 years old. )

I'm proud that I've only gained 10 pounds since high school. Lucky to always be thin, a family 'gene pool' thing.

I still ride my horse, do my own house and yard work, wash my car, clean stalls, ice with my peeps and walk at least a mile a day.

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Amazing! Sounds like you're in better condition than me at 32! Haha!

I'm going to try Zoloft or a few months and see how it goes. My doctor prescribed it to help with Chronic Fatigue, but so far it has only made me more tired! In hindsight, I think it's important to do your own due diligence when considering new medications. Had I known about the side effects I probably would have said no, but now it's too late to stop taking it so I'm going to continue and see what happens.

Best of luck with your Zoloft journey. Fingers crossed it works out for both of us.

Cheers,
Alicia

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Hello Alicia,

thanks for the response. I am not aware of any real bad side effects, the information I had was real general stuff. Are tbe side effects you are referencing bad? And I just cannot decide it's not for me and just quit? Wow, this stuff is being treated as a heavy duty narcotic. Ive taken Prozac or Paxil for years for panic attacks, then I started getting very debilitating panic attacks, thus, now, the Zoloft. No attacks since then. Wish I could control the atracks and stop the meds. I'm waiting for the TV commercial that says. "If you or a loved one took the medication Zoloft and suffered from ... call this attorney". Oh well, what can one do, get rich later LOL.

Y'all take care. Sally Mae

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I'm just very sensitive to drugs and started taking 50mg, but had to go down to 25 as I was feeling very anxious and spaced out. I just felt weird. I've been on the lower dose now for a few days and feel much better. Sorry, I didn't mean to worry you about side effects! Oops!

:)

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