Antidepressants giving me a ravenous appetite

[LostGirl11]

I've been on Sertraline for about three weeks. I was one of the lucky ones that noticed an improvement in my mood and thoughts pretty much straight away.

 

But my god! My appetite has gone through the roof this past week. I'll have a huge dinner but my stomach will still feel empty, like it's full of air. Nothing is satisfying my appetite. I'm under weight so gaining some weight won't hurt but I don't want to be chubby.

 

I'm not a big chocolate lover but I'm craving it!

 

I've noticed it, so all I can do it control myself, if I can't then I'll have to tell my doctor. Why are they increasing my appetite so much

[Feelin Frisky]

When it comes to tuning up the brain to treat depression, anxiety or compulsive obsessions, doctors have no test they can do on you to find out exactly how much of which neurotransmitter is causing the problem. So, the nature of treatment is best guessing. That means the patient has to be the last word in their treatment--it is never that the doctor knows all and the patient just silently yields to what he or she prescribes. If the sertraline works in some ways but has a side effect you decide is intolerable--like becoming chunky due to changes in appetite, you must take charge because it's serious. Eating can become a compulsive addiction that is as hard to solve as heroin or crack or even harder because unlike those pleasure drugs, you have to eat. So, if you feel that there is benefit, it is likely that the doctor is on the right track in giving you the SSRI or Sertraline (Zoloft). But there are others which also work favorably on your serotonin system that may not have the same side effect. Don't be shy--tell your doctor the side effect is unacceptable and you want to try a different SSRi to avoid this side effect. No good doctor who knows his or her medicine will argue with you and if they do, they are wrong. Best wishes.

[LostGirl11]

When it comes to tuning up the brain to treat depression, anxiety or compulsive obsessions, doctors have no test they can do on you to find out exactly how much of which neurotransmitter is causing the problem. So, the nature of treatment is best guessing. That means the patient has to be the last word in their treatment--it is never that the doctor knows all and the patient just silently yields to what he or she prescribes. If the sertraline works in some ways but has a side effect you decide is intolerable--like becoming chunky due to changes in appetite, you must take charge because it's serious. Eating can become a compulsive addiction that is as hard to solve as heroin or crack or even harder because unlike those pleasure drugs, you have to eat. So, if you feel that there is benefit, it is likely that the doctor is on the right track in giving you the SSRI or Sertraline (Zoloft). But there are others which also work favorably on your serotonin system that may not have the same side effect. Don't be shy--tell your doctor the side effect is unacceptable and you want to try a different SSRi to avoid this side effect. No good doctor who knows his or her medicine will argue with you and if they do, they are wrong. Best wishes.

 

 

Yeah, I'm going to tell my doctor, I don't want to gain too much weight! That will cause another problem and I'll end up becoming depressed about that! Can't win!

 

I've just had two lots of dinner and my stomach feel empty and hollow! But I know it's not!

[iouaname]

I am also on Sertraline and for the first while that I was on it, it made me feel sick to my stomach if I didn't eat enough. I didn't necessarily have a huge appetite, I just felt hunger pains worse if I didn't eat.

[LostGirl11]

Is it all the mind? Or are they actually doing something to my metabolism? My stomach really does feel empty though so it can't be all in my head.

[LostGirl11]

I am also on Sertraline and for the first while that I was on it, it made me feel sick to my stomach if I didn't eat enough. I didn't necessarily have a huge appetite, I just felt hunger pains worse if I didn't eat.

 

I have hunger pains now! And I ate only an hour ago! So I don't know if to eat or just ignore it and deal with the pain?!

[tbf]

Are you taking sertraline for an eating disorder?

[iouaname]

I have hunger pains now! And I ate only an hour ago! So I don't know if to eat or just ignore it and deal with the pain?!

 

No, eat something! Eat something small if you have to, like some fruit or something enough to satisfy that. I had the same sort of problem. For me it went away after a few weeks and I have been fine on it since.

[LostGirl11]

Are you taking sertraline for an eating disorder?

 

No, depression and anxiey.

[LostGirl11]

No, eat something! Eat something small if you have to, like some fruit or something enough to satisfy that. I had the same sort of problem. For me it went away after a few weeks and I have been fine on it since.

 

Yeah, I'll try that. Will also drink loads of water.

[tbf]

No, depression and anxiey.

Since you're already underweight, might the positive effects of sertraline be ameliorating the prior negative impacts of stress and anxiety on appetite?

[iouaname]

Oh, I forgot! When do you take the Sertraline? I used to take it before I went to bed, which was a mistake because then I'd have nothing in my stomach all night and just feel sick. I started taking it at lunch because that was my biggest meal of the day, and that helped a lot.

[LostGirl11]

Oh, I forgot! When do you take the Sertraline? I used to take it before I went to bed, which was a mistake because then I'd have nothing in my stomach all night and just feel sick. I started taking it at lunch because that was my biggest meal of the day, and that helped a lot.

 

I take it at 5pm every day. I always have to have a snack before bed.

[Maleficent]

I've been on Sertraline for about three weeks. I was one of the lucky ones that noticed an improvement in my mood and thoughts pretty much straight away.

 

But my god! My appetite has gone through the roof this past week. I'll have a huge dinner but my stomach will still feel empty, like it's full of air. Nothing is satisfying my appetite. I'm under weight so gaining some weight won't hurt but I don't want to be chubby.

 

I'm not a big chocolate lover but I'm craving it!

 

I've noticed it, so all I can do it control myself, if I can't then I'll have to tell my doctor. Why are they increasing my appetite so much

 

Well…anti depressants are, for lack of a better expression, fixing your brain. Making it work right.

 

So if you were underweight, it's probably because you had little or no appetite when you were depressed.

I wouldn't be surprised if your appetite was normal but you're just used to having no appetite.

Enjoy it! Antidepressants fixed my sex drive lol

 

Anti depressants do tend to affect appetite though so if it worries you a lot, talk to your doctor, or better - start working out!

 

Also, I was doing ok until I started taking a complex B vitamin every morning (along with my usual medication) and that's when I started going really really good, really really fast.

 

But it took 6 months to find the right medications and the right dosage…so you should definitely talk to your doctor.

 

I hope you feel better soon.

[LostGirl11]

Well…anti depressants are, for lack of a better expression, fixing your brain. Making it work right.

 

So if you were underweight, it's probably because you had little or no appetite when you were depressed.

I wouldn't be surprised if your appetite was normal but you're just used to having no appetite.

Enjoy it! Antidepressants fixed my sex drive lol

 

Anti depressants do tend to affect appetite though so if it worries you a lot, talk to your doctor, or better - start working out!

 

Also, I was doing ok until I started taking a complex B vitamin every morning (along with my usual medication) and that's when I started going really really good, really really fast.

 

But it took 6 months to find the right medications and the right dosage…so you should definitely talk to your doctor.

 

I hope you feel better soon.

 

I had no appetite at all. I'd struggle to eat a slice of toast because my stomach shrunk.

 

This is a bit much though. I'm like a beast raiding the kitchen for food!

[Maleficent]

I had no appetite at all. I'd struggle to eat a slice of toast because my stomach shrunk.

 

This is a bit much though. I'm like a beast raiding the kitchen for food!

 

Haha! Maybe it's just your body trying to go back to a normal weight?

[pureinheart]

When it comes to tuning up the brain to treat depression, anxiety or compulsive obsessions, doctors have no test they can do on you to find out exactly how much of which neurotransmitter is causing the problem. So, the nature of treatment is best guessing. That means the patient has to be the last word in their treatment--it is never that the doctor knows all and the patient just silently yields to what he or she prescribes. If the sertraline works in some ways but has a side effect you decide is intolerable--like becoming chunky due to changes in appetite, you must take charge because it's serious. Eating can become a compulsive addiction that is as hard to solve as heroin or crack or even harder because unlike those pleasure drugs, you have to eat. So, if you feel that there is benefit, it is likely that the doctor is on the right track in giving you the SSRI or Sertraline (Zoloft). But there are others which also work favorably on your serotonin system that may not have the same side effect. Don't be shy--tell your doctor the side effect is unacceptable and you want to try a different SSRi to avoid this side effect. No good doctor who knows his or her medicine will argue with you and if they do, they are wrong. Best wishes.

 

Frisky, you know a lot about this stuff...I won't describe this right, so reading between the lines might be needed due to much being left out, but...

 

When I was hyperthyroid, real hyperthyroid (TSH had no reading, it was that bad) the same thing happened as OP ...my hunger was non stop. I ate massive amounts of food and felt sick all of the time, that constant hungry feeling. It's miserable!

 

Now would t be safe to advise OP to have a thyroid check? Is there a possibly our situations are relatable?

[FitChick]

Everyone I know who was or is on antidepressants has gotten fat. That makes them depressed so it's really an exercise in futility. It wouldn't surprise me if it turned out that this is deliberate so you buy appetite suppressants and other diet drugs. Google natural methods.

[LostGirl11]

Frisky, you know a lot about this stuff...I won't describe this right, so reading between the lines might be needed due to much being left out, but...

 

When I was hyperthyroid, real hyperthyroid (TSH had no reading, it was that bad) the same thing happened as OP ...my hunger was non stop. I ate massive amounts of food and felt sick all of the time, that constant hungry feeling. It's miserable!

 

Now would t be safe to advise OP to have a thyroid check? Is there a possibly our situations are relatable?

 

I've had a full blood count, everything was fine. Yep, being constantly hungry is miserable!

[pureinheart]

I've had a full blood count, everything was fine. Yep, being constantly hungry is miserable!

 

Girl, I hated it. My caloric intake was about 5-7000 calories per day and that was a conservative estimate. Thinking I read that the thyroid hormones are synthesized in the stomach, so maybe the same thing is taking place with the Zoloft?

 

I don't quite understand this, but back then did a lot of research, and it was a long time ago so don't hold me to the above paragraph.

 

I know it's hard to describe to others just how inconvenient this is!

[pureinheart]

Everyone I know who was or is on antidepressants has gotten fat. That makes them depressed so it's really an exercise in futility. It wouldn't surprise me if it turned out that this is deliberate so you buy appetite suppressants and other diet drugs. Google natural methods.

 

FC, could it be a hormonal reaction? When my thyroid (which is part of the hormonal system) began to chill (come under control) the hunger stopped.

 

St. Johns Wart works for me, along with vit E and Omega 3's.

 

Oh to add, I've found the same thing with Norco/Vicodin, meaning everyone I know on them has gained weight.

[LostGirl11]

FC, could it be a hormonal reaction? When my thyroid (which is part of the hormonal system) began to chill (come under control) the hunger stopped.

 

St. Johns Wart works for me, along with vit E and Omega 3's.

 

It may sound like I'm being a drama queen but the hunger pains are horrible. I thought it could all be in the mind, but no! My poor stomach is crying out for food all the time. Are they doing something to my metabolism?

[FitChick]

It may sound like I'm being a drama queen but the hunger pains are horrible. I thought it could all be in the mind, but no! My poor stomach is crying out for food all the time. Are they doing something to my metabolism?

 

Stop taking the drug and you will find out. If after a week you are still starving, you could be hyperthyroid or something else is happening. See an endocrinologist.

 

How old are you? You could be perimenopausal. Depression is often due to hormone imbalance so you need to find out for sure before you treat the symptoms without knowing the underlying cause. Hypothyroid makes you depressed as well. Treat the underlying cause instead of the symptoms. If you were starving to death, would you want to take an appetite suppresant or eat food? Treat the cause!

 

People and doctors these days tend to forget that depression is a normal reaction to many life events: job loss, marriage breakup, death of a friend, etc. You can't learn and grow from those experiences if you are doped up.

Edited June 30, 2013 by FitChick

[Maleficent]

Stop taking the drug and you will find out.

 

…you don't just 'stop' taking anti depressants. never.

[tbf]

Everyone I know who was or is on antidepressants has gotten fat. That makes them depressed so it's really an exercise in futility. It wouldn't surprise me if it turned out that this is deliberate so you buy appetite suppressants and other diet drugs. Google natural methods.

Sertraline (zoloft) isn't supposed to cause weight gain.