Paxil and Weight Gain
Taking paxil? I’ll bet you’re gaining weight. Paxil and weight gain go together like salt and pepper.
The fact that paxil and other antidepressants make many users gain weight has been known for decades.
Unfortunately, the information has been slow in trickling down to the doctors who usually prescribe them.
Why You Gain Weight with Paxil
Paxil, like the other drugs in its class, can impede specific enzymes in your liver that allow your metabolism to function correctly.
Much like crimping a garden hose impedes the flow of water through it; so paxil and other SSRI’s impede certain neuroendocrine system pathways.
All antidepressants slow the metabolism and inhibit specific enzymes in the liver that allow the metabolism to function correctly. Many antidepressants also also increase appetite and carbohydrate cravings. Antidepressants like Paxil are also shown to cause hormonal changes, which can further add to weight gain.
According to Dr. Daniel K. Hall-Flavin of the Mayo Clinic, not all anti-depressants cause weight gain; however, Paxil can and often does. He explains that serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), of which Paxil is one, don’t normally cause weight gain whereas MAOIs, tricyclic antidepressants and monoamine oxidase inhibitors, are more likely to result in added weight. In this case, Paxil, which is an SSRI, is the exception, particularly if taken for a long period of time.
Yes, I’ve had experience with Paxil. You adjust your caloric intake to take the metobolic side effect into account (eat less). And look for another SSRI.
The 30 pound weight gain is quite obvious..but the anti-depressant effect of the Lexapro tells her not to be concerned...NOT LOL!
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Neurotin.......put 30 pounds on me. Lost it when a new doctor took me off it and put me on Topomax.