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Taking Cipralex For Depression. Weight Gain. Concerned About Withdrawal Symptoms
hello, i have been on cipralex for the last 2 yrs.i was diagnosed with severe depression and i was put on 5mg cipralex then 10 then 20mg. i gained more than 8kgs so far.my doc said we should start tapeing off.i started going down to 15mg two months ago and now i started taking 10mg. im just concerned about the discontinuation syndrome ,and if ill be able to lose the extra kgs after tapering off. thank you so much for your time
Mon, 31 Dec 2012
thank you.dont worry. weight gain due to side effect of cipralex should be managed by tapering off . you are worried about discontinuation syndrome.but there are many effective antidepressant drug other than cipralex.you also maintain your weight by diet control & taking regular exercise.so dont worry about weight gain & discontinuation syndrome.
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Hello and welcome to Healthcare Magic. Thanks for your query.
Cipralex (Escitalopram) is an antidepressant which belongs to a class of medication called SSRIs. Now, when SSRIs are taken for prolonged periods of time and stopped abruptly, they can cause certain withdrawal effects, known as a 'discontinuation syndrome'.
Discontinuation syndrome or withdrawal effects will be seen only if the SSRI medication is stopped abruptly. In your case, the medication is being tapered down very gradually. So it is unlikely that you will have any problems due to discontinuation.
Regarding the weight gain, SSRIs like Cipralex are usually known to cause weight loss, however, there can be weight gain in a small proportion of patients. I would suggest that you follow dietary restrictions and engage in regualr physical activity to keep your weight under control.
Wish you all the best.
Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist
Cipralex (Escitalopram) is an antidepressant which belongs to a class of medication called SSRIs. Now, when SSRIs are taken for prolonged periods of time and stopped abruptly, they can cause certain withdrawal effects, known as a 'discontinuation syndrome'.
Discontinuation syndrome or withdrawal effects will be seen only if the SSRI medication is stopped abruptly. In your case, the medication is being tapered down very gradually. So it is unlikely that you will have any problems due to discontinuation.
Regarding the weight gain, SSRIs like Cipralex are usually known to cause weight loss, however, there can be weight gain in a small proportion of patients. I would suggest that you follow dietary restrictions and engage in regualr physical activity to keep your weight under control.
Wish you all the best.
Regards,
Dr. Jonas Sundarakumar
Consultant Psychiatrist
I find this answer helpful
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