At one time, I took Paxil which did result in gaining weight. The low dosage of Lexapro seems to be pretty effective for me and when I talked to the Dr. about the possibility of increasing the dosage when I was struggling a bit, she indicated that an increase could trigger an increase in side effects like weight gain.

Balancing the benefits of a drug against the side effects always seems to be part of the equation.

I was on Celexa. It helped with my cravings in the beginning. I lost 10 lbs or so. But then, after I was on it for a few years, I started packing on the pounds like crazy. I gained well over 80 lbs while I was on it (8.5 years total). Most of that weight was gained in the last 3 years that I was on it. I'm off it now and I did lose some weight when I initially went off it, but no where near 80lbs.

I have one other friend who took SSRIs. She was 90lbs soaking wet for most of her life. Until she went on SSRIs. She gained 60 lbs and AFAIK (it's been a year or 2 since I saw her IRL, but she does post pictures on FB) she is still holding on to that weight (She went off SSRIs the same time I did).

This is one of those anecdotal slams against taking meds for mental health issues ?
If so you do a disservice to people struggling with issues like depression who read this and then do not seek professional help thinking they lack the ability to heal themselves thus suffer needlessly and live a diminished life when they don't have to:

I was on Paxil when it first came out, ~18 or 19 years ago. Totally killed my appetite and I lost a bunch of weight. It also caused total impotence.

Being about twenty years old at the time (and with a very "active" girlfriend), there was only one possible outcome in the mental debate of happy-but-impotent versus suicidal-but-well-laid.

I know it was almost 19 years ago because my daughter turns 18 on Friday.

calories.

I gained on Cymbalta. But, I feel better so it is worth it.

I weaned myself off it last year, with horrible withdrawal symptoms, I might add. It took almost the entire year to lose 20 of the 30 lbs. Unfortunately, the only antidepressant that absolutely does not cause weight gain (Wellbutrin) cannot be used for anxiety. I'm treating my disorder with CBT, meditation, exercise, and vitamin supplements. Minimal prescription of Lorazepam (0.25) only when I have an acute attack. (happening less and less since I started therapy)

Been on the meds for a long time now (and they work!). The weight gain has been minimal.. and I would attribute it mostly to age... and an unenthusiastic exercise regime.

but I also went through meno, so it's tough to say which caused it. On desipramine, I lost 20 pounds.

Often low doses are used for non-depressive disorders, as you point out.

As a related example, low doses ( 50 mg) elavil daily is very effective in post shingles neuropathy (pain).
come to think of it, I am wondering if it would be helpful during the outbreak, for pain.

And gained a lot of weight. I stopped taking it maybe a year or two ago and stil have the weight. I said something to my doc about a year into taking it and he was like oh yeah it will do that. Thanks for mentioning that at the onset. I don't think it would have mattered though as I was desperate for relief from my anxiety at the time. I stopped being able to afford my meds so had to go off them. I moved to the mountains and now I take walks instead..

I stayed as skinny as ever -- my metabolism is in permanent overdrive it would seem.

That shit ruined my sex drive, however. I stopped taking it because I had no desire to feel like a eunuch.

I had already gained weight from Chemo, Tamoxifen (a breast cancer drug), and the damn-it-all I'll eat what I want attitude.

Zoloft helped to bring me out of the depression I had fallen into. If taking it added a few pounds, so be it. Without it, I was content to just sit all day and do nothing. That would have eventually caused me to put some weight on anyway.