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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards | negrogesic

Xanax and weight gain?

drfeelgood1

Bluelighter
Joined
Oct 15, 2005
Messages
627
I am taking 1mg per day of Xanax for my social phobia and panic attacks, but does Xanax make you gain weight in a way like most anti-psychotics and anti-depressants do? I do excersises and eat much less now, but I just cant seem to put off any weight. Maybe I will just kick the Xanax for a few weeks and see what happens.

I just wanted to know about this here just for the reference.


Thx.
 
First off, I wouldn't just kick a benzo, that can lead to potentially fatal wd's, even 1 mg is not a huge dose for a day. Anyhow, no benzos do not cause weight gain like anti-psychotics or anti-depressants do. They might decrease your inhibitions so you don't watch what you eat so carefully, but they don't cause appetite increase themselves or weight gain issues.
 
Well they make food taste better, id imagine you could gain some weight. Depends on the person
 
Oh man, Xanax and weed, killer munchies. I would be absolutely unstoppable in the kitchen. Some people get benzo rage, but I would rage through ice cream and chocolates.




Also, I'm sure the depressant qualities of benzos slow down your metabolism and digestion.
 
According to a nurse I talked to xanax speeds up your enzymes in your stomach. I don't know but they do make one hugry esp. with some weed!
 
I have never found this to be the case - just disinhibition about everything, eating included. Interesting.
 
I've noticed that I tend to be hungrier when I'm less anxious, which happens when you take a benzo. Might be a very simple explanation. The pills itself won't make you gain weight.
 
Xanax makes me hungry too. But I do want to kick the Xanax though anyway.

Now I am more concerned about the Wds....Does it really cause fatal Wds??? I thought 1mg per day would not be an issue.
Some people take more like 2 or 4mg per day but never even heard of people dying from Wds though.

Still, I think opiates are the worst when it comes to Wds.
 
It more so has to do with your ability to deal with stress. Those prone to eating more often as a solution for being under pressure will lose weight, however individuals may also lose their inhibitions while on the benzo and feel more encourages to seek food.
 
It just makes me hungry.

But as ALEX000 posted, I am now very very paranoid if kicking off the Xanax now. I never heard people dying from benzo Wds.

Im sorry if I am off the topic now, but this is scary now.

If I took 1mg per day up until now, how should I start coming off of it? Should I start taking 0.5mg now and then come off totally?
 
If I took 1mg per day up until now, how should I start coming off of it? Should I start taking 0.5mg now and then come off totally?

I doubt W/Ds from 1mg will be severe enough to not be able to cold turkey from it, but yes that is how "tapering down" usually works.
 
According to a nurse I talked to xanax speeds up your enzymes in your stomach. I don't know but they do make one hugry esp. with some weed!

I've not heard that before and I have to admit I am a little dubrious.. I've not heard of Xanax/alprazolam having any effect on your gastric enzymes, and inducing them wouldn't affect hunger as far as I can see.. they are mainly involved in the secretion of hydrochloric acid (gastrin, breaking food into small particles (pepsinogen) and protecting the stomach lining from the acidic environment (mucin). You also produce the enzyme needed to absorb vitamin B12 in your stomach (intrinsic factor).

edit: just remembered that leptin is secreted by cells in your stomach as well as elsewhere, and this is thought to have a role in hunger and satiety, but I can't find any info on alprazolam affecting it's production or function.

However, as you say, feeling anxious kills your appetite. This is because it activates your fight/flight mechanism via the sympathetic nervous system, and causes blioodflow to be diverted away from your gut to your muscles/heart/lungs, and it reduces the movement of your stomach (gastroparesis). This causes lack of appetite and nausea. Xanax obviously removes a lot of the anxiety, allowing you to feel hungry and eat again.

Only taking it when you need to is an excellent plan :)
 
Well, when I get these panic attacks, I cannot even eat and I do not feel hungry. So when taking these, then I get hungry. People are different with different effects with meds.
 
the infamous benzo munchies! they make me want to stuff my face more than marijuana
 
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