Hi everyone,
I wanted to ask if anyone else has experienced something similar with sertraline/Zoloft.
I’ve been on sertraline for about 2 years. During the first year, I didn’t notice any major changes in my body, but after that I started feeling unusually bloated, heavy, and uncomfortable.
I know weight gain is a side effect of antidepressants but It’s not just about weight as a number — it’s more that my body doesn’t feel like my “normal” body anymore. My stomach often feels swollen, and when I bend forward it can feel tight and uncomfortable, almost like my body is taking up more space than it used to.
Because of past eating disorder-related issues, I haven’t weighed myself in over 15 years, so I don’t know what the scale would say. But I can tell that my clothes don’t fit the way they used to.
I’m trying to understand whether this could be related to sertraline — maybe through water retention, digestion, appetite changes, metabolism, or just feeling more physically sluggish overall. I’m also turning 33 this year, so I’ve wondered if age could be part of it too.
The difficult part is that sertraline has helped me mentally, so it feels upsetting to wonder whether something that has helped my mind might also be making me feel worse in my body. I don’t want to make dramatic conclusions or panic, but I also don’t want to ignore something that feels very real.
For those of you who felt bloated, puffy, heavier, or uncomfortable in your body on sertraline:
- Did it improve over time?
- Did it get better after lowering the dose or stopping?
- Was it actual weight gain, water retention, digestive bloating, or hard to tell?
- How long did it take for your body to feel more normal again?
- Did anything help — diet changes, movement, hydration, probiotics, changing dose timing, etc.?
I’m not looking for medical advice instead of talking to a doctor. I’m just curious about other people’s experiences, because this feels quite isolating and confusing.
For context, I’m a 32-year-old woman, child-free, and generally healthy.
All the best 😌