Which medication is most likely to increase hunger, melatonin, lamictal (lamotrigine) or clonazepam?

Lamictal (Lamotrigine) is Most Likely Increasing Your Hunger

Among the three medications you're taking, lamotrigine (Lamictal) is the most likely culprit for increased hunger, though it's generally considered weight-neutral rather than actively appetite-stimulating. Neither melatonin nor clonazepam are recognized as appetite stimulants in clinical practice.

Weight Effects of Your Medications

Lamotrigine (Lamictal)

• Lamotrigine is classified as weight-neutral among anti-epileptic medications, meaning it typically neither causes weight gain nor weight loss 1
• However, "weight-neutral" doesn't mean zero effect—individual responses vary, and some patients do experience increased appetite or modest weight changes
• Among anti-epileptic drugs, lamotrigine sits in the middle category: gabapentin, pregabalin, and valproic acid consistently cause weight gain, while topiramate and zonisamide promote weight loss 1

Clonazepam (Benzodiazepine)

• Benzodiazepines like clonazepam do NOT stimulate appetite or cause weight gain 2
• Sedatives and benzodiazepine-type medications fail to induce weight gain, and their sedative effects do not contribute to appetite changes 2
• This has been consistently demonstrated across multiple studies of benzodiazepine use

Melatonin

• Melatonin is not mentioned in any obesity or appetite literature as having effects on hunger or weight
• No clinical evidence supports melatonin as an appetite stimulant

Clinical Context: Why Lamotrigine is the Answer by Elimination

While none of these three medications are classic appetite stimulants, if you're experiencing increased hunger, lamotrigine is the most plausible explanation because:

• It's the only medication among the three that has ANY documented relationship with weight/appetite systems 1
• Individual metabolic responses to "weight-neutral" medications can vary significantly
• Clonazepam is definitively ruled out by strong evidence 2
• Melatonin has no documented appetite effects

Medications That DO Cause Significant Hunger (For Comparison)

To put this in perspective, medications that genuinely increase appetite include:

• Antipsychotics (particularly olanzapine and clozapine) 3
• Tricyclic antidepressants like amitriptyline 4
• Mirtazapine (strongly associated with weight gain and increased appetite) 4, 5
• Anti-epileptics like gabapentin, pregabalin, and valproic acid 1
• Lithium and MAO inhibitors 4, 2

Important Caveat

If your hunger is significantly impacting your quality of life, this warrants discussion with your prescriber rather than assuming it's medication-related. Other factors to consider include:

• Changes in mood or anxiety (which all three medications treat) can independently affect appetite
• Sleep quality improvements from these medications might normalize appetite that was previously suppressed
• Underlying medical conditions affecting metabolism or appetite regulation