weight gain after medication

I've had bouts of depression for the past 6 years or so. I was on medication (paroxetine) and therapy after the breakup with my fiancé, and after about 6 months I was fine again, so I went off the meds. I also managed to lose a lot of weight after that due to regular exercise, and the weight stayed off. Then, about two years ago, the depression came back due to a mixture of stress and changing life circumstances. Things go really bad a year ago and I got back to paroxetine, mostly due to my sleeping problems, anxiety and so on. The anxiety and constant crying went away, but the sleeping problems continued. I haven't been able to sleep more than 6 hours a night on a regular basis, with out without medication, for over a year. Also, I started noticing weight gain. First I thought it was because my routine of walking 3 miles a day had changed, so I started going to the gym, doing rock climbing, changed my diet, etc. Nothing, the weight kept going up, so much that my jeans would fit anymore. Then I started tapering down, without any disturbing side effects, except one, the weight kept going up. I´ve been completely off medication for 6 weeks now, and I feel more bloated and heavy than ever. Also, all the weight seems to have gone to my mid section. People tell me that I am not overweight because you don't see it in my face, but my waist is gone and now my tummy is huge, when it had remained quite flat for the past 5 years.
Other than that, the depression seems to be quite under control without medication, but I wonder, when will my weight catch up with my diet and levels of activity. Now it is the weight gain that is getting me down, even if I am managing to deal with the other anxiety causing things in my life.
Does anybody have any advice, insights, similar experiences?
Will I be able to get rid of these rolls of fat?

P.S. I've read everywhere that cortisol could be behind this weight gain, and that getting enough sleep is key to fighting it, but I still can't manage to get enough sleep at night. Any tips?

Hey, edule, I see your post is from Sep 2013, but I had the same issue with Paroxetine and would like to give my input on the subject to maybe benefit others.

I had weight gain too, and thought it was Paroxetine and asked my doctor and he said it was probably metabolic changes since I was reaching 30 and a woman's body feel different around this time.

I read somewhere we women get our best body / metabolic rates around 24 years old and after that things start to decline. So it's perfectly normal.

Around that time also I did an Albendazole treatment since I eat a lot out of the house and could possibly have parasites. And I did and after that I started to gain weight because I was eating the same amount of food but didn't have the parasites to have their share of the meal too haha.

So what I am trying to say is that it could be various reasons you were putting on weight and only a doctor can evaluate what's going on trought exams.

I'm actually interested to know if you feel better now a few years latter.