Paroxetine and weight loss, please Help.
Artemiris
Posts: 189 Member
Hi all, I am in desperate need of opinions.
Short version: is it possible to successfully lose weight, while on medications (antidepressant)?
I have been on and off Daparox (paroxetine) for several years and everytime I gained weight.
This year I had been taking my highest dosage ever and, in 12 months, I gained 15 kg.
I interrupted it about 2 months ago, a couple of weeks ago I started using MFP again to lose these extra 15 kg.
I don't think I can manage without daparox though, I have violent panic attacks and derealization (among many other mental problems). If I start taking it again will I encounter difficulties in losing weight?
I suppose I always gain weight because it makes me ravenous, but, if I keep eating in a deficit it should be ok, right?
If someone can help me understand I would be very grateful. I know that the answer is "yes", but nonetheless I did gain weight BECAUSE of the medicine, so I want to be sure.
Before someone asks: don't worry, everytime I get on/off the medicine I do it slowly and gradually, it takes about one month to raise it to the right dose and three months to stop taking it.
Short version: is it possible to successfully lose weight, while on medications (antidepressant)?
I have been on and off Daparox (paroxetine) for several years and everytime I gained weight.
This year I had been taking my highest dosage ever and, in 12 months, I gained 15 kg.
I interrupted it about 2 months ago, a couple of weeks ago I started using MFP again to lose these extra 15 kg.
I don't think I can manage without daparox though, I have violent panic attacks and derealization (among many other mental problems). If I start taking it again will I encounter difficulties in losing weight?
I suppose I always gain weight because it makes me ravenous, but, if I keep eating in a deficit it should be ok, right?
If someone can help me understand I would be very grateful. I know that the answer is "yes", but nonetheless I did gain weight BECAUSE of the medicine, so I want to be sure.
Before someone asks: don't worry, everytime I get on/off the medicine I do it slowly and gradually, it takes about one month to raise it to the right dose and three months to stop taking it.
0
Replies
-
Have you discussed the possibility of alternative medications less likely to promote weight gain with your doctor? If this is what works and what only works, obviously stick with it.
I think a larger deficit and/or trying out different macros for satiety (eg lower carb) would be worth trying. Also using every safe appetite suppressing tactic you can think of (eg brothy soups, tons of veg)0 -
Weight loss isn't worth panic attacks and derealization though.0
-
Thank you for your response Tomatoey.
Unfortunately I don't have a doctor and I cannot have one for the moment, not even the "family doctor" (I moved to a new country and I can't have one until I find a job).
Anyway, as you wrote, weight loss isn't worth panic attacks. Nothing is, for me. But... I never ever leave my home because of this weight gain.
If the only reason why people get weight while on medication is the increase hunger (and no other reasons), I can endure it.
I would love to hear from someone with experience in this kind of things. But any suggestion is welcome.0 -
How do you get antidepressants without a doctor?0
-
In the time I've been reading the forums, the answer to the question, "Is it possible to lose weight despite [condition]?" has always been "Yes."
However, seems like derealization can be a side effect of anti depressants so I don't think it's a good idea to take Paroxetine without medical supervision.
I tried at least six antidepressants before I found the one that works for me and my brother has also had to do a lot of trial and error for his meds for his more serious condition.0 -
Yes it is possible to lose weight on anti-depressants.
I found that they made me really hungry just as you have said....but interestingly I was HUNGRY for specific types of foods....Carbs. Please note I have nothing against carbs in general it was just under this circumstance of my binging.
My go to foods of choice were breads, pastries, chocolates, doughnuts etc etc. All very highly calorific.....I would eat randomly and often found myself up during the night searching the cupboards and the fridge.
It was a desperate time and changing the meds caused even more problems and I never seemed to get one that didn't have this "Carb Monster" inducing effect upon me.
So....to cut a long story short I started to take a closer look at the types of foods I was filling up with and changed the skew of my Macro's (back then I didn't know about Macro's as it was pre-MFP).....
I made myself eat a lot more protein, upped my fats and my satiation levels improved. Don't get me wrong it was still a mind battle....I still wanted all of the great, sweet treats that I had been filling my face with for years....but I wanted to lose the weight that I had gained I was up to 268 lbs at this stage and it was severely impacting my life and my ability to get around.
So I just had to get tough with myself....I planned and made sure I had the right sort of snack type things for me, kept plugging away with the more protein etc and introduced some exercise in the form of walking. Slowly but surely I lost weight....
You can do this too. Don't stop you meds but just be aware that they may cause you similar cravings and you need strategies to deal with this happening.
All the best.0 -
Medication can increase appetite, but it doesn't cause weight gain. Eating too much does. Eat at a deficit and yes, you will lose.0
-
I'm on a very low dose of paroxetine for menopausal related hot flashes. It doesn't seem to affect my weight at all. In the past I've taken Lexapro (escitalopram) twice for anxiety, and I didn't gain weight either time. I don't recall being any hungrier than normal when I was on it.0
-
There is some thought that there might be an effect on metabolism with anti-depressants as well. This might mean that you lose less weight than expected for the deficit you're creating or that you need to eat less calories than someone else with your stats to lose the same amount of weight.
However, as Lis said, it still comes down to calories. If you eat at a deficit and can work past the effect the drug is having on your appetite, you will lose weight.0 -
I was on very high doses of prednisone for a while. Like what you're taking, it also causes weight gain because it makes people very hungry. I started eating in a deficit though, and I've lost most of my 66lb loss whilst still on prednisone
so yes, stay in a deficit and you will lose. 0 -
I have taken 40 MG of paroxetine daily for many years. I have lost almost 50 lbs since March 2015. In my case it is the anxiety that brings the desire to overeat, not the medication. It is a drug that can have some serious side effects, if you do not gradually decrease your dosage, under a physician's supervision. Please, please do not self adjust your dosage.0
-
I too am on mess for mental illness. Because of the weight gain side effects my psychiatrist put me on welbutrin. That helps counteracts that.0
-
-
PeachyCarol wrote: »There is some thought that there might be an effect on metabolism with anti-depressants as well. This might mean that you lose less weight than expected for the deficit you're creating or that you need to eat less calories than someone else with your stats to lose the same amount of weight.
However, as Lis said, it still comes down to calories. If you eat at a deficit and can work past the effect the drug is having on your appetite, you will lose weight.
@PeachyCarol you raise an interesting and excellent point about metabolic decrease with anti-depressants.....one of the things I noticed was that my core temperature was down around the 35.9 C while on the meds.....off them it is back up to 37.2 C. I don't know if that means I was running at lower 'revs' so to speak but the sluggishness I felt certainly was all encompassing.
0 -
I'm sorry, I misread your question earlier (was on phone and slightly rushed). You said you were on the highest ever dose for you, and went off it, and are now experiencing panic attacks and derealization - +1 @kshama2001 , it could easily be SSRI discontinuation syndrome and not your original condition. Can you pay out of pocket to see a doctor? I really think you should try if you can, because there are ways of managing that. Which country are you in?0
-
Thank you for your response Tomatoey.
Unfortunately I don't have a doctor and I cannot have one for the moment, not even the "family doctor" (I moved to a new country and I can't have one until I find a job).
Anyway, as you wrote, weight loss isn't worth panic attacks. Nothing is, for me. But... I never ever leave my home because of this weight gain.
If the only reason why people get weight while on medication is the increase hunger (and no other reasons), I can endure it.
I would love to hear from someone with experience in this kind of things. But any suggestion is welcome.
Did your last dr ask you to stop the medication before you moved? Who told you to start again? Aren't there hospitals or mental health support lines where you live? You cannot experiment with these meds on your own.
0 -
kshama2001 wrote: »In the time I've been reading the forums, the answer to the question, "Is it possible to lose weight despite [condition]?" has always been "Yes."
However, seems like derealization can be a side effect of anti depressants so I don't think it's a good idea to take Paroxetine without medical supervision.
I tried at least six antidepressants before I found the one that works for me and my brother has also had to do a lot of trial and error for his meds for his more serious condition.
Thank you for your response. In the past I took several kind of medicines (not antidepressants) and the only one that helped me was the paroxetine.
Derealization is not, in my case, a side effect: it is one of the most severe effects of my "mental problems" (don't know the correct term in English, sorry if it's not appropriate) and I take paroxetine to avoid it.
0 -
HippySkoppy wrote: »Yes it is possible to lose weight on anti-depressants.
You can do this too. Don't stop you meds but just be aware that they may cause you similar cravings and you need strategies to deal with this happening.
All the best.
Thank you very much, this is what I needed to know. If I use MFP I know I can control what I eat, I can resist the hunger.
I never gained so much weight in such a short time and I know the reason why it happened is because I wasn't monitoring my calories with MFP this year.
0 -
I'm sorry, I misread your question earlier (was on phone and slightly rushed). You said you were on the highest ever dose for you, and went off it, and are now experiencing panic attacks and derealization - +1 @kshama2001 , it could easily be SSRI discontinuation syndrome and not your original condition. Can you pay out of pocket to see a doctor? I really think you should try if you can, because there are ways of managing that. Which country are you in?
Did your last dr ask you to stop the medication before you moved? Who told you to start again? Aren't there hospitals or mental health support lines where you live? You cannot experiment with these meds on your own.
Thank you for your concern, I understand it, I would have written the same things.
The symptoms are the reason why I take the medication, not the side effect. I took daparox about 8 times in the last 10 years, I know it well by now. As I wrote in a previous post I slowly reduce it when I get off, it takes about three months.
I can't get a private psychiatrist at the moment, because it costs a lot (I live in Norway), I cannot afford it. And I can't go to a public hospital, the rules are strict, I need to get a residence permit first.
Of course it's not ideal to take drugs without a doctor, I did not have a choice.
0 -
HippySkoppy wrote: »@PeachyCarol you raise an interesting and excellent point about metabolic decrease with anti-depressants.....one of the things I noticed was that my core temperature was down around the 35.9 C while on the meds.....off them it is back up to 37.2 C. I don't know if that means I was running at lower 'revs' so to speak but the sluggishness I felt certainly was all encompassing.
The metabolism related problems was my concern, I heard about it too, but not even my previous psychiatrists really confirmed it or denied it.
What you wrote made me think, I have never given much thought about it, but I used to have between 34.5 and 35.5 temperature (yes really) and now I am back to my normal 36.2.
But I was also severely anemic (hemoglobin 6.5). I never thought it could be because of the medication.0 -
Thank you for all those who answered, every reply is important. I think it can be safe to say that medication makes you more hungry, but it is possible to lose weight, just a bit mentally harder.
I will see how it gets, if it becomes unbearable I will start daparox again. Yesterday evening I had a 4 hours straight panic attack, that's why I asked the question.0 -
I always blamed my antidepressant for my weight gain and subsequent inability to lose it. My Dr told me it was bullocks and the only reason I had gained weight was because I was now 'content' and 'at ease' with life. And content people tend to eat more. I still maintained that it was the AD's. I got serious about losing weight 4 or so months ago, and as it turns out my body can lose weight just fine with a bit of willpower and motivation. Turns out I guess I was just using the drug as an easy fallback.0
-
If you can't see a psychiatrist see if you can find a training facility, and see psychiatry or psychology students, or another type of counsellor. There should always be something free, even if it's a peer counselling group in a church basement.
It's sometimes hard to find things without people advocating for you, but I've found a lot of people therapy in my city through references and student training hospitals.
It sounds like a lot to deal with alone! Perhaps seeing a nutritionist or a dietician could help? I'm surprised your parents doctor can't make contacts for you in your new area! Best of luck!!!!0 -
nickiwalsh5 wrote: »I always blamed my antidepressant for my weight gain and subsequent inability to lose it. My Dr told me it was bullocks and the only reason I had gained weight was because I was now 'content' and 'at ease' with life. And content people tend to eat more. I still maintained that it was the AD's. I got serious about losing weight 4 or so months ago, and as it turns out my body can lose weight just fine with a bit of willpower and motivation. Turns out I guess I was just using the drug as an easy fallback.
This is probably also right.
But please consider that it is true that the medications make you more hungry.
You (in general, but it's true in my case) literally crave for carbs and sweet things. Why didn't I gain weight the other times I took paroxetine (or other drugs)? Because I was using MFP or FitDay. But I was HUNGRY.
Why did I gain 15kg in a year now? Because I didn't count calories.
Do I feel hungry now that I am not on medications? No.0 -
If you can't see a psychiatrist see if you can find a training facility, and see psychiatry or psychology students, or another type of counsellor. There should always be something free, even if it's a peer counselling group in a church basement.
It's sometimes hard to find things without people advocating for you, but I've found a lot of people therapy in my city through references and student training hospitals.
It sounds like a lot to deal with alone! Perhaps seeing a nutritionist or a dietician could help? I'm surprised your parents doctor can't make contacts for you in your new area! Best of luck!!!!
Thank you for the message.
I hope I will solve the legal situation soon (meaning: I hope I find a job soon). Until then I can't even go to a hospital.
About the free counsellors, groups etc, I don't think they exist in my town. And the language would be a problem, my Norwegian is far from perfect.
0 -
If you can't see a psychiatrist see if you can find a training facility, and see psychiatry or psychology students, or another type of counsellor. There should always be something free, even if it's a peer counselling group in a church basement.
It's sometimes hard to find things without people advocating for you, but I've found a lot of people therapy in my city through references and student training hospitals.
It sounds like a lot to deal with alone! Perhaps seeing a nutritionist or a dietician could help? I'm surprised your parents doctor can't make contacts for you in your new area! Best of luck!!!!
Thank you for the message.
I hope I will solve the legal situation soon (meaning: I hope I find a job soon). Until then I can't even go to a hospital.
About the free counsellors, groups etc, I don't think they exist in my town. And the language would be a problem, my Norwegian is far from perfect.
If you're having a panic attack for four straight hours, it is not unreasonable to go to an emergency room. I would consider that a psychiatric (medical) emergency. I believe you that the system isn't allowing you to get care, but if doctors there took the Hippocratic oath, it would be hard to think of them refusing you to treat you in that case.
I am sorry you're experiencing all this.0 -
If you're having a panic attack for four straight hours, it is not unreasonable to go to an emergency room. I would consider that a psychiatric (medical) emergency. I believe you that the system isn't allowing you to get care, but if doctors there took the Hippocratic oath, it would be hard to think of them refusing you to treat you in that case.
I am sorry you're experiencing all this.
Thank you, you are very kind.
In case of an emergency they would take care of me (I suppose) but if any legal problem comes out I might be in trouble. I am trying to avoid this.0 -
HippySkoppy wrote: »Yes it is possible to lose weight on anti-depressants.
You can do this too. Don't stop you meds but just be aware that they may cause you similar cravings and you need strategies to deal with this happening.
All the best.
Thank you very much, this is what I needed to know. If I use MFP I know I can control what I eat, I can resist the hunger.
I never gained so much weight in such a short time and I know the reason why it happened is because I wasn't monitoring my calories with MFP this year.
Weight gain is a side effect of the medication my brother takes and he did gain weight when he took it in a hospital setting with minimal opportunity to exercise and hospital food.
Now he's living with Mom - she keeps him busy helping her with the house and the property, he walks several miles per day, he's eating much better, and he easily lost weight and has maintained it without struggle for a year.
1 -
If you can't see a psychiatrist see if you can find a training facility, and see psychiatry or psychology students, or another type of counsellor. There should always be something free, even if it's a peer counselling group in a church basement.
It's sometimes hard to find things without people advocating for you, but I've found a lot of people therapy in my city through references and student training hospitals.
It sounds like a lot to deal with alone! Perhaps seeing a nutritionist or a dietician could help? I'm surprised your parents doctor can't make contacts for you in your new area! Best of luck!!!!
Thank you for the message.
I hope I will solve the legal situation soon (meaning: I hope I find a job soon). Until then I can't even go to a hospital.
About the free counsellors, groups etc, I don't think they exist in my town. And the language would be a problem, my Norwegian is far from perfect.
I've heard really good things about Norway. Best of luck getting a job and with your legal situation.
0
Categories
- All Categories
- 1.4M Health, Wellness and Goals
- 393.4K Introduce Yourself
- 43.8K Getting Started
- 260.2K Health and Weight Loss
- 175.9K Food and Nutrition
- 47.4K Recipes
- 232.5K Fitness and Exercise
- 424 Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
- 6.5K Goal: Maintaining Weight
- 8.5K Goal: Gaining Weight and Body Building
- 153K Motivation and Support
- 8K Challenges
- 1.3K Debate Club
- 96.3K Chit-Chat
- 2.5K Fun and Games
- 3.7K MyFitnessPal Information
- 24 News and Announcements
- 1.1K Feature Suggestions and Ideas
- 2.6K MyFitnessPal Tech Support Questions