Anti-Depressants- How I Gained My Weight

LizKurz

Yeap, i can relate as well.

I had a baby in 2010, December. Now, I did gain a bit because i was on serious activity restriction though not quite bed rest. but working out was not allowed.

I got back down to 170 (my prebaby weight, this is my fourth baby, was 145ish), and was working out 6 days a week, watching what I ate, etc. Then I started having panic attacks. Turns out my thyroid was crazed, but they put me on Lexapro thinking it was postpartum depression/anxiety. I still worked out, and still watched what I ate, but instead of losing weight like I had been, I gained. And gained. And am back up to 190, which is more than I weighed after the baby was born. In fact, Im actually down five pounds, I was 195 a few weeks ago.

Nothing changed, my eating habits stayed the same, my workouts were the same, everything was the same. Except the medication. So, people can say overeating is the only thing that makes you fat, and normally I'd agree, but there's no way else to explain the weight gain. Now that I'm off it, I'm losing weight again.

floridagirl7264

Yes, there is a reason Drs prescribe drugs, it's green and has a dead president on it. There is NO SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE of any such thing as a "chemical imbalance" causing depression. Do some research, you'll be surprised what you find

Research has been done and you can find information stating both sides. HOWEVER, the majority leans toward chemical imbalance. It can be something your born with, or have a stressor that triggers the symptoms. For instance, my father's catastrophic accident caused the symptoms of bipolar and major depressive disorder to immediately overcome me. I wish it was as easy as you say, but the truth is you're dead wrong.

mfpcopine

Apparently the physician wasn't responsible because she didn't have a type of depression that even NEEDED medication. If it was clinical or something traumatizing then yes medication is the best route to go, but for someone who's just having a minor rough patch, aka situational depression, you're usually given a therapist, maybe something to take the edge off if you need it, and you learn to get over it. In that case it is a matter of "Mind over matter" because it wasn't something critical anyway.

Without more information, I'm going to assume the doctor made a responsible decision based on what s/he observed. Many people endure breakups. Few are prescribed antidepressants.

My main point is that the "Mind Over Matter" comment was trivializing. Needless to say, I'm not saying every sad person should be on medication.

__

NOTE: I didn't realize it was the OP who said "Mind over Matter." That puts the quote in a different light.

UsedToBeHusky

Apparently the physician wasn't responsible because she didn't have a type of depression that even NEEDED medication. If it was clinical or something traumatizing then yes medication is the best route to go, but for someone who's just having a minor rough patch, aka situational depression, you're usually given a therapist, maybe something to take the edge off if you need it, and you learn to get over it. In that case it is a matter of "Mind over matter" because it wasn't something critical anyway.

Without more information, I'm going to assume the doctor made a responsible decision based on what s/he observed. Many people endure breakups. Few are prescribed antidepressants.

My main point is that the "Mind Over Matter" comment was trivializing.

Absolutely agreed! If people took the time to actually read the OP's post, they would see where she clearly stated that medication was already something she and her physician were considering at the time of the break up. Why are we splitting hairs about why she had to take the meds? For whatever reason, she and her doctor decided it was in her best interest at the time.

RachelGraceReed83

Antidepressants don't make you fat. Over eating does.

Beg to differ. I led a healthy lifestyle as far as eating.

I beg to differ as well! I have been on and off antidepressants a few times. The first time I gained about 40 lbs in 4 and 1/2 months went off them lost most of the weight. The last time I was put on antidepressants I gained 45 lbs in 6 months. I'll be the first to tell I didn't always eat healthy but I didnt change the way I was eating when taking the pill. Other than pregnancy (well actually I only gained 35 lbs while pregnant) those are the only two times I have put on weight that fast and it was the same pill both times. While Lexapro helped tremendously with my depression I couldnt stand the side effects of the drug.

saragato

Antidepressants don't make you fat. Over eating does.

This is so true. I'm on 5 different meds. One of the meds that I tried caused intense sugar cravings and I ended up gaining 60 lbs. before I was finally taken off of it. Now I'm on a different one and I have no cravings. So it was the overeating that caused the weight gain, but it was the med that caused the cravings.

The difference there being the medication is the easier variable to change. It's very important to research any and all medication you're on to know what to look for and when/if to know that it's the medicine causing the behavior change and not you entirely.

Research was done and sugar cravings were not a side effect (I guess for the majority of people). If I can get off of any of these meds, I would. Unfortunately, I can't.

What about talking to the doctor prescribing them and asking for something different? If the behavior started soon after you began the regimen with that pill then it's safe to say, barring any situational issues that might cause it, that it is the culprit. I had a hard time with my gyno about a birth control pill I had been on because she didn't think it was the cause (I'm on a number of medications myself so it's always hard to convince them it's one and not the other or several or none) but I didn't back down and it was changed to something else at my request.

Sometimes though unfortunately there's no alternative. I was on a lot of anti-psychotics at one point and literally went through every available medication (save for one that was refused to me because it caused massive weight gain and I was/am overweight) so when the last didn't work I was told to stay on it anyway since it wasn't giving me side effects. I took myself off them because they weren't doing anything and I'm not spending money each month on a prescription placebo, basically.

But in general I know what you mean. I take a lot of medications for various things and I wish I didn't have to take any of them. In my case though it's better to have to swallow 6+ pills twice a day than feel like crap without them and generally be worse off.

cmriverside

If you guys continue to answer the ones who are deliberately trying to bait you on this thread, you are feeding their own personal disorders....which are to always be right, and to have no regard for others' life experiences. Anti-social much?

dyannajoy

My daughter went on antidepressants for anxiety. She had always been thin. She gained 20 lbs literally almost overnight. She stayed on them for a year, but they did not help, so she stopped taking them. The weight fell off as quickly as it went on. It can screw up body chemistry. I would suggest trying something else. I have been on Celexa for 5 years and it has not affected my weight. Only I have been responsible for that but I do know alot of people who have struggled with this issue. I wish you luck with figuring out what will work for you. Hugs, Dyanna:flowerforyou:

saragato

Apparently the physician wasn't responsible because she didn't have a type of depression that even NEEDED medication. If it was clinical or something traumatizing then yes medication is the best route to go, but for someone who's just having a minor rough patch, aka situational depression, you're usually given a therapist, maybe something to take the edge off if you need it, and you learn to get over it. In that case it is a matter of "Mind over matter" because it wasn't something critical anyway.

Without more information, I'm going to assume the doctor made a responsible decision based on what s/he observed. Many people endure breakups. Few are prescribed antidepressants.

My main point is that the "Mind Over Matter" comment was trivializing. Needless to say, I'm not saying every sad person should be on medication.

I wasn't saying your point was wrong because I do agree that the aversion to medication for trying to force yourself to be better is generally stupid. My point was, from all I've read, it sounded more like situational depression instead of clinical even if she was showing signs of having problems beforehand. Those cases are usually settled with a therapist because it's a temporary crisis that has a reason behind it whereas clinical depression can either have a time limit or be for life and there is never any tangible reason behind it. If medication was decided the best route then, as I mentioned in another post somewhere, research on the specific pill should have been done or a Q&A with either the doctor or pharmacist should have been had to know the possible side effects. Most doctors will change your prescription if you experience a side effect you find you can't live with, so really the weight gain could have been stopped before it got to that point.

Basically you can't pin everything on the pill. You don't do your homework, then stuff like this will happen and can't be fixed whether right away or at all.

dyannajoy

I tend to place some blame for the weight gain on Anti depressants as well. The most notable was Zoloft/sertraline. (I've had lexapro/escitalopram and aropax/paroxetine in there as well, plus a couple of others so long ago I don't recall their names.) That totally buggered up my tummy. I felt nauseous eating more than two bites of anything. So Dr put me on a stomach settling drug. Then I couldn't sleep. So he added ANOTHER anti to help with that. After that I could sleep 16 hours a day, wake up, be foggy and go back to sleep again.

Eventually I took myself off all of those. Slowly, but without his approval. I was of the belief he would just prescribe ANOTHER drug.

I wasn't 'better' off them, so I went back to the Dr, and was put on Fluoxetine (prozac). That worked fine, but I would have put a lot of the weight on with the other cocktail. I still didn't have any motivation though. I remember waking up one day and realising that it was 'quiet in there' (my head). The negative voices had finally shut up.

Early 2009 I started doing tae-bo of a morning. That raised the endorphins enough that a week had gone by before I realised I hadn't had a pill. I stayed doing that for a while, and eventually stopped taking them. Coming off those didn't mess with my head half as much as the Zoloft.

I've been drug free ever since.

How wonderful!! I am still taking a very low dose of antidepressant and hope to some day get off of them completely, but I have noticed that when I exercise regularly, I feel MUCH better. Antidepressants are not a cure all that's for sure but at times may be a necesaary evil. So glad you found exercise and that it works for you so well too! Hugs, Dyanna

saragato

My daughter went on antidepressants for anxiety. She had always been thin. She gained 20 lbs literally almost overnight. She stayed on them for a year, but they did not help, so she stopped taking them. The weight fell off as quickly as it went on. It can screw up body chemistry. I would suggest trying something else. I have been on Celexa for 5 years and it has not affected my weight. Only I have been responsible for that but I do know alot of people who have struggled with this issue. I wish you luck with figuring out what will work for you. Hugs, Dyanna:flowerforyou:

Why was she on an antidepressant for anxiety? If all she had was anxiety then she should have been on an anti-anxiety medication.

slowturtle1

Antidepressants don't make you fat. Over eating does.

^^Regarding that: Actually, weight gain is a documented side effect, but I'm not going to get into all the chemical reasons why.

Regarding the OP, I do feel your pain. I was on antidepressants for over 10 years. It didn't matter how hard I tried, I could not keep the weight off without feeling like I was starving all the time. I could not unfortunately go off the antidepressants either. For these and other reasons I started working with a Chiropractic Neurologist to titrate off the Prozac and begin a different, more natural neurotransmitter supplement. It took 2 years to completely switch over, but I lost 10 pounds over the course of the switch. Don't give up. There is an answer out there somewhere for you. It may take a while to find it, but it's there. And regarding men, yes, it's TOTALLY unfair that their metabolisms are so different!

peachprl

...I feel great being off of them, and take herbal supplements instead. Anyway, if I skip a dose of my herbals there are no fatal side affects that are potential when you skip a dose of a pharmaceutical.

1) Your herbal supplements aren't even fully evaluated for safety, let alone effectiveness. People think that because things are "natural" they're safe. Arsenic, cyanide, and a whole host of other things are also "natural." There are plenty of problems with the FDA approval process in the U.S., but it is more rigorous than what "natural supplements" go through.
2) There are very few pharmaceuticals that can cause fatal side effects if you miss a dose. Those that do are likely to only be prescribed as a last resort or because they are the only available treatment for a very serious disease. I've been on a lot of anti-depressants (over the course of 2 decades now), and few of them came with that sort of side effect. The truth is, you have a better chance of getting killed in a motor-vehicle accident than by the vast majority of modern anti-depressants.

I'll add that a lot of these herbals can also interact with other medications and lead to lethal issues (cardiac arrythmias, etc).

lovinmamaxo

I started Loestrin birth control a week ago, i am taking welbutrin, and i am severely deficient in Vit D needless to say the scale hasn't been moving for a while for me =(

2April

I'm not saying that someone with depression doesn't need help, I am saying they don't need these pills.

You are misinformed. Some people require drug therapy because part of their problem is physiological. They can't exercise themselves out of Clinical Depression. All medications have risks. Good, responsible doctors monitor their patients and SEs such as suicidal ideation are well known.

I am not misinformed. I have done extensive research on the matter and I specialize in health law. There is no evidence to support the chemical imbalance theory. Studies have shown that SSRIs are no more effective than placebo in the vast majority of people. Drug companies spend 90% of their marketing budget (close to 100 million per year) advertising directly to physicians so I think their knowledge of these drugs might be a little skewed. All medications have risks but it is stupid to assume these risks when there are safer alternatives. If physician prescribed responsibly there would not be communities where 80% of the population was addicted to OxyContin and their would not be 30 million Americans taking antidepressants.

mfpcopine

Apparently the physician wasn't responsible because she didn't have a type of depression that even NEEDED medication.

That hasn't actually been established -- the OP said she was actually quite depressed and had a history of anxiety. I'm not saying that drug therapy should ever be the first thing suggested. But the doctor knew her.


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Most doctors will change your prescription if you experience a side effect you find you can't live with, so really the weight gain could have been stopped before it got to that point.

Patients should be assertive. But it's particularly hard for some depressed patients to reject a drug. They fear being accused by their doctors of being resistant to their own cure.

After my experience, whenever the doctor suggested a medication, I would Google the name for SEs. If anything was clearly linked to weight gain I said I wouldn't take it.

2April

If you guys continue to answer the ones who are deliberately trying to bait you on this thread, you are feeding their own personal disorders....which are to always be right, and to have no regard for others' life experiences. Anti-social much?

I'm sure there is a pill for that too...

mfpcopine

If you guys continue to answer the ones who are deliberately trying to bait you on this thread, you are feeding their own personal disorders....which are to always be right, and to have no regard for others' life experiences. Anti-social much?

I''m done now, but I've responded to reinforce that:

1) Some people have serious mental hygiene issues that require medication;

2) Some drugs have the side effect of weight gain;

3) It's OK to tell the doctor you want to try something different. It's not a sign of being uncooperative or superficial to reject a drug that will end up making you obese.

2April

If you guys continue to answer the ones who are deliberately trying to bait you on this thread, you are feeding their own personal disorders....which are to always be right, and to have no regard for others' life experiences. Anti-social much?

I''m done now, but I've responded to reinforce that:

1) Some people have serious mental hygiene issues that require medication;

2) Some drugs have the side effect of weight gain;

3) It's OK to tell the doctor you want to try something different. It's not a sign of being uncooperative or superficial to reject a drug that will end up making you obese.

What is a mental hygiene issue? Is that like a dirty mind?

lovinmamaxo

To be honest - this thread scares the crud out of me.

Please DON'T EVER stop your antidepressants without the help of a medical professional. Some need to be tapered off or cardiac or neurological "events" can occur. Yes, your heart can stop or you can start seizing, etc.

Do NOT take the advice of anyone on this thread to get off them without consulting with your medical professionals.

That being said....some medications do cause weight gain. No questions asked and it has nothing to do with lifestyle changes. Applies to all medications, not just anti-depressants either.

Please don't judge people who say they have gained weight from taking a medication, any medication. It can happen. For some meds - its a given it will happen. Some its just a chance and for some its a very rare side effect.

People who need to be on these meds are feeling bad enough and don't need to be judged when they say it caused them to gain weight.

Okay, stepping off my soap box now.

Unfortunately i did this but not on purpose. I was taking the highest dose of Celexa 40mg i believe? I didn't feel like it was working anymore anyways but i did stop cold turkey one day because i couldn't find my medication by the time i found it a week ago, i had already taken myself off of it. I have skipped like 3 days of my wellbutrin too before and got nasty side effects dizziness, etc i skipped 3 days because i couldn't afford the medication so in my case i didn't try to stop cold turkey on purpose. But i am NOT advising people to do this because yes it can be dangerous!