Anti Anxiety Meds & weight loss

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  • Sofitin2013
    Sofitin2013 Posts: 39
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    Took Pristique and then switched to Effexor last year and piled on weight like crazy!!! Honestly, what I do now is take an Ativan if I am really needing to calm down once in a while - nothing else. Also, if you are not exercising already - start now!!! I will help anxiety and depression so much! Good luck!! :)
  • melindanew
    melindanew Posts: 150 Member
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    I was given a low dose of Xanax to take as needed, and that's helped (I used to get so stressed and anxious that it felt like I was having a heart attack, sending me to the ER multiple times.) I didn't have negative side-effects and it's not nearly as addictive as things like Klonopin (I believe it's a benzo, not something I want to have to take and in fact many doctor will refuse to prescribe) or Thorazine.

    Xanax is a short acting benzodiazapine, as is most any drug ending in the letters 'pam'.
  • Raybug0903
    Raybug0903 Posts: 86 Member
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    No I don't want to "get high" If I wanted that I would go to my distant neighbor and buy some POT, it is legal in my state. I only want one maybe 3-4 times a year which is why I don't want to take another pill every day. I am bi polar and in counsling and so I take meds every day. Just looking for something to deal with the situation as it comes up. He can write one for 10 qty and I am happy and thats what I am going to tell him.

    Totally understand. My mom gets a script for 10 Xanax about once a year for high-stress situations like flying. I have taken Xanax a couple of times before a flight because I was traveling alone at a young age and it made me very nervous. I would just explain to your MD that it's more of a situational anxiety and not a daily problem, if that is the case. Hope it all works out for you.
  • lynzbeaner
    lynzbeaner Posts: 31 Member
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    I'm on 100mg of Zoloft daily and take .25 mg Xanax for panic attacks. I don't know how to gage their effect on my weight because I fluctuate so much. I have found it much more difficult to lose weight and/ or keep it off
  • lynzbeaner
    lynzbeaner Posts: 31 Member
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    I feel awful while off my meds too. I'm starting to feel really depressed again, despite my current regimen. I just ran out of Zoloft and two my Doctos keep leaving the office I go to. I have an appointment for a vaccination on the 1st, but need a refill ASAP. I might ask whatever "new" doctor they assign me to up the dosage again. I'm just worried about going e next week without. At least I have the Xanax to hold me over...
  • doneatfour
    doneatfour Posts: 120 Member
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    I feel awful while off my meds too. I'm starting to feel really depressed again, despite my current regimen. I just ran out of Zoloft and two my Doctos keep leaving the office I go to. I have an appointment for a vaccination on the 1st, but need a refill ASAP. I might ask whatever "new" doctor they assign me to up the dosage again. I'm just worried about going e next week without. At least I have the Xanax to hold me over...

    Can't the office have any doc write a script based on your medical record? If you go to the same office that is. I know for mine that's all I have to do unless it is a controlled substance. Also, you can ask the pharmacy to request a refill. They may be willing to work with you on the Zoloft because you are supposed to taper down doses, not discontinue abruptly.
  • nanainkent
    nanainkent Posts: 350 Member
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    Hi everyone.
    I am the OP and I went to my doctor. He knows I don't like the idea of taking more pills. My psych pills are the only ones I take every day, they are that important to me that I always have a set in my purse just incase I end up somewhere else when it is time to take them. And I will never for the rest of my life ever, ever stop taking them. I have even refused to stop for the night during surgeries when they ask me to.

    Back to my doctor appt.

    So I explained what I was looking for and how few and far between the situations were and he prescribed me Diazepam. After reading on here I was adament that I will not take a daily one. He agreed. And from reading here I was afraid that if they are that addictive that I didn't want more than a few in the house. So we settled on 2, I will use one for the dentist this time and one for the next time then come back before the next time I would need them and get 2 more. He also told me not to take them for the repairmen because on them I am going to want to sleep. (oh could I be so lucky as to fall asleep during my dental work).

    Thank you all, To some ppl I appreciate your support, To others thier infomative posts and to a few others thank you, I am scared straight..LOL
  • PapillonKisses
    PapillonKisses Posts: 18
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    Getting only a few tablets at a time is an excellent way to handle it if you have concerns about dependency. One thing I have done in the past is have a loved one retain my medication, so I can take a small amount at a time but not be worried about running out.

    Hang in there. I'm sure you'll be fine. x
  • CaddieMay
    CaddieMay Posts: 356 Member
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    You were very smart to discuss your concerns with your doctor. Two at a time in your possession is also very, very smart. I hope you have some peace of mind. :smile:
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,306 Member
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    my sisters took paxil and they said it made them gain weight.
  • dmnj33
    dmnj33 Posts: 63 Member
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    Effexor can also create a drug dependancy, I was on it for a while for MDD/Anxiety and when I went off it I got withdrawals, most doctors prescribe another drug to help ease you off it. Like you, it curbed my appetite... but only for a while, after that I basically ate everything in sight lol

    THIS.
    I was on a lot of different meds but Effexor was the worst.
    At first I thought it was the best thing ever made, but after a year, the side effects and withdrawl were HORRID.
    My doctor denied that it was addictive and I quit it "cold turkey". I gained a lot of weight with it too...I have one pic in my profile from that time. Now I use Xanax as needed, and feel so much better.


    I gained over 100 pounds on Effexor. Stay AWAY !!!!
  • mandypinetown
    mandypinetown Posts: 12
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    I was zoloft and gained 15-20 pounds... I worked so hard to get to my lowest and it was like... wtf ! I've read a lot of places that the zoloft pretty much paralyzes your metabolism and it takes a few weeks for it to "wake" back up--so when I gained all that weight I didn't even notice it, I just slept a lot more and ate the same amount of food--but I stopped the gym trips because I was knocked out asleep. My depression and anxiety didn't really kick in until I had lost 30 pounds, so I thought I had a chemical imbalance because I had held onto 30 lbs extra weight for such a long time--but after losing it my mental state was out of whack. So I've stopped taking it and the weight is in limbo, I am neither here nor there with it... I haven't lost and I haven't gained !
  • cbear017
    cbear017 Posts: 345 Member
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    To the OP, Diazepam is an anti-anxiety med belonging to a class of drugs known as benzodiazepines. They are not known to cause weight gain, either metabolically or by increasing appetite. Do not worry. Just exercise caution when operating machinery, like cars, or drinking, i.e. don't mix your pills with alcohol ever.

    Almost all of the drugs people are talking about here are anti-depressants, and more specifically SSRIs, which may cause weight gain. They are not anti-anxity meds. Some of these may have off-label uses as anxiety meds but that is not their primary function.
  • ryzeman
    ryzeman Posts: 870 Member
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    Hey nana, I have anxiety and was put on paxil. For me it was a magic bullet and has kept the anxiety in check. I gained weight with paxil as that is a common side effect. In my case I believe I gained weight because when I was anxious (like most of the time) I tended not to eat much. So when the paxil kicked in the appetite did too.

    MFP has done wonders to get me back on track. Good luck to you!
  • Tdacks
    Tdacks Posts: 136 Member
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    *Edit* I didn't read through before posting my bla bla bla about what I take. I'm glad you found a solution.


    To everyone else who just snorts butterfly farts, drops vit-C, and jogs away their anxiety: good for you. :indifferent:
  • Rocking_Robin
    Rocking_Robin Posts: 238 Member
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    I didnt take the time to read all the posts on here. I will try to get back to it though.

    I have been on meds for help for about 6 years now, I have been on Savella for about 8 weeks now, my dose is 100mg twice a day.

    I was on a plateau for many months, once Savella got in my system, my outlook was better, weight loss kicked in again, I am re-focused, my food is good again, and I am losing again, my losses have been a little higher than what I am used to my body doing. I have stepped up my workouts, drinks lots of water....I try to get 700 + burn at least 6 days a week, Doctor says Savella gives you an energy boost and is helping my weight loss just a little.

    Good Luck

    Robin
  • joleenl
    joleenl Posts: 739 Member
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    I prefer to handle medical issues naturally. Of course I'm not a doctor and it depends on severity of your anxiety but if I were you I'd research some herbs and/or foods and/or techniques to use and use medications as a last resort. The more research is done on drugs the more side effects we uncover. The biggest thing I personally worry about with drugs and weight loss is endocrine (hormone balance) disruption. An endocrine disruption can be very difficult to diagnose and cure. It can cause changes in weight, changes in reproductive organs, increase chances of certain cancers, increase your chances of diabetes, give you acne, increase allergies, and many other side effects.

    I agree with this. I was on Zoloft and Wellbutrin for 8 yrs. The meds covered up my real issues, increased my adrenal imbalance and I feel it really messed with my neurotransmitters in my brain as a long-term effect. If you are feeling suicidal, meds may be necessary, but otherwise, it's worth looking into natural methods. I was weaned myself off the meds 2 yrs ago and now take 5-HTP and flower essences such as Dr Bach's Stress Rescue relief when i'm really stressed. Exercise helps, as does eating a lot of fruit (like bananas that contain seratonin). Meditation, yoga, and reading books like Power of Now and Untethered Soul help me more than the meds ever did. I'm not knocking those of you on meds, cause I've been there and you have the right to your own choices, it's just good to know there are other options.

    I agree. I wasn't knocking any one on meds. I wasn't telling anyone to quit their meds. I was on antidepressants at one point too so I've been there. I was just merely suggesting to try a healthy approach first and medication second. Naturopaths are doctors too and can help with more natural solutions. If you need the medication from you doctor because your problems are debilitating, or you feel like hurting yourself or someone else, then of course get on or stay on your meds. Natural cures are not over night cures... They take time to reset your body. You can also use natural cures in combination with your meds to reduce side effects or possibly reduce or wean yourself off if you want.
  • PapillonKisses
    PapillonKisses Posts: 18
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    You can also use natural cures in combination with your meds to reduce side effects or possibly reduce or wean yourself off if you want.

    This is not strictly true. Mix certain herbs with medications and you can kill yourself. Always check with your prescribing doctor first. Just because something is 'natural' doesn't mean that it does not have it's own side effects / downsides. Even psychotherapy has side effects!
  • icimani
    icimani Posts: 1,454 Member
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    There are anti-anxiety meds you take only when you need to. For example, benzos like clonazapam and lorazepam. They are short-intermediate acting drugs. I would think that if you aren't taking them everyday that there would be no weight effects, or at least the effects would be negligible.

    Yes - the benzo's you can take as needed and don't usually cause weight gain.

    People have been posting about Lexapro, Effexor, Zoloft, Wellbutrin, Paxil, etc. Those are all anti-depressants that you need to take on a regular basis, and one of the advantages is that they can help with anxiety. And I totally agree that even "natural" cures can be very dangerous if you're not careful. Be sure to check with your doctor.
  • joleenl
    joleenl Posts: 739 Member
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    You can also use natural cures in combination with your meds to reduce side effects or possibly reduce or wean yourself off if you want.

    This is not strictly true. Mix certain herbs with medications and you can kill yourself. Always check with your prescribing doctor first. Just because something is 'natural' doesn't mean that it does not have it's own side effects / downsides. Even psychotherapy has side effects!

    Real natural cures have little to no side effects. I'm talking diet and exercise. Avoiding artificial sweeteners, yoga, psychology, going out doors, vitamin d supplements. You will not die from any of these in combination with medication. I'm not referring to a bottle of crap made in a lab with the word "natural" on it. Yes you can check with a doctor, whom benefits from signing the prescription pad. Or you could go see a naturopath, who may benefit from some supplements and some they might not. It's about choices. I just seen one too many commercials recruiting people that have suffered from harsh side effects from drugs is all.

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