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_jayciemarie_
_jayciemarie_ Posts: 574 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So, I have posted on here before asking people about medicines (anti-anxiety meds) and their bodies reaction to them. I take Zoloft and have since I started my weightloss and I was consistantly losing about 2lbs on average a week. Well, early in October that doctor prescribed me Elavil to help me sleep. Once I started taking Elavil my weightloss came to a stop. First week I didn't think anything about it. The 2nd week I started to research Elavil. I read countless accounts where people GAIN weight. My eating habits didn't change, and for the most part I was exercising. I posted on here and people kind of implied that a medicine wouldn't cause me to gain weight--that my eating habits were inconsistant. Well--I'm consistantly inconsistant (if that makes sense). Anyway, I got fed up and wanted to find out if Elavil had anything to do with me NOT losing weight. So, I went off of it. The first week--lost 1lb. The 2nd week (this week) I lost 4lbs. Everything I have read said that they don't know why people gain weight on that medicine. They think it is because they are in a better mood and eat more. Not the case with me. I 100% believe that it slowed down my metabolism. So, if anyone is out there and frustrated with not losing weight and recently started taking a prescription---check into it!!!!!!!!!!

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  • babykatmeows
    babykatmeows Posts: 14
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    From what I know of medicine, certain meds do cause weight gain. And Elavil is one of them. (I used to work as a pharmacy tech, and have tried to stay up to date ) Sometimes this side effect doesn't bother people if the desired effect of the medicine is achieved. Good outweighing the bad. I personally, don't need any help gaining weight, lol, so it would be a negative for me.
  • Ortax
    Ortax Posts: 98
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    Weight gain from anti-depressants / anti-anxiety medication is why I'm here in the first place. I'm a male at 5'8" and 21 years old. I was prescribed Abilify, Lexapro, and Effexor and in less than a year I went from 140 pounds to 180 pounds / 30% body fat. I admit my diet was very poor and I was eating so much. I really think the medication I'm on changed my appetite, maybe my metabolism as well. I hope not. But I am still able to lose weight if I try. I once lost 7 pounds over night from cutting out carbs the pervious day (which put me in a calorie deficit) I know it was mostly water weight but it still gave me hope. I've spent countless hours, even days, this past year doing research on this subject (weight gain from anxiety meds) and I've come across so many people who have gained weight on these types of meds. However, I've been fortunate enough to come across people who have successfully lost weight, even significant amounts of weight, on these meds as well. So there is hope. I am a strong believer that as long as you burn more calories than you consume, then you will lose weight according to the laws of thermodynamics, even if your metabolism has slowed. I'm very excited to start dieting and lifting weights again.
  • Shaky44
    Shaky44 Posts: 214 Member
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    Elavil for sleeplessness? There are a whole bunch of drugs out there that are used more often for that indication than Elavil and have much better side effect profiles. I hope your doctor had a REALLY good reason to prescribe that particular drug.
  • Shaky44
    Shaky44 Posts: 214 Member
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    <snip>
    I am a strong believer that as long as you burn more calories than you consume, then you will lose weight according to the laws of thermodynamics, even if your metabolism has slowed.
    <snip>
    I don't really understand this statement. The definition of a slower metabolism is that your body doesn't burn as many calories as it did previously.
  • amcsouth
    amcsouth Posts: 283 Member
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    I've tried a couple different meds and they DO cause weight gain. I'm sure an unhealthy diet will contribute to said weight gain but I picked up 20kg in just over a month from Zoloft. So its not just diet. I ended up going off all of those meds and I've since lost the weight. You just have to find something that works for you :)
  • creamms
    creamms Posts: 9
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    This is kinda reassuring in a way because I know my pregabalin can cause weight gain. I'm hoping that when I go pain clinic next week I can go on something else that won't cause weight gain and come off the pregabalin. Weight gain is not the only side effect I have been getting to say the least!
  • _jayciemarie_
    _jayciemarie_ Posts: 574 Member
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    Elavil for sleeplessness? There are a whole bunch of drugs out there that are used more often for that indication than Elavil and have much better side effect profiles. I hope your doctor had a REALLY good reason to prescribe that particular drug.

    The doctor prescribed me Lunesta, but it was $250 and not covered under my insurance. So, I didn't get it filled. Then I noticed whileon Zoloft I would clench my jaw at night. So in addition to Zoloft she prescribed me Elavil to sleep. It did relax me and help me sleep, but I know it resulted in weight gain. So, I'm trying natural ways to help me sleep. If worse comes to worse I will get a mouth guard.

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