Anti-depressants and weight loss?

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Replies

  • jen2607
    jen2607 Posts: 148 Member
    Weight loss and exercise are anti depressants! Get off the pills.

    Are you a mental health worker?

    This isn't always true. Three years ago, I started really paying attention to what I was eating as well as adhering to a daily workout schedule. Yes, it did help to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle...for a little while. However, hormonal circumstances changed and a year later I found myself experiencing anxiety attacks and more depressed as a result than ever . It was a vicious cycle. I started taking Cymbalta and actually dropped a quite a bit of weight. Anyways, point is...yes it is possible to lose weight on an SSRI /SNRI and yes it is possible for a healthy lifestyle alone to not be enough to not need medication.
  • jen2607
    jen2607 Posts: 148 Member
    Weight loss and exercise are anti depressants! Get off the pills.

    Are you a mental health worker?

    This isn't always true. Three years ago, I started really paying attention to what I was eating as well as adhering to a daily workout schedule. Yes, it did help to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle...for a little while. However, hormonal circumstances changed and a year later I found myself experiencing anxiety attacks and more depressed as a result than ever . It was a vicious cycle. I started taking Cymbalta and actually dropped a quite a bit of weight. Anyways, point is...yes it is possible to lose weight on an SSRI /SNRI and yes it is possible for a healthy lifestyle alone to not be enough to not need medication.
  • haroon_awan
    haroon_awan Posts: 1,208 Member
    Weight loss and exercise are anti depressants! Get off the pills.

    For some yes it can be, but for others it is simply not the case. Depression is like a moving target. It's different for everyone, and understanding it rather than making generalisations about people is a major step towards helping those with depression.
  • funkyspunky872
    funkyspunky872 Posts: 866 Member
    Anyway... to the OP: You might be over-thinking this. Weight gain /and/ weight loss are both common side effects, but generally they are caused by other side effects. (If that's making any sense...) For example, the antidepressant might have an effect on your appetite, your energy level, and (hopefully) your mood, but it's not going to magically make you gain weight.

    If I were you, I would find the antidepressant that tackles your depression first and worry about the side effects later. You'll have time to adjust things to fit your goals in the future.
  • cdh1102
    cdh1102 Posts: 1
    I'm on Abilify which has weight gain as a side effect, and I was wondering this as well. Started the new year off right and I want to make sure I have nothing holding me back from my goals!!
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
    Weight loss and exercise are anti depressants! Get off the pills.

    Thanks, Dr. Oz.

    Quite possibly the worst advice I've seen in the forums today... or this week for that matter.
  • Phrick
    Phrick Posts: 2,765 Member
    For bipolar disorder I take Lihium and Abilify daily, both noted weigh gainers. In the past I have taken Zyprexa, Seroquel, Risperdal, Dalmane (flurazepam), Somnote, Geodon, Depakote, Lamictal, as well as taking all of the SSRIs plus Wellbutrin and Serzone (pre diagnosis), just to name some. Almost all of them are notorious "gainers" and gain I did to the tune of 100+ pounds. However I believe it to be due to primarily appetite increase, perhaps with some "don't give a frack" thrown in. Now that I do indeed "give a frack" and pay attention to my calories, the weight loss is steady and fairly easy. It definitely can be done!
  • Athijade
    Athijade Posts: 3,300 Member
    Weight loss and exercise are anti depressants! Get off the pills.

    You are full of it. You also have no right to say that people should stop taking a medication they need.

    I am so sick and tired of the ill informed BS from people like this. When you hear people constantly say "get off the pills" or "you don't need meds" or "meds are bad" it makes a person ashamed to be on them. Well guess what? Sometimes people need them. Yet they might not get the help they need because it is stigmatized so badly in society still. It is disgusting.
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
    Weight loss and exercise are anti depressants! Get off the pills.

    You are full of it. You also have no right to say that people should stop taking a medication they need.

    I am so sick and tired of the ill informed BS from people like this. When you hear people constantly say "get off the pills" or "you don't need meds" or "meds are bad" it makes a person ashamed to be on them. Well guess what? Sometimes people need them. Yet they might not get the help they need because it is stigmatized so badly in society still. It is disgusting.

    ^^ This. Absolutely and completely this.
  • mike_ny
    mike_ny Posts: 351 Member
    One of the side effects of Paxil is weight gain in some people. Lots of meds, especially SSRIs have that though many people seem to say Paxil is more so.

    The bottom line is that even though it may be harder to lose weight and get in shape on some meds, that it would be still be worse or even impossible trying to do if without the meds you need to function normally.

    Whatever you do, don't stop taking any SSRI without first going through your doctor to taper them off gradually or you'll likely have much worse side effects than weight gain.
  • Pandora_King
    Pandora_King Posts: 153
    Weight loss and exercise are anti depressants! Get off the pills.

    You are full of it. You also have no right to say that people should stop taking a medication they need.

    I am so sick and tired of the ill informed BS from people like this. When you hear people constantly say "get off the pills" or "you don't need meds" or "meds are bad" it makes a person ashamed to be on them. Well guess what? Sometimes people need them. Yet they might not get the help they need because it is stigmatized so badly in society still. It is disgusting.

    ^^ This. Absolutely and completely this.

    You need them because you've trained your brain to "need" them. Really, you just want them. You've decided life is easier with them. And that's true. Life is easier when you can take a pill to solve a problem. But it's not BS. I promise you. I was just like you, loaded up on AD's and I started exercising and got off them. I feel great now, mentally, and I will never go back. When I get down or upset, I go for a walk or a jog and it's amazing how the crap just floats away.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
    Weight loss and exercise are anti depressants! Get off the pills.

    You are full of it. You also have no right to say that people should stop taking a medication they need.

    I am so sick and tired of the ill informed BS from people like this. When you hear people constantly say "get off the pills" or "you don't need meds" or "meds are bad" it makes a person ashamed to be on them. Well guess what? Sometimes people need them. Yet they might not get the help they need because it is stigmatized so badly in society still. It is disgusting.

    ^^ This. Absolutely and completely this.

    You need them because you've trained your brain to "need" them. Really, you just want them. You've decided life is easier with them. And that's true. Life is easier when you can take a pill to solve a problem. But it's not BS. I promise you. I was just like you, loaded up on AD's and I started exercising and got off them. I feel great now, mentally, and I will never go back. When I get down or upset, I go for a walk or a jog and it's amazing how the crap just floats away.

    Your initial response telling the OP to get off the pills and your follow up response makes it clear that you do not understand all medications, nor do you understand mental health as a whole. While you may have found an approach that applies to you, it will not be applicable to others. I question who made the decision to discontinue meds, you or your doctor? I question this because based on your posting history, it appears you may self-medicate with other things. (and I do not mean weight loss and exercise as you so eloquently stated above)
  • brandnewsnickerpuss
    brandnewsnickerpuss Posts: 110 Member
    Weight loss and exercise are anti depressants! Get off the pills.

    Are you a mental health worker?

    ^^Thank-you!
  • SusieCuteYay
    SusieCuteYay Posts: 59 Member
    Sadly lots of people do NOT understand mental disabilities....
    As with any and all meds do your homework, look up the side effects, of paxil and the combination of other meds you might be on. Know that these are serious meds and even if one allergic one just cannot stop using it, as one must go off of these very slowly. I was on Paxil like 2 to 3 months before my body showed signs of allergy. I found this site quite helpful for me, to determine drug combinations, adverse effects etc. : www.drugs.com
  • Mia_RagazzaTosta
    Mia_RagazzaTosta Posts: 4,885 Member
    Weight loss and exercise are anti depressants! Get off the pills.

    You are full of it. You also have no right to say that people should stop taking a medication they need.

    I am so sick and tired of the ill informed BS from people like this. When you hear people constantly say "get off the pills" or "you don't need meds" or "meds are bad" it makes a person ashamed to be on them. Well guess what? Sometimes people need them. Yet they might not get the help they need because it is stigmatized so badly in society still. It is disgusting.

    ^^ This. Absolutely and completely this.

    You need them because you've trained your brain to "need" them. Really, you just want them. You've decided life is easier with them. And that's true. Life is easier when you can take a pill to solve a problem. But it's not BS. I promise you. I was just like you, loaded up on AD's and I started exercising and got off them. I feel great now, mentally, and I will never go back. When I get down or upset, I go for a walk or a jog and it's amazing how the crap just floats away.

    FFS

    There are varying degrees of depression and you are in no way, shape, or form qualified to shell out medical advice based on your experience.
  • brandnewsnickerpuss
    brandnewsnickerpuss Posts: 110 Member
    Weight loss and exercise are anti depressants! Get off the pills.

    You are full of it. You also have no right to say that people should stop taking a medication they need.

    I am so sick and tired of the ill informed BS from people like this. When you hear people constantly say "get off the pills" or "you don't need meds" or "meds are bad" it makes a person ashamed to be on them. Well guess what? Sometimes people need them. Yet they might not get the help they need because it is stigmatized so badly in society still. It is disgusting.

    ^^ This. Absolutely and completely this.

    You need them because you've trained your brain to "need" them. Really, you just want them. You've decided life is easier with them. And that's true. Life is easier when you can take a pill to solve a problem. But it's not BS. I promise you. I was just like you, loaded up on AD's and I started exercising and got off them. I feel great now, mentally, and I will never go back. When I get down or upset, I go for a walk or a jog and it's amazing how the crap just floats away.

    LOLOL!! "It was like this for me, so it must be like this for everyone in the whole entire world! Yes, that must be it!!"
  • RhonndaJ
    RhonndaJ Posts: 1,615 Member
    Weight loss and exercise are anti depressants! Get off the pills.

    Nice advice.
    Guess what.
    Until I found the right combination of pills, I couldn't get my act together enough to exercise and lose weight.
  • merebabe6
    merebabe6 Posts: 1
    I completely agree! Diet and exercise are not the only combination to battle depression. I'm sure you and Tom Cruise will have a happy life together believing that nonsense.
  • scarlettmeadows
    scarlettmeadows Posts: 1
    I agree! I take Celexa, 10 mg and what I have found is that it takes pure willpower- if you cut calories you WILL lose. A pill cannot MAKE you eat more or less. Antidepressants make you worry less about gaining, that's all...so you eat more.
  • RhonndaJ
    RhonndaJ Posts: 1,615 Member
    Weight loss and exercise are anti depressants! Get off the pills.

    You are full of it. You also have no right to say that people should stop taking a medication they need.

    I am so sick and tired of the ill informed BS from people like this. When you hear people constantly say "get off the pills" or "you don't need meds" or "meds are bad" it makes a person ashamed to be on them. Well guess what? Sometimes people need them. Yet they might not get the help they need because it is stigmatized so badly in society still. It is disgusting.

    ^^ This. Absolutely and completely this.

    You need them because you've trained your brain to "need" them. Really, you just want them. You've decided life is easier with them. And that's true. Life is easier when you can take a pill to solve a problem. But it's not BS. I promise you. I was just like you, loaded up on AD's and I started exercising and got off them. I feel great now, mentally, and I will never go back. When I get down or upset, I go for a walk or a jog and it's amazing how the crap just floats away.

    You really don't understand what your meds did for you.

    You say, specifically "Loaded up on AD's and I started exercising and got off them". What makes you think you could have started exercising without them? Maybe the meds got you to a point where it kickstarted your ability to exercise and, yes, now you don't need the meds.

    Yay you for finding a solution.

    But no one who has ever suffered from mental illness should come down on someone who is struggling with their own.

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