scared to go on antidepressants

Wellbutrin is an antidepressant and as far as I know it does not cause weight gain.

My husband just started taking them, they start you off on a low dose to get your body use to them. He had no side effects

I had the same discussion with my doctor... I was having multiple panic attacks per day, not able to eat right, not sleeping right, etc. After some research on my own and a few talks with my doctor, she opted to put me on an anti-anxiety medication rather than an anti-depressant. The side effects were minimal, and when the time was right for me to come off of them, I was able to wean myself off of them without any adverse reactions. I was only on them for about nine months before I felt like myself again and decided I didn't need them anymore.

If an anti-depressant worries you, maybe talk to your doctor about an anti-anxiety medication before you go that route, because most have less likelihood of side effects and don't affect your system the same way.

Rella, have a look at the info on the Mind website about anti depressants http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/drugs-and-treatments/antidepressants/about-taking-prescribed-drugs/?o=7247#.Uw3ecIUQed4.

Is there a local Mind near you? Maybe there's support groups for people with anxiety and panic attacks, you might be able to get some support from others in the same boat. I don't know where Eastbury is but there's a Mind in Havering http://www.haveringmind.org.uk/info-and-links.asp and you can search for your local Mind here http://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/local-minds/?ctaId=/about-us/local-minds/slices/text/.

Don't be scared to ask your doctor why s/he thinks you need to take them, and for how long. Is it a GP or a Psychiatrist who said this? S/he might be an expert on health and tablets, but you're the expert on you. This decision is one for you to negotiate with your doctor - tell her or him about your worries about taking the medication, and s/he should be happy to have a conversation with you about it - maybe there's a middle way - some different medication, smaller dosage, shorter time, or making other changes to help you cope in the immediate term till you can maybe get some counselling or something?

But the point is, don't be scared to discuss it with your doctor. And don't be scared to tell her or him how important your achievements are as well - that's something s/he needs to take into account as well!

Good luck :flowerforyou:

PS bear in mind everyone, the brand names of drugs are different in different countries, so if you're not in the UK we might not recognise the names unless they're the generic name

Thanks everyone your words of advice and the useful links really helped a lot! The hospital recommended the antidepressants but I'll speak to my gp about alternative options and anti-anxiety medication.

Just to clarify is it the drugs that make most people gain weight or is it the increased appetite? I have quite good self control when it comes to food so I feel confident that as long as I have lots of healthy food around me I'd be ok controlling my appetite.

The drugs can cause increased appetite but what makes people gain weight is eating more than they burn off, period, end of story. Some will say that the meds change their metabolism, and I will still argue that if that's the case then they need to change the amount they eat so that it matches their new metabolism! It's still calories in --> calories out. So if you can experience the increased appetite without giving in to it, you will be in much much better shape. Combine that with feeling better, lacking the panic, gaining the ability to be more active, etc, and you may find that you don't gain at all or very minimally.

I have been on the gamut of psychiatric medications since my diagnosis of bipolar disorder some 11 years ago. I once counted and I have tried over 23 different medications over the years to manage things. Some I gained (obviously) and some I didn't, and now I'm controlling how much I intake and how much I output and have lost the 60+ pounds you see in my ticker. And I'm still on 3 maintenance medications (just three not thirteen like at one point!! yay me! :laugh:) PLUS a birth control pill.

Feel free to add me or message me if you have any questions I would be happy to go into details with you if you want.

I took Effexor for 1 year. The last 6 months was trying to wean myself off them. It was a nightmare. I gained a tonne of weight as well but since I stopped I seem to be losing it quite steadily.
It’s a very difficult call. You have to put your mental health above everything. If the panic attacks are disturbing your life you have to get it sorted. On my particular case I think the doctor was far too quick in prescribing me the tablets but I know some people that taking the antidepressants were life saving for them. Each case is unique.
Maybe you could start counselling/therapy first and see how it goes. If you have no success than you can try the antidepressants. Antidepressant are drugs, our body gets used to them and the weaning process takes time and patience. But they can work wonders.

Exact same with me except that I've stayed on them for yrs & am now on the max dose. This drug though is different from any other kinds of antidepressants. I think they should only be prescribed as a last resort after other medications/ therapy have been tried. The side effects are just awful.

However there are so many other kinds that may suit you, or you may need to try a few before you find one that works for you. You need to give it time. If the doctor is saying you need to take them you should I think.

Not all antidepressants cause weight gain in all people. I (stupidly) suffered for a year of a major depressive episode because I didn't want to go back on a medication that would make me gain weight. I had gained 40 pounds in a year while taking Zoloft awhile back, and I thought all antidepressants would make me do the same thing again. I've been taking Trazodone for a little over a year (prescribed because of my mix of anxiety, depression, and insomnia) and all the weight I've lost has been on it. Some people actually experience weight loss as a side effect of some antidepressants.

Exercising and eating right have really helped my depression and anxiety, but they were severe enough that I don't think lifestyle changes alone would have helped me. Only you and your doctor can decide what's best for you. Express this concern to him or her, and if you're put on a medication that does make you start to gain weight, you can switch.

I've worked hard to lose weight and I'm really proud of my accomplishments (I lost 7 llbs and 5 inches off my waist). I suffer from panic disorder and yesterday I almost did something drastic which is why the doctors want to put me on antidepressants. I've had other types of therapy without any drugs so I want to do that again nut after yesterday's events the doctors think antidepressants will be a good idea. But I'm really scared of the side effects! And I know my mental health is more important but I don't want all my hard work undone.

Can anyone provide advice or personal experiences/tips? Thanks!

I took Prozac for almost two years because I had severe anxiety and some depression. Took me a while to find prozac - went through Celexa and Wellbutrin first...but anyway it improved my quality of life 100 fold. I am able to solve problems and think clearly and rationally, and things that would send me off the handle barely even affect me anymore. There is no reason to be afraid and there is no reason to be ashamed. Some of us just have messed up chemicals :-)

Oh, and there was no weight gain... I am not sure I have heard of an antidepressant that causes significant weight gain. I did experience side affects like being tired.... you just have to power through it - eat well and don't quit exercising.

I have been on Wellbutrin and Celexa. They didn't contribute to weight gain (I believe the Wellbutrin can help with loss actually). Currently I'm on Prozac which is supposed to help with binging.....I'm not sold on that part of it but I'm happy (haha) taking it. Talk with your doctor about options and if weight gain is a concern, I'm sure you can find one where that isn't a side effect.