Depression

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determinedgirl1
determinedgirl1 Posts: 128 Member
in Motivation and Support
I don't even know where to begin.
I guess, from the beginning… I started my journey in August 2012 and I had lost 60 lbs. For the last 4 years I have taken a combination of Celexa & Welbutrin but it seemed to lose its effectiveness over the last year. I was able to lose weight while taking the combination of both. But, In October I stopped taking my medicine – I was transitioning between insurance…doctors…etc.
I stopped losing weight and it seemed like I was losing / gaining the same 10 lbs for about 4 months. So I found a new doctor and he prescribed Prozac & Ativan (along with something to help me sleep). I started the new meds on 3/24 and weighed 207…fast forward 3 weeks and on Thursday 4/10 I weighed 216…which totally through me in a tailspin…now today I weighed in at 220 lbs.
I know that antidepressants can cause weight gain. Now I am left to decide between my mental health & my physical health? I have worked too hard to let antidepressants set me back. I will certainly be depressed if I continue to gain weight. I am only ½ way through my journey.
I have an appointment to see my doctor in 2 weeks…I don’t know what I should do in the meantime. I only have 2 days’ worth of medication and I don’t know if I want to have it refilled and risk weight gain until I see my doctor again…or if I finish taking what I have and wait 2 weeks. I do not want to go to a dark place – or risk a panic attack…ugh.

Replies

  • JenOman
    JenOman Posts: 97 Member
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    Hang in there!! I would refill and then talk to your dr about the weight gain. Going off meds cold turkey is not fun. Plus, if you have only been on the new pills for a couple of weeks, give your body some more time to adjust.

    As hard as it can be sometime, make sure you are getting exercise - outside, if possible. It really does help and the sun helps me for sure.

    Good luck!!
  • brittany2188
    brittany2188 Posts: 63
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    I gained weight on Prozac as well. My doctor switched me over to Lexapro, which is "weight neutral". I have been losing so far. Talk to your doctor about your concern. Generally they understand that weight gain can make you feel worse, even with medication.
  • NeverCatchYourBreath
    NeverCatchYourBreath Posts: 197 Member
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    unless your doctor told you it was ok to stop taking meds cold turkey then you have to refill the meds. the withdraws your body could go through coming off the meds could be bad news. There is a reason doctor's have you wean yourself off certain meds.
  • 4aces61
    4aces61 Posts: 292 Member
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    Besides your current issue, you didn't mention anything at all about your diet. What type of foods are you eating? Calories/day? Any exercise, if so how much, what kind and how often? Are you tracking your foods? These are all important tools for weight loss.
  • dwm2112
    dwm2112 Posts: 77 Member
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    I am not a doctor, but I would advise you to continue to take your meds. I know it's important to you to continue losing weight, but it's not important enough to risk your mental health. Just explain everything to your doctor when you see him. See if there's something he can do about the weight gain (e.g., different meds). Continue to exercise as much as you can. Not only will it help with your weight, but it will improve your mental health and mood also.
  • DavidC1857
    DavidC1857 Posts: 149 Member
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    Take your medication. For one, it's not a good idea to just stop those.

    As an anxiety and depression sufferer I can relate. I never really was able to deal with my weight until I could get a better handle on my depression. I was like, why bother?

    Also, antidepressants can only really be the cause of weight gain if they are changing your metabolism, and I don't think they do that. They may increase hunger, improve your mood so that you feel like eating when you didn't before, etc. I'm not saying that makes things any easier, but I believe it is true. Deal with the anxiety and depression and you will be in a better position to work hard on watching what you eat. At least in my opinion.

    There also may be a different combination of medications that your doctor can prescribe that may make things easier for you.
  • brisingr86
    brisingr86 Posts: 1,789 Member
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    I don't have any experience to be able to offer much in the way of advice, but just wanted to wish you luck as you continue your journey. You have made fantastic progress and this is a road bump. I'm pretty sure there are some groups specific for people dealing with depression so you may check some of the group forums for this as well. I'm not a doctor or anything, but if you've been prescribed the meds, I would stay on them and do your best to stick with the MFP program as well. Talk to your doc in a couple weeks and hopefully they can help you find a balance that lets you take care of both your mind and body. Good luck.
  • DucklingtoSwan
    DucklingtoSwan Posts: 169 Member
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    Refill and keep taking it until you talk to the doctor at your next appointment, or if you can't wait that long, call and ask. BUT keep taking them in the meantime. It can be dangerous to quit depression meds cold turkey.

    I know how you feel, I've been on a few different things over the years, and my doc knows how terrified I am of gaining weight (I am 200+ pounds as it is) so we have only been able to stick to things that have no or low risk of weight gain. Doesn't leave us with a lot of options, and I probably could be doing better, but right now gaining weight would definitely hurt more than help even if they were a little more effective for me mentally/emotionally.

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