medication and appetite :(

misschaplin
misschaplin Posts: 68
edited September 24 in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, Im just wondering if anyone else is taking a medication that massively increases appetite.

I am bi-polar and take 3 different types of meds, 2 in the daytime and one at night. My daytime pills are fine but at night I take something called "Trazodone" and it not just increases appetite but causes me to binge. It actually says that the effects are increased after you eat.
I take them just before bed, get into bed to read and then find myself up and down the stairs picking at food.
If I can manage not to come down at all I can sometimes get through, but once I eat even a single thing its like the flood gates open and I cant stop.
Im sure this is one of the major contributing factors in my weight gain, just as Im equally sure its going to very much hinder my weightloss.

And I dont know what to do :(
The doc has said there are 2 other meds that I could try, but both are also known to increase appetite grrrrrr.
Its just so frustrating to see all my hard work taking 10 steps back after a 600 calorie binge :(

Does anyone else have meds that cause this, or even just suffer from nighttime binge eating and can give me some advice.

Replies

  • xHelloQuincyx
    xHelloQuincyx Posts: 884 Member
    do a google search on ways to stop binge eating like this.

    my meds do the oposite and i "forget" to eat all day (ADD meds)

    put a pic of yourself on your fridge in a swim suit. ik that stops me from binging. but that may not be an option for you (i live by myself) sometime i only keep limited foods in the house and buy what i need day by day. but thats a pain if you have a family i bet

    i also put a postit note that says "that now? or thin latter?" on my door.

    yeah, i used to have a huge problem with binge eating.

    like eat a tub of icecream in the bathroom so no one will see me type of binge.

    all i can say is research some ideas to help, or try switching the med. mind over matter and good luck to you
  • snookemz
    snookemz Posts: 82
    I've never had that reaction to trazadone. Are you using it as a sleep aid or for the antidepressant? For sleep you could look at valarium root or melatonin. Its something to discuss with your doc for sure

    I take tons of meds are they are all weight positive (shown to increase weight) but that just means I have to work harder and have Greg veggies to munch on as well as cheese sticks and higher fiber things.
    The meds can make you hungry but they don't pit food in your mouth
    don't let the meds take overs your actions.
  • FireRox21
    FireRox21 Posts: 424 Member
    I am on Depakote and high dose Seroquel. I also take split Seroquel during the day for panic attacks. At first, I would have the late night eating problem, but that seems to have stopped as I have upped my protein at dinner. I also eat 1/2 cup of nonfat cottage cheese before dinner.

    Also, I have been taking CLA and have noticed that my appetite is greatly reduced. It is actually a struggle to eat enough calories to even get to 1000 NET for the day.
  • misschaplin
    misschaplin Posts: 68
    I think I have a plan, instead of worrying about what I am eating in the day (as I am on slim fast and have cupboards full of healthy stuff now) I will make my goal for the next fortnight to not binge at night.

    So I have one goal!!! how hard can that be! Every day I will have to come on to thhis thread and say I have failed if I do, so that should keep me motivated also!

    If I can just get through the one hour of reading I do in bed without coming downstairs and eating I have done it! sounds so easy that Im kinda confued as to why I cant stop?

    So plan tonight, take tablets, drink entire pint of water, followed by a healthy snack, and THEN go up to bed and instead of reading lay down to sleep, If I want to read I will do so DOWNSTAIRS before I take tablets. That way I am basically breaking all the habits I have at bedtime, and will hope the eating habit is also broekn?

    Sound like it will work? wish me luck :indifferent:
  • NYIceQueen
    NYIceQueen Posts: 1,423
    Hi! :flowerforyou: First of all I feel your pain. I'm on loads and loads of medicines, including chronic steroid use. And we all know what THAT does for your figure/appetite.

    Something that works for me was taking my steroid with some crackers or something bready about a half hr before meals. That way just as the hunger's kicking in, I'm ready to eat. Then I measure out a serving of "dessert" or snack, such as hershey's kisses, and then eat one every 5-10 min until they're gone. By the time that's done, I'm ready for a heavier snack, like yogurt. Another one of my meds that has this side effect I take before bed. I'm so tired, I don't wake up to snack or anything.

    Slicing apples and grazing on them worked pretty good too. Popsicles and the like are good too...anything "slow" should help.

    Having tried Slim Fast in the past while on meds, I'll tell you, at least for me it didn't work. I needed to chew something, my body wanted me to "eat", so I'd end up eating WITH the slim fast LOL

    I'm not going to kid you, it's hard. But I'd talk to your doctor about options with your med, like when best to take it, or if there's another option out there for you. I was on several different antidepressants for depression/bipolar until I came across Pristiq and that's been the only one so far not to cause major weight gain for me. I still have very depressed moments (situational) but the weight hasn't been an issue with this one.

    Good luck!!!! :flowerforyou: :flowerforyou:
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