Help losing weight after going off of psych meds

mrichi1
mrichi1 Posts: 4 Member
edited December 4 in Health and Weight Loss
I'm a 30 y/o female who is 5'2" and currently 127 lbs. I gained about 10 lbs over 2 years after getting married (wasn't watching portion sizes, etc.), then in January of this year I switched medications from Prozac to Latuda and gained 6 lbs in 2 months (unusual since it had taken me 2 years to gain 10 previously). On my frame, this weight gain combined with the 10 lbs I had already gained has made me go from a size 0 to a size 6. I started dieting in April at 129.9 lbs., eating 1300 or so calories per day and not exercising. From April to August I only lost maybe 3 lbs. I gave myself a break in August and ate 1400-1500 calories per day and gained a pound. In September I cut my calories back to 1200 per day and began exercising with 30 minutes of brisk walking at least 5 days per week. My weight just stayed the same for a month and continues to stay there. I figured it had to be the medicine causing this and asked my doctor to take me off the meds. I've been off of them for a week.

Has anyone else taken and then gone off of psychiatric medications (antidepressants or any other kind)? How long after doing so did it take for your metabolism to get back to normal and for you to be able to lose weight with diet and exercise?

While I wait for the metabolic effects of the meds to wear off, should I continue eating 1200 calories per day or should I eat more (to boost my metabolism) or less (since I can't lose weight eating at 1200)?

Is there anything I can do to maybe "shock" my metabolism back into action?

Replies

  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Do not try to "shock" your metabolism as it is not possible to do so.
  • Karen_can_do_this
    Karen_can_do_this Posts: 1,150 Member
    Are you weaning yourself off them? Don't stop cold turkey!!!
    I am taking antipsychotic meds and have gained 12kgs over the space of 9 months. However I feel more stable mentally than I have in a very very long time.
    I've gone back to weighing and logging my foods and am sitting at about 1400 calories a day. I'm slowly losing. Very slowly but still losing steadily.
    You can do this.

    I'm not a scientist but I don't think you need to "shock your metabolism "
  • akf2000
    akf2000 Posts: 278 Member
    mrsfitzyv8 wrote: »
    Are you weaning yourself off them? Don't stop cold turkey!!!
    I am taking antipsychotic meds and have gained 12kgs over the space of 9 months. However I feel more stable mentally than I have in a very very long time.
    I've gone back to weighing and logging my foods and am sitting at about 1400 calories a day. I'm slowly losing. Very slowly but still losing steadily.
    You can do this.

    I'm not a scientist but I don't think you need to "shock your metabolism "

    Hi, what antipsychotics are you on if you don't mind me asking? My eldest has been on Olanzapine since July and due to come off in December. He's added weight but also grown in height. Part of his weekly assessment is to monitor his weight, he's still in the green BMI, but it really had a dramatic effect on consumption especially in the very early days. One of the side effects is an increased risk of diabetes.

    But this is almost by the by as the drug has had a remarkable effect treating a psychotic episode, pretty miraculous really.

    They told us people can be on them for 6 months going up to 3 years, but it's always temporary and it's curing the problem rather than masking it (which was one of my concerns).

  • mrichi1
    mrichi1 Posts: 4 Member
    edited October 2016
    mrsfitzyv8 wrote: »
    Are you weaning yourself off them? Don't stop cold turkey!!!
    I am taking antipsychotic meds and have gained 12kgs over the space of 9 months. However I feel more stable mentally than I have in a very very long time.
    I've gone back to weighing and logging my foods and am sitting at about 1400 calories a day. I'm slowly losing. Very slowly but still losing steadily.
    You can do this.

    I'm not a scientist but I don't think you need to "shock your metabolism "

    My doctor weaned me off of the Latuda over 2 weeks and I'm finally off of it completely. (Wasn't working for my depression.) Thanks for the encouragement!
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