Medication notorious for weight gain.

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llaurenmarie
llaurenmarie Posts: 1,260 Member
edited May 2017 in Health and Weight Loss
I am about to start Olanzapine tonight and am terrified of all the reviews saying how horrible the weight gain is. But none of them ever mentioned that they were trying to manage it. They just said it gave awful cravings and I assume they just gave in. I'm going to try my hardest to stay within my calories and fight through the fatigue to keep exercising.
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  • LAWoman72
    LAWoman72 Posts: 2,846 Member
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    Have you mentioned this concern to your doctor? Is there an alternative medication you can try?
  • llaurenmarie
    llaurenmarie Posts: 1,260 Member
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    Yes I called them after he prescribed it and told him I'm uncomfortable with the reviews I see. He said that not everyone has those side effects and I will at least have to try it and we will go from there.
  • liftorgohome
    liftorgohome Posts: 25,455 Member
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    I think possible side effects are based on studies of how people may react while taking that drug. It also says diarhea, headaches, nausiness, etc. I would just try it and see how your body reacts to it first. If you do have food cravings then maybe your doctor and prescribe something else that's better suited for your needs.
  • llaurenmarie
    llaurenmarie Posts: 1,260 Member
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    Yeah, thanks for the optimism. I guess it's funny it is supposed to help my anxiety and the amount of reviews is stressing me out before I even take it ha.

    The very few people who said the gain was not an issue said they stuck to very low carb and low fat.

    I have issues with binge eating but mostly due to anxiety. So...maybe they will balance each other out.
  • jlscherme
    jlscherme Posts: 157 Member
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    Its really hard to ignore those sweet siren calls of an antipsychotic induced craving. Your pdoc is right, everyone reacts differently to these meds.

    My horror story... I gained 70 lbs over 5-6 months on a different AP also notorious for weight gain.

    My advice is to try and remain aware of what you are buying and putting in your mouth.
  • llaurenmarie
    llaurenmarie Posts: 1,260 Member
    edited May 2017
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    jlscherme wrote: »
    Its really hard to ignore those sweet siren calls of an antipsychotic induced craving. Your pdoc is right, everyone reacts differently to these meds.

    My horror story... I gained 70 lbs over 5-6 months on a different AP also notorious for weight gain.

    My advice is to try and remain aware of what you are buying and putting in your mouth.

    Thanks for your honesty. I will just try to stick to routine as much as possible.

    Some say it's because they slow down your metabolism/don't process carbs as easily? Who the eff knows.


    Also, can you honestly say it created just a lot more craving but not some magical force that put weight on you? And/or harder to lose when exercising?
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
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    I was in an olanzapine drug study for anorexia and it didn't speed up my weight gain but it made me super hungry and tired so I can see how it's easy to overeat on it.
  • llaurenmarie
    llaurenmarie Posts: 1,260 Member
    edited May 2017
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    saetum wrote: »
    I was prescribed an anti-anxiety that also had weight gain as a side effect -- but I ended up feeling so much more in control of myself that I was able to lose 20 pounds pretty easily within a few months.
    This makes me so happy. That's how I have been feeling (the first two days of fluoxetine for me), so calm and in control but I was scared to add something to make me even sleepier/craving. Thank you.
  • BurlzGettingFit
    BurlzGettingFit Posts: 115 Member
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    Good luck to you, fluoxetine made me feel hungry ALL the time, even after eating! I've come off that (I did gain 40 lbs, not the medications fault, my own for not being able to say no) and I'm now on buspirone and I've lost 20 lbs in the last few months. Much, much happier.
  • llaurenmarie
    llaurenmarie Posts: 1,260 Member
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    BurlzGettingFit wrote: »
    Good luck to you, fluoxetine made me feel hungry ALL the time, even after eating! I've come off that (I did gain 40 lbs, not the medications fault, my own for not being able to say no) and I'm now on buspirone and I've lost 20 lbs in the last few months. Much, much happier.
    Thank you! I mean I know it's really early to say but fluoxetine has me very calm so I'm not making decisions based on my emotions and have been relatively able to control my food. Hopefully it sticks.

    And if I take the craving one at night maybe I'll sleep it off and the flux cuts it off in the morning? Who knows hah
  • liftorgohome
    liftorgohome Posts: 25,455 Member
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    There are so many anxiety drugs out there today and it seems like everyone is taking them. I'm on one too, only side is it makes me tired so I take it before bed. Good luck.
  • llaurenmarie
    llaurenmarie Posts: 1,260 Member
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    tjkita wrote: »
    There are so many anxiety drugs out there today and it seems like everyone is taking them. I'm on one too, only side is it makes me tired so I take it before bed. Good luck.
    It's actually supposed to be a few things for me, anxiety and I also talk in my sleep(related to seizures and anxiety).

    So hopefully the benefits really do help.
  • castlerobber
    castlerobber Posts: 528 Member
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    llaurenmarie wrote: »
    The very few people who said the gain was not an issue said they stuck to very low carb and low fat.

    It's nearly impossible to stick to a diet low in carbs AND fat for very long. You gotta eat something, and that only leaves protein.

    Good luck with the meds. Hope they work well for you, without the side effects.
  • llaurenmarie
    llaurenmarie Posts: 1,260 Member
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    castlerobber wrote: »
    llaurenmarie wrote: »
    The very few people who said the gain was not an issue said they stuck to very low carb and low fat.

    It's nearly impossible to stick to a diet low in carbs AND fat for very long. You gotta eat something, and that only leaves protein.

    Good luck with the meds. Hope they work well for you, without the side effects.
    I know! I worry about being so restricted but I worry more about falling back to being unhealthy. Not really a happy medium here.

  • TravisJHunt
    TravisJHunt Posts: 533 Member
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    tjkita wrote: »
    There are so many anxiety drugs out there today and it seems like everyone is taking them. I'm on one too, only side is it makes me tired so I take it before bed. Good luck.

    I agree with this. I take effexor for anxiety and depression. While I didn't gain weight on it, I do find it makes me horribly sleepy so I take it before bed.
  • BurlzGettingFit
    BurlzGettingFit Posts: 115 Member
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    llaurenmarie wrote: »
    BurlzGettingFit wrote: »
    Good luck to you, fluoxetine made me feel hungry ALL the time, even after eating! I've come off that (I did gain 40 lbs, not the medications fault, my own for not being able to say no) and I'm now on buspirone and I've lost 20 lbs in the last few months. Much, much happier.
    Thank you! I mean I know it's really early to say but fluoxetine has me very calm so I'm not making decisions based on my emotions and have been relatively able to control my food. Hopefully it sticks.

    And if I take the craving one at night maybe I'll sleep it off and the flux cuts it off in the morning? Who knows hah

    That's really good! I hope it works out for you!
  • passenger79
    passenger79 Posts: 257 Member
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    I would not read reviews harder said than done I know . People are lot more likely to post bad reviews than good ones. I have tried 4 different meds over space of 6 months for anxiety and ocd until I started flux which suits me it really calms me down ,it wasn't Dr first choice but other ones that work for others didn't for me. Also take old school antidepressant as a pain killer on prescription. Give it time and see you how you feel
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    weigh gain from meds are usually caused by it causing an increase in your appetite. when you have an increase you want to eat more so for most people they eat more than they burn and boom they gain weight, it could possibly cause your metabolism to be lower than normal which means you would have to eat a little less. I doubt it makes it to where you cant digest carbs unless it causes another health issue causing that.

    if you do low carb your fat is going to have to be higher(fat doesnt make you fat or cause you to retain fat).I would just take the meds for awhile and see where your appetite/weight goes,. are you trying to lose or gain weight? or are you trying to maintain your weight?
  • animatorswearbras
    animatorswearbras Posts: 1,001 Member
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    I've just restarted taking fluoxetine for anxiety and depression again (been off and on different meds for 17 years) and have taken other drugs before, the key is to keep a diary and being mindful of what you're eating and you should be okay, it may increase cravings but it won't magically increase your weight. I do like fluoxetine but it's not unusual to have a few ups and downs for the first couple of weeks so stick with it (don't worry you won't necessarily get downs but just so you're aware) I don't know if you can but regular exercise has also helped me alot.

    As for low fat, low carb I've seen a few studies that it's mostly pointless for weight loss (apart from athletes who need to micro manage their macros) however higher protein can help with both satiety and lean mass retention whilst losing weight, so apart from calories, protein is the only macro worth making sure you try to hit. I imagine the people doing low fat low carb are having alot of protein so that's why its helping them but you don't need to be restrictive with your other macros as long as you get a good amount of protein in, no need to punish yourself. :)

    Good luck x

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