Antidepressants and weight gain
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I struggled with depression several times in the past, it runs in my family. With my first bouts I was able to control it with vitamins and herbal supplements. But, I eventually needed to get on medication in order to feel normal again. I started with Wellbutrin as that is what my mom had taken so my doctor started me on that and it was awful. It actually made my depression worse. I then switched to Lexapro and it was amazing. I felt like myself again for the first time in a while. I did not experience any problems with weight gain while I was on Lexapro. I weaned off of it over 10 years ago when I wanted to get pregnant with my first child and I haven't needed medication again since then. Medication can definitely be helpful in some cases. I would just talk to your doctor about your concerns of gaining weight and be vigilant. And just know that sometimes it can take some time to find the right Med and dose for you.2
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See this website: https://www.drweil.com/health-wellness/body-mind-spirit/mental-health/why-do-antidepressants-cause-weight-gain/
Also, consider that according to popular theory, most of your serotonin is made in your gut. If you have an overgrowth of bad bacteria, yeast, parasites (yes, even Western countries get them), then it can affect your ability to make enough serotonin.
I really like doTERRA On Guard for the synergistic action of the various essential oils. I have been taking 2 capsules a day for several months and it helped get somethings working better. (Bacteril also works well, but is more expensive.)
FIVE LAC is a favorite of mine for addressing yeast overgrowth.
Pyrantel Pamoate is an anti-parasitic and addresses many intestinal and stomach complaints. It is harmless to humans and works to paralyze the parasites (clove oil in the doTERRA On Guard does teh same thing) so they can pass through your system.
Some easy things to do, that won't interfere with your medication would be to switch to a Paleo / Keto / Atkins type diet and keep your sugar / carbs at around 100 grams total and ensure that most of them are from resistant starch. (This will help keep the cravings under control).
Ref: https://www.precisionnutrition.com/all-about-resistant-starch
Include home made lacto fermented veggies in at least one meal each day. A great resource would be Sandor Katz's "Wild Fermentation".
Alternatively, consider this article which boinks everything I just said on its head:
http://kellybroganmd.com/depression-serotonin/
These articles address your adrenals and your thyroid - maybe look for a doc that treats your symptoms not your lab results?
https://www.yourhormones.com/adrenal-glands/
https://www.yourhormones.com/adrenal-fatigue/
https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/adrenal-wisdom/
https://stopthethyroidmadness.com/thyroid-depression-mental-health/
Whatever you decide, make an informed decision and do whatever you feel is best for you and makes you feel better! Good luck!
OP, please ignore this steaming pile of horse manure. It's complete pseudoscienctific nonsense.
Kelly Brogan should lose her license, for all the garbage she spews. She's a horrible human being but makes a heck of a living charging thousands for appointments and consultations.1 -
Ugh. I'd suggest that you rely on your doctors and therapists for their advice instead of entertaining back-seat diagnosticians and advice that seems to come from pre-conceived agendas and emotionally-based biases (mental health stigmas, pharmaceuticals are inherently bad, etc). I think it's important that you prioritize for yourself the different aspects of health (for me, mental health is first, followed by weight somewhere on the list) and get comfortable with that. There's everything right about taking every measure to improve your mental health by optimizing your physical health (exercise, diet, sun, fun, mental stimulation, socialization, weight, etc), of course, and you should. Invest in those relationships with your doctors and therapists, and if they aren't working out, don't be afraid to change. Besides your family, they are closest to you and your condition.2
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Not necessarily. It depends on what is causing them. I used to have those too, and I know it is not something you would ever want to go through. I stumbled upon what was causing them by accident. I used to eat a lot of msg, and I cut that out, why I don't recall, but I stopped eating it.
A few years later I started eating it again with spicy Asian noodles I would make, and after about a month they began to come back. The noodles were the only thing I would put the stuff in. I remembered I had first started getting them when I would buy noodle bowls from an Asian store where I used to live.
I tried cutting the msg out, and they went away again. I looked it up, and it turns out it does cause panic attacks in some people. Thank God for that too, because they were about the worst experiences I've ever had to live through.
But if meds are doing it for you, more power to ya. If I had gotten meds for them and it worked, I would have stayed on them. Anything to avoid having them anymore.
Sounds like you were having an adverse to msg and not an anxiety attack at all.
Obviously treating this with medication would be inaffective.
Correct diagnosis and treatment is essential.
For many medical and psychiatric conditions medication is part of the correct treatment.
Not a every one is lucky enough to be able simply avoid a food additive and be asymptomatic.
Yes, for many meds are the right way to go. That doesn't necessarily even apply to the majority of cases though. We are the most overmedicated nation on earth. Many Dr's are writing prescriptions like pez dispensers and sometimes for things that make absolutely zero sense, like antibiotics for bronchitis, or percocet for toothaches. Percocets don't even cure pain, they just get you high while you're hurting and then it's a shock to people why there has been a 400% increase in prescription opioids since like 2000. Or, like in my case, lorazapam for msg toxicity. I would bet a big fat pile of cash that 1 in 5 or 1 in 6 prescriptions here in the US aren't even the appropriate treatment for the actual problem. And I'm not even including psychiatric drugs there. Some people are truly sick, absolutely, but I would bet that at least 1 in 3 psychiatric prescriptions would be better handled with training the person to change their perception, which would change their reaction, which is what the prescription is written for, to begin with.
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I experienced 25 pound weight gain from Amitriptyline over 25 years ago. It was used to alleviate chronic pain following a car accident. The pain relief was so welcome that I didn’t care at first. My friends asked if I was pregnant. The 25 pounds came on in just 2 months then stabilized. After going up 3 sizes I told my doctor enough. I didn’t recognize myself. He switched meds to Zoloft and I didn’t have any more weight gain. I wished I would have asked sooner. I never did lose that weight and 4 kids and 25 years later I have put on more.
My advice, try one-if you have any unwanted side effects try another. There are so many out there. Your mental health is very very important. Maybe you will be lucky on the first try.0
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