Anti-Depressants- How I Gained My Weight
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Different anti-depressants work in different ways. A well documented side effect of Wellbutrin, for example is decreased appetite and weight loss.
Oh yeah where is this side effect for me?? LOL0 -
That hasn't actually been established -- the OP said she was actually quite depressed and had a history of anxiety. I'm not saying that drug therapy should ever be the first thing suggested. But the doctor knew her.Patients should be assertive. But it's particularly hard for some depressed patients to reject a drug. They fear being accused by their doctors of being resistant to their own cure.
]After my experience, whenever the doctor suggested a medication, I would Google the name for SEs. If anything was clearly linked to weight gain I said I wouldn't take it.
No you're right it hasn't been established but that is how it's reading to me. I'm not an expert by any means but I've been through the ringer enough and through too many "psychotic people daycares" (psych wards, whether in or outpatient) to feel I can understand enough to get a fraction of the picture, if that wording makes any sense. Really this just reads to me as a bad bout of clinical depression, which I've already discussed in other posts. Am I right? Probably not, but hey I can try.
I had those incidents with two separate psychiatrists, but the problem there was they were lacking professionalism and good ol' fashioned give -a-damn. The first wouldn't ever speak to me directly, just read the notes the associated therapist jotted after an hour of me talking about everything because there was no guidance and after a month of a different pill each week (also unprofessional) he tried to commit me because I was difficult. The second was focused more on my weight, how I dressed, and made it clear she believed I was not only a drug addict but I was trying to get certain medications from her to sell or abuse, she also refused to speak to me directly and spoke to my mother who had to always repeat what I said in order for the doctor to "hear" me. There was also a problem in my diagnosis, which explained why I was going in demanding prescription changes almost every time, but seeing as neither one seemed to care then it was natural to blame me.
But no patients should never be scared to say "this medicine isn't working." Because really what's worse, having your doctor scold you and possibly have you change doctors or living with the side effect, especially if it's something major?
I usually research it before I fill the prescription. There's never a time in any doctor I see's office that I can quickly google the prescription-to-be and have a yea or nay saying before I go. But yes I did learn through experience to look things up before they go in my mouth.0 -
I have read this thread with interest and in part amazement by how many people,and what appears to be particularly young women are taking anti depressants. In a generic and non judgmental view, it appears we are over prescribed. I had experience with a son that took anti depressants for a time and it was not a positive thing. He eventually no longer took them and the story had a happy ending. Maybe that is the way to look at these medications. We break a bone, use crutches for a while, it heals and we no longer need the crutches. I hope it can be that way for all who are taking these medications. The medications cause various side effects, that is known and unknown in complete scope. And it is never good, like "on this medication you will lose weight". For young women, what can be more depressing than gaining 20 pounds while taking a medication that is supposed to help with depression. It seems like a pharmalogical trap to me. I know that anyone that may be taking these meds may have looked at natural solutions, but maybe not. Just in case someone doesn't know, fish oil is indicated to help alot with depression. So if you have not looked at natural meds, please do. Good luck and best wishes with all these challenges.0
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I have read this thread with interest and in part amazement by how many people,and what appears to be particularly young women are taking anti depressants. In a generic and non judgmental view, it appears we are over prescribed. I had experience with a son that took anti depressants for a time and it was not a positive thing. He eventually no longer took them and the story had a happy ending. Maybe that is the way to look at these medications. We break a bone, use crutches for a while, it heals and we no longer need the crutches. I hope it can be that way for all who are taking these medications. The medications cause various side effects, that is known and unknown in complete scope. And it is never good, like "on this medication you will lose weight". For young women, what can be more depressing than gaining 20 pounds while taking a medication that is supposed to help with depression. It seems like a pharmalogical trap to me. I know that anyone that may be taking these meds may have looked at natural solutions, but maybe not. Just in case someone doesn't know, fish oil is indicated to help alot with depression. So if you have not looked at natural meds, please do. Good luck and best wishes with all these challenges.
You'd be surprised at the number of men, young and grown, who are prescribed them as well. In my years through group therapy places I met many men who were taking them for situational things like a bad divorce, relocating due to a job and missing their family, or a death and those that took them for clinical reasons such as years of built-up stress from demanding jobs, abuse, and PTSD related things like serving time in the military and being deployed during a war. All of them were looking to get better not only by taking medication but by going through therapy which often times is what "cures" or helps more than the pills. Some can eventually get off them and be free, some never will.
The mind is not like a bone and thus cannot heal like one. It's why a lot of people fail to grasp the whole nature of what it means to be mentally ill, mentally disturbed, or just upset to the point of needing help. Depression is one of the most common diagnosis in the United States mainly because we do it to ourselves. The media portrays things that cannot be but feeds false hope, our peers are not always kind, and pressure is placed on us to be a good student, get in to college, graduate, and find a job that will bring us money. Then we are forced into lives of bills, expectations at home and work, and it can very well lead to someone "going postal." The statement "we are over prescribed" is debatable since there are doctors who are very loose with their prescription pads or who are ill-informed themselves and either mis-diagnose or don't take the best route.
For those who only have momentary depression under certain circumstances that doesn't immobilize them entirely then yes natural, drug-free routes are best explored first but with professional guidance. Those who have true problems that can't be taken away by a few months in therapy and on a pill, that is not an option. It's not a trap, it's a living nightmare that some, like myself, will not escape and need genuine help with that just happens to come in the form of pills and capsules. Psychiatric facilities still exist for a reason. Your son may have been better off without them, but not everyone is your son. We're not uniform enough to have one cure, it's why there are so many types of pills, so many different dosages.0 -
edited/ see below.0
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They actually can change your metabolic profile by causing thyroid issues. But for the most part, it is calories in/calories out.Antidepressants don't make you fat. Over eating does.
One should not go off their medication due to weight gain, instead talk to your doctor and visit a nutritionist who can help control the side effects.0 -
I agree. I also think that implicating that they do can have a serious effect on vulnerable people.0
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Point taken and well said. I am perennially suspicious of big Pharma, the so many different meds and variations on dosage and effectiveness. That being said, I do understand that these medications have been helpful to many people. You are correct, the mind is not a bone, but it can often be healed in the same way, many but not all times, naturally. For those situations that this is not possible, we have medications that can, but do not always "work". My comments are not in any way an indictment on those that have to use anti depressants, but rather a comment on the quick pen of our medical establishment to prescribe. Case in point, I was in the doctor's office 6 months ago, he said my cholesterol is high. The next words were about stain drugs. I said stop. Not going to happen. I fixed that with diet and weight loss. Personal experience. Depression, not the same. Understood. Almost everyone has had bouts of depression caused by depressing events in their lives. Some can "deal" with it, some not. Again, understood. My point remains only that we (all of us) should continue to look outside of medications where we possibly can and look to natural healing processes where possible.0
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To be honest - this thread scares the crud out of me.
Please DON'T EVER stop your antidepressants without the help of a medical professional. Some need to be tapered off or cardiac or neurological "events" can occur. Yes, your heart can stop or you can start seizing, etc.
Do NOT take the advice of anyone on this thread to get off them without consulting with your medical professionals.
That being said....some medications do cause weight gain. No questions asked and it has nothing to do with lifestyle changes. Applies to all medications, not just anti-depressants either.
Please don't judge people who say they have gained weight from taking a medication, any medication. It can happen. For some meds - its a given it will happen. Some its just a chance and for some its a very rare side effect.
People who need to be on these meds are feeling bad enough and don't need to be judged when they say it caused them to gain weight.
Okay, stepping off my soap box now.
I'm trying to find the part in this thread where someone told you to stop taking your medication and I'm not seeing it.0 -
Medication, just like over-eating, is a choice. For those who think they can manage without medication, I whole-heartedly support your decision to free your life of side effects. As someone previously stated, however, you should consult with your doctor before attempting to come off of them. I do recognize that many people believe that living without medication is not an option for them, and I support their decision. No one can tell you what you need, especially when it comes to mental health. But if you think that you can find a better option, I would recommend pursuing it. I have taken Prozac, Zoloft, Zyprexia, Risperdal, Stelazine, and Abilify, and in the end, I experienced side effects with each and ultimately discovered that I didn't need any of them. I did gain weight on Zyprexia. The chemical suppressed the appetite center of my brain and I gained 60 pounds in three months.
If you can do without them, then try. If you can't, then that is okay too. Live, love, be well and happy!0 -
Point taken and well said. I am perennially suspicious of big Pharma, the so many different meds and variations on dosage and effectiveness. That being said, I do understand that these medications have been helpful to many people. You are correct, the mind is not a bone, but it can often be healed in the same way, many but not all times, naturally. For those situations that this is not possible, we have medications that can, but do not always "work". My comments are not in any way an indictment on those that have to use anti depressants, but rather a comment on the quick pen of our medical establishment to prescribe. Case in point, I was in the doctor's office 6 months ago, he said my cholesterol is high. The next words were about stain drugs. I said stop. Not going to happen. I fixed that with diet and weight loss. Personal experience. Depression, not the same. Understood. Almost everyone has had bouts of depression caused by depressing events in their lives. Some can "deal" with it, some not. Again, understood. My point remains only that we (all of us) should continue to look outside of medications where we possibly can and look to natural healing processes where possible.
I understand that. Despite being on medication daily, I myself don't advocate drugs as the answer most of the time because I have felt firsthand how it can hurt you and I have seen how people can hurt themselves when using them wrongly. There's nothing wrong with promoting more natural answers as it can in the end save us money and chemical side effects, but I did want to express that it's not always possible. I wish it were, but it's not.
And you made a good point talking about your cholesterol visit. I had high cholesterol myself and the first thing my doctor suggested was a change in diet and weight loss before medication was brought up and even then it was my choice to take it or not as a supplement to the change I was making myself. Not all doctors are the same, believe the same things, or like the same treatments and so sometimes people are not given all the options they could be given. It's not so much a way to drag you to the pharmacy but merely what they've been taught mixing with natural human bias. In some cases it's always best to get second and third opinions or even do your own research and discuss it with your doctor as an option. So long as you're actively trying, that's a good sign. Even if you're stuck on medication for a while or until you die, as long as you try and you find the results you were looking for in the end, it's worth it.0 -
Antidepressants don't make you fat. Over eating does.
Beg to differ. I led a healthy lifestyle as far as eating.
seroquel will make u fat...thats a fact
Seroquel itself doesn't make you fat. It makes you crave sugar in large amounts, which is hard to resist, so this is why people gain weight on seroquel.0 -
Antidepressants are just a bandaid for the problem. All that crap is not good for you. Suck it up.
This is the most ignorant response I've read yet...
To the writer, read the posts! Hello!0 -
The lipid hypothesis is the basis for all the cholesterol medication getting tossed around and there's a reason the lipid hypothesis is not called the lipid theory.0
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this.Antidepressants don't make you fat. Over eating does.
READ THE POSTS SISTER0 -
i dont think anti-depressants make you gain weight, they just increase your appetite, which sucks but the rest is up to you
Completely ignorant statement.0 -
Wow, when I scanned the 4 pages of posts I didn't see anyone on here with an MD after their name.
My only thought on this post is-
Take up your medical issues with a professional.
you're right. something happened to me, but i am not qualified to speak as to my personal experience, as i am not a doctor. now i will refrain from having opinions about anything, such as if my dinner is going to taste good, because i am not a master chef, or that i suppose it might rain, judging by the look of these clouds, being that i am not a meteorologist.
I AM A PROFESSIONAL HASN"T ANYONE READ MY POSTS???0 -
Wow, when I scanned the 4 pages of posts I didn't see anyone on here with an MD after their name.
My only thought on this post is-
Take up your medical issues with a professional.
you're right. something happened to me, but i am not qualified to speak as to my personal experience, as i am not a doctor. now i will refrain from having opinions about anything, such as if my dinner is going to taste good, because i am not a master chef, or that i suppose it might rain, judging by the look of these clouds, being that i am not a meteorologist.
I AM A PROFESSIONAL HASN"T ANYONE READ MY POSTS???
I like you :flowerforyou:0 -
Please read the article I posted. Nobody NEEDS antidepressants because they have not even proven to work better than placebo. I'm glad you feel better with exercise. Did you know studies have shown that exercise works better than antidepressants? Did you know that drug companies had knowledge that showed that antidepressants not only didn't work but also caused suicidal behaviors in young people and they tried to cover it up. I'm not saying that someone with depression doesn't need help, I am saying they don't need these pills.
There is a difference between real depression and the depression you are obviously talking about. Depression as in feeling like you want to die every second of the day. With an imbalance in the brain. It is an illness like no other. Should they should giving chemo to cancer patients? No. So why should they stop giving antidepressants to people who legit NEED them. At one point in my life I was on them and although after I started exercising I became so much happier I was able to come off them, It is not that easy for some people.
After my sister was murdered, it took a month to find the body. Afterwards I locked myself in the basement for a long time and used empty pop bottles to pee in, so believe me, I know what it's like to be truly depressed and I do not take it lightly.My advice, you don't have to take it or agree with it, try to change your life without taking these drugs unless you absolutely have to. This is one of those cure is worse than the disease situations.
I agree. I think taking it for a short time is ok, but try and get off it as soon as possible. Side affects are horrible. Good luck!
If you have ever been TRULY depressed, you wouldn't say things like "go off your meds" so lightly. For some people, not being on their meds is a death sentence! This really is an area where if you are not qualified and don't have their personal medical records in your hands, you probably should not being saying such things because "someone" out there may take your advice and end up dead. I wouldn't want that on my shoulders!
I'm sorry about your sister.
I agree that antidepressants should be avoided. I can't believe doctors hand them out like candy and people take them like they are the missing piece of the puzzle. Depression and sadness are a NORMAL part of life. These drugs exist to make people money, not to make people feel better. I resent that they are being taken in such high numbers that they are found in our drinking water and are doing untold damage to marine life.
Here is a snippet fro a 2004 news article:
GlaxoSmithKline PLC committed fraud by withholding negative information and misrepresenting data on prescribing its antidepressant Paxil to children, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday by New York Attorney General Eliot Spitzer.
The lawsuit, filed in New York State Supreme Court, said Glaxo suppressed four studies that failed to demonstrate the drug was effective in treating children and adolescents and suggested an increase of suicidal thinking and acts.
It also said an internal 1999 Glaxo document showed that the company intended to “manage the dissemination of data in order to minimize any potential negative commercial impact.â€
The youth that became suicidal on the antidepressants didn't NEED them to begin with, which is why the drug had an adverse affect.
I agree, that antidepressants, and drugs in general, are highly overprescribed. However, there IS such as thing as CLINICAL DEPRESSION and this is what is being referred to here in these posts. It is a LEGITIMATE ILLNESS that is treatable, but doesn't go away without treatment, and doesn't go away with just exercise. If this disease progresses, it can lead to a comatose state, or worse yet, suicide.0 -
Is it usual to take antidepressants for a break-up? Am just curious .... I know breakups can cause real pain, but antidepressants seem a significant step ... to me??
Sean
As mentioned, I had always had anxiety and bouts of depression. This break-up was the last straw in what I could handle. I don't think I need to go too far into detail about my life, but like eveyone else's, it isn't easy.
Now I'm in a much better mental state. I no longer take them.
MIND OVER MATTER!
Oh, please. There's a reason patients are prescribed drug therapy by responsible physicians. "Positive Thinking" is not enough. There's a problem with their brain chemistry, in addition to whatever external events have an influence.
NOTE: I didn't realize it was the OP who said "Mind over Matter." That puts the quote in a different light.
If you got better with the "mind over matter" mantra, then you didn't have clinical depression. Y9ou may've experienced a short depressive episode, or, melancholy (which is a diagnosis.)0
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