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I am back on antidepressants and having the same problem, but I also quit smoking 9 months ago so I think it's a combination of both. But it's summer and hells if i give up my frozen yogurt. no way!
Due to past surgeries, I cannot gain too much weight. That would lead to major surgery. When I was on meds I patiently told every pdoc. Usually I used up a couple of people's normal fifteen minutes. I stressed that being depressed was far less a problem to me than having major surgery since I gained a lot. They all nodded and said if you eat carefully....
I was eating carefully. When I started to have trouble with my problem, I started cutting the meds back. I didn't tell them since they'd just say I wasn't compliant. My gp had said I shouldn't gain weight either and I suppose it didn't matter if I complied with her or not. What I noticed and what they did, without knowing why, was I was doing better. I also absorb things randomly so they were giving me a higher dose. I just felt zoned all the time. As I took less, I felt better. I started looking at why's on some of it and discovered there were other solutions than drugs.
Overall, I take none now. I get depressed now and then and use behavoral means of getting out of them. I couldn't think clearly enough before on the drugs. I was being held hostage by the flashback and memories of stuff that had recently happened and couldn't learn to deal with them since I wasn't in touch with myself. But most of all health wise, the weight mattered.
If you are put on meds, and you see weight gain, go to your MEDICAL doctor, get a health evaluation and ask how the weight is degrading your physical health. Make sure you get the blood tests your supposed to on the drugs too, as they are often not done. If your doctor thinks the weight gain degrades your physical health or existing conditions, get the information written up, go see the doctor giving you them, and tell them you are not going to anymore.
There are alternatives if they want to look. Don't damage your physical health because they don't want to spend the time they should and listen to your own needs.
Ask yourself these questions.
If I get these 'downs' and its about real things which happened I'm not over, can I think clearly enough to resolve them on the meds. If no, then you need to adjust something.
Do I feel zoned half the time? If so you are taking to high a dose.
Sometimes problems require making a decison which take time and can cause sadness? Can you still do that? You can't you are being robbed of a necessary skill to navigate life.
Check a site called 'ask a patient' for your meds. It lists side effects of meds as recorded by real people takeing these drugs. Did you know that serequel can cause cataracs? And often does. Having had both eyes operated on for this, little history in the family, and the doctor not taking me OFF it once the first eye was diagnosed, I no longer believe the doctors we see really care much about you, just getting the waiting room empty by the end of the day.
Know the side effects, the FULL set before you take them and choose if you wish to take the risk of that side effect. And see your medical doctor if you have doubts. Pdoc are not gods though they sometimes act like it. Be as vigilent about your health as you would with a medical doctor who didn't have time to answer your questions and weigh options.
That happened when my daughter was taking Paxil. She gained about 40 lbs. However, the suicidal thoughts were far worse than the weight gain. She stopped taking Paxil for the latter. Thankfully, she recognized that the meds were the cause of that. That can be an extreme side effect for some people.
Her weight came off when she stopped taking Paxil, as did the suicidal thoughts.
Location: Scott County, Tennessee/by way of Detroit
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I take them for panic disorder..been on different ones..the worst weight gain I experienced was on Effexor....I gained 35 lbs... that was a lot for me...went off that and on to Zoloft...it seems to be weight neutral for me...I even lost weight at the beginning since I felt hyper at the beginning.. getting off Effexor I lost the weight and only on .25 mg of Zoloft now...haven't had a panic episode and the weight gain was 0...
Not every medication is "right" for every person. Call your doctor. They can give you different script if you are having adverse reactions. That is true for all medications not just anti-depressants.
Have you talked to the Doctor about times taking the medication. Example with Seroquel can be taken at night. That way can sleep and not be bothered by the hunger.
Also look at being emotionally unbalanced and your energy decrease. On meds your energy increases so you can exercise gobfor walks so forth. Schedule time in your days to get at least 20 to 30 minutes of walking to clear your thoughts. Additionally, monitor when you eat more and feel hungry. That way can figure ways to distract you at those times.
I had the same problem a few years ago. The drug had other side effects too. The weight gain thing was due to a stimulated appetite. It took me quite a while to get back down to normal and for the other side effects to dissipate. It took a diet lifestyle change to lose those extra pounds (about twenty - I'm back to where I was as a young man). I already had a reasonably healthy diet (but there were still sugars involved) but even then, I gained weight.
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It's such a dilemma, I don't want to go off my meds because they've been a God send, but I don't want to end up as big as a house either. lol
Perhaps a eating lifestyle change would help in overcoming these cravings? You already eat plenty of fruits and veggies so perhaps introducing or increasing high satiety foods would help. You would already know that sugars and simple carbs are hunger stimulants.
Have you tried oily fish like salmon? I can eat a portion of salmon for supper and nothing else and feel full right until breakfast (I'm not on hunger stimulating meds so it might not work for you). Worth a try. Avocado is great too. Raw, unsalted cashews are great to snack on and are quite filling and have the added benefit of being of being a good serotonin booster, being high in L-Tryptophan (my main antidepressant).
I take seroquel and have struggled with the hunger/weight gain. The biggest help was switching my dose to before bed instead of in the am. It also sedated me a bit. So I take it and go to bed. I also set aside an evening snack that I take with it most nights.
I'd talk with your prescriber about the weight gain because it's a well known side effect and they can help with it.
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