Meds and Weight Gain

I need help regarding meds and weight gain.  I am currently on 600 mg effexor, 300 mg wellbutrin, 1200 mg tegratol, 20 mg ritalin, 400 mg lamictal and 2 mg clonazepam.  I have gained about 20-25 pounds since I started this cocktail a couple of years ago.  I have continually upped dosages because of depression.  I don't get manic very often but depression is my problem.  My doctor has been discussing seroquel a lot lately.  I have heard that puts weight on also.  I was wondering about anyone's experience with all of the above meds.  That way I can figure out about going off a lot of the other meds for seroquel.  If I keep on gaining it will make me more depressed.  I have got to a place where I feel comfortable with the weight I am now - it would be great to lose a bit but gaining would put me in a bad place.  Thank you so much for any info I receive.

[Roger Gould, M.D.]

That is a massive amount of medication, and anything you can do to simplify it by taking only one medication would certainly be an improvement.  There is also a complex relationship between depression, food and weight gain, and you might benefit by going to my site, www. shrinkyourself.com, to find out more about that. The more you can handle stress and depression in better ways, the less you will need food or medication.

[xjxexsxsx]

I recently started taking Wellbutrin and I'm up to about 250 mg a day. It was the best thing that ever happened to me, I'm to the point that I almost never feel depressed and I almost never have mood swings, which was a big problem for me before. I've also lost about 25 lbs since being on it. I understand that everyones symptoms are different and I've never really had much experience with any of the other meds you are on,  however if yo are worried about weight gain, I have to suggest staying on the wellbutrin. Also having a counselor to talk to has been a great help to me in keeping me off other meds...I hope you have someone to talk to as well...I know feeling cruddy sucks, all I can say is hang in there...and I wish you the best of luck.

[YoshisMom]

I am taking wellbutrin for depression, I was on 150 twice a day of the wellbutrin sr for a month and then the dr changed it to the wellbutin xl 300 and I have been on this for about a week and I've noticed that I have increased appetite. Has anyone done this?

[claire111]

hey. I'm going through the same thing except I'm on prozac for depression treatment. sometimes I find that the weight I have gained as a side effect to my antidepressant medication makes me more depressed.  I'm even considering to stop taking my meds so I will loose the weight.  I really have no advise to give you, but I thik its nice to know that I'm not the only one with this problem.

[AndyScot]

Thank you for everyone's ideas.  I lost the address of this website and just found it this morning or I would have replied sooner.  Firstly, I cannot drop any of the medications I am on.  I have been struggling with depression (bipolar but mostly depression) for 17 years.  This is the first medication cocktail that has worked for me.  I have been on combinations of everything.  I would love to just be on Welbutrin but  I need stablizers or I would go manic.  I would love to lose some weight but I would never consider going off my medication because I am finally somewhat stable.  I spent some years giving up medications that made me gain weight and would end up in hospital with mania.  I thank you all for your input and if anyone has anything else they can add it would be greatly appreciated.

[Gypsy Lady]

I used to be a size 9, for the longest time, until I was diagnoised. Now all I do is crave food and try to really balance my intake, but since all the anti depressants I take have balloned me to a size 24. It (the meds) intice me to eat eat eat and my health is suffering, the 80ty pounds that I have gained have caused me to suffer chronic knee pain, and I do not recognize the person in the mirror, much less want to look at the image  see.
    I am now obese and more depressed than ever, because of my big gut, it is causing, more weight gain and more strain on my back, and now I have more to take more meds which will call more weight gain. Help me some one for some other suggestions or other options.

[njtx]

My son had a problem with Respitrol in less than 4 months he had gained
80 lbs. and has never lost it.  He has not worked at it but my daughter gained 50 lbs from serequel and it took a long hard year to loose it. She ate 5 times a day  small portions very healthy, she never before weighed more than 133.
When she used welbutrin she liked it because it stopped her from wanting to eat.  Even though she kept her weight down she did like to eat.  I was most upset since I have been morbidly obse most of my life, BUT I did not want my kids to suffer, so they ate healthier foods and were never fat till the meds.
At present my daughter uses Abilify for bipolar and my son also uses it
for his illness. It does not seem to make them gain weigh, most expensive
medication but it does wonders.  Good luck.  The best way to stop wanting more food is to cut all carbs . On the 4th day u will not be hungary.
Fruit, puffed rice ceareal , potato ok. plus  normal eating. I am a carbaholic
and I would not believe this but a friend went from 450 to 250 this way and was full.  GOOD LUCK

[tobywankenobi]

I am on 900mg lithium, 600mg Seroquel, 80mg propanolol, 0.5mg Klonopin as needed for situational anxiety + Nexium and 100mg Ultram for arthritis. I started taking these meds about 10 mos ago. I have gained over 70lbs since starting these meds, although all the wheight was put on in the first 5 mos.. I know Seroquel is the culpret. Here is my problem I cannot lose any weight, I excercise as much as possible (jog 1/2 mile walk 1/2 mile) and only eat 1 meal a day. I have had to go to a clinical dietition because of high cholesterol that my cardiologist does'nt like. My blood glucose keeps getting higher and higher, as a matter of fact my therapist called for my psychiatrist yesterday to tell me I need to talk to my PCP, I don't even want to know. I have HCV and am do to start Interferon/ Ribivirin treatment on the 28 Aug 07 and if I let my liver doctor they will postpone my HCV meds. I have already beem waiting a year because of this damn bi-polar. I was hoping the hcv treatment would help me lose some Lbs. Please let me know what you think I need to do>>