Antidepressants and Weight Gain

[Imaduck]

In 1995 I suffered from a massive post partum hemmorhage which resulted in the loss of my pituitary gland and a very rare conditon called Sheehan's Syndrome.  As a result, I daily take replacement medication to replace what the body would normally (i.e. adrenal glands, thyroid, and hormones).  After 3 years or so, I was prescribed Effexor 75 mg for depression that had set in.  I never experienced any additional weight gain on the medication. In approximately 2001, everything seemed to level out and even though I was still taking approximately 150 mg of effexor, I had even manage to lose some weight and get into good shape. I went off approximately late 2002.  Since then, all hell has broken loose in my life and in 2004 and I ended up back on the medication with a suicide attempt.  Up until 10/06 I was taking 300 mg Effexor and was not getting good results from it.  The stresses in my life were not lessening and I seemed to stop responding the the effexor.  The shrink decided to add 150 mg Wellbutrine to the mix.  I felt tons better but immediately packed on the pounds.  I am now off the effexor and just on the wellbutrine, but the weight is not stopping at all.  I have put on 31 lbs. since October when my weight hadn't change more than 10 lbs. in 6 years.  I have also put it 0n so quickly (20 lbs in the first month) that my skin is so tight and hasn't really been able to stretch as much as it needs to to accomodate the increased weight. My back hurts all the time from the excess weight, I am not sleeping well at all, and it seems that all my other medications are losing some of their effectiveness.  I am extremely frustrated because I know if I ever get this worked out, the weight is not going to come off like it went on.  

[Imaduck]

Sorry couldn't fit it all in.....

Reading most of the logs about weight gain, I haven't seem to find one that people aren't gaining weight on.  Is there anyone else out there who is dealing with steroid use and antidepressants at the same time?  I am feeling myself slipping into a worse depression because of the weight issue and being constantly in pain and wonder would I be better off without them all together and lump it?  I have battled eating disorders in the past and see myself heading down that path if I can't find some sort of relief.  Any thoughts or feedback would be greatly appreciated.

[venora]

I understand your conern.I am on the notorious zyprexa noted for weight gain but the benefit i am getting from it far exceeds the weight gain issue.
I am also on thyroid meds.
I walk to control my weight as it has gone up a bit since my thyroid surgery Walking. also helps with the depression by lifting your seritonin and dopamine levels so you get a twofold benefit.
I know sometimes it is hard to be motivated but it feels so good to walk
also talk to your doc about the concerns you are having.I know I tried several different meds befor I got the combo I am on now.
  Hnag in there and let me know how you are .I am saying prayers for you to feel better and sending healing energies you way.
Love Venora

[nanik]

I just started on prozac - 2weeks ago, and have already noticed weight gain. My clothes are so tight! How is it possible to gain weight without eating more?

[venora]

I am convinced it is all connected with our thyroids and our mental health.I dont have medical proof except for I have been through this past year with thyroid touble and the overwhelming depression due to lack of thyroid hormone.
it ispossible to control your weight though while being on these meds.WE just have to work a little harder at it now
Good Luck Venora

[hrdcore]

all those drugs make u blow up like a balloon, i stopped and am reg sized again......maybe ur on to high a dose?   be hard.....'core

[Imaduck]

I would love to stop taking it, but my life stresses (4 kids, a new city where I haen't made many friends, and the biggie the pituitary issues.  when I weight the good vs. the bad I do believe it is best for me to remain on an antidepressant.  Otherwise, I have ver strong feeling that it might cost me my life.  It is not that I am suicidal, as much a my body not being able to handle it.  On of the things with the hyfrocortisone (steroid) is when you are a normal person, your body naturally naturally adjusts that amount depending on stress, illness, etc.  I take a pill everyday so it is definately a guess as to ho3 much is the correct dose.

I appreciate evenones input.  It is very helpful.

[Kerry3020]

Hi Everyone-

Greetings from Pennsylvania. I began taking Effexor (37.5mg)  4 years ago for PMDD.  While I felt marvelous over this time, I never associated my weight gain with this drug.  Funny how every pamphlet notes weight loss as a side effect - not weight gain.  Imagine my surprise when I visited a new internist at my usual practice to discuss Lap Band surgery last week and she stated - "Why do something so extreme?  Let's get you off Effexor  - it causes weight gain."  After I picked myself up off the floor - we laid a plan.  I stopped Effexor last Friday - have spent the last 5 days with little sleep and crazy dreams - but feel generally good during the day and at work.  This is important because I am a marketing manager for Tyco International and my work load and stress level daily is off the charts.  I started Meridia on Monday morning to try to get this weight off.  According to my doctor - this is a great substitute for Effexor as Meridia was originally developed as an anti-depressent.... but marketed for weight loss to increase profits - has anyone ever heard that?  This doctor is a saint... she actually believes that she can get this weight off without a trip to Weight Watchers!  She claims - normal diet and moderate exercise coupled with Meridia should do the trick. She has asked for a 6 month committment to work with her.  Let's hope it works - a 60 pount weight gain is killing me!  I'm 5'3" and generally have weighed 140-150 all my life - a happy size 10.  I now tip the scales at 214 and am busting out of size 16.  Not a pretty picture...to say the least.  I feel like such a fool - I have blamed my age (44), a divorce, my thyroid - anything and everything for this weight gain as it made no sense - not eating anymore that usual and gaining weight is freakish!  So far so good with the Meridia, my appetite has dropped off and my carb cravings are gone.  I am now eating 3 meals a day.  Cereral and fruit, salad lunch and a normal dinner - and totally satisfied.  It's wonderful to not feel starved!  I will weigh myself next Monday and post again.

Nonetheless - I am not posting to vent or brag, but to share my journey.  Hopefully, armed with Meridia and this good chick doctor's advice and guidance (love those young ones from Yale!) , I will shed these pounds.  I'll keep you posted, I think this sight could use a story of success!  I hope that I'm it!  

All the Best~
Kerry

[venora]

I so hope this works  for .I will anxious to see how this does for you as weight gain has been a problem for me because of my meds.I did decide to be happy and overweight than skinny and suidcidal but I would like to get my weight under control.
Keep posting on your progress
Love Venora

[Imaduck]

That is really encouraging to hear.  I am very stressed about the thought of not being on an antidepressant with the stresses in my life.  I have never heard that about Meridia but it is something I was thinking about asking my doctor about for weight loss reasons.  I do have an appt. with the shrink tomorrow, so I am anxious to ask about it.  I am sure in their line of work I am going to get the run around as far as using it as a weight loss toll, but hey what the heck.  I am curious to see how it is working for you!  Keep me posted!  Lisa

[dyblue]

meridia is speed you will experience withdrawls and more depression when you stop.  Its a stimulant thats why you feel good sounds like the doc os a quack sorry but been there done that and ended up in a phych ward .  the weight doesn't say off either.  please don't take that ,you need more and more to ge the same effect its in the amphetimine family my dear.  please be very careful you are playing with fire.

[dyblue]

that a amphetimine .  you feel like awful withdrawls when you come off been there done that.  doc is a quack sorry but thats scary stuff that mer.  your getting high thats why you don't want to eat I bet you have lots of energy too.  Bad stuff ,.SPEED KILLS  READ THE WARNING THEYB ARE TRUE.

[Kerry3020]

Thanks for your concern but, I think that you're over reacting. My Dr. is on staff at the University of Pennsylvania and was educated at Yale.  Consequently, I trust her. She said that she never would have prescribed Effoxor in the first place if she had been my doctor 4 years ago. My Effexor dosage was the lowest available - 37.5mg.  I took it for PMDD - not full blown depression. (I do not think that there is a psych ward in my future.)  My "withdrawal" lasted 3 days and my only true side effect was a disruption to sleep. I felt perfectly normal afterwards and still do now with the Meridia.  I am not "flying".  Trust me - I could not do my job if this drug was as scary as you think. I am quite myself and sleeping well. The only differnce is that I am not ravenous.  I am eating 3 square meals a day and when I weighed myself Saturday I am already down 5 lbs.

As an FYI --Sibutramine  (Meridia)  changes the levels of chemicals in the brain, including serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, which is a type of chemical that sends messages back and forth in the brain. These brain chemicals are thought to influence feelings of hunger and fullness. Sibutramine (Meridia) works by making you feel full sooner when you eat. It's chemical make-up is just like an anti-depressent and is not considered Speed.

Don't worry - I did my homework and and I am doing just fine.

Kerry

[celinotomato]

I started to notice a gradual weight gain recently.  After taking celexa I did not notice any change to my weight, but approximately one year, I started to gain weight.  I thought celexa was supposed to give me back the energy, opposite!!!! didn't feel like working out at all.  two years later, I put on about 10 pounds. (i'm only 5'4'', and was 118llb when I started Celexa).  It is devastating as my depression is mostly related to self esteem and body image issues. I am now over 125llb and going out of my mind.  I want to stop celexa, but not without my doctor's okay.   I cant get in to see my doctor for another month. I started taking Lipo6, without ephedra, a week ago.  I am desperate to loose weight....
has anyone ever tried Lipo6?
has anyone experienced a similar experience?

[Phat Mac]

Hi,
I just wanted to say thank you so much for this thread. I never even knew that weight gain occurred with anti-depressants. I'm taking lamictal for bi-polar disorder. I've been on it for years. My weight has always been up and down, but it's because I'll be a slug and not exercise while eating fast food, then I get on major health kicks where I exercise an hour day and really watch what I eat. Typical bipolar behaviour ;-) So I don't think weight gain is a side effect from taking Lamictal. But then again, everyone's bodies react differently to different substances.

Has anyone thought of going to a doctor who looks at your body hollistically? Your body is very much it's own environment. You can't dam up a river without expecting crops to die downstream. If I had the money, this would be an approach I would take. Eat well and exercise and hope that it will come together.

[Marymore44]

I have been on Meridia for 11 days and have lost 4 lbs. No bad side effets xept more energy and feeling moe motivated/up. Am also new on hypothyroid treatment too so it could be a combination of the two. Good luck.

[bossless1]

I have been taking Lexapo for about a year now and at first i lost about 10 lbs and was feeling much better. Now I have gained about 15 lbs and I feel like I am just very indifferent to everything.. No ups no downs just blah. I saw my dr yesterday and he switched me to effexor in a hopes to boost my mood and increase my sex drive which went bye bye with the lexapro. I have been reading a lot of stuff about effexor and similar drugs and now I am really second guessing my dr's choice. I suffer from anxiety, depression, and ADD like symptoms. I just want to be normal again and enjoy my husband (who adores me) and my kids and friends. I will give the effexor a chance but I hope to God that it doesn't jack me up for life.

[BS65]

I have been on a few different antidepressants since first suffering from major depression back in the late 80's and I found that all but two caused weight gain. Paxil seemed to cause the biggest weight gain and I wasn't able to lose it until I stopped and switched to Serzone, which is now off the market although I think the generic form is still available. Wellbutrin is the other one that doesn't seem to effect your weight. But both Serzone and Wellbutrin are not SSRI's while a majority of the others that are prescribed most often are. Effexor is also not an SSRI but it does effect weight anyway.

Some of these medications also increase your appetite on top of everything else. For example, my husband started Paxil last March and was in beautiful shape, very muscular and athletic and healthy and he had the energy to exercise and the desire to eat right. It is now September and he is 40 lbs heavier and eats everything in sight and is fatigued most of the time and can't find the energy to exercise. We went back to the doctor and she took him off Paxil and put him on Wellbutrin and and then we figured out he need a very low dose of Paxil with the Wellbutrin and I now see the weight coming off. He has more energy and his appetite is normal again.

[teeee]

I was on paxil to and after a month i would eat eat eat and i gained maybe 10 pounds but lost it al when i stopped taking it..most of the weight gain was around my waist