Is weight gain on Cymbalta due to an increase in appetite or slow metabolism?

[bundle113]

I have just started Cymbalta and have noticed a tremendous increase in my appetite.  I think I can try and control it however, I was wondering if this would be enough.  I don't want to continue on the drug if the weight gain comes from slowing one's metabolism down.  I think it would just be easier to get off the drug now then later.

[M4Y0U]

Yeah when i said ''All i have to say is listen to your body. He's the one who knows. But the trick is when you are thirsty you are already dehydrated and this is where the drink 9 cups of water theory comes from.'' i should have said '' the dehydration ( lol don't come back at me telling dehydration is a serious condition i do not intend to play with words and definition no more ) process has already increased by 5 percent''. My error anyway the Institute of Medicine recommend drinking about 2 liter and therefore this is why i said it. I'm not supporting such theory, personally i listen to my body and i drink when I'm thirsty, before and after breakfast, after each meals and some green tea during the evening and sometimes during the day when i can and when i go to bed i drink a glass of water. The body is smart enough to let you know when you are becoming dehydrated but personally i like preventive and efficient drinking before breakfast ( because it wakes up the metabolism so it is more efficient and more ready to support the breakfast ) and drinking before bed time. Just my thoughts.

[nursegirl6572]

Thanks for the reference, but it seems to be more of a marketing ploy than anything, as on the same site....one can purchase the products mentioned in the article?  I don't know, but those kinds of things always make me wonder is there isn't truly an ulterior motive for the "information" being presented.

Just to play devil's advocate, I found an interesting article myself...and this is kind of what I was saying all along.  That the idea that we need all of this extra water isn't something that has been solidly proven...more just an accepted "factoid" that gets passed on and on.

The one thing I know for sure is, in a healthy person who isn't battling any illnesses, we get adequate fluid intake daily from the foods we eat and liquids we drink.  Obviously, in some cases, increased fluid intake would of course be adviseable, for instance, if someone is ill with a fever, or (like the article mentioned), someone fighting kidney stones, or for people who are exercising vigorously...they lose more fluid than the average person, therefore would have a need to replace more.

Water is certainly good for you, but I'm not sold on the fact that a person needs any more than just their average consumption...let alone 8 glasses of water a day!  Anyway, the initial conversation was over the term "dehydration"....just wanted to clarfiy that someone being thirsty, etc...does not equate with dehydration.  You mentioned something similar to that in a prior post, and the article I found has this to say about the thirst mechanism:

"Thirst Is Too Late. It is often stated that by the time people are thirsty, they are already dehydrated. On the contrary, thirst begins when the concentration of blood (an accurate indicator of our state of hydration) has risen by less than two percent, whereas most experts would define dehydration as beginning when that concentration has risen by at least five percent. "

I would guarantee that in the cases where some would haphazardly say, "you are dehydrated", if they had a work-up including a physical exam and lab work, they wouldn't be.

Interesting reading....and although a little bit older (2002), I like the fact that phsyiological facts are presented in the article.


http://www.scienceagogo.com/news/20020711213420data_trunc_sys.shtml

[M4Y0U]

Good article on water and hydration and dehydration

http://www.bodyecology.com/08/03/13/dehydration_more_common_than_realize.php

[nursegirl6572]

"Common" dehydration?  Is that an actual term, and if so, I'd like to see a definition.

"Everyday" loss of water (from urinating, etc) does NOT lead to "dehydration".  It also does not require massive fluid replacements, the body is self sufficient in that regard, with typical oral intake *(food and water) being enough to replace that fluid.  Fluid lost from urination, normal sweating, etc does not require additional fluid replacement.

You are trying to say that everyday functions such as urinating, lead to "dehydration", and like I posted above, dehydration is a condition caused by severe fluid loss.  Again, you are using the term incorrectly.

You said...
"Common dehydration is simply losing water like we do everyday and night and ,like in your definition, if left untreated can lead to severe dehydration. "

That's not what the definition said.  It stated...."If untreated, severe dehydration can lead to shock."

Of course we are not having a "word fight", and be very clear here, this is not simply a differing opinion among people....again, dehydration indicates a very specific condition, and you are stating that it means something entirely different.  All I'm trying to do is clarify the information, as the members deserve to be given the right information.

Nothing personal.  Take Care.

[M4Y0U]

Don't want to start a word fight here just because of a simple word and a definition. When you drink you hydrate yourself and when you lose water you dehydrate yourself, it's just common sense. We don't need a definition or a medical book to understand this....

[M4Y0U]

There is common dehydration and severe dehydration like it is written in your definition that's all. Common dehydration is simply losing water like we do everyday and night and ,like in your definition, if left untreated can lead to severe dehydration.

[nursegirl6572]

May I ask what a  "common dehydration " is?

My point was that you are using the term "dehydration" incorrectly, that's all.  You are speaking about it like it means the body's natural need for water.  

A definition for "dehydration":

" A condition caused by the excessive loss of water from the body, which causes a rise in blood sodium levels. Since dehydration is most often caused by excessive sweating, vomiting, or diarrhea, water loss is usually accompanied by a deficiency of electrolytes. If untreated, severe dehydration can lead to shock."

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dehydration

[M4Y0U]

From a medical point of view yes but not from a biological point of view. Dehydration can of course be a serious condition if someone enter the hospital being in an extreme dehydration condition but your fail to see the difference between a pathology and a common dehydration then you fail to provide a point which was discussed here.

[nursegirl6572]

Thirst does not equate with dehydration.  The thirst mechanism is triggered for a lot of different reasons, but none are due to "dehydration".  Dehydration is a serious condition where the body does not have enough water to sustain itself.  Dehydration also involves very serious electrolyte imbalances.

[M4Y0U]

All i have to say is listen to your body. He's the one who knows. But the trick is when you are thirsty you are already dehydrated and this is where the drink 9 cups of water theory comes from. Water fluoridation is also something to be concerned about so making the best to have a clean water or pick your water from a good source is kind of important and no i don't want to enter into conspiracy talking here lol!

[Paxiled]

There are different theories of water.  In Traditional Chinese Medicine they don't believe in drinking much water, believing it drowns the kidneys.  It used to be that you drank water when you were thirsty, now all of a sudden we all have to "hydrated."  I have no idea who's right, but I have a feeling this new emphasis on water came about just as bottled water became popular.  Sort of like Nestles selling formula, or the Dairy Milk Marketing Board being created to get people to drink a lot of milk which people did not historically do.  Who knows?

[M4Y0U]

2 liter of water is not a lot. You lose water by different kind of ways like with transpiration, urine, breathing, bowels etc. So basically the more you lose water thru the different ways i just mentioned, the more water you need to drink in order to satisfy your body's water supply. Water will promote detoxification and is essential for your cells in order to function properly.

''The Institute of Medicine advises that men consume roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of total beverages a day and women consume 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) of total beverages a day.''

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/water/NU00283

If you have any kidney or adrenal problems, or your doctor has you taking diuretics, you need to consult with your doctor about how much water to drink each day. This might be related to what you mentioned. When i say 2 liter I am talking about healthy individuals.

Best regards,
M4

[mammo]

In your post you recommend 2 liters of water daily.  I have recently read where this is not necessary and the idea of drinking a lot of water everyday has been blown way out of proportion.  They also said that drinking a lot of water on a daily basis actually gives your kidneys less to filter and they begin to lose efficiency. Can you shed some light on this?
Thx

[Paxiled]

The serotonin reputake inhibitors can all lead to weight gain.  It is thought this is due to slower metabolism.  Although Cymbalta also targets norepinephrine, that part of it may not be working all that well for you, and there is far more serotonin effect than norepinephrine effect in any case.  So it could be increased hunger from norepinephrine, and in could be slower matabolism from serotonin.  Take your pick.

[M4Y0U]

Hello there,

it is due to the drug's action on norepinephrine which basically is adrenaline and more specifically a catecholamine with dual roles as a hormone and a neurotransmitter.

Having an adrenaline ''boost'', to keep it simple, will often result in an increased appetite in the end of the day which will eventually result in weight gain but i doubt this drug will slow you metabolism due to the factors i mentioned above.

What you can do is to take extra B vitamins which will increase your metabolism and also have a look a a supplement called Green+ that you can take in the morning before breakfast, it is loaded with enzymes that promotes a better digestion and therefore you will be losing weight. Drink a full glass of water before breakfast too, it's a trick to tell you metabolism that you are going to eat and start going and it will promote a better digestion and it will eventually have an impact on your weight. You should consume about 2 liter of water a day. Good for you and your weight.

Best regards,
M4

[mammo]

I would contact your doctor about this side effect so that he can switch you to one that may not do this to you.