Real talk about antidepressant weight gain

[shade]

Has anyone ever been in my boat?  I have been on some antidepressant/SSRI or another relatively solidly for the past six years.  I have been on Zoloft, Paxil, Celexa and am currently on Effexor/Lithium w/Trazadone for sleep.  ALL of these drugs made me gain SIGNIFICANT amounts of weight.  Prozac and Serzone were weight neutral, but lost effectiveness or didn't work at all.  I started antidepressants, at 27, 5'7" and 125 lbs.  I am now 33 and weigh 178.
When I have gone off my meds in the past (I used to have a fantasy that I wouldn't need them forever.)or have been transitioning to a new one, I have lost SIGNIFICANT amounts of weight.  When I went off Paxil in 2003, I lost 30 pounds in 3 months (and no-- my eating/exercise didn't change).  I absolutely know that if I went off my meds right now, I'd lose a lot of weight in a short time.  I also know that a deeply debilitating depression would most likely follow at some time and that I'm probably "A Lifer" as far as depression treatment goes.
Yes.  I have had my TSH checked for thyroid problems.  My doctor will not prescribe Topamax because of the side effects.

I want to scream when I see websites that say just lower your calorie intake and exercise.  Yes I do that, but these medications absolutely do something to my body that no amount of diet and exercise seems to offset.  Yes!  That works for people not on antidepressants and even some who are, but not for everyone.  What about us?!!  As slender as I was, I could handle even a thirty pound weight gain, but at an extra 53 pounds, I feel huge, unattractive and though its really hard to exercise carrying all this extra weight around, I do.  I feel like I'm never going to date again.  I hate it!  Clothes never look right on me.  Adult onset diabetes also runs in my family, not to mention all the other health problems being overweight can bring.  For a long time I thought better to be bigger and emotionally healthy than skinny and sick.  But it's just gone so far and I just feel hopeless.  I think that if something doesn't change it's going to get harder and harder to exercise at all as I get heavier and heavier.

Is there anyone out there who was in a situation like mine, but then found the right medication, supplement, therapy, mindset or medication that actually allowed them to lose weight.  Is there some kind of special SSRI blend or new medication that I haven't tried that will stop me from putting on more and more pounds?  Please help!  I don't know what to do.  I need real help.  Something that works.

[fat bride]

I am getting married in two months and have been trying to lose 15 pounds that I put on over the past year due to taking Lexapro. I have been working out and watching what I eat for six months, but the weight won't go anywhere.

In addition to the weight gain (I am short and this gain has meant I've gone up 2 pants sizes), I have lost all interest in sex and can't have orgasms anymore. While Lexapro has done amazing things for my mental health (along with intense therapy), the weight gain and sex issue are pretty depressing.

My doctor prescribed Wellbutrin, which made me so anxious I was breaking out in hives, and the weight didn't budge. I want to go off Lexapro, but when I tried I had terrible dizziness and nausea. Also, I am nervous about going off the pills so close to such a big day - but at the same time, it is a beach wedding and the rehearsal dinner is poolside.

I don't want to feel miserable and my mother is already making comments about how my sister has shrunk down to a size zero for the wedding - smaller than she was at her own ceremony, I might add!

I am going to talk to my psychiatrist tomorrow and will let you know if she has any good suggestions.

[enaj]

I am now taking half my regular dose of imiprimine and so far not experiencing the "zaps" that usually come when I miss a dose or try and go off too fast. I've taken half the theraputic dose of welbutrin for two days and will continue this for another week or so before going farther down on the impiprimine and up on the welbutrin. I hope it works. I may end up the thinnest patient in the institution!

[shade]

I'd really like to hear how that goes.  I see my psychiatrist next week to taok about meds.

[shade]

I just found out that I have "prediabetes."

[shade]

I've been doing a lot of research about different meds and their side effects.  If there's anything I can do to avoid taking another drug that makes me gain weight, I want to do it.

I think I've figured out why Wellbutrin has the lowest instance of weight gain.  There's a medical condition caused by low levels of dopamine.  Wellbutrin is the only antidepressant I know of that works on dopamine.  From what I've read though I'm no doctor, dopamine plays a big role both in our weight and our sex drive, our drives in general basically.

I am currently on Effexor/Lithium.  The Lithium is supposed to augment the Effexor.  L. is for bipolar.  Though I could become bipolar because my dad is, I've never had a manic episode.  One thing I've read lithium does is diminish the brain's dopamine production in order to avoid mania...

There is also a medical condition caused by low levels of dopamine.  Here are some of the symptoms, fatigue, fatigue after exercise, rigid muscles, chest tightening, low blood pressure, light headedness, fainting, weight gain, inability to concentrate,

I could be wrong about these connections, but I don't think I am.

God, I hope wellbutrin works on my depression.  It seems like the best med in every other way.  I hope my doctor will be willing to wean me towards it a week and a half from now when school gets out.

[shade]

Thanks for your help.  I'm going to look into a few things from the road back website.