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Anti Depressants & Weight Gain
Hey
Aside from diet and exercise (which I've got covered to no avail) does anyone have any tips for losing weight when on SSRI anti-depressants?
Losing the will here!!!
x
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14 Replies
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Well, most medication weight gain is not from the medication itself, but from an increase in appetite from the medication, so I would focus a lot on what you are eating when hungry. Healthy and filling foods.
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That's interesting, thanks Trixie – do you have any basis for that information? I'm on SSRIs too.
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Quite the opposite actually when you are on an SSRI. Low carb is not recommended on SSRI's.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/judith-j-wurtman-phd/weight-loss-10-tips-to-pr_b_629564.html
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/judith-j-wurtman-phd/anti-depressants-weight-gain_b_880377.html
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I went through several periods over the years with SSRIs. MOST of the time I did not gain weight, but actually stayed at a dangerously low weight. I do have a feeling THAT had to do with the fact that when I'm down I feel like eating is a total chore. The last stint I spent on them, paxil in particular abour 4 years ago I gained the most weight I ever have in my life. I'm not sure what caused it completely but I suddenly swung into wanting high calorie foods all the time and I indulged myself in every single craving. I have never had such cravings before and even when I'm not depressed I've never seen food as a comfort, so it was a very strange experience. I was changed off of SSRIs right after that because several new doctors agreed that I had been misdiagnosed for years and changed my diagnoses and medications.
The new meds made me feel HORRIBLE in my tummy for a few years and I could never figure out how to get it under control. It's taken years to figure out through trial and error but I've gradually dropped my dosage (I started at 700 mg and I'm now down to 250 ), made sure to always include at least 100 crunches in my workout every day, made sure I was getting enough fiber through supplements and changed the fruit I was eating. I've always made sure to eat a lot of fresh fruit every day like blueberries, strawberries, grapes… but I have never felt as great as when I started eating apples. I do not know why apples seem to make me feel better than other fruit but they do somehow; maybe more fiber content? Since I got my stomach problems sorted out I dropped about 3 kilos for my average weight.
I know what I'm on (anti psychotic) and SSRIs are different but I wanted to share this with you; keeping experimenting like crazy until you find some improvement. I might take a long time but you'll be surprised with what you may find works for you. I wish you the best!
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I have been on so many medications that cause weight gain. Honestly, from personal experience, it doesn't matter what you eat. I truly believe something happens chemically to cause the weight gain. I was on Keppra for the longest time, and despite being a healthy eater, I gained weight. That medication made me hungry. Not craving stuff, but actually HUNGRY and shaky! The whole, don't eat advice, always pissed me off. How can you not eat when you are STARVING? Ya know?
Sorry, I don't have any advice. I'm in the same boat. The only medication I was ever on that made me lose weight was Topamax, but it came with a boat load of other annoying side effects (like idiot brain and no longer being able to feel your lady button.)
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lady button……love it
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LOL. That was the worst medication symptom ever!
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Hahaha, I feel your pain buddy!
http://funnymemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Hows-your-diet-going.jpg
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"The whole, don't eat advice, always pissed me off."
Couldn't agree more. I went on SSRIs for about 4 months at the end of last year and I felt better so I came off them expecting the weight to come off, albeit I was realisitic that it would take time. I waited 3 months, saw a nutritionist, kept up all my exercise and put on a pound. I got all bloods done and when I was told all was normal I burst into tears so dr suggested my mood was the probem….feel stuck in a bit of a catch22 situation!!
I feel like I'm a prisioner at the moment because all I'm doing is obsessing about eating and exercising but this is obviously causing me stress so it's peretuating the problem…..just feeling a bit hopeless.
Thanks for sharing your stories it really helps to hear that I'm not alone and that pople have overcome or are coping wih the same problem!!
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Some anti-depressants also cause water to build upin your body. It probably is not just that. But if you get that side affect, along with cravings and/or bigger apetite, you will most likely gain weight.
A couple of years ago, I was on anti depressants, and they took all my apetite (along with the lady button going numb) basically they numbed my every need. I didnt feel "sexually enlightened", hungry, sleepy, sad or happy. I was just productive in things like school, work, cleaning. I switched to another brand and lower the dosis, that made me more normal again, so I could eat again.
My advice, is to experiment with dosis and brand. It is so different for everyone. And you shouldnt have to reject cravings, if they are not naturally yours.
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I am a psychiatric pharmacist and see patients daily who deal with this problem. There really is no scientific rationale behind the weight gain, but there have been several proposed theories. From my experience, I've seen people gain and lose weight on SSRIs, so it really does depend on the individual. Paroxetine (Paxil), by far, has been shown to cause the most weight gain, so if weight gain is a big concern, I would steer away from that particular SSRI. Other medications that can cause weight gain include mirtazapine as well as most of the atypical antipsychotics (Seroquel, Zyprexa, Olanzapine). The sexual side effects and and stomach upset (nausea, diarrhea) associated with SSRIs can be attributed to the antagonism of the 5-HT receptors. We have these receptors all over our bodies and because SSRIs are not selective for the brain alone, we experience these side effects when the receptors are blocked in other parts of our body. The stomach upset will usually go away with time; however, the sexual side effects usually remain. If my patients are complaining about weight gain or sexual side effects, I usually recommend them to try other classes of antidepressants that have little antagonism of the serotonin receptors. Bupropion (Wellbutrin) and venlafaxine (Effexor) are just two examples that are usually well-tolerated without these side effects. Your doctor would have to be the one to evaluate whether these would be good options for you, but it never hurts to ask. Hope this helps.
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Just wanted to add that what CreativityBySteffie mentioned is absolutely right. Everyone responds differently to medication so you may have to experiment and try a bunch of different ones before you find the right fit. Be patient and don’t give up 🙂
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Thank you so much TheBigCheese. I am currently on Pristiq (desvenlaxafine) which I don't think has caused me to gain weight. I blame the menopause instead 😉
Thanks also to CreativityBySteffie for the comments about water build-up. I do seem to "suffer" from that. I try to drink a litre of water during my working day, plus a 1 or 2 glasses when I wake up, and maybe another before bed, and probably 2-4 mugs of instant coffee per day, but still seem to get "water retention" and dark urine (sorry if that's TMI!) On days when I have pole class, I usually have a 1L bottle of water with me, and will drink that during/after class too.
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You are welcome 🙂 I hope you find something that fits you better, because its very much possible that you will. Like TheBigCheese said, it doesnt hurtt ask your doctor.
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