Weight Gain and Meds (depression, diet, counteract, appetite)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I am taking a few meds including a anti-depressant for migraines. For months, I couldn't figure out why I wasn't losing weight after being on Weight Watchers and Atkins (I lose weight easily before the meds).
I finally determined that the medication I take has caused me to gain weight or no lose at all. I called my doctor and I am waiting to hear about an alternative. She is a neurologist so it may take a few days to hear back. So I am wondering is there any other way I can stay on the meds but prevent weight gain?
Someone recommended a fat burner but I never tried those before. My meds work really well and I don't want to stop taking them for something that may not work.
Weight gain is one of the unfortunate side effects of antidepressants.
Fat burners do not work just by taking them. You still have to eat less.
That's the thing. I have been on a strict Weight Watchers and exercise for a long period of time. I finally figured out it was the meds. Is there anything I can do besides change the meds?
I am not a doctor, but I know that one reason it is difficult to counteract the weight gain is that docs don't really know exactly why these meds cause weight gain.
You could try switching to a different class of antidepressants. The SSRIs are more prone to cause weight gain, especially the best known : Paxil, Zoloft, Prozac, Celexa and Lexapro.
You could talk about a lower dose.
I would not use over-the-counter diet pills with antidepressants. Some can have very dangerous reactions with the prescription meds.
As I said, it is an unfortunate reality. But if you are taking them for migraines and not depression, I would get your doc to ease you off them. There are many other treatments for migraines. My husband has been taking migraine meds for years, but his doctor never suggested antidepressants. If you don't have depression symptoms and don't really need the SSRIs, don't take them. But you can't just quit. You have to do it gradually.
If you want to see a lot of feedback from patients about meds, not what is supposed to happen but what did, go to askapatient.com. You click on a catagory and med and there are long lists of people reactions, good and bad. Some meds cause weight gain but its not mentioned exactly. I was taking remeron and gained almost fourty pounds. This was in the end disastorous to my overall health. But in the feedback many mentioned that it had a weightgain problem since it gives you such intense sugar yearnings. I figured out how many times I would go across the street for milk and come home with two boxes of cookies and eat them by bedtime and took myself off of it (gradually). It was so intense that you don't notice it but NO doctor ever warned me.
Yes, those reactions people talk about are probably not super common, but the patient had a right to choose if they wish to take the risk.
I heavily research anything suggested I take now, including the non-doctor or pharma sources. The problem caused by the weight gain is still there and growing and I would never had taken that chance.
The whole quality of life issues with SSRI drug (weight gain) and everything that comes with it could easily be managed by doctors in practice by the right kind of appetite inhibitors. Just saying.
The whole quality of life issues with SSRI drug (weight gain) and everything that comes with it could easily be managed by doctors in practice by the right kind of appetite inhibitors. Just saying.
I don't agree. First of all, as someone else said, it's not entirely clear why people gain weight on these drugs, but it's rarely because they're eating more. It's probably due to some sort of unknown hormonal/metabolic change.
What kind of appetite inhibitors are you talking about? Something that already exists or something you think should be invented? Prescription appetite suppressants aren't used long-term.
That's the thing. I have been on a strict Weight Watchers and exercise for a long period of time. I finally figured out it was the meds. Is there anything I can do besides change the meds?
Honestly, no, there's nothing you can do to stop the weight gain besides getting off those meds that are causing a problem. You said you are taking several medications, in addition to an SSRI. It sounds like you aren't sure which medication is causing the weight gain, right? Or are you sure it's the SSRI?
You've probably been through a lot of migraine meds and know your options. Have you tried Topamax? Usually people lose weight with it.
"Fat burners" don't really exist. There may be some OTC diet aids that claim to help with weight loss, but I don't think they're even allowed to call themselves "fat burners" or anything like that anymore because they don't really do much... and anything that was very effective was taken off the shelf because it's not safe. Diet meds, other than Alli (which blocks some fat absorption from food), are all stimulants. Nothing special that melts fat away.
Honestly, no, there's nothing you can do to stop the weight gain besides getting off those meds that are causing a problem. You said you are taking several medications, in addition to an SSRI. It sounds like you aren't sure which medication is causing the weight gain, right? Or are you sure it's the SSRI?
You've probably been through a lot of migraine meds and know your options. Have you tried Topamax? Usually people lose weight with it.
"Fat burners" don't really exist. There may be some OTC diet aids that claim to help with weight loss, but I don't think they're even allowed to call themselves "fat burners" or anything like that anymore because they don't really do much... and anything that was very effective was taken off the shelf because it's not safe. Diet meds, other than Alli (which blocks some fat absorption from food), are all stimulants. Nothing special that melts fat away.
It's Nortriptyline. The side of effects I experienced on Topomax were too harsh and unbearable. I tried to stay on it for 45 days and I was nonfunctional. It did make me lose but it wasn't worth it. Is Alli safe on Weight Watchers? I see my neurologist at the end of the month so hopefully she will have a alternative but the Nortriptyline works so well for my migraines which causes dizziness as well. It was a rip effect once my migraines started because I started to develop anxiety because I feared having a dizzy spell while driving because it would come suddenly. I have been on many meds and none worked as good as the Nortriptyline. After 2 years of trying 10 different meds, my doctor finally found the right one. If I do try another med then I will have to take it 30-90 days to see if it works. If not, I will have to go back to Nortriptyline which takes my body about 40-50 days to work. So that's a long time to be dizziness with headaches.
She has advised me to slowly go down to a lower dosage until she sees me. I know I probably shouldn't do this, but I have been taking it every other day which has worked to restart my weight lose. I have actually dropped a pound every day I haven't taken it. But I can feel my headaches when I don't taken it the night before but it's not as serious as when I wasn't taken it all all.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
