Depression and Weight IssuesHave you been diagnosed with depression, are possibly on depression medication, and find it affects your weight loss efforts? Post here for support!
I Have Been Overweight Ever Since I Was A Young Child, But Now It Gotten Worse! For The Past 3 Years I Have Had Type 1 Diabetes, And The Insulin Has Added 20 Pounds Of Weight, But It Looks More Like 40 Pounds! I Have Never Been Thin, But I Do Remember A Time When I Was Thinner. I Have Had Depression Just As Long As I Have Had The Diabetes. There Are Some Days When I Can't Get Out Of Bed, Because I Am Sick, Or I Just Don't Have The Will. It Also Doesn't Help That I, With Out Lying, Have No Friends. The Way I See It Is That If I Was 60 Pounds Lighter, I Wouldn't Be Depressed. I Wouldn't Have A Low Self-esteem, And I Could Have The Confidence To Do More (and The Energy Too!) I Need Help!
Please Help Me Help Myself!
Last edited by tweetyandme; 05-23-2006 at 06:00 AM.
Hi and welcome to the forum. I hope you find the help and encouragement that you are needing. I am on Atkins diet and don't know if that is what you are looking for or not. I am insulin resistant and take glucophage. I understand what you are saying about the medicine making you gain weight. I also take prednisone which makes me hungrier. However, it does not choose what I put in my mouth according to my specialist . Guess what, he was right. When I lowered my carbs, I immediately started losing weight even with still being on the steroids. Just wanted you to know that it is possible to lose weight even with health problems. I also know what you are saying about not wanting to get out of bed, I have had days like this. Losing weight hasn't solved all the problems for me, but I do feel healthier and a little more energetic. My self-esteem is improved. Depression goes hand in hand with long-term health problems. I am waiting on a liver transplant and have also been depressed due to these problems but I know that getting my body in the best possible shape is the best thing that I can do for myself. If theres' anything I can help with, please let me know. I wish you the very best of luck. Start small, with drinking a lot of water. Maybe walk if you are able. (I was started with walking 20 min's 4 times a week) and now I can walk a whole hour if I push myself. Make little changes and make them stick. I am sure you are probably on a diabetic diet and should always confer with your physician on what your specific caloric needs are. 60 lbs. to lose isn't at all impossible, I had 89 lbs. to lose and 84 of them are now gone in less than 11 months. Good luck and I hope you get to feeling better.
I don't know if this helps or not, but I have a friend of mine that thought she had depression, only to find her diabetes was causing the depression! I have heard an atkins style diet will help alot with this. I would talk to your doctor about getting with a nutritionist and seeing what can be done. As well as a good counselor to help provide support while you learn to manage your health and to help you figure out how to get back in the game of life...
if you ever need a friend to talk to just pm me. my best friend died so i know how it feels not to have a friend in the world overweight and so tried i could get out of bed. i will be there for you.
suzieq
Hello and WELCOME! I have type II diabetes, I'm not on insulin, only medication and diet which I am totally struggling with.
My advice is to get out and about. At first it may very hard. I know. But I find that getting outside in the sun does do wonders. I was very stressed and blue even from work and everything and we got out and it helped so much!
Even a 5 minute walk could do wonders. Just slowly increase each day. Also you could maybe join one of those walking clubs. Do a search for your area, ask around, that way you could make some friends AND exercise? Only a thought.
Another idea is doing volunteer work, join a church or ask your current church about activities, etc.
Well I can relate to how you feel as I am on a real downer at the moment in my life, so I don't think there is much comfort I can offer you myself at the moment!
I hope things looks up for you. Recognizing your depression is a first step, talk to your doc. Meds can help. Exercise, even a little really helps me. I just walk.....nothing too taxing
I don't know much about diabetes, and what kind of dieting you can do on it...
but there's always little things that might help...
and if the insulin keeps making you gain,
then the least these can do is slow it down or stop it altogether.
The pills are...
Wellbutrin......an antidepressant that suppresses appetite for many people.
Calcium.........more calcium helps with weight loss, there are studies!
L-carnitine......increases fat-metabolism (according to Dr. Atkins)
Phaseolamin.....starch neutralizer, made from white kidney bean
I'm sure these will make some difference, whether great or small depends on you.
I Have Been Overweight Ever Since I Was A Young Child, But Now It Gotten Worse! For The Past 3 Years I Have Had Type 1 Diabetes, And The Insulin Has Added 20 Pounds Of Weight, But It Looks More Like 40 Pounds! I Have Never Been Thin, But I Do Remember A Time When I Was Thinner. I Have Had Depression Just As Long As I Have Had The Diabetes. There Are Some Days When I Can't Get Out Of Bed, Because I Am Sick, Or I Just Don't Have The Will. It Also Doesn't Help That I, With Out Lying, Have No Friends. The Way I See It Is That If I Was 60 Pounds Lighter, I Wouldn't Be Depressed. I Wouldn't Have A Low Self-esteem, And I Could Have The Confidence To Do More (and The Energy Too!) I Need Help!
Please Help Me Help Myself!
Tweety, I'm sorry to hear you're feeling so low! Have you seen a doctor for your depression? If you have, please contact your doctor and let him/her know how you're feeling so that they can readjust your therapy/medication. If you're not, PLEASE seek help! You wouldn't try to manage your diabetes alone, would you? Why should you try to manage depression alone?
Are you monitoring your blood sugar? Is it being well controlled? Having your blood sugar out of whack can make you feel LOUSY! I'm not diabetic, but I've cared for many, many diabetic patients and have seen how it can affect a person.
Don't ever feel like you don't have friends! Here at 3FC there are thousands of wonderful, helpful people who are there for you!
Thank you all for the posts. To answer what most of yall have asked, have i gone to the doctor for my depression. The answer is yes, i have, and for the last 5 years I have been on over 20 medications, ranging from Lexapro, Prozac, Welbutrin, Welbutrin XL, Zoloft, ect., you name it i have most likely tried it, along with 20 panic and anxinety meds. as well. But it might not just my weight, it is genitic on my moms side. I am also a type-2 bi-polar(which means im not as manic as regular bi-polar.) I do exercise everday, no matter how i feel, or no matter my apathy for it, i still exercise 6 days a week, 2 hours a day.
I apprieate all of your posts! Please keep them coming.
Hi and
I also have Bipolar and have gone through the frustration of trying to find the right medication. I tried every medication on your list and tons more and even tried self-medicating because I thought the prescription stuff was never going to work. But I finally found a doctor and a medication that works well for me. It's tough but you just have to hang in there and trust that things will get better.
One thing to remember is that even "beautiful" people can be depressed and have low self esteem. Self-esteem comes from within. If you are confident with yourself it will show through. Negative attitude breeds negative attention. So remember that there is a beautiful person living inside of you. It'll take time and effort, but you can release that beauty no matter what your weight is.
Keep your chin up. We're all here for you. I hope the best for you and am sending good vibes
I understand what yall are saying, but i still don't feel pretty on the inside. I'm sceared i never will. It's hard to feel good about yourself when others are always constantly putting you down, just because they wanna be mean.
Hi, I have found that some really small things can help my mood--like having sitcoms on the tv, even if I'm not watching. Canned laughter in the background actually seems to help. Turning on the lights also seems to help. Don't lay around in a darkened room. Also, try to find someone who is having more problems than you and do what you can to boost their mood. Anything that takes you out of yourself will help. Don't give up!! BJF
Tweety, Tweety, Tweety...my dear I know how you feel. I have felt all of that and then some. I felt like a complete failure because out of all the things I was good at at and was able control, it seemed as though I was unable to control my weight and felt powerless to lose it. Severe depression followed and along with it-bitterness. Woe unto you if that happens!!! I never consiedered myself pretty and never heard anyone call me pretty. Not even within my family. I was always called the smart one....That is a real confidence booster and killer at the same time....It wasn't until I visited a city in the deep south that I realized beauty comes from within. I commented on the way some of the women dressed and made statements like, why is she wearing that...or if she only knew that she is too big to wear that....I made statements like that because that is what I heard each day. I was told that in this city, what you wear is a reflextion of how you feel about yourself. In that region the women are carefree and beauty, true beauty comes from within and that beauty in turn is revealed externally. If you envision yourself as a size ten, be a size ten now. It all begins in your mind. This was life changing for me. I never knew that the clothing doesn't make you look good, but you make the clothing look good. When you look in that mirror, say to yourself you are beautiful and then believe it. It's not being cocky or arrogant, but it is a way of life. It is a cure for what ails you. Never think of yourself as a failure because you are not, and stay as far away from negative people as possible when you are dieting. I've learned to not disclose to others that I am "watching what I eat." Two reasons: 1) Some people are just plain mean and will sabotage you. There is just something about seeing others struggle that amuses some people. Never give your enemy ammunition. 2) There are somethings that should be between you and the Almighty because not only will He give you strength to walk and run no matter how tired you become or how hopeless it seems, but if you place all your trust in Him, you will soar like the eagles. Isn't that beautiful?
Remember, Weightloss is a looooooonnnnnggggg process. It's just like learning to ride a bicycle. it is tough and painful in the beginning, but if you keep getting back on the bike you will become successful. You may even hit a few potholes along the way as an experienced rider, but guess what...get back on and try again.
Becoming active in church is a great idea. Self study at home (since you're on the sofa anyway) is also great. You have to feed yourself with positive words. Exercising and drinking plenty of water (120oz. a day) is also key. Whether you buy a pilates CD (Gaiam suzanne Deason) or are able to ride on a recumbant cycle is great. The pilates will help clear your mind, and transform your body. Do not do pilates in a busy house. That is an hour that you need for yourself. When I was at my heaviest 320lbs , I could only do 5 minutes on the recumbant, but with each passing day I was able to add on an additional moment or two. It took about six weeks for me to do at least 30 minutes without feeling winded. I was terribly down because I didn't see any progress, but one day while at work I was told by several people that I looked great. And since I was not accustomed to hearing any compliments didnt know how to receive it. Also, because I saw myself naked everday, I could not see what others were seeing. Slowly my body was changing. I wasn't losing any weight, but man was I losing inches. It took about 4 months before I was able to see it myself. All of my attempts to discipline myself was finally working. Today I am still not where I would like to be, but I am not where I was and that is something to be thankful for. I no longer take diabetic medication nor hypertensive meds.
Tweety, once you decide that you are that TEN internally, put all of your might and passion into externally presenting the TEN to the world. Good luck!!!
Anyone, Please Help Me!!!!
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Tweety, I'm sorry to hear you're feeling so low! Have you seen a doctor for your depression? If you have, please contact your doctor and let him/her know how you're feeling so that they can readjust your therapy/medication. If you're not, PLEASE seek help! You wouldn't try to manage your diabetes alone, would you? Why should you try to manage depression alone?
It's hard to feel good about yourself when others are always constantly putting you down, just because they wanna be mean.
