[lulu90]

Hi all,

New to this and am very glad to see that such a site exists. Basically in the last 7 months I have gained 5 stone and was diagnosed with Atypical Depression. I know that one of the characteristics of Atypical is overeating. But I am on Prozac now and my moods are much better. I'm on a diet and have last 9 pounds. Yet I still get unnatural cravings for certain foods. Is this normal? Has anyone else out there been in the same situation?

[ShihtzuX2]

Hi! Sorry to hear about the diagnosis, but at least you've got meds and are feeling better. What are you getting cravings for? I take a different antidepressant, one of the old tricyclics, and I get tremendous cravings for carbs that can be **** on the the scale.

[ENDLESS LOVE]

hi, sorry to hear. but guess wht.. u have realised, and u r on medication.. and the fact that u r on the site now.. ur half work is done.. i so know wht u feel.. i have a problem of eating aswell i hog like a pig when i am tensed.. or sone times even otherwise.. hang in there... you will do just fine...

[MarySnidget]

I suffer from depression and while I'm not currently on any meds, I can say that I had major cravings when I started Prozac. My mom actually thought I was pregnant because of some of the things I craved (like cucumbers soaked in Italian dressing) Then again when I was on prozac I would have bad mood swings. I was switched to wellbutrin (spelling?) and had good results, still had some cravings but they were worst around the same time as my month cycle.

[giselley]

I think that the side effects are different for everyone. Since weight gain can also cause dangerous health probems, it might be a good idea to see if your doctor will put you on differnt meds. I'm on one now that causes "weight loss" instead of weight gain, and when i am depressed, I sleep a lot-- not eat alot. No idea why. I actually have to force myself to eat.

[lyndzro]

Hi lulu. Well done on the 9lbs! I dont have clinical depression, but quite bad anxiety which brings with it bad depressive episodes (especially during my time of the month) and when they come I just want to eat chocolate and cookies all day every day. I completely understand, its so hard to be dieting when all your body wants is sugar. I think it is psychological. My Mum would give me food for comfort when i was upset as a kid, but also as a treat when Id done well, so I have a very emotional relationship with food, which is really hard to break, no matter how much I understand and accept it.

As a side note, I live on a very quiet street (with older residents - at 24 Im by far the youngest!). Yet when walking in my front door the other day a car drove past full of young lads (who had c ome out of the old folks home opposide my house!!) and shouted "Oi, saggy arse!" really loud and echoed down my small quiet street. I was shocked being in my 'safe area', and hadnt had something so pathetic shouted at me since school. When I didnt turn around they stopped the car and shouted it again, just to make sure I was humiliated good and proper. I was suprised that I wasnt as bothered by it as i thought i would be, but i still had the overwhelming urge to retreat to my bedroom with an extra large bar of chocolate. Old habits die hard I guess

[sunshyne]

I am currently taking Effexor XR for depression and Busiprone for anxiety, the medicines have really helped me in getting the depression and anxiety under control but I feel like my eating is out of control.

I wake up thinking about what I am going to eat, I feel like my thoughts are consumed by what to eat and when, sometimes I feel like I am going to go crazy because I think about food so much. This morning when I woke up that was my first thought but I made myself think about something else so I would move on and hopefully have a normal day of eating which I haven't had in a long time.

I never thought that it could be the medicine that I am on making me eat like this but maybe it is a contributing factor, not really sure at this point but I know I need to get it under control. After coming to the forum and seeing others questioning the medicine maybe it is a contributing factor to the eating, however I don't remember them listing it as a side effect of either.

I am so thrilled that I found this forum, I now know that I am not alone and there are others out there with the same thoughts and dieting issues as me and we are able to come together to talk and figure them out. Thank you 3FatChicks.com