Depression and Weight Issues Have you been diagnosed with depression, are possibly on depression medication, and find it affects your weight loss efforts? Post here for support!

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Old 10-17-2014, 05:04 PM   #1  
Sisboombah56
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Default Just can't lose with psych meds

Hi all--I am new to the board and have read through many posts about how taking meds and losing weight just doesn't seem to jive at times. I have been on meds for depression for years and although my mood has been stabilized, my weight has climbed excessively through the years. I can lose some weight if I stop taking a med or two (I take three), but my mental state suffers. I have been over this with my doctor on numerous occasions and she calls my meds "weight gainers". I try to combat the depression but it gets worse when I look in the mirror at how huge I am and when you're short it's awful. I have dieted, joined a weight support group, exercised or just walked and nothing helps. The support group I belonged to had people in it who only had to lose 5-15 pounds at best so they don't understand how I feel. I need to lose roughly 100 pounds and I feel it's never going to happen at this stage. I would love to hear from anyone in a similar situation. Thanks so much!
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Old 10-21-2014, 01:51 PM   #2  
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Hi, I'm in a similar situation right now. Was on meds that made me go from 120 pounds to 180 pounds in the span of 2 months back in high school. I've never gone back down again, fluctuated between 180 and 230. I know that awful cycle of the meds supposed to help, but looking in the mirror makes it worse, it's just awful. I'm off meds now but never really tried dieting because I know myself too well I know I'd fall off the wagon without specific structure. What seems to be working for me so far, about a month ago I started Ideal Protein with a friend, and it's structured, monitored, and for me includes a plan of reintroduction in a healthy way back to normal food so it seems like something I can stick with. I've got 100 total pounds to lose, so I definitely understand. There are some days that I feel like I haven't lost anything at all, I'd just like to wake up tomorrow and be the weight I want and sometimes it's discouraging, but having my coach every week enthusiastically praise whatever I manage to accomplish keeps me going. That's just what's working for me so far. But you aren't alone!

One thing I used to do when I was in school and would go for runs, when I'd get tired I'd look ahead to a small goal. "Ok just need to make it to that lightpost." Then when I'd get close I'd look a little further ahead and go "Ok, just make it to the end of that next block." And so on until I reached my final destination which was usually home. To try to avoid getting discouraged maybe set small goals for yourself. That way the final goal doesn't seem quite so daunting. Hope that helps!

-Kay

Last edited by LadyKay; 10-21-2014 at 01:52 PM.
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Old 10-22-2014, 07:49 PM   #3  
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Default Just can't lose with psych meds

Hi Kay--Thank you so much for the inspiration. You're absolutely right about setting small goals for yourself. I have been in such a depressed way lately that I've wanted to give up. I belong to a weight loss group called TOPS and although they have been great and supportive I have just wanted to throw in the towel. I just could not stand to look at that scale one more time. I am going to persevere and do my best to keep on track--that's all I can do. I have arthritis and fibro problems also so exercise is a killer but there's go to be something out there that works. You have been great, Kay in that you have an understanding what it's like to beat your head against a wall and suddenly turn it all around. God bless--Barbara
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Old 10-24-2014, 12:20 PM   #4  
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Barbara, my coach is on anti depressants, I think four different ones. She works for Ideal Protein and also goes to the TOPS here. Her mom is actually the TOPS queen for our province. They both go there for support, and both were on Ideal Protein to lose the weight. It can be a bit pricey but I suggest you may want to look into it and find out if it could work for you. The weight loss is well monitored to make sure you're still healthy but you're actually not supposed to exercise on this program. That was one big perk for me. She also said that her moods started getting easier to manage with the program as well. Different things work for different people, but I just felt like I should let you know that after you mentioned your struggles with exercise. In a month I'm down just shy of 20 pounds, not a bit of time spent exercising. My coach was never athletic and her mom has physical restrictions that completely prevent her from working out and they both attribute their success to this program.

Whatever you do in the end, I believe you can do it. Just believe in yourself. I recently went through a bit of a rough patch and just wanted to cave, get chocolate, and shut down. Every time I resisted that urge I felt empowered and stronger. Every time you resist the urge to give up even the next day think about it. Tell yourself what an excellent job you did, and how much stronger you are for keeping going. Then next time you feel like giving up remind yourself that you did it before, you can do it again. One thing I want to start doing is writing down the days when I've wanted to give up. Then when I feel like giving up again, look at the list, keep going, and write down another day. A victory journal. Or something as simple as tallies. Even if you don't see what you want to see on the scale, perseverance is still something you can be proud of. Use that to encourage yourself. You CAN do it!

And there may be days where you do fall apart. Don't let those discourage you if they do happen. Don't record that, don't stop recording your victories. Focus on the positives, the accomplishments. Forgive yourself. Then refocus on your goals and move past it. It's a little difficult but try to find a good balance between recognizing it so that you don't make too much light of it that you are compelled to slip again and feel it's no big deal, and beating up on yourself because that will just make you feel worse and perpetuate the cycle. Look at slips as non judgementally as possible. It's fact, it happened, now I get back on track.

I hope some of this helped. You can do this and you are not alone.

-Kay
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