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 posted several days ago regarding my weight gain on seroquel. I haven't posted since because I have been depressed. So, I may have to get off the seroquel cause it's not working. Not sure where the doctor will take me next.
This depression thing is really difficult. Have a prescription for phentermine for weight loss...haven't started that yet. I can't seem to lose weight and, in fact, keep gaining. I can't be on drugs like Wellbutrin cause I get to hyper. I have bad anxiety.
Sorry for venting. I have a question:
I have this belief that I cannot EVER lose the fat on my body. This is going to sound weird, but I can NO LONGER visualize myself in a thin body. Like, I can't picture my "after" photograph ... only a "before". Its difficult to explain, but like Im thinking even if the weight comes off, the body will LOOK the same. I know this can't be, yet I am having problems believing this. Can anyone relate?
Just wanted to add that if anyone wants to reply privately, that is fine with me. To reply privately, just double click on the poster's name.
Looking forward to hearing from you all. By the way, someone asked about prozac and weight loss. When I went on prozac way back when, I lost weight.
Take care everyone.
Dreeanna
seroquel does not medicate depression, so you should definitely see your doc about your treatment. it is an antipsychotic used for psychosis in bipolar disorder 1 or schizophrenia. also for people who experience psychotic depression. however it would usually be used in conjunction with an antidepressant for depressives.
maybe a second opinion from a psychiatrist would help???
i can relate to not being able to visualise yourself slim. sometimes i feel the same way. the main thing is to get yourself sane and then you can worry about the diet as it is hard to lose weight when you are battling depression. wait until you have stabilised before panicking lol
The last time I saw my doctor (about 10 days ago) we talked about weight loss and anti-depressants. He mentioned that Prozac is good for weight loss but it is used for the real down depressed - it is not as good for those people who have anxiety issues.
I too have an anxiety disorder with my depression and need to use a combination of antipsychotics to keep the anxiety in check and antidepressants for the depression.
I am currently taking Risperdal for the anti-anxiety (was on Seroquel but it knocked me out and I gained weight) and have just switched to Effexor XR from Celexa --- again because of the weight issue.
I have been with LA Weight Loss since September and averaging 1.2 lbs per week..... the FANTASTIC news I lost 2.4lbs from the Friday - Friday of my first week back on Effexor!
It is possible to lose weight on antidepressants and antipsychotics.
Now I just need to get back on my food plan a little better and hopefully this loss will keep on happening at the same rate. But I can tell you this...... it was definitely the boost that I needed!
Good luck everyone and keep on at it. Talk to your doctor and work with your doctor until you find the right meds for you...... everyone is not the same!
Thanks for your comments below and for the link to seroquel.com. It was very helpful.
I was given the seroquel in a very low dose to augment the prozac for depression. It seemed to work, but the weight thing has gotten me really down. So, I am getting off seroquel, slowly... on 50 mgs a day as of today and going down.
Still have not tried the phentermine (weight loss drug) but I will start in a few days when I am off the seroquel. I know I have to diet (hope the hunger goes away with the drug that started it. and i have to exercise.... ugh!!, but I will feel much better about myself if I get goingl
I need to lose 40 lbs. at least, now, and I feel overwhelmed by it all. The last 20 came from this medication in only 3 months. Unbelievable. Seroquel really makes me very hungry (stomach hunger... growling) all the time. Has any one experienced this?
So what do you all do for the exercise and diet? I have to figure out how to get my chart up on this board ... one will be for, say 15 pounds ... then another for 25 lbs. (short and long term goals)... My daughter is getting married in August and I really would like to get 25 lbs off by then. Is that doable. I got the Leslie Sansone walking tapes and they seem very doable.
Sweetpea wrote:
[/B]QUOTE=hi again dreeannaseroquel does not medicate depression, so you should definitely see your doc about your treatment. it is an antipsychotic used for psychosis in bipolar disorder 1 or schizophrenia. also for people who experience psychotic depression. however it would usually be used in conjunction with an antidepressant for depressives.
maybe a second opinion from a psychiatrist would help???
i can relate to not being able to visualise yourself slim. sometimes i feel the same way. the main thing is to get yourself sane and then you can worry about the diet as it is hard to lose weight when you are battling depression. wait until you have stabilised before panicking lol[/QUOTE]
Hi! Sorry, I haven't read through the entirety of the thread, just skimmed a lot, and do not think I've seen anyone refer to Trileptal, though I did see LoveBassets refer to Lamictal.
Anyway, I am taking Trileptal, 600 Mg per day, and EffexorXR, 75 mg per day. I put on about 15-20 pounds when I started these meds in September. I started the South Beach Phase 1 3.5 weeks ago, and lost 20 pounds in the first week (I swear I must have been retaining a ton of water along with that to have made that possible, cause I lost the first 10 pounds in the first 2 days! I thought my scale was broken and made dh get back on and make sure he still weighed what he had the day before, too, lol)
Anyway, though, I haven't really lost anything more. I hit 190, and I fluctuate between 190 and 193 during the day (trying not to weigh myself too often, but getting frustrated with this, it's been steady there for over 2 weeks) I'm doing a modified Phase 2 now, and stepping up the exercise routine.
I'm also using Nuvaring for birth control, so that may have something to do with it...
Anyway, any experience with the Trileptal and weight loss, or Effexor?
Sorry to just jump in - I haven't read the whole thread (too many pages) but just wanted to add my experience:
I took Paxil for about 9 or 10 months - I gained weight.
I switched to Effexor XR and I still gained weight, but I think it was from feeding and drinking emotionally (HARD 2 years behind me).
I'm now on Weight Watchers again, still on Effexor XR (75mg for the past year + ) and my first week lost almost 4lbs!!
It is worth it to check into other AD's. Personally, I'm not going to be happier taking and AD and being obese - there must be a solution or at least a help for both problems.
edited to add: if anyone wants to talk privately, PLEASE feel free to PM me
Hello everyone. I'm Diana, 41, female. On Paxil for 1 year now.
I've noticed since I started phase 1 of South Beach (no bread, cereal, pasta, rice) I have been very short tempered. I'm on day 3 right now.
Does anyone know if it has anything to do with the Paxil or my withdrawl from bad carbs? Or both. I was under the impression that Paxil is a seratonin inhibitor. Without much carbs to work with, does the paxil lose it's worth?
renee - the side effect of efexor is loss of appetite so if you are gaining weight it is probably as you suggest - emotional eating or habit. well done on the weight loss and keep it up. sounds good!
Diana - yes it is withdrawal from carbs or sugars. it is quite normal altho if you have any doubts you should consider checking with the doctor. it is unlikely to be related to your meditation. it can take a week or 2 for carbs to wash out of the system which is why phase 1 is designed for that length of time
Hi Dreenna! Welcome! I also suffer from Major Depression and Anxiety Disorder. Have for many years. I was also a normal weight as a child and adult until 911. I've been on Prozac - didn't have any weight gain. Glad to hear that everything has been relatively good weight wise. Sorry to hear that Depression wise not much seems to help you. I feel that way too. I have my ups and downs too.
Never heard of Seroquel. No need to be sorry about the whining. We all need to vent. I am struggling in this way. Yes, it is so hard.
Thanks for posting
Dreeanna, I am major depressive disorder but I also am bipolar. I have hunger pangs all of the time!
I've never heard of phentermine. Yes, unfortunately you will have to do most of the work: exercise and diet. That's what we're hear for - support! It so much harder to do this all when you are struggling with mood and anxiety problems. hey, you're right - it is hard when you are feeling good to do it. Feel free to PM me anytime.
Hi Sweet pea! I went to the doctor yesterday (OBGYN) and she was very concerned about my weight gain of 40 pounds. She checked all of my meds and didn't seem to be concerned about what I am taking. I plan my calories in advance with Slim Fast.com
I have never been on any antipsychotics, so I am not familiar with seroquel. Haven't had any nightmares recently that I can remember. Yes I must agree with you. The weight does level out - but sometimes I do feel that it's ballooning! You do have to keep on top of it and that is hard!
I always struggle with my mood and anxiety - sorry to hear that you are not eating well.
How did your doc appt. go? It is definitely possible to lose - not gain - on Prozac. Wish that I was back on it.
Hi Toni! I am not familiar with celexa. Congrats on going to the medical weight loss clinic. Don't know if we have one nearby. I didn't do well on Wellbutrin XL. I am a smoker and it "interfered." I liked being on Prozac. Wish I was back on it.
Hi zsuzsu! I am not familiar with Celexa or Risperdal. Or for that fact, Seroquel either! I have been on ADs for longer than I can remember. My weight has been going up since 911.
Congrats on losing 22 lbs since last September!
Glad to hear that it is possible to lose weight when on ADs. I plan out my intake on the Slim Fast website. But I find it hard to stick to it. But after going to the doctor yesterday, I guess that I am going to have to stick to it because she said that I have to lose the 40 pounds that I have gained. I agree, if you break down and have a nibble of a "bad" carb (cookie, doughnut, chips, etc., ) the cravings do become unbearable. and I give in to them too.
I am 48 years old and have had clinical depression for about as long as you have. I also can count the number of friends I have on one hand. But you are right - the friends that I do have are very close and supportive.
Luckily, I have not lost any friends due to my mental health. The only person that I lost a "friendship" with turned out not to be a friend at all. He had a phobia of "headcases!" I have, on the other hand lost every job that I've ever had to depression. That is why I don't work anymore. I try to sell Mary Kay, from my house now. But my depression even affects that at times. By the way, if you are interested in Mary Kay, please feel free to PM me anytime. I know that British Columbia is a ways off, but I will be willing to mail products!
Hi Misslisa! I took Wellbutrin XL, but I didn't like it. By the way, welcome!
Hi Dede! There should be hope for you losing weight while on PROZAC. I didn't gain weight while I was on it. Wish that I was on it again. I do the Slim Fast diet. I 've just lost 3 pounds, I you can say that that's a success story.
I have been on Paxil for over 5 years, ever since the birth of my last child. I had slowly gained 35 pounds during that time. Recently had a hysterectomy (I am only 38) and that has added to my depression. I joined curves at the beginning of the year, wow has it been good for my mental state. It gets me out of the house for 30 minutes, I get to chat casually with others, and I have lost 5.5 pounds and 6 inches, 4 of which where in my tummy. I think if I never lost a pound the exercise has helped my depression considerably that I would continue to go. I am a big stress drinker (Mt. Dew) first thing I would grab in the morning would be a glass of soda, anytime things got stressful I would grab a soda...now I try to limit that. I had tried everything to get some weight off to feel better now I have decided I need to feel better to get the weight off and taking the 30 minutes to exercise is my first step to feeling better and I now know the weight will come off also.
Jumping in here-- I've been feeling like I'm alone with depression issues, but see now that I am surrounded by supporters. You walk down the street or in the mall and see others and think how lucky they are to not have the sadness and control problems, but when you read these posts you realize that many of those "happy" people may be your peers. Sorry...deep thougths. Anyway, i am feeling encouraged now to try a new medicine, as I am reading the different results everyone has had from them. I have been on Prozac for a number of years, but hate the unemotional feeling I get. Of course-I am off it now and am WAY over the top emotional! And my house is a disaster area. I'm going to ask my Dr about wellbutrin- Thanks to everyone for being so real here--I'm sure more people are being helped than actually post online!
i think the hardest part is being emotionally unstable. i have never stabilised on meds and i have been on more types than i can count. so then i self medicate with food to make up for the mood problems - for the anxiety the depression, tiredness etc.
Weight gain on seroquel and other drugs
South Beach and Paxil
I also suffer from Major Depression and Anxiety Disorder. Have for many years. I was also a normal weight as a child and adult until 911. I've been on Prozac - didn't have any weight gain. Glad to hear that everything has been relatively good weight wise. Sorry to hear that Depression wise not much seems to help you. I feel that way too. I have my ups and downs too. 
I went to the doctor yesterday (OBGYN) and she was very concerned about my weight gain of 40 pounds. She checked all of my meds and didn't seem to be concerned about what I am taking. I plan my calories in advance with Slim Fast.com 
and it "interfered." I liked being on Prozac. Wish I was back on it. 
