Hello
I started reading over some threads here over an hour ago, and I decided to register seeing how welcoming and helpful everyone seemed in their posts
Anyways, I apologize because this will be a long post, but I think it's necessary to get all the important details in.
I do not have depression, but I have a problem with weight gain from medication. I have a seizure disorder (epilepsy) and have suspected for a long time now that my medication, Tegretol, is either causing me to gain weight, or hindering any weight loss efforts. I think the latter seems more possible for me...
I first took a medication called Epival (Depakote in the US I believe) for only 3 months, and I gained 20 lbs even when I had gym class for 75 mins each day! Obviously I decided that I wasn't going to put up with that, and a year after not taking anything, I was put on Tegretol. I am 20 now, and I believe I was 15 at the time.
I tried to lose the 20 lbs from the other medication, but to no avail. I would eat healthy, exercise 5 days a week, and would barely lose a pound, even over a month's time! All this time, I had regular bloodwork, so no thyroid problems or anything. However, last August my blood test showed that I had a slight case of hypothyroidism, and I am now taking Cytomel to fix this problem.
But still... eating healthy, everything... not a single pound gone. If anything, I've GAINED even more weight....
It's actually been months since I've even weighed myself. Last time I was around 177 lbs... by now it must be something like 185...
It's just so depressing. I have given up for a while, but at the same time I feel so desperate! At least most other people can actually lose weight... and both my neurologist AND family doctor think that nothing is wrong.
I would also like to mention that I'm not very keen on using different drugs, since they cause hair loss, mental slowing (I'm in university, I can't afford it!) and can cause even MORE weight gain. I feel like such a freak of nature. Sometimes I feel like I'd rather die of a seizure than be this way for the rest of my life, and perhaps watch it worsen. What can I do? Is there ANYTHING that will work?
Oh, and for the record... I take a pretty low dose... most people take around 600-1000+ mg/day of Tegretol, I only take 200 mg daily.
Anyways, if you've taken the time to read this, I'd like to say thank you
Edit: I also suspect that Tegretol has caused the hypothyroidism, it says it can happen in the Synthroid product monograph