hey gals,

i havent posted in like TWO WEEKS! i cant believe it! i think i finally made it to the end of my rope. after many weeks of super slow weight loss, i had finally hit a whoosh and dropped to 173. next week weight? 175. this week? 177. i DONT GET IT!!!!! i am staying on plan, cycling between 12 and 1600 calories, and exercising. i have also cut out almost all diet soda and drink mainly water. i even changed my exercise routine. i got so fed up that i binged for about 3 days but now im back on track.

as ive mentioned before, i take antidepressants. one specifically called mirtazipine causes serious weight gain. they give it to elderly people and cancer patients just for the weight gain side effect. ive decided im going to try my darndest to quit it. in the 6 years ive been on it ive gained 70 lbs. now obviously i cant blame it ALL on the medicine, but it does stimulate appetite (specifically for sweets and carbs) and slow your metabolic rate. i cut my dose in half last week and as of tomorrow im going cold turkey. the withdrawals have been a nightmare but i just cant battle this medication any longer. everyone i know who has ever taken it gained at least 30 lbs. im REALLY hoping this will help me with my weight loss because i have just been SO frustrated lately!!

i need some love and encouragement, lol. ive missed you all and hope you all had a better month than i did!

It is very dangerous to just take yourself off of a tetracyclic antidepressant, and should not be done without a doctor. Antidepressants regulate brain chemistry, and stopping them within a week can have serious consequences. If you're not happy with your medication, talk to your doctor. There are many other meds on the market, and some herbal remedies that have great promise also.

Sorry, but as someone who's bipolar, with a huge family history of depression, I just can't encourage you enough NOT to do this.

I agree--check with your doctor before stopping that medication! I think you're right to want to switch, but make sure you're doing so safely.

Jay

Oh hon, I can only imagine the frustration... PLEASE speak with a doc about your tapering schedule. It should be done slowly - over the course of several months, depending on how high your dosage is. The **** you're going through can be minimized if done right!

I am so glad you are back; I have been wondering where you have been, as I have missed your regular posts.

Don't let the last couple of weeks get you down. You know that if you keep at it, things will eventually move in the right direction.

Welcome back and keep on keeping on!

J

I am so sorry you've been feeling down but I'm glad you decided to dust yourself off and keep trying!

Is there an alternative med that you can take?

I was wondering where you ran off to missy!! Dont get yourself down, you are doing amazing. You have to promise yourself to never give up no matter what. Thats one thing I tell myself all the time. I have been losing for over 2 years and I maybe going slower than most, but im still on the path of where I want to be. Slow and steady wins the race

Aww thanks for the support everyone! I'm following the schedule I've followed several times when my Doc tried to get me off this med. I'm only on 15 mg, so I go to 7.5 for one week, and then 0. I usually give up b/c I can't sleep, but this time I am sleeping, so I want to stick with it.