Anyone else on anti-depressants or other weight-gaining drugs?

I am in serious need of a support group, and I assume I'm not the only one having this problem.  I have been counting calories, seeing a nutritionis t who says I eat ver y well, and exercising five days a week (30 minutes on the elliptical, then strength training) since November and I have not lost any weight at all (in fact I've gained one pound).  I refused to believe at first that this was because of the ONE medicine I'm on that supposedly causes weight gain (Risperdal--though my doctor recently told me it's "famous for weight gain"), but here it is, mid-April, five and a half months later, and since I have lost no pounds and&n bsp;no pants sizes, I guess I have to admit that it's the drugs (I have no idea what else it would be, neither does my nutritionist).  I keep working out and eating right because I hope that when I stop this drug completely (I have recently cut down the dosage) the weight will fly off me, but it's really hard to stay motivated when you see absolutely no results and you feel like there's nothing you can do about it.  Anyone else in this boat?

I've been on paxil for a month for depression and haven't gained anything due to the drug so far. I guess that's because I was on a perpetual binge and had already gained 20lbs in the 2 weeks before I took paxil. It really helped stop my obsessive thoughts on food but I'm still paranoid about reaching a point where paxil makes me gain.

I said earlier I give an update so here it is if anyone is still reading this. I'm on an Maoi and respidal. Both have weight gain side effects. I've been able to lose 25 lbs since 3/7/07.  I'm not hungry all the time anymore and don't want to binge. I attribute that to changing to a healthy diet and sticking with it. At first, I still overate, but found as I went on that I didn't need as much food to make me feel full. I've also added an herbal supplement for water retention (check with your doc first). Since I began my meds in 1997 I've gone from 100 lbs to 335 lbs in Mar 2007. 10 yrs=225 lbs. due to overeating and binging since being on meds. My psychiatrist I've seen said it would be nearly impossible to lose weight while on these meds. Well, so far, for at least 25 lbs, I've proved him wrong. I keep thinking my weight loss will stop because of the meds, but I don't have any evidence yet to think that for sure. It took a few weeks to get past the cravings, but once i did, it's been ok. I also eat something about every 2 hrs, because I do feel hungry often, but I eat a small healthy snack and stay around by overall 1800 cals/day.

I have been on Depression meds on and off since I was about 20, I ma now 34. I recently had a doctor take me off Lorazepam and put me on Cymbalta which is working much better for my anxiety, sleeping better and lost a pant size. Maybe it is the meds and maybe it isn't but the doctors should help with information on this. Also I am concerned I might have a thyroid problem. When I was six years old I was skinny as a rail, got sick with strep throat and tonsilitis that year so bad I had to repeat first grade from missing half the year. After I got over it my mom said I just started gaining weight like crazy. I had strep and tonsilitis on and off until I was about 25 and no doctor would remove my tonsils, telling my mom I would grow out of it. I have had my thyroid checked 3-4 times and each time it came back ok but once it came back questionable. I am pushing my doctor on this one, I really believe it has something to do with that as well.

Here's my two bits guys; Age;35, bi-polar (we found out with the major manias, like road rage, motor-mouth, shopping debt, lots of boyfriends and super paranoia, not to mention substance abuse) and diagnosed one year ago but been on meds for depression and anxiety (doctors won't recognize mania unless you're brutally honest, or it's too late and you're in lock-up, luckily I just missed that one) off and on 10 yrs. Prozac, Effexor, Celexa, Lexapro, Zoloft, Depakote, Wellbutrin, Trileptol, Topimax, Lamictil, Gabapentin, and Clonazepam for panic attacks or to sleep. The only ones that DID NOT make me want to eat or DID NOT make me gain weight out of those ones where for sure the WELLBUTRIN and the TOPIMAX. Prozac and Effexor make you loose for a short time because they kill your appetite and then after a few months your body will adjust and gain even more weight back, (if you have ANY tenancy to weight gain like the average bear) which made me even more depressed. However, Wellbutrin and Topimax can have a horrible back fire side effect of rage, kind of the opposite of what you are wanting in a mood stabalizer, yet they work well when you aren't feeling like a snort'n bull see'n red, and keep you skinny, Topimax too much so,(Ilike to have some color in my skin and not feel like I'm going to faint any second!!) I have, after many trial and error wanting the best for mood (my poor husband) and body (I still want to eat but not binge) struck a perfect balance with 300mg Wellbutrin in morn, 1200mg Gabapentin (off-sets any rage) which has to be taken 3 to 4 times a day for effectiveness (morn, lunch, supp, bed) and only 100mg of Topimax at bedtime (then the crankies aren't there in the day). Gabapentin alone would have very slight possibilities of weight gain, but my goodness the Topimax and Wellbutrin totally kick it, I eat a hearty diet, some days more than others depending on my mood, I absolutly HATE feeling like a zombie and having no sex drive to speak of, and after 3 kids that is hard enough, beleive me, this works for me! Y'all may need a referal from a doc to a phyciatrist for that though. peace

Oh...and P.S., I have now remained at my most stable weight and not yo-yoing much for the last six months on this successful combo of meds at between 115- 118 and I'm 5'7, I also have motivation to go for a run most of the time which allot of SSRI's would kill, and even though I'm paranoid of gaining again, (lost 25 ish lbs. the last two years) I feel mentally much better so who cares. OK, I care. And I understand the anorexic mentality, but come on, there is so much good food out there! Eat up!

I was on Celexa for about a year and I have gained over 50 pounds.  I had no idea that anti depressants comonly caused weight gain until I went to my doctor with my weight issues.  I have developed a food obsession and it seems I'm always hungry.  It is incredibly frustrating when you have to decide between accepting yourself as a happy, heavy person or a thin unhappy one.  I know that these meds made me gain weight becuase when I first started taking it I was biking to work (6kms) both ways as well as going to the gym 5 days a week doing an hour of cardio and 30 minutes of weights.  I felt like my activity level coupled with a fairly healthy diet should have resulted in a weight loss.  It didn't. 

I am now off of Celexa and am having a hard time motivating myself.  I am also experiencing diziness and fatigue.  Is there anyone who was/is on Celexa that can offer some light?!  Help! 

Well...you've already read my whole medication deal, and Celexa was a culprit for me too...but I'll tell you this as well, being bipolar I've experienced depression and mania. The depression you have and can't snap out of is causing you the lack of motivation and fatigue. (This is my personal opinion, I'm not a psychiatrist although I've seen enough of them and researched this crap I could help a little...) Fix the depression=fix the fatigue, motivation for exercise needs a little more mental stimulation sometimes, but you know that. The three meds I take mentioned just above, WELLBUTRIN, TOPIMAX, and GABAPENTIN are the perfect combo for me...(Gabapentin typically doesn't cause weight loss but is a great mood stabilizer, the other two for sure don't put it on, and will most likely make it go off, sometimes too much, nice thing is it stays off!) Anyone depressed can take these meds, not just bipolar, you need an educated doctor or a referral to a psychiatrist, they do depression too. There's ALWAYS a need for a little therapy too, usually something (things) emotional is triggering the depression. The meds for me are life long, my body just reacts bad to stress all the time. Be an advocate for you're own wellbeing.

I've been on most of the depression meds for the last 30 years. Right now I'm taking effexor xr and I'm still losing weight on the plan here until this week when my depression and PTSD were triggered and I started comfort eating and night eating. That is totally in response to my stress levels. I had bad weight gain experiences on a lot of meds and just had to keep trying to find what worked for me. All you guys, just don't give up.  Also, I wouldn't be able to get through all this without the help of a good therapist. Again, you have to go through several to find a good one, but they've really helped me. And try to stick with the good things they teach you here. I know it's easy to want to give up when you don't see any results, but at least I've lost 20 lbs since I started and that shows me it's possible, even with everything working against me.

this is my first time replying to anything on my computer.i really haven't figured the thing out yet but when i read a statement by paganmist i started to cry.i am also bipolar and have gained 70 pounds on my meds.i take depakote seroquel and webutrin xl i also take synthroid because my thyroid was removed.i was diagnosed at 27.my first sucide attempt was at 14.it was my husband who got me help.my family pretended nothing was wrong my whole life.at 27 a doctor put me on paxil then zoloft along with others one after another.i turned manic lost 60 pounds and started carving on my self with razor blades.i have a 12 inch scare on my thigh where i cut myself along with the ones on my wrists and shoulder.i have spoken to all of my doctores and none of them will put me on anything differant.i haven't had a seriouse episode for 6 years.i am on what they call matince meds.everyone says i have a choice of fat and sane or thin and crazy.i try so hard to diet.i can eat healthy all day but when i take my meds i feel like i 'm starving to death.to make things worse i used to have siver eating disorders.as a child i would not eat by the age of13 i was anorexic.when people began to force me i became blunemic.i have major self hate for being fat.if i lose to much to fast my husband will have me commited.all my doctors say i have to do it the hard healthy way but i am tired of excersizing all the time and getting nowhere.i hate my body so much i cry all the time.it took about 3 years to get my meds right so doctors are refusing to change my meds.i've only been on calorie count for 2 days so i hope it helps.all of my doctors say that i am over weight but they would rather that than me being manic or depreesed. i also am psychoeffective with out meds i see things that arent there and hear voices.i used to be a size 5 now i'm a 22.i hate my mirror.basicly i hate being bipolar.it would be so easy for me to quit my meds the only thing stoping me is the last time i quit i turned manic and my husband had to take my son from me because i was refusing to take them because i gained weigth.how do i not hate myself when i'm fat bipolar it doesn't help that my 13 year old son is bipolar because of me when i had him i didn't know i'd be screwing him up too. i try to be an example but it makes me a hipocrate.i don't have anyone who understands.both my parents died in 05. it was the only time i've been in the hospital since my meds were right it was situational depression.what do i do.i can't stop my meds i don't have that priviledge.

Hi everyone. My two cents, and a question:

Kaddy, or anyone else who can answer:

I have OCD and GAD, and am recovering from anorexia. I was put on Lexapro about two weeks ago... did you experience any weight-related side efects from it? Also, did it help you right from the start/ take a long time or not help at all? Seems to be working ok for me, but I just had a panic attack today after two almost solid good weeks...

r_newt...get off while you still can with no withdrawal, it did crazy things to my brain too, don't let doctors tell you to give it more time, if it's doing that now you will always need to subtract or add something, simple math, there is a myriad of med's out there.

chrisbrownsugar...I'm not sure if you are in counselling of some sort with a psychologist (a psychiatrist won't help you much) or a counsellor but you sure need to stay with one from the sounds of it (no offense) simply with your past of self abuse and self loathing. One of my suggestions, which is a really difficult one for us bi-polars is to maybe discuss your negative feelings with your husband as LITTLE as possible for the reason that 1. he is your lover and your need to cherish his support and begin to nourish and restore that bond (stop hating yourself, he wouldn't have a single thing to do with your if HE hated you so why punish yourself?) 2. build yourself a support community, cousellor, new one if that one isn't working, support group for any kind of hurting people (they are out there, including on line) a weekly date for chat with friend or family to check in, etc, but lift his burden as much as possible, get a doctor and keep going back for another one until you get meds that work for you, did you ever try the combo I'm on? I know everyone is different, I think you could use an anti-psychotic in the mix, opinion only. 3. Most important, this is very bias, but it is also a free website with people's opinions, do you know you're creator? The one who's body you have carved up and who cries out for you to see how much you are loved and needed in this world? You need to meet him and so does you're son. Dispite what pre-conceived ideas anyone may have on churches (I'm a Christian, wasn't for years, hated God but He saved my life so I gotta plug Him) you can receive more loving, non-judgmental support there than anywhere. Right now I am Alliance but have attended many different ones, we actually do the music in ours, imagine that! A bipolar up there!

Peace

Yes I put on weight (and or was unable to lose weight) on many different ads
I have been on a lot over the years
the last one was lexapro and on that I could not lose weight even with the help of my doctor

so with some research I asked for a change in meds I am now on cymbalta and can lose weigh on this drug - slowly but I can lose weight
its not quite as good for my depression as the lex and I might ask to go back on the lex when my weight is finally under control

BUT I am also hoping that losing some of the weight will help with the depression :)

r_newt:  Lexapro was the first drug I was put on (along with Oxazepam for panic attacks, I don't think Lexapro did anything for panic attacks).  It did take a month or so to really kick in, but when it did it worked for me--for a while.  I stopped taking it maybe six months later because it just stopped working (plus I was noticing the sexual side effects; I did also start to gain weight, but I think that was more environmental).  I then switched to Wellbutrin which, after several dosage increases and the addition of Lamitcal, seems to finally be working correctly.  Risperdal (for OCD, in my case) was the drug that really made me gain crazy weight (and killed my sex drive), and I just came off that so I have my fingers crossed that my exercise and healthy diet will finally start paying off (and that I don't backslide and have to start taking it again, that would make me very very sad).

A friend of mine told me about this message board topic thread and I want to offer some information that you all might be interested in. Simple foods like pretzels and pasta in your pantry can help reverse weight gain related to antidepressants and other mood stabilizers! The answer is in eating the foods that allow your brain to make serotonin. When you use antidepressant and mood-stabilizing medications, for some reason the brain needs more serotonin to control appetite, decrease cravings, stop the obsessing about food, and give you a mental energy boost, all of which can help you lose weight. The brain makes serotonin when you eat sweet or starchy carbs like pasta and pretzels. Serotonin makes you feel good and takes away cravings. Ever reach for crackers or cookies in the afternoon? Anyone eating cereal, pasta dinner leftovers, chips or ice cream after dinner? You're reaching for the right thing (carbs) but you need to eat carbs that are low fat (so you don't take in those extra calories and so the fat won't make you sluggish). Protein doesn't allow your brain to make serotonin so eat your protein earlier in the day when you don't need as much serotonin (levels are naturally higher earlier in the day and most people don't binge anyway before late afternoon/evening anyway. Have pretzels for a snack late afternoon. And try pasta with vegetables for dinner and see if it's more satisfying, if you feel more calm, if you sleep better, if it gives you a mental energy boost. Please let me know if you want more information. - Nina Marquis, MD

I KNEW IT!!!!!!!

Thanks for that marquis. I eat pasta a lot and always feel better after it. Maybe that's why I haven't seemed to gain anything with paxil. 

Kaddy- Thanks for the advice, thats' a bit scary - what did Lexapro do to you? On the other hand, the panic attacks I already had, actually they were getting really bad, pretty much every day, which was why my psychiatrist put me on Lexapro in the first place.

I guess that has to do with what you said, Smallis (good luck on managing your weight, btw!). That's news to me, I was hoping lexapro would stop panic attacks, too. Maybe the only reason they've  gone down then is that I've been feeling better in general, thus less distress, less attacks.

The problem is I'm going on a three week trip to Europe in a month (leaving at the end of june) so I'm kind of scared of switching or adding medication so soon to leaving, since I wouldn't really have time to see if there are any adverse effects. But at any rate, for now I'm defenitely better than I was before medication. The only thing I really regret is that on my trip  I won't be able to drink - I tried a few days ago, and discovered Lexapro and alcohol do really nasty things to me (anyone else have this? I've seen mixed terstimonials on the effects of Lexapro + alcohol). I was sick enough to not want to risk a single glass of wine.

Marquis, thanks! I had no idea, good to know :)!

You know what, I was only just being diagnosed around that time with BP and in the middle of some bad mania from what I gather, I also liked my wine which didn't help (with the mania or the meds, if you're not BP, which I gather, than you don't get those but for sure alcohol will make your meds ineffective for that time a while after, so very little is advised) This is probably why panic was setting in too, but for some reason the Celexa I had just taken before that didn't make me feel so squirly, sorry to scare ya! You may be just fine.

Thank you Dr. Nina Marquis!

That all makes perfect sense to me and your advice allows me to help my mental and physical health simultaneously! I wish my own doctor had given me such helpful advice for controlling my appetite without HATING my anti-depressant.

I really appreciate your help.

Hi smallis :)

I've actually been on Lexapro for about a year & a half now, and have since then gained a good 40 pounds. After months of rigorous cardio, strength training, and a healthy diet, I still couldn't manage to lose a great deal of weight. After reading up on these types of meds, I guess this isn't out of the norm, huh? This whole weight situation has me really frustrated, so with my doctor's help, I've decided to slowly wean myself off of this medication. Right now, its pretty hellish. I didn't realize that the withdrawal effects would be so bad!!! What are you experiencing?

We should keep eachother posted. Good luck!