Antidepressants and weight gain

[makeupandmusic]

For about the past two or three months, I have really felt down. I started seeing a therepist, and it is going good. She thinks I am suffering from anxiety and slight depression. I agree http://community.icompact.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_frown.gif It sounds so shallow, but one of the side effects (among others) I am worried about is the whole SSRI-weight gain thing. I am wondering if any of you here have had any personal experiences with antidepresssants. How did they affect your mind, body, any info is greatly appreciated because I am jsut so confused right now about what to do. TIA http://community.icompact.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[makeupandmusic]

For about the past two or three months, I have really felt down. I started seeing a therepist, and it is going good. She thinks I am suffering from anxiety and slight depression. I agree http://community.icompact.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_frown.gif It sounds so shallow, but one of the side effects (among others) I am worried about is the whole SSRI-weight gain thing. I am wondering if any of you here have had any personal experiences with antidepresssants. How did they affect your mind, body, any info is greatly appreciated because I am jsut so confused right now about what to do. TIA http://community.icompact.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[rayray]

I use to take Zyprexa for my bi-polar. He weight gain was a side effect. I didn't pay much attention, but a few days later the weight piled on, like almost 20 pounds. My stomach was all big and bloated. I was even more depressed.
I stopped and now I'm on Geodon. This medication sucks too. It makes me feel spaced out and dizzy with this feeling of nausea. It's hard to explain. I've lost my stamina to work out, but the weight is falling off.
I'm calling my therapist tomorrow to tell him how I feel. I hope I can get on something that'll actually work.

[EnNoSeNzE25]

I've been on Effexor for too long now and I'm wheening off very slowly...now I'm at the lowest dosage but I have gained weight on this med., about 10 lbs. which is a lot for a petite girl like myself. also, I did feel spaced out too on this med...and I realized it didn't work for me anymore so I am getting off. I feel a little better as the dosage goes down and the withdrawls subside but I do see the anxiety again...but I'm trying to find a natural way to get over it like exercise, hypnosis, walking my dog. I have nothing against anti-dep. it's just it didn't work for me.

[Elena]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by makeupandmusic:
one of the side effects (among others) I am worried about is the whole SSRI-weight gain thing. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I don't believe it is an all that shallow concern. A person's weight won't, on itself, make the person happier or unhappier, but for someone who is already down or anxious, just seeing oneself "ballooning" up and seeing oneself as uglier, less sexy or just "not his/her usual self" can work havoc on the person's mood and self-esteem. Quite the opposite state of mind one is trying to solve with the antidepressant use!

That said, I personally didn't have any -ANY- weight gain while on Paxil (a SSRI, and of the worst, as I heard, in terms of weight gain). I am not a super skinny girl, but I am thin and never have been truly overweight, so I guess I am not prone to gaining weight. Still, I could have gained SOME weight and I didn't. So the weight gain is really not something that all people experience. I do believe some do, I believe some others don't, and I believe some others gain or lose weight depending on how their food intake habit changes while on the antidepressants. Because some people gain weight while on them because they simply start eating more (a lot of people don't feel like eating at all while depressed and once they feel better, their appetite goes up, and, the opposite is also true, some eat out of anxiety and once they feel better, they stop overeating).

So I don't think there really is a definite answer to that. It really varies on the individual.
As for whether or not to take an SSRI antidepressant... just make sure you rule out other options first.

Only now I am taking a very mild anxyolitic that is called Buspar and only now I realize how much gentler it is for my body and mind. True, Buspar is not nearly as strong or effective for depression as SSRIs, but if your depression or anxiety are not too strong, Buspar might work. Or maybe not. But at least it works for me and does not have side effects.
Paxil did have side effects. I did not gain weight, but had those horrible nightmares very often, and would also experience night sweating, an inability to orgasm (my libido was fine, but my ability to orgasm was almost nil)... Also, while I didn't notice this up until I weaned off Paxil, it did numb me a bit.That helps when one is going through painful stuff, but not so helpful when it comes to the good things in life. It was like sad things or bad things didn't get me so anxious or stressed out, but it was also like the good things weren't as thrilling or nice anymore. Not only that, the food didn't taste as good as it used to! I didn't notice that until I weaned off and started realizing that things "tasted more".. !!

I was on an SSRI for 3 and a half years, then weaned about half a year from it. To be truthful, I don't think it made any harm to me, it might have helped me, but I don't think neither that it really helped me a big deal. Things eventually got better for me mood-wise and anxiety-wise, but I believe that was more related to my situations and circumstances in life improving, overall (my life changed for good) than to the action of the medication. I am left with mixed feelings about that family of antidepressants. I am not against them and maybe they did help me, I don't know, but I am not certain of it, and some of its effects were definitely not nice nor helpful at feeling better overall. And all this from someone who didn't experience any major negative side-effect from them.
I would suggest you to go for it if you really think nothing else will help or if you've tried different approaches and feel like nothing is working. But I wouldn't go on it "just like that", sometimes doctors (my opinion, at least) are too eager to "fix" anxiety and depression with SSRI antidepressants before trying other, weaker, less strong, and less likely to cause side-effects medication... like the Buspar I am taking now, for example. The docs thought it would be too mild for me. Truth is, I wish I had taken that one first and had not tried Paxil first! Besides, while I didn't have a hard time with that, because I took a lot of time to go on with that process (4 months to wean off totally from Paxil), SSRIs create a strong dependence and getting off them is quite a stressful thing.

[makeupandmusic]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I want to feel better, but antidepressants for some reason just freak me out, how they can totally mess with you. I've done the research, and I've seen a lot of good and a lot of bad. I want to take a natural approach. Some type of homeopathic remedy or something, you know? I also have been thinking about St. John's Wort. Has anybody taken this? TIA http://community.icompact.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[Elena]

Dear makeupandmusic, don't rule out the option of taking antidepresants, sometimes it is the only thing that really works, and one must not let go depression and anxiety get worse over time, they can get you to very dangerous thoughts and situations (I speak from my own experience).
That said, what helped me the most, more than antidepressants were:
1) working out regularly at a gym club doing a sport that I really liked (makes your body create natural serotonin).
2) "forcing myself" to go out with friends, but only with friends that I know I could be honest with about not feeling at 100%, mood-wise, some days (so they don't put more pressure on you to be all joyful and energetic if you don't feel that way, they must be friends who love you as you are)
3) find a volunteer work or some activity that would make me feel useful and like my life had sense. Especially something with "something", say, plants, animals, that naturally soothe my anxiety
4) dance away at home! or do something at home I really enjoyed.
Yes, I did take St John's Wort, and although its effect were mild, it did work a bit, yes. It helped me a bit. That, and herbs to help me sleep at night. All natural stuff.
Beware, though, especially in Summer. St John's make one's skin more sensitive to sunlight and sunburns.
Hugs!!!!!!!!!

[makeupandmusic]

Thank you so much for the suggestions and for your concern Elena http://community.icompact.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif I think I am going to try St. John's Wort. Do you have a good brand reccomendation?

[Elena]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by makeupandmusic:
Thank you so much for the suggestions and for your concern Elena http://community.icompact.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif I think I am going to try St. John's Wort. Do you have a good brand reccomendation? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

I tried different brands, and all were ok. Good'N'Natural, Herbal Life (I think that was its name)... all were ok for me. I just suggest you to buy it from a good drugstore that carries good brands of stuff, not the "homemade" formulas. Make sure the bottle contains detailed "contents information".
Good luck and keep us posted!

[krissy.b]

If you take birth control, be aware that st. john's wort can make it less effective. Just thought I should mention it!

I haven't ever taken an SSRI but I hope you find something that works for you and start feeling better soon! http://community.icompact.com/groupee_common/emoticons/icon_smile.gif