Posted by SLS on October 27, 2000, at 23:41:24
In reply to Types of Weight Gain on Meds, Probably Revisited, posted by shellie on October 27, 2000, at 22:06:55
> Since my relapse into severe depression, the best combination for me has been nardil and lamictal. But as I was increasing the lamictal, my weight was going up. Also I had a lot of discomfort in my breasts. I did not experience an increase in appetite, so my eating didn't increase, and I was doing the treadmill.
>
> I tried dieretics but it didn't seem to help. Yet within less than two weeks after stopping the lamictal I lost 9 pounds (not dieting or exercising).
>
> My question is can you lose nine pounds in such a short time without it being water retention? The dieretic I took always works for me premenstrually, so I know it has been effective.
>
> The reason I am asking this question, is that I am so tired of being depressed and wouldn't hesitate to go back on the lamictal if I didn't gain weight. But I was scared that I would get to be a huge person and I have enough problems with self-image not to deal with that.
>
> Any ideas about the mechanisms of weight gain and such a fast loss? ShellieNo. Sorry.
I am becoming more interested in the mechanisms responsible for weight gain myself. I haven't taken the time to pursue it. I think Anita may have some understanding of it.
Tough decision, my friend.
I can identify with your dilemma. I am a former bodybuilder (former not by choice but by illness) who was muscular and lean with about 10 percent body fat. 9 lbs is better than the 40 lbs I gained on imipramine. I may have to go back on it. I think I can accept the trade-off, though, all things considered. Cost vs benefit vs need vs available alternatives. I had become accustomed to having members of the opposite sex whistle at me or pull a neck muscle. It's tough to watch that fade. But what the hell good is 10 percent body fat when you are house-bound and there is no one there to see you?
I don't know. It is so easy to say.
I have been on Lamictal a few times. I have been taking it steadily for about 3 years. After the initial weight-gain of 10 lbs, I have not gained any more.
Shellie, considering how Lamictal has contributed to your best response so far, I think I would sorta, kinda, maybe, tentatively, and sheepishly suggest that you may want to sorta, kinda, maybe, non-bindingly, give a sorta, kinda, semi-serious, consideration to the idea that perhaps it might be a sorta, kinda, revokably, and possibly reasonable decision to temporarily entertain the idea that it might be in your current best interests to try Lamictal again and perhaps remove it in the future should you find a better treatment that allows you to. In the meantime, perhaps someone will come up with an elegant and benign way to counteract the weight-gain.
Don't take my picture until I can bench-press 265 again. :-)
Sincerely,
Scott
poster:SLS
thread:47577
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20001022/msgs/47582.html