Posted by MB on September 9, 2002, at 10:03:02
In reply to Re: How long until Prozac Weight gain kicks in?, posted by joy on September 8, 2002, at 20:37:44
> I was on Prozac over a year [40 mgs mostly] and never gained any weight. My friend is on it 11 years with no weight gain. Some people do gain after a few months, but I believe Prozac is the least weight gaining of the SSRIs [Paxil, Zoloft, even Celexa much worse for most people]. If you watch your carb intake you can possibly escape weight gain on Prozac, or at least keep it to a minimum. I definitely would not say that for Paxil!
> JoyWell, The most recent (three years ago) experience with SSRIs *was* with Paxil, and I was fine for *months*. I felt my depression lift a few hours after taking it, and that effect lasted for about two months. After I had been on it for a couple of months, I noticed that the enregy and mood enhancement were gone, and a horrible leaden fatigue was setting in. Along with the fatigue, an inexorable, insatiable craving for carbs hit me. I gained twenty pounds in a few weeks. To put it simply, I became obese overnight. It's taken me a few years of starving myself and exercising manically to lose the pounds. I never want to go through that again.
It's been ten years since I tried Prozac, and I don't remember getting fat on it (but I was a young and spry twenty year old...my metabolism isn't as fast as it was then). *However*, it's encouraging that niether you nor your friend gained weight on Prozac. I think I might give it a try. I'm a little wary because I don't have a doctor right now. There are only two psychiatrists in town. One is a meglomaniac, and the other is dissolving his practice to work in the hospital. I don't think self-medicating is a good idea, especially when it means that when I exhaust my supply of Prozac, I can't get any more. Hmmm...making these kind of life altering decisons when suffering mood swings is a pain in the bum!!
MB
poster:MB
thread:119313
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020906/msgs/119360.html