Posted by ramsea on March 30, 2004, at 5:14:39
In reply to Re: Solutions - Weight Gain » Sebastian, posted by LynneDa on March 29, 2004, at 14:56:40
Glad you are feeling better. Lexapro, Ceexa, Prozac and Seroxat never made me happy, just fat and manic. Now I can't take them at all. Doctors used to always say that the reason these meds caused weight gain is we were all feeling better and thus eating more--poppytosh!!! for most of us, anyway, nonsense.
These drugs do effect insulin, metabolism,which affects layering down fat cells, appetite problems, also can cause carbo cravings. But because it is a craving, this doesn't mean it isn't a nasty side effect. Some people get this just a little, so it's not so bad. Maybe you have this? You may well be able to keep it under control. We are all unique. Some people lose weight on SSRIs, though the longer they take them the more likely it will be that they gain weight.
Cravings happened to me--a terrible surprise. For some of us the cravings are a kind of torture. It's not just feeling a little greedy for a piece of chocolate. It's like a person who can never relax enough to sleep though desperate for rest, and for the craver no matter how hard they try and wish, pray and actually eat, they eat but are never full. They go to sleep feeling hungry, in my case I was witnessed on numerous occasions sleepwalking and eating other people's food--something I would never, ever, ever do in my conscious state, eat but wake hungry, eat to stop the mind-destroying craving but nothing helps.
It has nothing to do with will power, and any doctor or person who dismisses a patient with this side effect is ignorant or cruel. It is a very nasty mental state to never feel full but always feel stark ravingly hungry. Think about it--our human history is full of famine and our bodies are built to react strongly to hunger. Feeling severe cravings for hunger 24/7 is no way to live.
On the good side, many people find ways to cope. I recommend a good book on this subject--t"The Anti-depressant Survival Guide", by psychiatrist Hedaya. He is compassionate, tells the truth (i.e., isn't dismissive and blaming-the-victim about the subject of weight gain via psych meds), and has a plan to keep the weight off. And also improve sex life if that's ever a side effect (very commonly is).
poster:ramsea
thread:8946
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040329/msgs/330221.html