Shown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by saw on September 28, 2004, at 4:29:58
about my steady weight gain on Effexor. I can no longer sit comfortably, the rolls on my stomach just get in the way. I look horrible, terrible, awful. I don't deserve to gain weight, I am so careful with my eating. When I get hungry now, I drink a glass of water, and I'm STILL gaining weight!!
It's nearly two months on Effexor and life is tolerable but the weight gain isn't. I think I would rather live with depression and be thin again. Being fat is making me depressed on top of the med anyway. I am desperately unhappy about the way I look and I didn't even contribute! Self confidence and self esteem are non existant and it's affecting my marriage.
I think I am going to chuck Effexor. (Or start smoking again)
I just don't know what to do anymore. I just don't know.
Sabrina
Posted by Piquet on September 28, 2004, at 7:47:17
In reply to I'm EXTREMELY distressed, posted by saw on September 28, 2004, at 4:29:58
> about my steady weight gain on Effexor. I can no longer sit comfortably, the rolls on my stomach just get in the way. I look horrible, terrible, awful. I don't deserve to gain weight, I am so careful with my eating. When I get hungry now, I drink a glass of water, and I'm STILL gaining weight!!
>
> It's nearly two months on Effexor and life is tolerable but the weight gain isn't. I think I would rather live with depression and be thin again. Being fat is making me depressed on top of the med anyway. I am desperately unhappy about the way I look and I didn't even contribute! Self confidence and self esteem are non existant and it's affecting my marriage.
>
> I think I am going to chuck Effexor. (Or start smoking again)
>
> I just don't know what to do anymore. I just don't know.
>
> Sabrina
>
Hi Sabrina.I can totally sympathise with you when you say that the weight gain is making you depressed. I'm a male and I have the same problem. Years of SSRI medication (including Effexor) made me gain a stupid amount of weight and lose a similar amount of self-esteem. I don't know what your dx is, but I have major depression, treatment resistant. I am now taking Parnate (a MAOI) and since starting it 3 months ago I have lost 10 kg (22 lbs). I should also say that my depression is in remission to the tune of 70 per cent. Please, don't start smoking again -- the minuses outweight the plusses by a big factor. Instead, see about changing your antidepressant medication to something that is more suitable for your metabolism and not just suitable for your doctor. I'm not saying that you should take Parnate, but certainly it sounds like your current AD is quite inappropriate. Now, nobody is going to do this for you, so you have to take some action here, okay? If you think hard enough and honestly enough about it, you'll know what you need to do. Otherwise, life is going to go on as it has been, and that is quite unacceptable. Take care, and take action, I wish you well.
Piquet.
Posted by Nohope on September 28, 2004, at 8:06:50
In reply to Re: I'm EXTREMELY distressed, posted by Piquet on September 28, 2004, at 7:47:17
Hi Piquet.
> I am now taking Parnate (a MAOI) and since starting it 3 months ago I have lost 10 kg (22 lbs).
I'm jealous.. I've lost a few kilos on Parnate, but haven't done as well as you :-)
>I should also say that my depression is in remission to the tune of 70 per cent.
Still at 70% ... have you considered upping the dose? I've gone from 40mg to 60mg as of last Saturday. Hopefully I will gain further benefit without too much in the way of side effects.
BTW, believe it or not my worst side effect by far at the moment is fatigue and napping. My limbs feel like lead and sometimes it is very difficult to resist the rather frequent sleep attacks. Pretty different to the usual stimulant experience with Parnate huh? I found one hospital website where they use Cylert for their patients on Parnate who have similar experiences. As for me, I'm prepared to ride it out for another couple of months before asking for a stimulant (usually contraindicated with MAOIs anyway). We will see what happens at 60mg - never know till you try.
Apart from fatigue and occasional breathrough panic attack, I am very pleased with Parnate. It is effective, and on the whole, the side effect profile is very tolerable compared with my previous medications. (To me it feels like Parnate was invented after, rather than before other medications).
Keep getting well, Piquet.
Nohope
Posted by Nohope on September 28, 2004, at 8:08:48
In reply to I'm EXTREMELY distressed, posted by saw on September 28, 2004, at 4:29:58
Posted by stressed on September 28, 2004, at 12:06:03
In reply to I'm EXTREMELY distressed, posted by saw on September 28, 2004, at 4:29:58
I just read your message and can tell you that I am taking Wellbutrin 300 mg per day and that really helps with depression. No weight gain for me at all. My daughter takes Wellbutrin now, after taking Effexor, then Lexapro for many months. The Lexapro made her gain weight, and we thought she was just binge eating more. (Many lbs. too late) I have read on here that ssr's make you gain weight. The doc, took her off Lexapro and we will see how that goes. I know Wellbutrin works for both of us, it makes her sweat like crazy even when not working out. I hope you find something that works for you. Insist on it. Good luck!
Posted by King Vultan on September 28, 2004, at 12:14:11
In reply to I'm EXTREMELY distressed, posted by saw on September 28, 2004, at 4:29:58
> about my steady weight gain on Effexor. I can no longer sit comfortably, the rolls on my stomach just get in the way. I look horrible, terrible, awful. I don't deserve to gain weight, I am so careful with my eating. When I get hungry now, I drink a glass of water, and I'm STILL gaining weight!!
>
> It's nearly two months on Effexor and life is tolerable but the weight gain isn't. I think I would rather live with depression and be thin again. Being fat is making me depressed on top of the med anyway. I am desperately unhappy about the way I look and I didn't even contribute! Self confidence and self esteem are non existant and it's affecting my marriage.
>
> I think I am going to chuck Effexor. (Or start smoking again)
>
> I just don't know what to do anymore. I just don't know.
>
> Sabrina
>
>I hope you don't start smoking again, but I'm afraid I agree with you as far as preferring to be thin and depressed rather than fat and happy, as inane as that might seem to many people. It's just too much of a blow to my self esteem to be on the heavy side, and fortunately for me, the majority of the antidepressants I've tried, including Effexor, did not induce weight gain. The last one I was on, Nardil, did, however, which is a big reason I dumped it and am now on Parnate.
Todd
Posted by Piquet on September 28, 2004, at 14:36:33
In reply to Re: I'm EXTREMELY distressed, posted by Nohope on September 28, 2004, at 8:06:50
> Hi Piquet.
>
> > I am now taking Parnate (a MAOI) and since starting it 3 months ago I have lost 10 kg (22 lbs).
>
> I'm jealous.. I've lost a few kilos on Parnate, but haven't done as well as you :-)
>
> >I should also say that my depression is in remission to the tune of 70 per cent.
>
> Still at 70% ... have you considered upping the dose? I've gone from 40mg to 60mg as of last Saturday. Hopefully I will gain further benefit without too much in the way of side effects.
>
> BTW, believe it or not my worst side effect by far at the moment is fatigue and napping. My limbs feel like lead and sometimes it is very difficult to resist the rather frequent sleep attacks. Pretty different to the usual stimulant experience with Parnate huh? I found one hospital website where they use Cylert for their patients on Parnate who have similar experiences. As for me, I'm prepared to ride it out for another couple of months before asking for a stimulant (usually contraindicated with MAOIs anyway). We will see what happens at 60mg - never know till you try.
>
> Apart from fatigue and occasional breathrough panic attack, I am very pleased with Parnate. It is effective, and on the whole, the side effect profile is very tolerable compared with my previous medications. (To me it feels like Parnate was invented after, rather than before other medications).
>
> Keep getting well, Piquet.
>
> NohopeHi Nohope, good to hear from you. Coincidentally, I saw my pdoc yesterday and we've upped the dose from 60 to 80. Although I said I'm still at 70 per cent remission, the 'atypical' lowered evening mood I normally experience, weirdly enough, was switched to a similar morning mood for a few days, then departed, seemingly for good. That has to be worth a couple of percentage points, at least.
Glad to hear that you're still doing well on this 'gentle gorilla' of an AD. I agree that it is a superior medication for some of us. You seem to be having more of a problem with tiredness than I did -- presently, if I can just lie down, prop up my head and listen to a CD for 40 minutes, I'm then set to go for the rest of the afternoon without needed to actually doze or sleep. I hope that aspect gets better for you soon.
My doc, in response to my query, said that the dosage escalation effects are non-linear, in that the difference between 60 and 80 mg could outdo the 'percentage' difference of remission between 40 and 60 mg (for example).
And I'd just got back into unaided sleep mode, too -- looks like the Ambien bottle comes back out of the fridge. The weight loss is truly great and a significant boost to my flagging self-esteem. (I share Todd's views, stated in another post in this thread.) Our issues with weight, whether seen to be rational or not, are definitely of great importance when it comes to considering the side effects of ADs. I just need to lose *another* 10 kg and I'll be happy.
Wishing you a 100 per cent outcome -- and soon,
Piquet.
Posted by AdamX on September 28, 2004, at 18:19:37
In reply to I'm EXTREMELY distressed, posted by saw on September 28, 2004, at 4:29:58
L-tryptophan, 500mg w/ 100mg B6 3x day on an empty stomach works wonders for mild to moderate depression. For severe or treatment resistant depression, DLPA + selegiline is outstanding.
X
Posted by partlycloudy on September 28, 2004, at 19:48:39
In reply to I'm EXTREMELY distressed, posted by saw on September 28, 2004, at 4:29:58
My weight gain over the last 2 years has been frightening and utterly devastating to my self image. It was only when we added Wellbutrin to my meds that the weight came off (due to the appetite supression). Once I felt like I had a fighting chance of losing weight, I was able to join and gym and THAT helped my energy levels. Depression is so cruel that way - it saps your energy when moving around is going to help you feel better.
Have you noticed any improvement of your depression with the effexor? Are you a little better or do you think it hasn't helped you at all?
pc
Posted by saw on September 29, 2004, at 2:18:51
In reply to Re: I'm EXTREMELY distressed » saw, posted by partlycloudy on September 28, 2004, at 19:48:39
Hi pc
I will be joining a gym but it will only be in the new year when medical insurance is updated. (We get special prices this way).
In the mean time, to answer your question, yes the effexor has helped my depression tremendously. I was barely functioning before. But I was thinner. I feel trapped in a truly vicious circle. I don't want to be depressed any more than I want to be fat. How do I choose?
Sabrina
Posted by partlycloudy on September 29, 2004, at 4:41:15
In reply to Re: I'm EXTREMELY distressed » partlycloudy, posted by saw on September 29, 2004, at 2:18:51
My doctor told me it was more important to get the depression and anxiety under control, and in the meantime I should buy some "fat" clothes so I felt better. It actually did help. I didn't buy anything expensive, but I was ever so much more comfortable. And I stopped looking in mirrors. Then when the depression was not my primary concern, I had enough energy to focus on getting exercise. In the meantime, could you walk or do some home video tapes?
BTW I have lost 14 of the 20 lbs I gained so far. No dieting except to add more fruit and veggies to combat constipation.
pc
Posted by saw on September 29, 2004, at 4:46:53
In reply to Re: I'm EXTREMELY distressed » saw, posted by partlycloudy on September 29, 2004, at 4:41:15
I am exercising on a health walker at the moment and using weights for my oh so flabby arms. My H is going to teach me kickboxing soon too. So physically I am quite active.
I am so severely critical of myself, I cannot imagine not checking in mirrors. I have bought bigger clothes, but that just made me even more depressed. My biggest concern is that my H finds me unattractive. He has assured me he doesn't but I have noticed that he doesn't touch or hold me as much. And it has been a long time since he has said that I'm beautiful. Best I get sometimes is that I look nice. Guess that's better than nothing.
All these woes from an AD. Effexor happy pill helping brain but not body. And pdoc wants me to take it for life? I'll get so big I'll spontaneously combust!!
Sabrina
Posted by partlycloudy on September 29, 2004, at 16:39:52
In reply to Re: I'm EXTREMELY distressed » partlycloudy, posted by saw on September 29, 2004, at 4:46:53
Could it be your H is keeping his distance because he knows how depressed you are? Mine thought I just would NOT be in the mood, where a cuddle would have been good medicine. I had to do quite a bit of plain talking and leave the hints behind.
From what has been my experience, weight gain for some of us is inevitable on certain ADs because they work on the hypocampus part of our brain, which also controls our metabolism. (Apologies to those who know better than i - this is how I understand it.) The ADs are not selective enough to work on the depression without depressing our metabolism.
I think.
I wore black for a long time.
Posted by Waki on September 29, 2004, at 20:47:09
In reply to I'm EXTREMELY distressed, posted by saw on September 28, 2004, at 4:29:58
I concur that the wellbutrin might work for you and it may speed up your metabolizm.
regarding the weight gain, you starving yourself is slowing down your metabolizm. I would not be surprised if you are fatigued also your body does not know when it will have food again so it stores it all up in fat when it receives food. I would not doupt if you are gaining weight for as little as your eating.
i can lose more weight by eating more then by eating almost nothing.
there is only 1 way to lose weight being excercise and eat properly. you need to burn more then you consume. figure there are 3500 cals in a pound. reduce your intake by about 500 -750 cals per day; including excercise you will lose about 5 pounds a month.
personally i eat 6-12 small meals a day consumeing about 2800 cals per day. eating more often stokes the fire and burns more calories! A balanced diet to me means 60% complex carbohydrates with ample monounsaturated fat, 20% protein, 10% from polyunsaturated fat and 10% saturated fat.
so feed yourself, excercise and don't try any fad diets!
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