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weight loss since anti-depressants

I've struggled with my weight ever since I can remember. I've also struggled with depression. Almost 4 months ago my mom went into the hospital with chest pain and my husband lost his job in the same week. I happened to have an annual exam scheduled the following week. I asked my doctor to prescribe an anti-depressant. I'd never been on them before.

I don't want to seem like I'm promoting anti-depressants, because I know everybody is different, but I only started getting in control of my weight since then. I went back today and read my logs before anti-depressants and then after anti-depressants and I"m really amazed at the difference. I've lost the weight very slowly but consistently. The biggest changes I notice are that I don't "need" to eat like I used to and I don't make excuses for not exercising.

The things I write in my logs are totally different, too. For instance, I used to agonize over things I ate or experiences I was having, whereas now, I mostly just report the facts.

Has anybody else experienced this? I've mostly heard of people gaining weigh on anti-depressants and it's been completely the opposite for me. I'm really curious because I've never talked with anybody who has had the same experience I've had.

I'm on Fluoxetine--the generic version of Prozac.


Fri. Jul 7, 9:36pm

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I'm also on Fluoxetine, and I don't know where I would be without it. I specifically requested an anti-depressant that doesn't have weight gain as a side-effect and this is what i was prescribed. I don't have ideal eating habits and i still agonize over eating too much, but I do think that it would be much worse if I weren't on it at all. It really helps me deal with my extreme lows.

Saturday, July 08, 2006, 12:23 PM

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My doctor described the effects of prozac/fluoxetine as "clearing the clouds" so you can make decisions and do things the way you normally would. I was on it for 2 years. I had lost 35 lbs just before going on it, and during those two years my weight didn't change much - but I wasn't trying. I would go back on the drug if I felt I needed it.

Saturday, July 08, 2006, 12:40 PM

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anti depressants

I would be VERY careful of taking these medications. There are black label warnings on these meds in Europe b/c they cause suicidal and aggressive behaviors. In nearly every school shooting and alot of incidences where parents kill their children , the one common link in these situations is mind altering meds like antidepressants!!! There has benn studies where one group took antidepressants and one group took a placebo sugar pill, the group who took the placebo pill and "thought" they were taking an anti depressant felt better but whe they found out it was a placebo , their depression returned - so it is how you perceive your environment that makes the difference as to whether or not you feel depressed about something.

PLEASE be careful and do your research , I don't doubt you "feel" depressed, but I KNOW antidepressants are not the answer.

Sunday, July 09, 2006, 2:01 PM

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I take an anti-depressant, but it was prescribed to me for anxiety. I have been taking Wellbutrin SR for about two months. I have noticed that it is helping a lot with my anxiety.

Wellbutrin is one of the drugs that isn't supposed to cause weight gain, but I don't really think my weight loss has had anything to do with the drug. For the first month of taking it, food just didn't taste right. Everything was bland, and all food tasted the same. It actually made me want to eat more for the first couple of weeks because I was trying to find foods that I could taste. I also noticed that I was VERY grouchy and didn't want to be around people. That has since changed, and I feel like I am back to normal.

Whatever the case, I'm glad your depression is under control. Good luck with your continued weight loss.

-JenniLynn

Sunday, July 09, 2006, 9:54 PM

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OP here: thanks everybody for your feedback. 2:01 poster: I appreciate your concern, but can assure you that I have done a ton of research. I've seen those studies and they apply to children not adults. I can speak from the experience of dealing with depression my entire life and say that no amount of counseling, self-help books, alternative therapies, etc., helped me in the way that fluoxetine has helped me. Without a doubt. So, anti-depressant may not be the answer for you, but they are for me.

Monday, July 10, 2006, 8:45 AM

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Good for you for recognizing you were depressed. It is often difficult to see when you are depressed when you are mired in the hole of depression. Yes, I had the same results when I was on anti-depressants--weight loss. I attributed mine to a combination of the drug and mental health counseling. Whatever the cause, I did focus more clearly and made better choices in my eating and exercise habits. I could probably use the same help today but cannot afford the treatment. I am using over the counter St. John's Wort for my depression and it is enough to help me function. Liver damage was a side affect of the anti-depressant I was on so I am leary of being on one for long-term even though I am sure it would help me much more than the St. John's Wort.

Monday, July 10, 2006, 11:47 AM

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OP again: I think the thing about it that has had the biggest impact on me is the realization that my overeating was related to my illness. It's not because I'm weak or lazy. Considering how quickly I was able to change my eating habits after taking this drug has been really helpful in not blaming myself or beating myself up about my weight. If I had diabetes or migraines, nobody would say I shouldn't take the drugs prescribed to me. Depression is a medical issue just like those are and should be treated as such.

Monday, July 10, 2006, 1:51 PM

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Hey OP, I support you totally! Antidepressants have been life-changing for me and a number of people I know. Yes, I do have concerns about side effects, but I tried everything and nothing helped like these do. Although I appreciate the cautions and concerns from the 2:00 poster, I think each of us has to do that is right for ourselves, and we each do our own research and weigh the factors. It is simply not true that these are not the answer, although of course they are not a complete cure. I still work to do what I can to keep my emotions from overwhelming me. For me, although I struggle with anxiety more than depression, nothing else helped me get the anxiety under control.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006, 4:49 AM

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i also struggled with some mental health issues for many years, and found relief with anti-depressants/other medications. however, i took these medications until i felt i could stop. with the help of my doctor, i "weaned" off the meds and have been able to cope-with the use of "tools" i found through therapy and medications-without anti-depressants for over a year now. good luck with your journey and i strongly urge you to comply with any suggested blood tests associated with the medication you are taking. these tests are extremely important-i had my share of side-effect horrors and my blood sugar increased a lot with certain meds. i experienced some weight loss/weight stability when i first began taking the meds.

Wednesday, July 12, 2006, 9:18 AM

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