Has anyone gained A LOT of weight on meds?

1399 Views 18 Replies 12 Participants Last post by familylove, May 5, 2006

solstar

Discussion Starter · Apr 6, 2006

Not sure where I should put this but it kind of relates to mental health (I have been both anorexic and bulimic in the past).

I have gained A LOT of weight on meds. some of it I needed to gain but I have gained 30 pounds on Paxil, 10 lbs on Prozac, and 10 lbs on Lexapro. So about 50 in all some of which I have lost already.

I am not on anything right now.

Has anyone else gained a ton on meds and what did you do about it?

1 - 19 of 19 Posts

Snowdrift

· #2 · Apr 6, 2006

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solstar

Discussion Starter · #3 · Apr 6, 2006

I notice that I don't get sick as often at this weight, when I was under 120 I was sick all the time and had a lot of health problems. I guess that is a good plus but I don't like how I feel (jiggly, weighed down) carrying all this extra weight.

CrazyCatLady

· #4 · Apr 7, 2006

I gained sixty pounds thanks to Seroquil. As soon as I stopped the medication, the weight fell right back off. I think a big part of the weight gain is that the pills made me feel really tired, yet starving at the same time. So I'd take my nightime pill, pig out, and then sleep for 8+ hours. Unfortunatly though, my health never did recover from the two years of being on that drug.

2Sweeties1Angel

· #5 · Apr 7, 2006

I gained sixty pounds thanks to Seroquil. As soon as I stopped the medication, the weight fell right back off. I think a big part of the weight gain is that the pills made me feel really tired, yet starving at the same time.

I had the opposite experience with Seroquil. My appetite completely died and I lost almost 30 lbs in a few months. It did make me more tired than usual. I stopped taking it because I feel "ok" again (I don't like to be constantly medicated so I don't take it when I'm "normal") and I want to TTC. I was enjoying my "diet".

I gained a lot of weight on Paxil and Zoloft, though. Probably because I wasn't freaking depressed until they put me on the antidepressants.

CrazyCatLady

· #6 · Apr 7, 2006

Quote:

gained a lot of weight on Paxil and Zoloft, though. Probably because I wasn't freaking depressed until they put me on the antidepressants.

How funny, I dropped a ton of weight on Zoloft! For me it's like being on speed.

familylove

· #7 · Apr 9, 2006

Melaya,

You just described my life

.....so tired, veg on the couch, pig out, go to bed. I've been on a variety of meds including Seroquel and Lithium, 2 of the biggest weight culprits. I also recently found out I have sleep apnea and now use a CPAP ( a machine that ensures I keep breathing while I sleep). That has REALLY helped the sleepiness along with taking a drug called Provigil that helps folks with narcolepsy but also has anti-depressant qualities. So lately I've had the energy to actually get off my way overweight tush

The side effects of pyschotropic meds seem such a slap in the face when you already feel horrible. And gaining 30-60 lbs definitely does not help one's self-esteem.

Lauren

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passionfaerie

· #8 · Apr 11, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by familylove

...The side effects of pyschotropic meds seem such a slap in the face when you already feel horrible. And gaining 30-60 lbs definitely does not help one's self-esteem.

Lauren

Ugg... exactly!!

volcaniclava

· #9 · Apr 20, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melaya
I gained sixty pounds thanks to Seroquil.

i gained 30 plus before I went off of seroquil.... Impossible to lose, I finally took trimspa (like my body?) which Im normally totally against. I lost 15 pounds and fit into my old clothes well enough and stopped.

bjorker

· #10 · Apr 20, 2006

It's hard for me to tell because I was also pregnant at the time... (sigh) ... but I do think that Paxil caused me to gain extra weight. When I stopped taking it, I lost a little bit of the weight, but not much... it is EXTREMELY hard for me to lose weight, no matter what I do... so unfortunately I'm still stuck with it. I wish I had something to tell you.

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Elphie

· #11 · May 3, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Melaya
I gained sixty pounds thanks to Seroquil. As soon as I stopped the medication, the weight fell right back off. I think a big part of the weight gain is that the pills made me feel really tired, yet starving at the same time. So I'd take my nightime pill, pig out, and then sleep for 8+ hours. Unfortunatly though, my health never did recover from the two years of being on that drug.

And here I thought I was the only one. I have been taking Seroquel for over 4.5 years now for Bipolar. I hate it with a passion. I am supposed to take 400 mg but have cut it back to 200 mg. I can diet and do fine until I take the Seroquel, then I am in the kitchen pigging out. I've gained over 50 lbs. myself. After that I pass out.

I am so tired all of the time. A good day is if I can even drag myself out of bed in the morning long enough to see the kids off to school. Most days I can't even manage that. It's getting worse too. I slept today until 3:00 pm. This makes me feel even worse. Like the worst mother and human being ever.

Even with the meds the depression is coming back, mostly because of the eating and sleeping I think. I find myself getting suicidal. I just don't see a way out. I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't. With or without the meds my life is nothing.

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Snowdrift

· #12 · May 3, 2006

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Elphie

· #13 · May 3, 2006

Thank you for your reply. I haven't told my doctor what is going on. I no longer see a psychiatrist, just the PA at my regular doctor's office. Moving, insurance hassles, that sort of thing...just haven't found a psychiatrist here. I have been trying to make myself call my doctor's office all week for an appointment, but have not been able to get myself up out of bed early enough to do it.

I have never tried Risperdal. One of my biggest problems is that if I quit taking the Seroquel I don't sleep. Literally. The last time I tried I ended up not sleeping for two weeks and just about went out of my mind. I tried everything OTC I could find, even tried drinking hoping I would pass out. My doctor had gone on vacation and finally my husband was able to talk the on-call doc into giving me the Seroquel. It was horrible and I don't want to go through that again.

I am just at the end of my rope and don't know what to do anymore. I just want to have a "normal" life. And I don't see that ever happening for me.

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Snowdrift

· #14 · May 3, 2006

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mamaverdi

· #15 · May 3, 2006

I gained 30 lbs in one week on Paxil. 30 more pounds over 6 months on Prozac, and became peri-menopausal. 30 more pounds on Effexor over 2 years.

Now, I've been med free and depression-free for 18 months, and finally the weight is starting to come off.

mv

Arwyn

· #16 · May 3, 2006

Depakote caused constant weight gain. I maxed at somewhere around 350. I've lost about 50 pounds since getting off it (last summer) - not dieting or trying to lose, just eating healthfully and enjoying movement. Y'know - same damn things I was doing on the drugs. Except now my body isn't lying to me, or rather, its signals are true and clear, and my ability to interpret them is unimpaired.

As a wise man once said - psychotropics suck donkey dong (can I say that on here?). Life without psychotropics when you need them, however, suck syphalitic donkey dong. I am very, very thankful that I can finally do without them, at least for the time being.

mamaverdi

· #17 · May 5, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arwyn
Life without psychotropics when you need them, however, suck syphalitic donkey dong. I am very, very thankful that I can finally do without them, at least for the time being.

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mahogny

· #18 · May 5, 2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arwyn
Depakote caused constant weight gain.

My DH has been on Depakote and Effexor for 3 years, and his weight has ballooned. I look at pictures of him from before he was on it, and he looks so different!

Unfortunately, getting off the meds isn't practical right now.

familylove

· #19 · May 5, 2006

Elphie,

I just wanted to join with tie-dyed in saying how sorry I am that things are so difficult right now

I think we have all been there at one time or another. I spent many a day in bed crying, having suicidal thoughts and wondering if I would EVER stabilize. The worse thing was knowing my son needed his mommy, his healthy mommy.

Finding a pyschiatrist is one of the scariest things I go through as someone with a mental illness. But it feels so great to have someone you can turn to in times like these. Perhaps you would find it helpful to locate a therapist as a first step and get a referral from them? (I went on and on in another thread about the benefits of a good therapist

)

It will get better, Elphie. The more support you have in this process the better. So reach out to family, friends (including internet)...anyone that can be a sympathetic ear and help with the other parts of your life that you may not feel up to bothering with.

Take care!

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