prozac

[bev12345]

Question: Does taking prozac stop the weight loss, or does it slow it down? I have been on for 4 weeks and I have lost 6 pounds. I feel great and I can feel changes in my body, but the scale doesn't go down. It will even go up, and down. I have not gone off the program. I am not discouraged just concern. Can anyone help? Thanks for your time. Bev

[Sophia1]

I have read that certain antidepressants can stop weight loss. I'm sure I read that prozac was one of them. In the Atkins new Diet Revolution book he says there are supplements you might want to consider at health food stores as opposed to the antidepressants. He lists 5-hydroxy tryptophan, St. Johns wart, l carnitine, kava kava, valerian, B complex, and GABA. Maybe your doctor could prescribe something else.

[MermaidGir]

i'm new here but have been on antidepressants for about 12 years and have lost weight at other times while still on my meds...be careful about going off & trying other stuff, because if you (like me) are someone who requires ad's long term, you're prolly better off figuring out a way to work WITH them. just my 2c.

[bev12345]

Thanks for the input, I will talk to my doctor about this. I have tried before to get off the prozac and I had a very hard time.

[ruthla]

It really depends on your individual body type. Some people find that, when their depression is properly treated, they're able to stick to a diet (no more emotional eating) and lose weight. Others find that the meds themselves make it harder to lose weight.

I'm not clear from your post whether you've just started the Prozac or just started LCing. It can take your body time to adjust to a new medicine before you're able to resume weight loss.

It's also quite common for weight loss to stall "for no apparent reason" and then resume again. It's just the nature of weight loss. It comes in fits and starts, and one week of not losing is really "no big deal". But I did completely freak out the first week that I didn't lose anything! Now I take it in stride.

[FatJessica]

I'm pretty sure that going on Prozac was what made me gain the amount of weight that I had over the last year and a half, so this is definitely something I've been thinking about....I'm usually a pretty big fan of the medical system, and usually really respectful towards doctors, but the truth is, a lot of GP's don't know jack about anti-depressants or depression. One doctor that I saw straight-out denied any connection because SSRI's and weight gain/metabolic resistance. It was the first and last time I ever saw her. Anyway, this is something you are really going to have to search your heart about. When it comes down to it, if I lose weight and am horribly depressed, I'm going back on the Prozac. But now I'm off of them just to see what happens...I am experiencing some withdrawals, and I know it is highly unrecommended to go off them w/o medical supervision, but I consider myself in touch enough with my body and mind that I'll know if I need help with the process....to end this rant, my answer is that the answer is not simple. I at one point thought that I would never be able to be without antidepressants, but now I'm going through a phase where I don't want to take any sort of medication. Exercise definitely helps with the chemical aspect of it. I've also found that the medication has in the past just made it easier for me to not confront my personal baggage instead of making it easier to sort through like I wanted it to...I know this isn't a thread about depression, but it's played a big part in my decision as far as weight loss. I'm here if you want to talk about it further....Good luck with everything!

[Sandollar]

I have been on both Prozac and Wellbutrin and neither of them affected my weight loss signifigantly.

Good luck!

[TimesTwo]

I'm on Cymbalta and Wellbutrin. Neither has affected my weight loss. Wellbutrin can even cause weight loss because one of the side effects is decreased appetite.

A good psychiatrist will listen to your concerns and find a medication that works for you.

[Lorisa]

Hey Jessica, right after I read your post, I found this thread in the media section of the forum and I thought you might find it interesting:

Doctors Often Deny Adverse Drug Reactions (http://forum.lowcarber.org/showthread.php?t=346722)


Its about statin drugs, not anti-depressants, but I thought it was relevant to what you were saying about doctor's denying that a medication could cause weight gain. I respect the medical profession to some extent also, but I also trust my own body and common sense first and foremost :)

[MandaSue]

Thanks for the input, I will talk to my doctor about this. I have tried before to get off the prozac and I had a very hard time.


I take effexor and have actually noticed it's a great appetite suppressant for me. But, I also know that effexor sometimes has negative side effects for some people, so I guess it's hit and miss.

I take it at noon, and it wards off eating snacks in the afternoon, and for dinner I just eat a small portion of a meat and I'm good. It's really helped me out a lot.

[lilli]

Effexor is the anti d. that's mainly known for having weight gain as a side effect!! There's a couple others that are supposed to be horrible for weight loss, but from everything i've read or heard, prozac isn't one of them. Wellbutrin isn't supposed to affect weightloss (and also supposedly causes the least sexual side effects-) I've taken wellbutrin for years and haven't had a problem. If you're worried, ask your MD about wellbutrin.
By the way, i've noticed any side effect wellbutrin has as to appetite suppressment, it goes away after the first few weeks as the drug is integrated into the body. Which is too bad...

[cs_carver]

"Natural" products are not necessarily any different in this regard than prescription medicine, and they won't be covered by insurance, and their potency can vary all over the place. Not that I don't take a pile of them myself, but I really hate to see "natural" touted as "safer" without reservations.

St. John's Wort, in particular, has a list of side effects as long as my arm, starting with sun sensitivity. Took ages for the scars to fade that got "burned in" with SJW + not-excessive sun exposure. And coming off that product was painful for me. YMMV.

I have found Peter Kramer's books particularly enlightening and highly recommend his latest, Against Depression. His point is that depression is turning out to be an organic condition, with recognizable long-term brain damage, and needs to be treated. There are lots of options for treatment, agreed. For me, nothing else happens unless my depression is under control.

Good luck.

[MermaidGir]

"For me, nothing else happens..."...I'm with you on that! From my understanding, the neurological experience of depression creates neural pathways in your brain, like, almost teaching your brain how to be depressed. And that makes it more likely to recur.
About three yrs ago i decided that altho i was running 5# everyday and despite people telling me i looked good, i wasn't getting thin enough, fast enough (of course the attentions of a man were involved) and i went off my meds cold turkey....what a horrible crash and burn. It took me a couple of YEARS to get back to being mentally stable...i regard my depression issues with a lot more respect now and expect to be on ADs for the duration.

[MermaidGir]

"For me, nothing else happens..."...I'm with you on that! From my understanding, the neurological experience of depression creates neural pathways in your brain, like, almost teaching your brain how to be depressed. And that makes it more likely to recur.
About three yrs ago i decided that altho i was running 5# everyday and despite people telling me i looked good, i wasn't getting thin enough, fast enough (of course the attentions of a man were involved) and i went off my meds cold turkey....what a horrible crash and burn. It took me a couple of YEARS to get back to being mentally stable...i regard my depression issues with a lot more respect now and expect to be on ADs for the duration.