Anti-Depressant Medication
 

Well since I take 50mg of Zoloft, will this prevent me from losing any weight. The book did mention something about anti-dipresssants. I know serotonin is increased to prevent depression and OCD. But I want to start the Atkins diet.



Please help

Quite a few people loose just fine on anti-depressents. I for one have lost 72 pounds. It might not effect your loss at all, it may slow it down a bit. You have not alot to loose, so you loss would be slower anyway than someone who has lots to loose.

For me it was: do I want to loose weight faster, or do I want to go nice a slow and not be a depressed person that no one (including myself) wants to be around? :)

Talon, I am with you all the way!!!

I am on Paxil, very low dose. My research of this issue show that fish oil tabs and vitamin e are key in offsetting SSRI weight increase. I have had VERY good weight loss on Atkins. I am very pleased, but I think mega fatty acids with acids are key.'

Take a look:

http://www.prozactruth.com/weight3.htm#

best of luck

I read this, too, but am hesitant to believe it. I'm taking fish oil and Atkins vitamins and have been stalled for a very long time. I'm no longer on any meds, although I probably really need to be. I'm trying to tough it out because of the weight issue. I need more answers.

I went and browsed through the site prozactruth.com. To be honest, I'd be very leery of taking them at face value. It sounds like an anti Prozac/Paxil etc. crusade, and when you'r dealing with someone with a mission, you're not getting well-balanced information.

Lots of people don't understand about antidepressants. AD's don't work the same on everyone, each person is going to be a little different, and you have to work with your doctor to find what drug and dosage works best for you, with your body and in helping your individual situation.

I've been on antidepressants of every kind known to man for years, and Prozac was the only one that works well for me. It literally saved my life. That doesn't mean Prozac is going to work well for everyone... maybe Paxil, or Elavil might work best for someone else. It just depends! It's not like going to the drugstore for a headache and deciding whether to get Bayer or Excedrin or Tylenol. If what you're taking doesn't work, or has bad side effects, go back to your doctor and try something else, or increase or decrease the dose, or take it at a different time of day. Sometimes "tweaking" is all that's required. For instance, if I take Prozac at night, yup, I'm going to be awake half the night. I have two choices here: 1) I can come all unglued because I can't sleep and blame the Prozac and write to prozactruth.com and tell them how awful the side effect is; or 2) I can take the Prozac in the morning and use the energy to get my work and writing and housework done, and sleep like a baby all night long :)

To be honest, most of those people who reported side effects to prozactruth.com, sounded lke they had LOTS more problems than just the Prozac, and when the Prozac didn't help them solve their problems, they blamed their problems on the Prozac. Mostly I just thought it was stupid.

I've been debating the antidepressant question for years and still don't have any answers. If I was crying all the time, not sleeping, and not wanting to live (like after my second baby), I'd take something regardless of side effects.

However, when I'm not doing THAT badly, I'm afraid to take the chance. I've been on five different meds, and only Paxil worked. I would have kept up with it, except that I got pregnant. Later I tried it and it did not work. I tried Prozac, and, bam an extra 20 lbs. jumped on me overnight. I didn't have time to do anything about it...I didn't see it coming till it was too late!!! It's been five years since I quit the Prozac and all the weight still isn't off, and I've worked at it like champion...relentlessly!

Bottom line, YOU have to decide if it's worth it for you. Personally, I'm investigating alternatives.

I am on Wellbutrin SR 150 mg. twice a day. It is an AD that has helped some to lose weight. I am one of the fortunate ones. I have tried all the others and every one of them cause weight gain and I could not lose weight. As stated before, everyone's body is different. You may find that it does not affect you weight loss at all. You may have to compensate by exercising.

Good luck!

EXERCISE???
 

Oh Gosh!!! I'm not trying to be argumentative here, but that last statement threw me for a loop!!! I'm sure you didn't mean anything by it, but someone else (a bodybuilder whom I'd JUST met) said something similar...he said, "if you'd just EXERCISE..." gag, cough, choke...ask my family...if he only KNEW...my entire life revolves around my workouts...it is TOP priority...nothing gets in the way! Weight training, floor aerobics, step aerobics, kickboxing, T-tapping, running, interval training, pushing lawnmower for 3 - 4 hours at a time...I've tried it all...I've mixed it up, added more of this, changed that, etc., etc., etc....I've come to the conclusion that I am definately NOT NORMAL! The good news is that when I got a copy of Dr. Atkins NDR, I found that he actually acknowedges metabolic resistance!!! (I've known it all along, but nobody would back me up) Low carb is the ONLY thing that has even made a tiny DENT in my weight...although it has fallen short of where I want to be, but at this point, I'm grateful for anything! Never fear, though, I am probably in the minority. Most "normal" people should be able to take meds and find some way of counter-acting the resulting weight gain. I would never discourage anyone from at least TRYING meds if they're really needed.

Yes, you misunderstood me. Years ago, I had a doctor tell me the same thing (to increase my exercise). I could have exercised 24 hours and the weight would not come off :rolleyes: and I know I was abnormal in this respect. However, since I have been on Wellbutrin SR and increased my exercise, I have been successful. This is just my personal experience. Each medication may have a different effect on your body.

I wish you luck in finding what works for you.

Sorry, I do get a little "testy" about this! I've caught myself more than once having a few little pity parties. It's just SOOO frustrating when you do your "homework" and saturate yourself with information and work your butt off doing what everybody says will work...and then it won't come off like it does for them.

Anyway, glad you've found a med that works well. I may end up trying Wellbutrin eventually, if I can manage to get these last few pounds off and recover from the "trauma" of gaining! :daze:

Don't sweat it. I still have my own personal pity parties. Dealing with depression alone sometimes can be debilitating and frustrating. No one around me understands what I am going through. I was diagnosed with clinical depression and generalized anxiety in 1994 and have tried at least five different meds. The weight compounds the problem. Luckily, I am in counseling and that helps.

Be encouraged and be strong.