I really need some advice...I have been on the program now for over 2 weeks and I can't seem to lose more than a pound or two and then I shoot right back up to my start weight. I have been reading Atkins book and found that birth control and anti-depressants can sometimes prohibit weight loss on this program. Has anyone come across this problem and how did they solve it? The book of course recommends coming off of the meds, but I have tried and I really need to take them. So if someone had the same problem and used a vitamin or had success doing something specifically, I would really appreciate a response and am willing to try anything! I walk a mile a day and lift 3 times a week..just a basic workout..I am currently at 180 pounds, 5'5" and am female 42 years old..please help!!

I am having the same problem. I am taking zoloft and my weight loss is so slow. I am thinking of trying to come off of it slowly and taking 5-HTP. I have been told that it helps. I like you are interested in anyones thoughts on this subject.

I was on ortho-tri cyclen birth control and had very little success with losing weight. I got an IUD three years ago and am very very glad I made that choice!
I take Zoloft during the Winter, but haven't found it to stall my loss.

What antidepressant are you on?

I take anti depresents and they don't seem to slow my wieght loss.

Anti-depressants can stall loss. I gained 40 on Zoloft. I have manged to lose on them, but they give me cravings and make me hungry a lot. You might want to look at your calories and see if the AD isn't making you eat more.

I'm currently on Celexa and need to take it to live a normal life.

I tried Wellbutrin (it does not cause weight gain), but it didn't work for me.

After I complained about the Paxil making me gain weight, I was put on Wellbutrin. WOW! was I a bi*ch. My family REALLY insisted I get off it... FAST. I could tell I was rangy.

anyone else ever have this?

That didn't happen to me, but I tend to tolerate meds quite well. The Wellbutrin just did very little for my depression, while the SSRIs work. That tells me my depression is likely a seratonin imbalance rather than dopamine or norepinephrine. Wellbutrin doesn't touch seratonin at all.

I had the same reaction to Wellbutrin. I had decided a couple of years ago that paxil was causing weight gain so I went off it. Aside from severe withdrawal, I was so depressed I ended up gaining 20 pounds. Paxil may or may not be slowing my weight loss but I know I need to take it to feel like a normal (well as close to normal as I get) person.

I take lexapro and I really need my meds. but I agree about having cravings especially at night. I'm going to stay on meds. and continue induction longer. Perhaps L- Glutamine might curb cravings for now.

I've found magnesium helps curb the cravings.

Thanks to all of you for your input...
Myrajan---what is 5-HTP? can I take it without interfering with other meds?
Truck girl --I had an IUD and had a bouncing baby boy!!!! LOL..(my Dr. had to report it to AMA)
Also L-Glutamine and Magnesium supplements are something I am willing to try, but again how will they interfere with the other meds?
And last but not least I did Wellbutrin and had such a reacation!! I thought I was going completely nuts!!! I was snapping at EVERYONE and was paranoid to boot! I couldnt get comfortable in my own skin...my husband really thought I would end up in the ER after one week...well I got off of those suckers and flushed them down the toilet!!!

I have been on all of the anti-depressants you could name...started on Paxil and that is how I gained back the 30lbs I lost on Atkins 8 years ago..so then I tried all the others...Lexapro, Celexa etc...and am now on Effexor...it's OK...no side effects like the others except for the weight gain....I will try any others if they don't contain a stimulant like the Wellbutrin...

Thanks again and I look forward to getting more responses .... what about the carb cutting vitamins?? Has anyone tried those???

5-HTP is a "natural" anti-depressant that works on the seratonin system. You CAN NOT take it with other prescription meds. Without any medical knowledge, I would suspect that someone who's been through the medication list you have might have more depression than 5-HTP can treat. It's often used as a first-attempt by people who don't want to get medical treatment, because it is available OTC.



Probably won't, unless you take a pretty high dose.



Strictly speaking, Wellbutrin is not a stimulant. It simply acts to increase the dopamine in the brain, and that can have an energizing effect on some people. The real stimulants are amphetamines and drugs like cocaine. Different class of activity altogther, althoug I realize it may not matter from your point of view.



These are not vitamins. They are money-sucking ripoff pills that work reasonably well in a test tube and not at all as well in your intestines. Potential side effects like "oily discharge" and extreme gas are something to plan for.

Have you considered intensifying your exercise? sounds like your body has accomodated to the level of effort you're putting out. One doctor told me you're not going to shift weight without an hour of HARD working out at least 4-5 times a week.

Good luck.

i was on antidepressants for about 10 years (mostly zoloft) and i was hungry all the time and i gained about 50 pounds from them. i have tried almost every other AD on the market and some are definitely worse than others re weight gain and inhibiting weight loss. the newer ones like lexapro, cymbalta and effexor are least likely to cause weight gain (i lost 25lbs on effexor without even trying but had to stop taking it because it gave me high blood pressure.

anyway, i got really sick of it all and several months ago i very slowly tapered off and got off of zoloft completely. i then started taking 150mg of 5-htp and omega 3 supplements every day. it did seem to help slightly, but not nearly enough. i ended up going back to my dr yesterday to discuss options. i told him that i just refuse to take zoloft or any of the ones that cause weight gain. so we are trying a particular mood stablizer instead (but this probably won't work for everyone). but you should talk to your doctor because maybe you can switch to one of the ad's that is less likely to cause weight gain. and i agree, wellbutrin did nothing for my depression.

also, i did a lot of research on 5-htp and you should not take it with antidepressants because of the risk of serotonin syndrome (too much serotonin).

talk to your doctor. ask him what he thinks about switching to effexor. i found it to be the best of of the newer ones (cymbalta and lexapro) and i lost a ton of weight on it.

snappy, I am on Effexor and am not sure if the weight is not coming off due to that because I also researched the drug and weight gain was not a huge side effect in most people. Thanks for all of your input and I will try to exercise more, although time is limited...thanks again....