Hi All

I know that all the literature is very clear about not ceasing Aropax suddenly and I know from experience that forgetting tablets will lead to dizziness but I haven't tried to reduce my dosage to date.

The directions for taking the medication suggest a slow reduction under the Dr's guidance and I would imagine that would be over a number of weeks or even months.

Has anyone more information?

Gemma

Hi Gemma,


I got down to half a tablet (10mg) and could not go lower because of the electric shocks............Aropax is a high dosage tablet and so I've just been switched to Luvox because 100mg of Luvox is equal to 20mg of Aropax and I'm going to be able to reduce the dosage more and more until it's barely in my system, but it is going to take quite a few weeks.

Maybe talk to your doctor about switching if you want to stop taking it

Frances

I'm on Celexa and I think it has prevented me from losing weight. This WOE has always worked for me before, but I fell off the wagon last summer (for various reasons) and when I started again in Jan, I haven't really lost much weight. The only thing that has changed is that I started the Celexa (20 mg SID) in October. I can't blame the weight gain on the drug (since I was eating badly), but that's the only thing I can think of that is making me not lose.

Since I just have a "situational" depression (related to my current job which ends in JUNE!) I was planning on stopping the Celexa next month.....hopefully then I'll be able to lose.

-animaldoc

Hi Animaldoc,
I asked my doctor about Celexa and he it doesn't affect your weight either way. I'm on 20 mg too and I don't see it affecting me at all. I'm actually losing weight easier than what I have in the past. Hope this help you a little bit

Thanks lmccarty!

I looked it up on Pub Med, and there are actually a bunch of articles describing paradoxical weight gain on SSRI's (like Celexa). Your doctor is right though, Celexa is less likely than some other antidepressants to affect your weight, but we're all different. I've always been sensitive to medications of any kind, and since this is the only thing that has changed since I stopped and re-started this WOE, that's the only thing I can pin it on........ I remember that my doctor told me to let him know if I had weight gain or loss (since it can apparently do either) so I'll tell him next time I go. (Why oh why couldn't I be in the weight loss group! )

Does this mean my antidepressant is making me depressed? Thank goodness I can stop soon!

-animaldoc

Animaldoc,
If I were you I'd go to the doctor now instead of waiting. If they change your meds, you might be able to lose. It sounds to me like they might be causing you to be depressed. That may be your whole problem. Hope you have better luck!!

Hi Trish,

The first thing I would say is that if you have been depressed and the antidepressants are working it is important to stick with them or work with your doc to change them.

I have dealt with depression for over 10 years, with periodic bouts with clinical depression, severe enough to keep me out of work for almost 6 months. Going on and off meds can increase bouts of depression so be careful please!

I have been Lcing since just before the beginning of this year, about 10 weeks. It has really helped my depression but I wouldn't go off my meds because it is part of what keeps me going. I do have hope that one day I can go off them and I didn't have that hope before I changed to this WOL.

I'm taking Wellbutrian and weight lose tends to be one of the side effects. Prozac can also have the same effect, its more of an energy increaser than something like elavil that makes you sleepy. Most of the SRI's are ok.

So my message is that you have to take care of both parts of your life, don't throw one out if it is necessary and working. If you stick with this new way of eating you will loose weigh and you'll feel so much better. My moods are better than ever!

Good luck!

P.S. Since I started Atkins I have lost 27 pounds!

I began to gain a lot of weight 6 years ago when I began to take an anti-depressant for migraine headache. I also became to exhausted it interfered with my life drastically. Recently, I stopped taking it. My energy is back and my life is back.

I take Inderal, was taking anti-dep, and also ERT and have managed to lose weight slowly. 18 lbs in this last year.

Effexor does have weight gain as a side effect. My daughter, 19 yo, gained 35 lbs in one year. I am just grateful that she is accepting the weight and not discontinuing the meds. They have changed her life.

There are no answers that work for everyone. We have to figure out our own destiny. However, it is helpful to have all of the wonderful info and support to sort it all out.

I am also on an anti-depressant, Wellbutrin. I make sure I take it the same times each day and I've dropped 13 lbs in just over a month. I also added a walking program at the same time as I started Atkins.
As a nurse, I agree with everyone that diets affect everyone differently. For instance my husband started the diet the same time I did and he's not lost 5 pounds yet.
Good Luck and hang in there!

After being told on this forum that my SSRI was an early model (Lovan - fluorextine 20mg) and could inhibit weight loss, I went to my doctor and asked her.

She said that all SSRIs have the potential of markedly increasing fluid retention and that responses varied in as many ways as there are individuals.

She nevertheless offered to change mine, just to see, and gave me some Aropax paroxetine 20mg to try.

So far so good, no marked changes or effects.

I'm premenstrual and I'm using wild yam cream (natural progesterone) so can't tell if my fluid retention is caused by one of these. Time will tell.

What I'm curious about is the paroxetine vs fluorextine - I thought all SSRIs boiled down to being the latter ; anyone out there know the difference?

anybody know anything about elavil and if it slows down wieghtloss or anything at all about the effect it can have on the bodys' metabolism? ....................Shelly

My understanding is Elavil is one that can cause to you gain weight, not just from taking the meds but it defiantly slows you down and increases appetite. My doc wouldn't consider it for me because my weight was high so he went the Prozac/Wellbutrian route which are more energizing. I'm on Wellbutrian right now and have been for over almost 2 years.

Take care,

Laurie

I should have given more background....

I have a "situational depression" because of my residency. I tried to quit several times, but was talked out of it by people that care about me (they probably should have just let me quit!). Last fall I was VERY depressed and crying all the time so my psychiatrist (I have ADHD too) prescribed Celexa and Xanax (for occasional use). The plan for the Celexa was to stop in the Spring depending on what the "jerks from work" (my dr's words!) were doing since my residency is over at the end of June and then we're moving........

Can't stop the antidepressants now, because March is my bad month for the SAD (which I never had until I moved here), and I think it would be hard to switch meds just for a month. I AM frustrated that I'm not losing on a plan that has worked so well for me in the past, but I think I'll just have to stick it out for one more month and then start again......after all, I haven't GAINED any weight....

-animaldoc

I will never take Zyban, a.k.a. Wellbutrin again. Yes it killed my appetite, but the sudden violent eruption of digustingly itchy hives that sent me to the emergency room at 1:30 AM on Christmas Day convinced me I didn't need to take it. Watch out for those side efects!! I was taking it not to stop smoking, but to help me sleep at night/depression. I would rather sleep badly than itch all the time lol!!

I'm seeing my doctor on Friday, to change my meds.
I am currently taking Prozac and it made my panic attacks worse.
I have anxiety, with alittle OCD plus panic attacks. Is there meds that would be better for me than Prozac. Sounds like there are some meds that would be worse.