Medication induced weight gain

[meigg]

I am bipolar, and take both Depakote and Seroquel. I have gained 45 pounds in 3 years as a result.

Is anyone else out there taking either of these drugs? Anyone else had any success in losing the weight?

Let me know. Thanks.

[fiona]

I am not on any drugs but I just wanted you to know that is a hard place to be - needing to take the meds and yet gaining. Is there any way the doctor could adjust them so you do not continue gaining?

Keep smiling.
Take Accepting, Gentle Care of yourself.

[Mila]

Hi Meigg,

welcome to the forum! you'll love it here!

I am not on these medications either. I had a unipolar depression, and then was diagnosed as BPII by one doc because I became hypomanic on prozac (stopped sleeping, was working 16-18hrs per day). I did gain 40lbs on antidepressants, in 6 months, just like you, strange, because I actually was eating much less while on medication. I find the zone diet perfect for my health in every aspect. wishing you great success as well. If you continue fluctuating between the two poles of mood range, you could adjust your diet appropriately. Ultralowcarb Atkins brings my mood down and Zone up. are you taking your fish oil and vitaminE supplements already? I find higher doses of fish oil (up to 9g per day) superb for myself.

hugs,
Mila

:wave:

[powerrev]

Hi Mila,
What are you taking fish oil for? I am bipolar as well and havn't heard of that.

[usedtobe]

Meigg, I'm not sure about the meds you are on. But last year I went on Ativan (sp?) then to Zoloft . . . and in something slightly less than 1 year I gained 24 lbs.

While weight gain is not a listed side effect of Zoloft I emailed the pharmacist at Walgreens and he confirmed that it is a VERY common complaint. While less people complain of weight gain on Wellbutran, according to the pharmacist, I have had friends tell me of friends on anti-depressants and it continues to be the same story . . . . weight gain.

I always struggled w/my mood and sporadic depression. I wasn't at all surprised when I got my medical history a couple years ago (I was adopted and never had that info) . . . depression & alcoholism runs on both sides of my biological family, so severe that my birth father's father commit suicide in his 30s.

While other compounding issues finally drove me over the edge, requiring the drugs last year, I now know that I have a chemical imbalance that I need to monitor and try to control. I have been talking w/my doctor, my counselor, and the nurses about controlling it myself. Proper amounts of sleep, exercise, and well-balanced meals all help in battling depression. So I have weened myself off the Zoloft in the last couple months and am starting to lose the weight.

My heart goes out to you, because I know how I felt/feel . . . something that is supposed to make you all better is causing you to feel worse about yourself. If you don't like your doctor's answer, call a different one, ask the nurses, or email the pharmacist at Walgreens.com and see what they have to say. You can also research the drug info online, you can start at Yahoo and do a search . . . there is a Yahoo Drug Info where you can type in the name of the drug and pull up some info.

Good luck to you. I've been there and I hope I don't have to return. Hang in there. ;)

[animaldoc]

I also gained weight on antidepressants (Celexa). I was only on for 6 months (had to stop because weight gain was making me more depressed!).

I know how you feel though.....when I was depressed I was miserable, when I went on Celexa, my mood was better but I gained weight. I finally reached a point where the Celexa was not needed (my depression was job-related and I'm done here in 5 weeks!) and I could concentrate on losing the weight.

Be sure and continue your meds until you can talk to your doctor....if you need to find one that's enlightened about the LC WOL then do that!

Hang in there! :sunny:

-animaldoc :wave:

[capnsue]

hmmm!

i wonder if my recent unexplained weight gain could be related to my antidepressants. Since going on wellbutrin back in the fall, i've gained several million pounds. it's only gotten worse since i've been taking zoloft and depakote too.

these medicines are supposed to make you lose your appetite and therefore lose weight, but they didn't have that effect on me. my appetite was completely obliterated, but that did NOT really keep me from eating. (i'm kind of screwed up about food, recovering from an eating disorder, blah blah.)

what the antidepressants DID do, however, was destroy any feelings of hunger and satiety that i may have had. so i think that, for me, ALL eating kind of became emotional eating. when you eat when you are not hungry, it's really hard to stop!

i don't know if there's another supplemental reason why i can't seem to lose weight since i've been on these drugs. i wonder if they're primarily screwing with our hunger signals, or with our metabolisms on a deeper level?

anyway, i'm scared of relapsing into depression if i stop the wellbutrin.

glad to know i'm not alone in this.

./su

[fiona]

It is hard - I know, been there - got the certificate :)

At the end of the day health is the most important issue. It can only be achieved when I get some kind of reasonable balance in my life and work at maintaining that balance constantly.

I found diet plays a major part. LCing made the most significant part in keeping my needle as near centre-point as possible for as much of the time as possible. I only wish I had discovered it many years earlier.

Diet is not the only factor though. Seasons; light; air (breathing deeply); movement (dance helps me a lot): exercise AND sufficient rest; emotional balance all help.

{capnsue: these medicines are supposed to make you lose your appetite and therefore lose weight} Perhaps. I think antedepressants make you lose everything that makes life worth living ... sort of puts you "on hold" ... and can be useful at a catastrophic time in your life. They can help you get past the calamity but only for a short time. Continued or long term use of them only makes one less able to cope and it then becomes a vicious cycle. That is my personal opinion and I am not recommending it to anyone.

{animaldoc: I went on Celexa, my mood was better but I gained weight.} Well done. You reached the point where it was not needed. :thup: Work on balance and hopefully you won't need to go back on them.

{usedtobe: ....depression & alcoholism runs on both sides of my biological family....} There is often a genetic factor in depression. Researching your family tree can be revealing and helpful, albeit not easy - most families would much rather not face up to suicides and find it hard to be open about it. Yet it would help them to deal with current issues if they examined the past in a balanced and open manner.

Love :rheart:, Light, Healing, Peace to you all. :bhug:
Take Gentle Accepting Care of yourself - you matter. :angel:

[animaldoc]

Capnsue- I think my doctor told me to let him know of weight changes (GAIN or LOSS) since both could be side effects of these meds......wish I could have been in the group that lost!! :)

Fiona- Thanks for the info....I hadn't been able to find anyone that was on Celexa that could comment!

-animaldoc :wave:

[jdringer]

Hi there. Yes, I too, along with many others I've found have been gaining weight on SSRI's (Zoloft, paxil, Prozac,etc.) I've been on Zoloft for 2 years and gained 25 lbs. I've managed to maintain and gain anymore, but I'm also on the lowest dose and eat a low carb, low cal diet and exercise everyday too. But, still can not loose this weight. I'm going to wean off this and try a natural alternative, called SAM-e.

[foofaraw]

yep, add me to the ssri weight gain list!! i have been on zoloft for about 7 years and have gained about 50 pounds. i'm hoping that lc'ing will take it off, but i'm not sure. i've heard that it's really difficult to lose it if you're still taking ssri's. but who knows. i suspect that many different factors come into play. we'll see.

good luck!

[wallylu]

Me too! It is a paradoxical, unhappy side effect. Painful and frustrating.

I went on Paxil in '99, and have since gained 50lbs....... I'm tall (5'10"), so I had been quite comfortable at my pre-Paxil weight of 170. A bit rubinesque, perhaps, but come on, I'm not trying to maintain birth weight....

While on Paxil, I didn't change my eating habits - kept eating my dear carbs - nachos, garlic bread, beer, you get the picture...

I've since switched to Celexa (last two months) and started LCing and exercising about a month or so ago. Didn't see much, so I went on strict Induction and I'm now on Day 11 with a 12lb loss so far.

IT IS POSSIBLE to lose weight doing LC while still on SSRIs, I'm just not sure how much yet!! But I'm hopeful!!!

PS> here's another bonus - my moods seem to be VERY STABLE since starting LC. Calmer, happier, more focused. I'm sure the exercise is helping too.

We can do it!!!
:cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer: :cheer:

[Isabel]

I took Depakote for several years, along with Wellbutrin. I needed the meds, I took them, they helped a lot. But I gained a lot of weight. It wasn't just the meds. I didn't exercise, I ate poorly. BUT it is true that Depakote makes it easier to put on weight.

These kinds of medications, like all meds, affect your liver, which is really where your metabolism is determined. On Depakote a person has to have regular blood tests to evaluate the level of the drug in the liver. It is hard on this vital organ.

After a move, I changed doctors and the new one suggested I replace Depakote with Lamictal (for clinical reason unrelated to weight gain). It works much better for me and I have lost weight slowly but steadily since that time.

Seroquel. It wiped me out. I am sure it is hard on your metabolism but I couldn't take it. I would take one pill and sleep for 20 hours. When I was awake, my whole body was stiff and achey and each movement hurt and I felt weighted down by thousands of pounds. Walking across a room wiped me out. Seroquel made me sick.

In the two years, I have lost 50 pounds, taking lots of meds. 16 days ago I started low carb and lost the last 15 (the total over two years is 50). I read something this week about how meds cause weight gain and I cried about it to my therapist. She pointed out to me that I AM on Wellbutrin and Lamictal AND I AM LOSING.

My point is that the meds can add to our struggle to lose weight -- and gosh, that's not fair -- but we can lose weight if we are determined to.

If you make healthy eating choices, add exercise to your life to the best of your ability and stay committed, you will lose weight even while you are on meds.

But I gotta tell you: I am so happy to be off Depakote.

Hang in there.

[greentea]

Hope you don't mind my joining in....
I am taking Effexor. Doc said I wouldn't gain weight, said most people lose on it. Not me. I've gained 15 lbs.
Tried to take myself off twice and had horrible side effects.
Thanks for the Yahoo site usetobe.
greentea

[jdringer]

Hello. How long have you been Zoloft free? How did you do weaning off this? I've started slowly tapering down over the past 2 weeks and cut back alittle to much the past few days...and boy are the side effects ever bad: dizzy, headaches, nausea, fatigue, anxiety. Did you go through this? How are doing without Zoloft now? Did you try anything natural? How long did it take you to start losing weight ....once Zoloft free. Sorry about all these quesitions. I need to know though. Thanks. PAR


QUOTE]Originally posted by usedtobe
Meigg, I'm not sure about the meds you are on. But last year I went on Ativan (sp?) then to Zoloft . . . and in something slightly less than 1 year I gained 24 lbs.

While weight gain is not a listed side effect of Zoloft I emailed the pharmacist at Walgreens and he confirmed that it is a VERY common complaint. While less people complain of weight gain on Wellbutran, according to the pharmacist, I have had friends tell me of friends on anti-depressants and it continues to be the same story . . . . weight gain.

I always struggled w/my mood and sporadic depression. I wasn't at all surprised when I got my medical history a couple years ago (I was adopted and never had that info) . . . depression & alcoholism runs on both sides of my biological family, so severe that my birth father's father commit suicide in his 30s.

While other compounding issues finally drove me over the edge, requiring the drugs last year, I now know that I have a chemical imbalance that I need to monitor and try to control. I have been talking w/my doctor, my counselor, and the nurses about controlling it myself. Proper amounts of sleep, exercise, and well-balanced meals all help in battling depression. So I have weened myself off the Zoloft in the last couple months and am starting to lose the weight.

My heart goes out to you, because I know how I felt/feel . . . something that is supposed to make you all better is causing you to feel worse about yourself. If you don't like your doctor's answer, call a different one, ask the nurses, or email the pharmacist at Walgreens.com and see what they have to say. You can also research the drug info online, you can start at Yahoo and do a search . . . there is a Yahoo Drug Info where you can type in the name of the drug and pull up some info.

Good luck to you. I've been there and I hope I don't have to return. Hang in there. ;) [/QUOTE]

[tizzielish]

I don't supposed anyone will want to hear this but when I first started taking Wellbutrin I had a loss. I was not trying to lose. One day, picking up my medicine, my pharmacist told me that my weight loss looked good on me. I sputtered surprise. Then she told me that she had several patients lose weight on Wellbutrin, that it suppressed their appetites.

Just like every person's metabolism is different, each person's reaction to drugs is different.

On the other hand, a few years ago, I was in a weekly support group for depressives: all women, all very fat. We all felt it was directly related to our meds.

It is all so tricky. . .

[Carolyn M]

Boy, this subject really hit home. I'm 6' tall and weighed 150 from the time I was 16 until I was 37 (except when I was pregnant, of course). Then at about the same time I went on both Paxil and birth control pills.... In the last three years I've gained almost 50 pounds. I've tried weaning myself off of the Paxil three times, but that terrible depression keeps coming back. Dr. Atkins suggests 5-HTP (L-5-Hydroxytriptophan) to build up the serotonin levels before they can be destroyed, but I'm not sure how to switch from one to the other. Has anyone else tried this?

Also, I'm taking glucosamine-chondrointin for my joints, but I can't find any carb info on the supplement. I've only found that they are made from carbs. Does anyone know where I can find any numbers?

Thanks a bunch!

[puma_power]

Hey All,
I have been on a variety of anti-depressants over the last 4 years: my doctor started me on Paxil, and that worked only somewhat but not enough, so he added Wellbutrin almost a year later. At a certain point we stopped the Paxil and added Effexor XR, then stopped the Wellbutrin, then added it again. I currently take both Wellbutrin and Effexor (both at maximum or close to max dose)...all of this fiddling around was for the purpose of efficacy in alleviating my depression, and not because of weight gain or loss. My weight has fluctuated over the last several years, but I could never conclusively link it to any particular one, or combination, of these meds (though I do think MAYBE the Paxil stimulated appetite and Wellbutrin suppressed a bit). I find that whether I gain or lose weight is more connected to my emotions than chemical balance (though I have Type 1 diabetes and take insulin injections, so this complicates things as well).
I have great respect for my psychopharmacologist--he is very cautious and methodical, and he discusses all of the different known pluses and minuses of each drug before I take it. So, to share with you all what he has said: In the same way that each of the different meds works differently for different people (even among the SSRI's, one person may have success with Paxil, while another will have no effect but great success with Zoloft, etc.), each med also interacts differently with each individual's metabolism. I actually know a couple of people who kept losing weight on Zoloft, and I have read reports in magazines that say people on Zoloft tend to lose, people on Prozac tend to stay the same, and people on Paxil tend to gain. BUT, I have also read reports that are exactly opposite!!!
It is all very confusing; but, if you are like me and have had serious, chronic depression for most of your life and stopping the meds isn't really an option, you should talk to your doctor about trying different meds/different combinations until you find one that is both effective and fairly harmless in terms of side effects. It takes awhile, though! :wave:

[davelvnv]

:mad: Hi all,well add me to the list.I have been on some kind of anti depresant for almost 20 years,( panic disorder)and out of all the ones i took ,paxil put the most weight on me.Now i am on zoloft,when im dieting(off the wagon at present) i can lose weight while on the zoloft,but its much slower.I have a few family members that are on paxil and they all have gain alot of weight on it.I have also had alot of experiense getting off of alot of these drugs,and the main thing is to do it as slow as possible.I must say for myself i have depended WAY to much on these drugs and am going to (lord willing ) get off all of them soon.Good luck to all ,your not alone to be sure,Dave. P.S. iv heard al kinds of good things on the natural supplement samMe,ST Johns wart,and other natural remedies.

[metoo]

Well, I am in the same boat with weight gain and antidepressants...I have panic disorder along with depression. I am thinking though, that the depression stems from the weight gain. My main concern has always been the panic. I am now taking Buspar for anxiety and also Zoloft. My doc. will be weaning me off of the Zoloft and increase the Buspar at the same time. She wants to make sure the Buspar is in my system fully before she weans me off of Zoloft. I was on Paxil for 2 years. I gained 20 lbs. I lost most of that. Then I had my 3rd child and switched to Zoloft. Ok, it has been maybe 8 months and I am heavier now than I have ever been in my life...even while pregnant! Now if that is not depressing, I don't know what is! Doc. said that when I am off the Zoloft, I should notice an easier time losing weight. Has anyone with panic disorder ever tried Buspar? Any comments or suggestions from anyone would be greatly appriciated....Good Luck To You All :)

[crazyjane]

I've been taking Effexor ER for 2 years. I've started taking Lexapro about 6 months ago. I'm BiPolar l. I too gained about 20 lbs since I've started taking Effexor. I've tried to quit before, but crashed with serious depression. I think I was so depressed because I was going through Menopause and had a very stressful teaching job. I have decided to wean off of effexor against my doctors advice, but with her method of withdrawal. I have heard all of the horror stories about withdrawal. I was taking 200mg...down to 150..now at 112.5 for 7 day then down to 75mg 7 days later...37.5 7 days later..then off after another 7 days. This is the end of my 1st 7 days. I have had 1 or two very small headaches and my hands are shaky...but nothing like what people warned me about. I'm so nervous about getting off my meds, but I have a good support team that is watching for any changes in my mood. I am also keeping a daily journal to record any mood changes. I'm still taking Lexapro because it does seem to stabilize my mood swings. I want to go off meds not only because of weight gain, but also because it has killed my sex drive and numbed any of the sensations when fireworks should be going off...if ya know what I mean! I'm also tired of having almost no emotions at all. I miss feeling really happy...I'm tired of feeling like a zombie! I'll let ya know how I feel as I decrease my meds.

[Donna I.]

I took Prozac for years and was able to lose weight, just slower than before I was on it. But 2 yrs ago it stopped working for me and I was switched to Effexor which was disastrous. The medication worked, it kept me functional and I didn't care about all of the stressors, but then I didn't care about my weight or health either. I ate like crazy, craved sugar immensely, and gained 60lbs in 9 months. I ended up getting gastric banding done, just to stop myself from eating so much, and even then I still didn't care (was easy for me to get through my work). I started to think the Effexor wasn't good for me so I went off of it and after a couple weeks I felt very different. All of a sudden I cared that I had gained all of that weight back! I went back on Prozac and it still wasn't working, tried another drug (can't remember the name) it didn't work and now I am on Cipralex. It is working well, I have had Ritalin added to it to give me energy, and now, after about two years of messing around with this stuff, I feel like I can get back on the wagon and stay on. My mood is good and my motivation is kind of back.

[J-lo carb]

I second or third or fourth or whatever, the weight gain AND the fact that anti-depressants take away ALL feelings-the bad and the good. If you are not one of the extreme or suicidal people, get off them. They obviously tend to make people gain weight, but that's not the worst part. I like the person who said once they got off the medication they actually cared that they had gained weight.

[indieFan]

I've been on SSRIs for the last 3 years or so. The good news is that if I'm inconsistent, I don't see any physical side effects on the days I don't take them. I'm trying to get more consistent. Unfortunately, I gained around 90 pounds.

The SSRIs have definitely changed my life for the better. I now look forward to doing some things that would have made me extremely anxious in the past, including going to a baseball game.

J-lo carb says above if you're not at one of the extremes or suicidal to get off them. Sorry, but I'm neither suicidal nor at the extreme end. I actually got in trouble for some stuff at work and was told to get help. Took me a while, but I eventually did get the help and it changed my life almost immediately. My own family and I thought that my negativity was just my personality. Turns out it was the depression and anxiety.

So, if I had to choose between being on the meds or losing weight, I'd choose the meds. My quality of life is much better with them.

Just my two cents,
indieFan

P.S.- Woohoo.. I love threads that are revived from years past.

[leemack]

I'm currently weaning myself off of amitryptilline as I believe it has prevented me from losing weight on low carb. I was prescribed it for depression and pain, but have since found out that it has an effect on blood sugar and insulin levels - I've been having episodes of very low blood sugar indicating high insulin.

Some of these medications play havoc with our weight, and often we're not told before hand the effect the medication may have on us. I think choice is important, and if the medication has an otherwise positive effect then we can choose to keep taking it knowing the weight effect. My choice is that I don't think this med is having any effect on the depression and I'm willing to put up with the extra pain in order to be able to lose weight.

Lee

[A_New_Life]

I take many (11ish) diff meds for my many health issues...plus an antidepressant and mood stablizer...however i dunno if any of my extra lbs are do to any of them...the side effects for some are possible weight gain, and possible weight loss on others so I dunno, sorry cant help you but diff meds effect people diff.

[glorooster]

I once had a friend who was on amytriptilline,and her Dr. told her you will never loose weight on it,so about 3 weeks ago I took myself off it cold turkey,I didn't wean off,but that is just me,I really couldn't see where it was doing much for me anyway.I hope to get off many of my meds,especially insulin and oral diabettes meds,some meds I am on for RSD so probally won't be coming off them,also on antideppressant cymbalta...Glo

[leemack]

I once had a friend who was on amytriptilline,and her Dr. told her you will never loose weight on it,so about 3 weeks ago I took myself off it cold turkey,I didn't wean off,but that is just me,I really couldn't see where it was doing much for me anyway.I hope to get off many of my meds,especially insulin and oral diabettes meds,some meds I am on for RSD so probally won't be coming off them,also on antideppressant cymbalta...Glo

Did you get any withdrawal symptoms when you went cold turkey?

Lee

[glorooster]

Leemack,no not at all,but I was also on low dose 10mgs. at bed time,you could try every other day ,then every third day and so forth....or better yet ask MD. if you are concerned..Glo

[leemack]

I was on 100mg. I'm now down to 50mg but feel lethargic and monster headache, but I'm going to perservere as I really need to lose weight. I'm not asking the docs advice, she was the one who put a morbidly obese person on a drug known to cause weight gain and prevent weight loss.

Lee

[glorooster]

Leemack,I'm sorry ,as soon as I wrote 10mgs. it didn't sound right, I was on 50mgs.These docs.don't really care, and they certainly don't tell you of side effects..Glo

[indieFan]

First off, to say that the docs don't really care does them a disservice. I know that while mine aren't all that friendly at times, they are there to make a responsible decision based on their training and knowledge that I don't have. If I have questions, I'll ask them. If I don't think I can ask them, I'll write them down and hand them to the docs.

Second, finding out about the side effects is YOUR responsibility. My docs told me about the side effects multiple times the first day they even prescribed the meds. I then asked the doctor about any side effects that I was concerned about. And, if I forget or still have questions, I ask the pharmacist. Don't blame your doctors for your not asking the questions.

My docs got very lucky with the first medication he put me on and my quality of life improved drastically! Before he even suggested a medication, he went through the different classes of meds, then the different types of the classes he wanted me on. His discussion included several of the side effects of each medication.

I'm tired of all the doctor bashing on multiple websites! To any doctors reading this: Thank you.

[leemack]

First off, to say that the docs don't really care does them a disservice. I know that while mine aren't all that friendly at times, they are there to make a responsible decision based on their training and knowledge that I don't have. If I have questions, I'll ask them. If I don't think I can ask them, I'll write them down and hand them to the docs.

Second, finding out about the side effects is YOUR responsibility. My docs told me about the side effects multiple times the first day they even prescribed the meds. I then asked the doctor about any side effects that I was concerned about. And, if I forget or still have questions, I ask the pharmacist. Don't blame your doctors for your not asking the questions.

My docs got very lucky with the first medication he put me on and my quality of life improved drastically! Before he even suggested a medication, he went through the different classes of meds, then the different types of the classes he wanted me on. His discussion included several of the side effects of each medication.

I'm tired of all the doctor bashing on multiple websites! To any doctors reading this: Thank you.

Your experiences are not the same as everyone else's experiences. Just because you've had good doctors doesn't mean everyone has. I have met good and bad doctors, they are not all the same. If you've had good experiences then lucky you. I'm quite entitled to bash bad doctors if I want to, just as I would praise a good doctor.

Lee

[indieFan]

Did you bother to ask the doctors what the side effects were or do you assume that it is their responsibility to tell you?

[leemack]

It is the doctors responsibility in the uk to mention common side effects to patients, it is considered 'good practice'. Doctors may not be aware of their patient's level of literacy or understanding. Many patients, particularly the elderly in the UK would never question a doctor or debate the side effects or efficacy of drugs or treatment. That's why the onus should be on the doctor not on the patient regarding side effects they should be aware of.

But yes I did ask and was told 'dry mouth'. But most drugs come with a huge list of side effects and indeed weight loss and weight gain can be listed, but these may not be common - all the meds I'm on say weight gain as a possible side effect, usually due to the effect on appetite. Amitryptilline, apparently is different and has an effect directly on the endocrine system - not good if the patient already suffers with insulin resistance and is attempting a low carb diet to control insulin levels. Not all side effects affect all people, but drugs that have a good chance of causing increased weight gain like steroids or amitryptilline shouldn't be given except as where absolutely necessary to someone morbidly obese. Now as a layperson I am unaware of which side effects are more common. From the research I have done over the past few weeks it is widely known about amitryptilline and weight gain. I therefore judge my doctor as to have not adequately advised me over this medication.

Doctors in the uk are different than doctors in US. There is little in the way of customer service as they tend to a captive audience - you go to the gp covering your area. Complaints are discouraged. Admiration and blind obediance and passive acceptance of the doctor's treatment is encouraged by many practices.

Saying that, my current gp is the best that I've had - but that's not saying a lot as I've had some very bad doctors.

Lee

[southpaw]

After many years of resisting, last year I finally agreed to take Prozac. I was in the throes of a deep depression, caring for our (relatively young) dog who had been diagnosed with lymphoma. Within a year, I had gained 20 pounds on top of the 30 I already needed to lose. I weaned myself off Prozac this summer, and didn't lose any weight, so I started LC in earnest with a program 10 days ago.

I swear, being obese is more of a depressant than an anti-depressant that makes me obese can fix!