Well...I finally summoned up enough courage to visit my doctor a week and a half ago to find out why I was feeling so miserable and moody all of the time.

I knew in the back of my mind that I was suffering from depression, but I really did NOT want to admit it. I also knew that if I went to my doctor for help, then he would most assuredly prescribe some sort of antidepressant for me...and I'm not crazy about taking medications.

Surprisingly enough, I have been taking the medication for about a week now, and I am starting to feel more "normal" and "balanced". I haven't had any sort of crying spells or temper tantrums lately. (Imagine a 27 year old throwing a temper tantrum...kind of makes me laugh thinking about it.)

I also decided to go back to the LC WOE in addition to dealing with the depression. Especially since I heard that most antidepressants can cause weight gain. I figured...I might as well start now while I am feeling better about myself.

So here I am a week into dealing with the depression issue...and two days into my induction phase.

I'm feeling better than I have in a long time, and I sort of feel silly for not going to visit my doctor sooner. I honestly don't know what I was so afraid of.

Sometimes the fear of the unknown is much worse than the known. I'm glad you went to your Dr., it sounds like you are well on the way down the right track.

Keep up the good work!

Hello garrison, I am glad you went to the doctor. Depression is much more easier to cure at its earlier stages. I have depression too but I let it go too far to the point that I was afraid of being alone with my son, I did not want to shower, I did not want to go out. I ended up in the hospital because one day I had a really bad anxiety attack (my first one). Really bad. I am under treatment and doing extremely well. You are right. Unfortunately antidepressant can cause weight gain. Which ones are you taking? I was on prozac for about a month then my psychiatrist switched to wellbutrin because it does not cause weight gain. It has helped people lose weight. It would be a good idea to tell your doctor that you do not want to gain weight and ask him about wellbutrin. Good Luck!

cristian, I heard that most antidepressants can cause weight gain and one of the very first things I told my doctor was, "I have already gained 60 pounds from being depressed. The last thing I need is some medication to make me gain more!"

He had the nerve to say, "Well, medication cannot make you gain weight. Medication does not have any calories." I could have slapped him for saying that to me!

I am currently taking Effexor XR. One of the side effects is a decrease in appetite. (Thank God!) I can say with certainty that I really DO have a decrease in appetite. There were even a couple of nights when I went to the trouble of making dinner and then just put it in the fridge because I absolutely couldn't stand the thought of eating.

I am hopeful that this new lifestyle of low-carb living will help me to lose the 60 pounds that I gained during the last year and a half. (I was severely depressed and turned to food for comfort for the entire year and a half...and the weight just kept piling on...making me more depressed...so I ate more...and gained more...you know the cyle.)

Mostly all antidepressants say "loss of appetite" but clinical studies have shown that Wellbutrin is an exception. There is an article in women's world about it too. The doctor is so wrong when he told you that you do not gain weight with medication. I think maybe it is time to switch doctors. I am very picky when it comes to doctor so don't hesitate to change. They are there to help you. My depression came precisely from being overweight and my psychiatrist is helping me. He is the one who suggested atkins to begin with.

I agree cristian.

I felt like he didn't understand where I was coming from when I started talking about my weight. He has always been so understanding in the past about other things, but this time he just sort of stared at me.

Of course, my doctor is thin and doesn't look like he has had a problem with gaining weight for even one day of his life.

I'm sticking with him for the first month of this medication and for the follow-up on this because right now I can't handle the stress of finding a new doc. (Is that a cop-out?) It's the first time that he ever surprised me with a comment like that. I was kind of shocked.

Hello Garrison and Cristian

I'm from the UK and I too have been put on a mild antidepressant approx 6 weeks ago.

I started the Atkins plan a week later and have lost 17lb so far. Although I have to say that I only take 10mg of Amitripyline on an evening to help me relax for bed. I suppose I must be lucky that I'm managing to lose weight while taking my medication.

today is my first time in this part of the forum - like you I denied that I had anything wrong with me for years and balloon to 16st 9lb through emotional eating. I was either one way or the other - I either ate loads or nothing at all - there was no in between with me.

Then something clicked with me one evening when I'd got home from work and I telephoned a private counsellor. I arranged to see her the next morning. It cost me a lot of money - but was worth it - all these thoughts and tears just came tumbling out and I could'nt stop once I'd started.

At the end of the session I went to see my doctor and told him about it. I have to say he was really good and referred me to another counsellor straight away - he also noticed how tired I was. I just could'nt seem to sleep no matter how tired I felt - all these thoughts were going around in my head all the time. That was when he prescribed this very mild antidepressant to me. I now feel refreshed and wide awake every morning and the counsellor has made me see that events in my life were not my fault, but my ex who put me on a guilt trip for everything and made me feel worthless. He's even made me begin to like myself a little more and thats a big step for me.

I really hope people dont miscall all antidepressants - mine have worked wonders and I feel so much better.

I hope both of you are getting better too and keep up with the LCing - maybe we could support each other in both of these things.

Take care and deal with one day at a time - its the best way. Feel free to email anytime.

bye

Welcome to our little group! Nice to have you with us. Sounds like you and I were diagnosed around the same time.

When I went back to the doctor for my follow up appointment after trying AD drugs for the first month he told me that he felt the chemicals in my body were just all out of wack right now. He told me to continue with 6 more months of the medication and then see if things have improved.

I can already tell a difference in so many areas, and this is a very good thing, right?

I really have not talked to people about this situation because for some reason I still have this mindset that being depressed means that I am somehow "weak"....anyone else out there feel like that or struggle with that feeling?

Hi Garrison

I can relate to that feeling - I also did'nt want anyone to know about my medication, not even my fiance and I kept it hidden from him for two weeks. To be honest, other than a close friend and my family no one knew - until now that is !!!

When you mention medication or depression - it always seems to bring up the mental health issue. I do not think for one minute I am mentally ill - I just think that my body is a little out of sync at the moment and needs a rest from the stress and strain that life has to throw at us.

Keep well garrison and keep going. If your medication is helping, like mine is - then it cant be wrong.

Take care and happy LCing

Thank you so much for all of the very nice and honest posts here.
I am very glad that I am dealing with my depression with the help of medication and therapy.

I suspect that without the Celexa (an SSRI) and my therapist, I would never have had the energy to find this board, to investigate a new way of eating, to even get out of bed and get dressed.

I have to admit that I feel that there's a stigma, so that is one reason why I am posting this openly. I want to get beyond the stigma.

I think I have been a good citizen in terms of doing my job well, and acting as if all is fine, but I think that the accumulated decades of pressure just finally got to be too hard. I don't feel weak or guilty; I don't envy those who are naturally more happy than I am. I just feel glad that I was able to get help.


Thank you, all you brave women here!
Natalie

Tigra, you said it well when you mentioned that you didn't feel mentally ill before taking anti-d's...just "out of sync" for a while. That's exactly how I felt...somehow out of touch with myself and unmotivated to make any changes about it.

I can tell that the AD's are really working for me. I used to cry almost every day over the most petty things...but last month I only cried ONE time...and it was for a REASON. (I had the flu and I was MISERABLY sick.)

I'm incredibly thankful that we are all finding ways to successfully deal with things! Hooray for us!

hi ladies, can i join in? hey Garrison . Long time no talk. I am so glad you are getting help. I am in a little different boat now, I am trying to wean myself off Paxil.....not easy . Paxil has helped me so much, but I think it's time for me to try it on my own. Wish me luck

Hi Everyone

I just thought I'd drop by and see how you are all doing. I for one have'nt been doing too good and the doctor has put me on sick from work for 2 weeks for depression.

I have mentioned in an earlier posting, that I have been seeing a counsellor for a bout a month. Thats all going well, but the memories that are being resurrected I am finding hard. I now have my EX on my mind all of the time and have become very moody. I have been back to my doctor who has suggested I increase my dosage of AD's, but I dont want to go down that road.

It could also be because, my fiance is going to cyprus next week for 3 weeks. I think deep down I wanted him to say - "if your not going julie, then I dont want to go with out you" and he did'nt. In fact as soon as I said I would'nt be going - he booked his ticket just for himself the same day. So thats really made me feel loved !!!!

I dont want to sound awful - but I just wanted him to put me first just for once. If I had have gone - then he would have also taken his son (from a previous marriage) and I would have spent the whole 3 weeks babysitting like last year. This may sound selfish, but my fiance kept going off and doing his own thing - leaving us with his family and we could'nt communicate with each other hardly - so my holiday last year was spent in a very rural cypriot village - entertaining both my very bored 12 year old daughter and my 9 year old stepson. I could'nt face that again.

Anyway I've moaned enough - let me know how you are all getting on - it would be lovely to catch up again with the gossip etc ....

Happy LCing - oh I managed to lose another 3lb last week - so thats 20lb in 6 weeks now.

Byeeeeeeeeee