Katie_Kaboom: I talked to someone on a Finnish forum and everybody who replied to my thread agreed that one must demand for a med that does cause weight gain, since being overweight also causes a lot of problems. and the weight you gain on these meds is not just 20 lbs, it's much more.

I don't know if the fact that you talked with others on a Finnish forum means you're actually from Finland, but if you are, and if you happen to see this man roaming the Finnish streets, would you be so good as to give him a hug for me and tell him, "spiritual_emergency says, 'Thank you'."

Aside from that...

My opinion on medication is, if it's helping you and you aren't experiencing any troublesome side effects, there is absolutely no reason to change anything. However, if you're on medication and it's not helping you or if you're experiencing troublesome side effects, at that point you have a problem and problems exist to be resolved.

Your best starting point might be in the Resources topic (at the top of the board) where gardnergirl shared a link to the epocrates software. That will allow you to begin researching the medication you are on.

Your next best bet might be the internet itself, where you can continue to research the pros and cons of not only the medication you're on, but also, alternate medication. Don't overlook the blog of Furious Seasons who may have already done a great deal of your homework for you. Check out the search feature on his blog.

Once you've done your research, take it to your doctor and discuss it with him or her. Bear in mind that he or she is not the only doctor on the face of the planet. If you should discover that the fit between you no longer sits comfortably, it might be time to look for a new doc as well as a new medication.

Best of luck to you, Katie.