Weight Gain??

Does anyone know which med is more likely to cause increase of appetite...celexa or risperdal?

I have gained 12 pounds in the last month and 1/2 and know one of these suckers is the culprit..but its hard to tell which one. Could be both I guess.

Thanks for any info or thoughts.



"This too shall pass"

Celexa did not cause any weight gain for me, while many other meds had, it was refreshing for this to finally occur, but our bodies are different in the way meds are assimilated (?), not drastically but things vary, it may be the risperdal.
Check with your doc, and if you can tolerate a different alternative, and ther are some, have him or her let you give it a try. I can relate to this mean aspect of meds causing weight gain, gee, it adds to one's depression, almost counter productive if depression is a persons issue and tend to put weight on. Take this up with your doc, I found I had started to be hypothyroid and once thyroid meds were added to my psychiatric meds I stopped gaining more weight and even managed to lose about 10 lbs of the weight I had put on from some former meds I had been on, and the thyroid meds can even help address depression (some forms, if brought on by thyroid disorder) even if that isn't the case the thyroid meds can help the other meds work more effeciently. . . well in my own personal case it did.
Wishing you luck with this,

DE

In giving advice seek to help, not please your friend
SOLON

Celexa I know can cause weight gain as a side effect. I know a couple people who have also had this problem, risperdal I'm not sure.

Alot of meds can cause this.

I've gained a couple pounds will on Remeron, mind you it's a good thing because I use to be 97lbs, now i'm like 110 or less, maybe a 111? I have no idea cause I didn't weight myself. I look at it as healthy now.

Sometimes you gotta watch when you get an appiete, when it's different times of the day when you normally wouldn't be hungry. But it is a pain in the butt...

<font color=red>~Sundance~</font color=red>

<font color=blue>"Never react emotionally to criticism. Analyze yourself to determine whether it is justified. If it is, correct yourself. Otherwise, go on about your business."</font color=blue>

<font color=black>Norman Vincent Peale</font color=black>

I just read in the Psychiatry Journal exactly 15 minutes ago that Risperdal causes significant weight gain, it is in the May issue.
Celexa in general when viewed side effects in the PDR, pharmacy msds's, and on the internet revealed a small percentage of patients experiencing weight gain, so I'd guess it is the Risperdal, after just literally reading that most patients experienced major weight gains, I have heard this from those taking Zyprexa too. Like I always tell people taking meds that notice their weight increasing, should take it up with their pdoc, explain to them how distressing and depressing this is for you, work with him or her on alternative med(s).
Amazing when you read side effects of almost all meds they indicate some people may gain weight and some may lose weight. I am waiting for the med that addresses my disorder and will also cause me to lose weight. . . I can dream I guess
In severe cases of mania or psychotic episodes where weight inducing meds are needed, one has to decide what the priority is, I know it sucks making that choice, my brother always told me that after he had been on his med and will be for life, that he rather be heavy than crazy, I think Kay Jamison said the same thing in one of her books.
So we as individuals need to decide what we will most benefit long term, and many fotunate cases patients may be succesfully weaned off of certain, maybe all the meds they are on. We just need to put in our minds what is more important. Weight gain issues in the past and meds almost made me completely stop them on my own, but fearing the risks I hung in there, put the weight on "the back burner" and by luck was changed to a med where I did not gain weight.
I am still hoping to lose a few more pounds, I am almost at my pre medication weight, and now being in my late 40's that just complicates things, I have willed myself to not give up on weight loss and exercise while also not giving up my meds till my pdoc okays it, and if it is for life, the meds, then fine I want to continue to stay stable, which has nixxed any suicidal thoughts for 4 years, maybe a few pounds were worth it.
The choice is up to the patient, what the priorities are and if pdoc can help by giving their patients an alternative med. that will cause the least amount of side effects, especially weight gain.
Good luck to all

In giving advice seek to help, not please your friend
SOLON

depression causes weight gain.

medications can, almost any psych med can, but it could as well be just a slowing of your metabolism, or a combination of meds or other things

"don't kick the puppy" ~ j.e.p.

Cleomaru,
It's interesting that you said that "depression causes weight gain."
I had always heard that Zoloft caused massive weight gain, but the first time I went on it, I actually had more energy (for awhile) and lost about 25 pounds. When I was depressed I had quit working and sat around and cooked all the time.
That's been a few years ago and am no longer on zoloft or any other meds at the time (temporarily).
Just a little thought.
Jon

KICK THE CABLE HABIT!!! http://www.vmcsatellite.com/?aid=84152

my son's on depakote and risperitol and gained 20 pounds his freshman year
. I will be curious to see if he loses after being outside working for the summer. He eats well and is very fit. Me, I don't feel like eating with the depression but so far no weight loss, go figure.

Depakote (I no longer take) caused me 13lbs gain in just 3 months, I am happy my pdoc had me try alternative meds

In giving advice seek to help, not please your friend
SOLON

Thank you to all who responded.

The risperdal seems to be working good..so for now I will just watch the scale and start to exercise (I don't now, and should for this and other reasons..) and eat better.

But if it gets out of control, I will ask to switch when I see my pdoc in September.



"This too shall pass"

It is true just being depressed can cause weight gain, some of us get too tired or bummed for extra activity, we can tend to eat more (comfort food) and there have been studies that many depressed crave sweets (having many calories) not just feeling or looking at it as comfort food but eating these things actually produce "feel good" endorphins in our brains, unfortunately seems never enough to help the depressed brain without some intervention.
There ar others that lose weight while depressed, lose appetite. That had never been my "luck", mom, myself and her family (all having some mental disorder, mild) would opt for eating when depressed, and then just want to sleep constantly in between feedings.
Either way, we know depression sucks, I have noticed the longer a person (like my mother) doesn't seek out professional help, the more crippling it is for them, so the sooner a person seeks help the sooner they just may be on the road to remission/recovery.
I wish you all well, from the bottom of my heart

In giving advice seek to help, not please your friend
SOLON

I'd just like to say I too was afraid of weight gain when put on Risperdal. I asked my pdoc about it and expressed concerns. I'm also on Lexapro, Neurontin which he says is worse for weight gain than anything. Anyway, he gave me a prescription for Amantadine to counter act weight gain. I've looked this up and several articles says it may even cause you to loose weight. Plus it has lots of other good qualities. You might ask your Dr. about this.

Gazer

ask your doctor if he would consider switching you from risperal to Abilify. it does not have nearly the weight gain. drugs like Zyprexa and Risperal are known for weight gain but the more refined atypical drugs are a lot "cleaner" when it comes to weight gain. I have been through the wringer so I have a little experience in this. John.

Zoloft for me never caused weight gain, I was on it for 8 years and just got off it at the end of 2003.... I was always undersweight ..... Celexa I was on after that for 6 weeks, that like I said in my above post didn't make me feel good and I know a couple people who have gained weight with Celexa, but not everyone. I'm currently on Remeron that made me gain a couple lbs but that wasn't a bad thing because now i'm about 110 instead of 98 lbs.

Everyone however is different, some people will gain weight with medications, and some people who take that meds may not gain at all. I think mine was just a combo of that (pills) and my metabolisim slowing down... (i'm 24)

When I was depressed I lost weight, I guess because when i'm that down I don't have energy and sometimes don't eat enough during the day.

I wonder what it will be like this winter...

<font color=red>~Sundance~</font color=red>

<font color=blue>"Never react emotionally to criticism. Analyze yourself to determine whether it is justified. If it is, correct yourself. Otherwise, go on about your business."</font color=blue>

<font color=black>Norman Vincent Peale</font color=black>