[IndestructibleGirl]

I saw a really nice pdoc today, who prescribed me an ssri. She didn't diagnose me or anything yet, but said this would probably help my symptoms.

I am, however, really afraid of weight gain if I take this drug. I'm in recovery from a pretty serious eating disorder, I have not been sick with it for many years. I don't want to trigger any weight issues again by having an unnaturally increased appetite and getting big. I cannot afford to relapse.

I feel embarrassed at the thought of bringing this up with my therapist, which is usually a glaring sign that I should talk about it. But I am juggling a lot at the moment, and I don't feel able to open another festering can of worms. I feel like, I have a really healthy attitude towards actual food - I eat with gusto when I feel hunger, quit when I don't and don't really think about it apart from that. But if I start talking about food, I will start getting obsessive again. My therapist has a lot of experience in eating disorders, but for me it's not the way forward. Except now I'm really uneasy about these new pills, and feel I need to talk about that aspect.

Has anyone talked about weight gain in their therapy?

[RedSun]

I haven't discussed in therapy so no help there, sorry.
However, I have been taking an ssri for about two years and have lost weight if anything. I tend to have more energy on it, or hit a sleepy patch, whereas before I was generally lethargic. So I feel more inspired to run, walk and work out now, - and then have a nap!

I have not talked to a therapist about weight gain from meds because they make such a thing about everything. But I would definitely talk to your pdoc about the most weight neutral med.

I just had a pdoc appt and was clear that I wanted to avoid drugs that put on weight, so she helped me narrow down the list to the most weight neutral. She did not make a big deal about it and was very helpful.

[HealingTimes]

I can totally understand what you mean.

I am in recovery from a 15 year long ED and am very careful protecting my recovery. I was given SSRIs a few years ago and was terrified about gaining weight.
I spoke to my T about it for a long time before I accepted that I really did need the SSRIs and began to taken them.

They actually didn't make me gain weight. If anything, I lost a small amount (not much) which was due to the nausea I experienced for the first 6 weeks or so.

I know its obvious to say, but you really need to discuss this with your T.

[Oscarmax76]

many of my meds helped me gain weight, when didn't want to.

but i also was getting a lot less physical activity at work, and didn't supplement it with exercise in my free time.

i am around 5'9", used to be 145 lbs.

i went up to around 167 lbs.

now, with lots of exercise and eating healthy, Im down to 154 lbs this morning.

exercise is also great for stress, depression, and anxiety.

[HazelGirl]

I didn't. But one possible way to make sure you don't gain is to carefully watch what lulu eat for the first several months. Make sure you're eating healthy and not eating junk food, and make sure to exercise.

[nottrustin]

I have discussed this issue with T, pcp, pdoc. My first medication caused me to lose A LOT of weight but I was over weight to begin with. However, I lost too much weight in a very short period of time. I was taken off the medication because of it. I tried a few other medications but they didn't seem to work or I had such bad reactions to them. My doctors knew that I wouldn't go on something that would cause significant weight gain an understood why so they have really worked with me. They know how sensitive I am about my weight. I have put some of the weight back on but it was a good thing as I really had gotten too thin.,,,

Talk them as you can see from my experience they understand will work with you.

My t and i have discussed the same thing, many times.

[StressedMess]

I am on Prozac, and it has helped me curb the mindless eating I have indulged in all my life. I no longer look to food for comfort or companionship or as a pastime. Food is sustenance. That's all.

I don't "want" to have a healthier relationship with food, it is not something I chose to do consciously, it just happened as a serendipitous side effect.

Turns out Prozac is given to people with bulimia to curb the binging behavior. Works very well for my depression, gives me more oomph to get up and go, and helps me lose weight too! I think I'll keep it.

Now if we were discussing BC pills I could tell you some weight-gain horror stories.

About talking to T, she knows you're recovering from an ED? You could tell her your fears that discussion will lead to obsession again, and ask for help with it at the same time.

Good luck!

Sent from my iPod touch using Tapatalk

[UnderRugSwept]

I have talked to my pdoc about being very concerned about weight gain from meds. I have had a terrible reaction to almost all meds I have taken to treat anxiety/depression. I have avoided trying a few well known for causing weight gain, and I have also tried some that I knew might cause it (because chances are I would have another side effect first and not be able to tolerate it anyway...which was indeed the case). I do not have an ED, but I have, as an ex-T once described it, "a complicated relationship with food." I am very sensitive about what food I eat, how much I eat, where I eat, and who I eat with...I don't need a weight gaining drug in the mix.
I also encourage you (as others have here) to talk to your pdoc and make sure that you are put on a weight neural med, as well as talking to your T about it to make sure you get the support you need.

[Lauliza]

I've talked to my T about it but received muchore help from my pdoc. I was on an MAOI for a while and went from 133 to 165, and I am only 5'2. My T didn't meet me until I was heavier so didn't put as much emphasis on the med and instead went over the self care, diet and exercise stuff, which I found frustrating. I've struggled with EDs in the past and this weight gain was very upsetting and triggering. My pdoc tried everything to help so I could stay on it as it worked wonders for my mood, but eventually took me off and switched me to Prozac. I was insistent that any med I took needs to not cause weight gain and he assured me it is the most weight neutral of all the SSRIS. I've been on most of the others, and I have found it to be true (I lost all the weight in about 6 months). So I'd talk to your T about your worries but more importantly your Pdoc, make sure you are firm about your concerns because the weight gain tends to be played down in the research on antidepressants. I ask my doctor about his patients experiences for reference.

[learning1]

I took the lowest dose of Wellbutrin for a few months because according to Medlineplus it's the antidepressant that doesn't have a side effect of weight gain, and it can cause a little weight loss. My GP just went along with my suggestion on that. While I was taking it I was at the lower end of my normal weight range. My weight normally ranges only about 5-8 lbs., and the average is in the middle, so it was a very small decrease. However, I was diagnosed with some hearing loss right after I took it, which I found out is a side effect of Wellbutrin. I don't know if hearing loss is a side effect of other antidepressants. You could look for the word ototoxic in the paperwork about the medications, which I expect you can also find online. Ototoxic means hearing loss, and that is the word they used in the list of side effects. Although the Wellbutrin helped my mood, it was not worth it to me to have taken it. The hearing loss is very frustrating to deal with at work.

learning1: The same thing happen to me from Wellbutrin--hearing loss and incessant ringing in the ears, going on 3 years now.

I wish there were a way to identify who would react (and how) to each medication. Some people gain weight, others don't, some have horrible withdrawal, others breeze through. I don't see any rhyme or reason to it.

[learning1]

Yes, my understanding is the hearing loss doesn't go away. All they can do is monitor when it gets to the point that hearing aids will help. Sorry that it happened to you too. I try to wear earplugs whenever I'm around traffic or noise as much as I can now. Sorry for going off on another topic in this thread, too.

[InTheProcess]

I have spoke to my pdoc about weight....after I gained something like 20lbs. It was devistating, my anti depressant didnt even help anymore because of it. Especially because within the past year before I started the medicine I had lost about 40lbs. Although, I do not blame all of it on the medicine, I did start to get careless about eating and I think the medicine made me feel lazy.

You should seriously talk to your doc! Maybe they can help, give you advice or something.

I, of course stopped that medicine ( Zolof, generic) I tried 1 or 2 other things. Now I am on Wellbutrin(generic) and a few weeks ago I switched to the SR version and upped dosage to 300mg/day.

The doc actually told him this med may help lose weight, might be a placebo effect but I have lost about 10lbs.
definetly talk to you doc, maybe they will switch the medicine if it is a big issue for you.
GOOD LUCK!!