Posted by MB on March 11, 2002, at 19:49:22
In reply to Re: Losing weight after paxil, posted by Carlos on March 10, 2002, at 17:49:47
> I gained about 20 pounds in 4 weeks on Paxil. I workout everyday (lifing and cardio) and eat a very healthy, well balanced diet. I had to be the Paxil. My doc also didn't think it was the Paxil, but I'm off it now. I quit cold turkey for 4 days straight and no widthdrawl symtoms yet! I'm on 125mg of Wellbutrin now. I HOPE I LOSE THE FAT!
Yeah, that stuff has the worst reputation among all the SSRIs for causing weight gain. There are all sorts of theories out there that try to remove the blame from Paxil. One theory that I've heard is that when an antidepressant starts working, the person feels better and, therefore, eats more, etc. That may be the case for some people, but my depression is atypical in that when I'm depressed I eat more and sleep more. If SSRI weight gain was simply a secondary effect to the relief of depression, then I should *lose* weight on Paxil. I did for a month, then came on the lbs. The part that is confusing for doctors when a concern about this side effect is brought up, is that SSRIs tend to (in the people I've known and talked to) cause loss of appetite *at first*. Therefore, in the PDR literature, they list weight loss as a side effect of these drugs. They don't, to my knowledge, when they do the clinical trials, keep people on these drugs long enough for the weight-gain side effect to kick in. It's not in the PDR so the docs don't believe it. But, it seems that after a few months (or years) down the line, the SSRI pulls a switch...then all of a sudden the energy it used to give turns into leaden fatigue. Incessant hunger for carbs sets in, and a 24/7 desire to sleep creeps up on ya. Again, I am only speaking for myself and for the people I've known who've taken these drugs. Everyone is different, and my little diatribe by no means claims to be universal truth....just *A LOT* of anecdotal evidence points in this direction.
MB
poster:MB
thread:1386
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020307/msgs/97514.html