Posted by Piquet on September 28, 2004, at 7:47:17
In reply to I'm EXTREMELY distressed, posted by saw on September 28, 2004, at 4:29:58
> about my steady weight gain on Effexor. I can no longer sit comfortably, the rolls on my stomach just get in the way. I look horrible, terrible, awful. I don't deserve to gain weight, I am so careful with my eating. When I get hungry now, I drink a glass of water, and I'm STILL gaining weight!!
>
> It's nearly two months on Effexor and life is tolerable but the weight gain isn't. I think I would rather live with depression and be thin again. Being fat is making me depressed on top of the med anyway. I am desperately unhappy about the way I look and I didn't even contribute! Self confidence and self esteem are non existant and it's affecting my marriage.
>
> I think I am going to chuck Effexor. (Or start smoking again)
>
> I just don't know what to do anymore. I just don't know.
>
> Sabrina
>
Hi Sabrina.I can totally sympathise with you when you say that the weight gain is making you depressed. I'm a male and I have the same problem. Years of SSRI medication (including Effexor) made me gain a stupid amount of weight and lose a similar amount of self-esteem. I don't know what your dx is, but I have major depression, treatment resistant. I am now taking Parnate (a MAOI) and since starting it 3 months ago I have lost 10 kg (22 lbs). I should also say that my depression is in remission to the tune of 70 per cent. Please, don't start smoking again -- the minuses outweight the plusses by a big factor. Instead, see about changing your antidepressant medication to something that is more suitable for your metabolism and not just suitable for your doctor. I'm not saying that you should take Parnate, but certainly it sounds like your current AD is quite inappropriate. Now, nobody is going to do this for you, so you have to take some action here, okay? If you think hard enough and honestly enough about it, you'll know what you need to do. Otherwise, life is going to go on as it has been, and that is quite unacceptable. Take care, and take action, I wish you well.
Piquet.
poster:Piquet
thread:396153
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20040927/msgs/396181.html