Posted by raisinb on August 19, 2008, at 9:22:43
In reply to Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexor?, posted by mbluett on August 17, 2008, at 21:13:12
There are waaay too many reports of radical weight changes--both gains and losses--to deny that these meds have effects on metabolism and/or appetite.
I think we should remember that appetite is an incredibly complex phenomenon, influenced by both emotional and physical factors. I've been severely depressed and on various medications, and all have tweaked my appetite. Sometimes, I can feel physical hunger, but have no emotional motivation to do anything about it. You can be physically hungry, but still be repulsed by food because of anxiety or depression. You can also be in an emotional state that either masks or increases your perception of hunger.
My un-scientific opinion is that appetite involves way more than physical hunger. If that were the case, everyone would be a perfect weight--not too skinny, not too fat. Whenever your emotional/psychological balance is affected, appetite seems to be affected as well. Despite that, it's a difficult thing for us to control and regulate. It's hard not to eat when you are hungry, and it is very hard to eat when you are not. A good deal of it's based on habit and emotional need, needs which are often more pressing than whatever physical hunger we might be feeling.
I guess what I am saying is, there's a lot more than diet and exercise involved. Some of us truly have faster metabolisms because we're hyper, anxious, jittery all the time. We all have different body types predisposed to different things. And we all have different responses to emotional stress. I can no more eat when I'm very upset than someone else can refrain from eating when they are stressed.
poster:raisinb
thread:846913
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080814/msgs/847183.html