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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 21 of 21. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mbluett on August 17, 2008, at 21:13:12
I have been on Effexor XR 150mg (up to 225mg) for nearly 12 years. The only reason I have ever stopped it in the past is because of the 30lbs FAT gain that it gives me. I know that it is a direct increase in FAT mass due to the scale that I have which calculates lean body mass and bodyfat %.
When I am not on an anti-depressant my weight hovers around 225lbs. I am a 6'2" male. I normally have a lean muscular physique but on anti depressants this changes and I seem to get FAT around my waist, get love handles, my face blows up, my thighs and bum get fatter. On Effexor my weight climbs until it reaches around 255lbs.....and won't budge.
I have augmented my Effexor with the following meds to try and lose this fat: Ritalin, Wellbutrin, Topamax (couldn't handle side effects), Zonegran (couldn't handle side effects) T3, Clenbuterol, metformin.....all at different times. None of them have helped. I have also tried high intensity cardio for months without any weight loss.
Going off the Effexor is NOT an option. It has saved my life a few times and I have come to accept that a powerful anti-depressant is just as necessary for me as insulin is for diabetics.
Does anyone here have a sure-fire method for losing SSRI/SNRI induced weight gain? Thanks in advance.
Posted by TexasRVer on August 17, 2008, at 23:07:16
In reply to Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexor?, posted by mbluett on August 17, 2008, at 21:13:12
> I have been on Effexor XR 150mg (up to 225mg) for nearly 12 years. The only reason I have ever stopped it in the past is because of the 30lbs FAT gain
> Does anyone here have a sure-fire method for losing SSRI/SNRI induced weight gain? Thanks in advance.I wish somebody would come up with a magic answer for this! I was on 375 mg/day for quite sometime. Weight just climbed and climbed. After I was off the Effexor, I went on a very strict diet and lost about 25# and have managed to keep it off. But, that is all. A couple of years ago, with hard work and the help of a medical weight loss program, I lost another 25#, but it came back, and I cannot dicipline myself to get back on a strict diet and hate to go back to the weight lost center--and the $$$ that it cost.
Posted by ricker on August 18, 2008, at 0:31:12
In reply to Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexor?, posted by mbluett on August 17, 2008, at 21:13:12
Not to sound harsh but there are hundreds of millions of overweight people. Most of them probably have never taken antidepressants. I would suggest the same to you as I would to them; diet and exercise.
I often wonder how many of "us" medicated people would be walking health specimens had we not been cursed with mental illness?
I'm guessing we would blend in with the "normal" people. Some fat, thin and ideal.
I believe we tend to blame the meds for our weight gain when in fact it's our daily life choices. Yes, it's hard to get motivated when depressed, but I feel we should be more accountable for our overall health, providing one is responding to treatment.
No excuses, we are taking these pills in attempt to make us feel better mentally. I know when I am in remission, I could be more proactive with my physical health. That's the time to really buckle down and hit the gym, play sports, exercise etc.
I'm probably 25 pounds overweight, I don't blame the meds... I must put in the effort if I wish to be "in shape".
I'm still hoping there will be a magic pill discovered in my lifetime that will cure depression. I could live with the fact it was not an antidepressant/diet pill combo.Don't mean to sound off here, just my opinion.
Regards, Rick
Posted by emme on August 18, 2008, at 6:27:20
In reply to Re: Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexor?, posted by ricker on August 18, 2008, at 0:31:12
> I believe we tend to blame the meds for our weight gain when in fact it's our daily life choices.I must disagree. I know beyond a doubt that I have gained weight on meds without changes in food intake (I counted calories) and while still exercising. Remeron and Zyprexa were the worst offenders. Fortunately, the weight dropped off when I stopped them. I don't know much about the mechanisms by which they tweak the metabolism, but someone here probably does.
Posted by raisinb on August 18, 2008, at 11:25:50
In reply to Re: Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexo » ricker, posted by emme on August 18, 2008, at 6:27:20
I haven't been able to find information about this--is is that meds make you eat more and exercise less, or do they actually change your metabolism? Are there ones that speed it up, as well as slow it down?
I've been trying to gain back my depression weight loss for months, and the "welloft" has only made me lose more. I don't understand it because to me it seems I'm eating plenty. However, I'm not counting calories (hate to count calories)--maybe I'll have to. But I do wonder if there's some metabolic shift going on that makes it harder for me to even out at the same weight I've always been at.
Posted by emme on August 18, 2008, at 20:06:42
In reply to Re: Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexo » emme, posted by raisinb on August 18, 2008, at 11:25:50
> I haven't been able to find information about this--is is that meds make you eat more and exercise less, or do they actually change your metabolism?
My impression based on personal experience is that they can tweak your metabolism. Some people get carb cravings on some meds as well, which adds insult to injury.
> Are there ones that speed it up, as well as slow it down?
Not that I'm aware of.
> I don't understand it because to me it seems I'm eating plenty. However, I'm not counting calories (hate to count calories)--maybe I'll have to. But I do wonder if there's some metabolic shift going on that makes it harder for me to even out at the same weight I've always been at.
Has your thyroid been checked?
Posted by mbluett on August 19, 2008, at 2:50:34
In reply to Re: Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexor?, posted by ricker on August 18, 2008, at 0:31:12
> Not to sound harsh but there are hundreds of millions of overweight people. Most of them probably have never taken antidepressants. I would suggest the same to you as I would to them; diet and exercise.
>
> I often wonder how many of "us" medicated people would be walking health specimens had we not been cursed with mental illness?
>
> I'm guessing we would blend in with the "normal" people. Some fat, thin and ideal.
>
> I believe we tend to blame the meds for our weight gain when in fact it's our daily life choices. Yes, it's hard to get motivated when depressed, but I feel we should be more accountable for our overall health, providing one is responding to treatment.
> No excuses, we are taking these pills in attempt to make us feel better mentally. I know when I am in remission, I could be more proactive with my physical health. That's the time to really buckle down and hit the gym, play sports, exercise etc.
> I'm probably 25 pounds overweight, I don't blame the meds... I must put in the effort if I wish to be "in shape".
>
> I'm still hoping there will be a magic pill discovered in my lifetime that will cure depression. I could live with the fact it was not an antidepressant/diet pill combo.
>
> Don't mean to sound off here, just my opinion.
>
> Regards, RickHey Rick. I have 12 years of psychotropic med experience. I have been exercising for 20 years aswell. I consider myself to be of reasonable intelligence and consider my experiences to be valuable insight to my condition and it's treatment. You are not me and cannot assume I haven't tried 'the basics'. Diet and exercise ARE THE BASICS. I think weight gain from most antidepressants is an undeniable FACT, just like sexual dysfunction. That has also been swept under the carpet until recently too. Only now are doctors starting to admit that sexual dysfunction is much greater than previously admitted. It is for logical reasons that this has been done.....TO PROTECT THE MULTI-BILLION $ DRUG INDUSTRY. Maybe they need to invent a drug for downright lying and ignorance.
I am not really looking for opinions, but rather what has worked for those that have or are experiencing what I am. Surely there is someone out there that has a pdoc that knows their psychopharmacology, their side effects and how to alleviate them.
So, my is post is for those that that HAVE HAD SUCCESS in losing SSRI/SNRI induced weight gain.
I'm amazed at how some people on this board assume that others anecdotal experiences to be of little value and end up quoting the standard drug-rep spiel......"No our drug would never do that". The same goes for doctors. Let's admit that we have A PROBLEM then we can at least treat them and the side effects involved. Living in society of denial has brought us to this point in human history where we think bombs, guns and pills are a cure all. They are usually dispensed in reverse order.
So, once again. Has anyone augmented an SSRI/SNRI for the sole purpose of weight loss with any available pharmaceutical????
Posted by atmlady on August 19, 2008, at 6:22:11
In reply to Re: Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexo, posted by mbluett on August 19, 2008, at 2:50:34
I share your frustrations, M, with both the SSRI weight gain (no, I'm not crazy and you're not crazy) AND the doctors who pretend like it's all about diet and exercise. One pdoc once told me "Hmmm... Lexapro isn't associated with weight gain" as if I'm the only person in the world who was experiencing weight gain with the drug. Then later, my general M.D. told me she prescribes Lexapro to all of her little old ladies who are under-weight, because it increases appetite and makes you gain weight. SHE was the one who said to try Wellbutrin instead!
Anyhoo, I have searched for the same answers as you, and the only thing I've heard of that might help would be Topamax. I don't want to take it, though, because I hear it can make you stupid, which I can't afford right now as I'm in school. But read up on Topamax - it might be an option for you!
Posted by raisinb on August 19, 2008, at 9:13:39
In reply to Re: Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexo, posted by mbluett on August 19, 2008, at 2:50:34
Meds have different effects on different people, but I can say that Wellbutrin completely suppressed my appetite and made me lose several pounds in a few weeks. The nurse at my dr's office said that's a very common side effect. I've read somewhere that Wellbutrin is currently undergoing trials as a weight loss med. It's like it closes off your stomach and you can barely force food down.
So maybe try augmenting what you are taking with Wellbutrin. For me it has been so powerful that I can't gain weight from Zoloft, even though most people do, and my dr said it would have that effect.
Posted by raisinb on August 19, 2008, at 9:14:53
In reply to Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexor?, posted by mbluett on August 17, 2008, at 21:13:12
sorry, just reread your original post and remembered you couldn't take Wellbutrin :(
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.
Posted by nevergiveup on August 19, 2008, at 10:49:53
In reply to Re: Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexo » ricker, posted by emme on August 18, 2008, at 6:27:20
the moment i stopped effexor, i rapidly dropped 40 pounds in 3 months. My body chemistry is just different on effexor. The same amount of exercise does far less on Effexor. Though on Lexapro I have about the some weight gain, so I'm not really sure.
Posted by bulldog2 on August 19, 2008, at 15:50:18
In reply to Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexor?, posted by mbluett on August 17, 2008, at 21:13:12
> I have been on Effexor XR 150mg (up to 225mg) for nearly 12 years. The only reason I have ever stopped it in the past is because of the 30lbs FAT gain that it gives me. I know that it is a direct increase in FAT mass due to the scale that I have which calculates lean body mass and bodyfat %.
>
> When I am not on an anti-depressant my weight hovers around 225lbs. I am a 6'2" male. I normally have a lean muscular physique but on anti depressants this changes and I seem to get FAT around my waist, get love handles, my face blows up, my thighs and bum get fatter. On Effexor my weight climbs until it reaches around 255lbs.....and won't budge.
>
> I have augmented my Effexor with the following meds to try and lose this fat: Ritalin, Wellbutrin, Topamax (couldn't handle side effects), Zonegran (couldn't handle side effects) T3, Clenbuterol, metformin.....all at different times. None of them have helped. I have also tried high intensity cardio for months without any weight loss.
>
> Going off the Effexor is NOT an option. It has saved my life a few times and I have come to accept that a powerful anti-depressant is just as necessary for me as insulin is for diabetics.
>
> Does anyone here have a sure-fire method for losing SSRI/SNRI induced weight gain? Thanks in advance.Yes my wife lost 50 pounds while on zoloft. She did Jenny Craig + 20 mcg t3. The t3 seemed to really kick the things into gear.
Posted by mbluett on August 19, 2008, at 18:14:59
In reply to Re: Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexor?, posted by bulldog2 on August 19, 2008, at 15:50:18
> > I have been on Effexor XR 150mg (up to 225mg) for nearly 12 years. The only reason I have ever stopped it in the past is because of the 30lbs FAT gain that it gives me. I know that it is a direct increase in FAT mass due to the scale that I have which calculates lean body mass and bodyfat %.
> >
> > When I am not on an anti-depressant my weight hovers around 225lbs. I am a 6'2" male. I normally have a lean muscular physique but on anti depressants this changes and I seem to get FAT around my waist, get love handles, my face blows up, my thighs and bum get fatter. On Effexor my weight climbs until it reaches around 255lbs.....and won't budge.
> >
> > I have augmented my Effexor with the following meds to try and lose this fat: Ritalin, Wellbutrin, Topamax (couldn't handle side effects), Zonegran (couldn't handle side effects) T3, Clenbuterol, metformin.....all at different times. None of them have helped. I have also tried high intensity cardio for months without any weight loss.
> >
> > Going off the Effexor is NOT an option. It has saved my life a few times and I have come to accept that a powerful anti-depressant is just as necessary for me as insulin is for diabetics.
> >
> > Does anyone here have a sure-fire method for losing SSRI/SNRI induced weight gain? Thanks in advance.
>
> Yes my wife lost 50 pounds while on zoloft. She did Jenny Craig + 20 mcg t3. The t3 seemed to really kick the things into gear.Thank you very much. I was looking for a concise answer. I have T3 which I can add to my current regimen. I will look up the Jenny Craig diet.
Posted by dcruik518 on August 20, 2008, at 17:00:58
In reply to Re: Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexo, posted by mbluett on August 19, 2008, at 18:14:59
you might try switching to Pristiq. I haven't had the weight gain I had on effexor. It's a milder effect, with fewer side effects, in my opinion.
Posted by elanor roosevelt on August 21, 2008, at 19:16:05
In reply to Re: Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexo, posted by dcruik518 on August 20, 2008, at 17:00:58
i did not gain weight on effexor the last round(several years ago)
this time i am gaining fast
some of it is my giving into carb craving but my weight is going up much faster than the amount of food i am ingestingi find that losing weight while on the meds is almost impossible (except on parnate)
also find that exercise does not reduce weight when i am on meds
but i do exercise on a regular basis
tell me if you find a solution
Posted by dcruik518 on August 22, 2008, at 9:51:18
In reply to Re: Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexo, posted by elanor roosevelt on August 21, 2008, at 19:16:05
"tell me if you find a solution"
topamax
Posted by elanor roosevelt on August 23, 2008, at 21:17:23
In reply to Re: Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexo, posted by dcruik518 on August 22, 2008, at 9:51:18
why topomax?
Posted by mbluett on August 29, 2008, at 7:14:05
In reply to Re: Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexo, posted by dcruik518 on August 22, 2008, at 9:51:18
What would the dose of TOPAMAX be for weight loss? Tks
Posted by dcruik518 on August 29, 2008, at 11:18:30
In reply to Re: Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexo, posted by mbluett on August 29, 2008, at 7:14:05
> What would the dose of TOPAMAX be for weight loss? Tks
100-300 mg during the day in divided doses.
Posted by brutis on September 4, 2008, at 14:27:32
In reply to Re: Is there a method to lose FAT gained on Effexo, posted by dcruik518 on August 29, 2008, at 11:18:30
Yes the Zone diet
This is the end of the thread.
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