Anti-depressants and weight gain. I was just reading about this, so thought a decent topic maybe..

[LadyEmeraude]

If an anti-depressant might help a person with their specific health/medical situation or condition, but the concern is about weight gain,
is it worth the few extra pounds if it helps?

 

[win231]

I don't think it's worth it. I also don't think the other side effects are worth it, including dangerous high blood sugar.
I don't know how an antidepressant can make someone diabetic, but that, along with "Increasing suicidal & homicidal tendencies" is enough reason to avoid them; almost every mass murderer & school shooter was taking them. Plus, everyone I've known who is taking them (including a couple of relatives of mine) are mentally screwed up.

 

[Teacher Terry]

Not all have that side effect. Some cause people to lose weight. You should of course only take them if necessary and some people will only need them to get through a crisis.

I have seen the medication enable people to keep jobs, function as parents and partners/spouses. Some of course will always need them. It’s an individual decision made between a patient and their physician.

 

[Disgustedman]

I was already fat, so nothing noticable with weight. 2 years I took them, finally got mad and tossed them out "Cone what may, I am not taking them anymore" I said.

2 weeks later, 75% of the company was laid off. I went out dancing, the stress was gone. So was my idiot manager and my former snitching weasel boss.

It was a great day!

 

[win231]

Not all have that side effect. Some cause people to lose weight. You should of course only take them if necessary and some people will only need them to get through a crisis.

I have seen the medication enable people to keep jobs, function as parents and partners/spouses. Some of course will always need them. It’s an individual decision made between a patient and their physician.

Yes, and the physician profits greatly from prescribing them - which, of course affects his advice.

 

[LadyEmeraude]

These meds (antidepressants) have both pros and cons, and even off label uses.
Many I know have used them most of their lives, while others have not used them
at anytime in their lives...

In my life, I used an anti- depressant twice for hopeful relief of nerve pain after an
injury and for another condition. Both times was a year of use, then tapered off
the med both times.

The one med was Amitriptyline, yes weight gain.

The other med years back was Zoloft, now that helped a great deal at the time, but
after a year I chose to discontinue the med, again with careful tapering off, under
doctor supervision.

 

[MickaC]

I’ve been fortunate, with the antidepressants i’m on and have been for many years…..nothing caused any weight gain.
I wish my life was a life without the meds……but…..with all I’ve had to endure…..attacks…..and abuse, and much more…..
These meds give me peace I would not otherwise have.

Sad, that others can inflict such hurt, and leave a person so damaged.

Sorry, if my post disturbs any of you, is not my intent.

 

[Nathan]

If an anti-depressant might help a person with their specific health/medical situation or condition, but the concern is about weight gain,
is it worth the few extra pounds if it helps?

I had an occasion to use an anti-depressant drug 8 years ago, it helped a lot, and I did gain 15 lb.s.
After 4 months I weaned myself off the med, mainly because it made me feel "flat" emotionally. I wasn't happy about the weight gain, as a few months prior I had dropped 40+ pounds. But, I just had to re-do the weight loss routine.

 

[win231]

These meds (antidepressants) have both pros and cons, and even off label uses.
Many I know have used them most of their lives, while others have not used them
at anytime in their lives...

In my life, I used an anti- depressant twice for hopeful relief of nerve pain after an
injury and for another condition. Both times was a year of use, then tapered off
the med both times.

The one med was Amitriptyline, yes weight gain.

The other med years back was Zoloft, now that helped a great deal at the time, but
after a year I chose to discontinue the med, again with careful tapering off, under
doctor supervision.

I'm confused. I thought antidepressants were for emotional issues - depression. Why would a doctor prescribe them for physical pain?

 

[multimodAL]

why weight for antidepressants? when you can use chocolate for an excuse...

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3859901/

Immunomodulatory properties of cacao extracts – potential consequences for medical applications

"Due to its strong anti-inflammatory effects, cacao can influence on IDO activity as it has been shown in vitro, were treatment of mitogen-stimulated PBMC with cacao extracts resulted in an inhibition of tryptophan breakdown and neopterin formation in a dose-dependent manner (Jenny et al., 2009). Similar effects could possibly occur also in vivo and contribute to a mood-enhancing effect by improving tryptophan availability for serotonin synthesis.

The capacity to improve mood, lift spirits and make people feel good has been described for cocoa, cacao, and chocolate products. Chocolate was reported to have an antidepressant benefit on humans, to be a kind of self-medication in an atypical or a seasonal depression and to have a positive impact on brain neurotransmitters."

 

[Nathan]

I'm confused. I thought antidepressants were for emotional issues - depression. Why would a doctor prescribe them for physical pain?

Physical pain often is linked to emotional pain, and visa versa. Antidepressants are used for many pain situations. Aside from addictive opioids there's no good pain meds, so antidepressants are an attempt to fill the void.