ive been put on antidepressants (cymbalta and abilify) and it seems like everytime my dr. puts me on them, i gain weight which makes the depression even worse which makes him up my dosage which makes me gain more....im so frustrated. he cant find an antidepressant that works (ive been told i have treatment-resistant depression). does anyone know of depression meds that dont mess with weight or better yet, cause weightloss? i also have an eating disorder (both anorexia/bulimia) which isnt helping any either. any suggestions?? please?

You gain weight because you think you are going to gain weight..This thought gives you the excuse to do it...For some people it is like a free ticket to eat....Just look at the bottle..It plainly says that "some people may gain weight from it"...Nobody is pointing the finger at you to gain the weight...BUT, you are sure you are one of them that is going to, so eat up....Bad excuse, but you are using it...

If you are gaining weight neither anorexia or bulimia are bothering you...Again it is in your head....Either starve yourself or puke it up....I never starved myself but I sure ruined my teeth the other way....That was years ago and a bad memory so I will not go there.

Now I have a cure for you...Get a calorie book and count the calories of what you are eating..Get off of some of the anti depressants as some doctors will fill you full of them just plain because you want them...Oh, I forgot to say I know all about them too.

You know it is a pretty good world out there but you are making yours rough...Do a little at a time...Work on the weight and forget about the pills making you fat....Anyone can do it...This I promise you...Take care, Caroline

Fatchick: I am adding to this the next morning...I should have waited until morning and written you...Too late and not alert enough..Only looking back in life do I recall how both sides of this illness can affect you. Even if you are not overweight, you may think you are....Fortunately for me it was only the bulimia that affected me...I did not have the illness that could cause a greater than I had to live with...Rather than go into my problems of the past, I will try to simplify my answer.

What you have will never go away....Maybe in your mind you think you are overweight because this is the weight you are supposed to put on to be near normal...In that case gain it and learn to live with it...Do it one day at a time...When the urge is there to get rid of the meal that you have just had, fight it...Get back to a normal weight and stay there...This is something that you MUST learn to live with...The answer is not leaning over the toilet and vomiting your head off. The consequences of that action is heart trouble years from now, possible reflux for life and the horrible loss of your teeth and possible rotting within your mouth...

Take your anti depressants and smell the roses...Don't create problems where they don't exist...Much love to you..Caroline

ok, I want you to ask about Effoxor for the depression and nuerontin for a mood stablizer .
just see , because I have been in your shoes!!
theses drugs make me copasetek with the world, and only you will know what I mean !
I have two kids, B 9 so huffy and a tween 12 g drama!!
just ask your dr and see , it helps with the weight gain at least.

I know what you mean about the meds and weight gain. I hate it! I have been on Prozac for 4 years now and have gained about 20lbs since I have been on it. My understanding is the SSRI's (selective seratonin reuptake inhibitors), which is a class of antidepressants, weight gain can be a side effect

I have recently been switched to Wellbutrin SR and from what I have researched, weightloss is a side effect BUT the drug is not to be taken by people w/eating disorders because of that side effect.

I hope you can find something that makes you feel better. I know its a pain in the butt when it comes to antidepressants. It is so much trial and error when you are starting something new cause it takes so long to notice a difference in your mood and symptoms.

Huge hugs to you

thanks for your replies. my dr. switched me about 3 weeks ago to prozac and it seems to be helping the depression but this weight gain....ugh. maybe i should ask about wellbutrin. i dont know. im frustrated with the whole thing.

Hi,
I'm on some antidepressants. They cause bloating and tiredness and I have gained a little weight but I prob needed to anyway (a whole other story).
I just want to comment on the neurontin. I used it for a year for pain control. As far as I know, from what I have read, it is for pain medication for cancer patients and those with severe nerve pain; and originally for epilepsy. As far as I know, it was never used for mood stabilisation so I would be looking into its use for that purpose. It is not a nice drug to have to use and it took me 3mths of taking sedatives at night to wean off from the effects of the neurontin after I stopped taking it.

As far as the anti depressants, I don't know much about them except for the one I am taking - Lexapro (escitalopram).

My advice is that you find all the support you can get. If that means seeing professionals, then do it. You don't have to do it alone and from some personal experience, it's better if you can share with some close friends or professionals.

Hang in there.

Ps My friend just came off prozac and went onto zoloft and she is loving it. But like I said, I don't know much bout them all except the one I am one.
Take care.

My doctor told me once that reporting symptoms and problems with meds is vital to getting the dose and the type of drug right. Depression in particular. There are lots of different meds and one should work. If you have talk therapy be sure to talk to her/him about your meds issues and take notes. Then report to your doctor with them. Its helped me (and DH) more then once.

I wish my Aunt was still alive to talk to you about eating disorders. She was a wonderful woman and when I was little and went to visit she would often stuff me full of goodies which as I got older I kept trying to avoid. She told me once that life is short. Don't starve yourself and make life seem longer because your miserable. ;-)