Depressed or overweight?

[kimberkit]

Over the past year or so, I've noticed that either the antidepressant, or just the effect of being happier, is directly correlated with about 20 pounds more weight. That doesn't make me obese. But it does affect my clothing -- clothing that should be tailored, and isn't -- and confidence as an indirect result. I can go to the gym all I want; more muscle mass and better cardiovascular health hasn't touched the pounds. I like the feeling of having done something for my body, but it doesn't touch my waistline.

What would you rather be, honestly? Overweight and taking antidepressants, or trying to figure out how to deal with depression in ways other than with medication?

Seriously. It's easy to say, "of course you should be overweight rather than sad." Very glib. The other glib response is, "you should talk to your doctor about finding another drug." News flash: all SSRIs include a side effect of weight gain, and Zoloft is supposed to be one the of lowest on the list for causing that particular side effect. Plus it would be months more of experimenting with the right drugs and dosages.

I'm signing up for acupuncture clinic next semester, in the hopes that it'll strengthen my defensive qi, and feel more balanced, and perhaps the drugging can be eliminated altogether.

Comments

[g-me.livejournal.com]

Speaking of scared shitless by pills, I was scared shitless by them the first time I experienced significant depression, and refused to go on them. If I could take one thing back about my health history at this point, it would probably be that. After one major depressive episode and then 3 years of being almost constantly mildly depressed and as a result, rather unable to stay on top of taking care of myself physically, I may have taken several healthy years off of my life (I'm speaking as someone with diabetes here). The worst thing that came with my depression (and which also developed partially as a result of awful things I was doing, diabetes-wise) was a tendancy to compulsively eat - I'll leave it at that. When I *finally* decided, after 3 years, to go on a low dose of Wellbutrin, I was terrified, and I wasn't thinking it would help anything except the persistent, lingering "blah" that I was feeling.

Amazingly enough, from the first week I was on Wellbutrin, I essentially got my eating disorder (which was what it was diagnosed as - "eating disorder NOS") under control. It was incredible. I ended up staying on Wellbutrin for about a year and a half, at times in combination with another antidepressant. I did get really, really fed up with the sexual side effects of the meds I was on, even though Wellbutrin isn't "supposed" to do that, so I've been off of all antidepressants since last summer. So far, so good - I haven't relapsed in any sense. What I think happened to me overall was that when I was royally screwing with my blood sugars, something got really screwed up in my brain, and I really needed the meds to put me back on track. It seems to have worked, since, for the first time since I first became depressed, I can actually take care of myself AND maintain a normal lifestyle at the same time.

This is a long story, but what I'm saying it, don't underestimate the positive effect those drugs may be having on you, and don't be too quick to go off them before you're ready. If, at some point, the extra weight becomes more of a drag than the risk of going off the pills, then you can reconsider - and that may eventually happen. It certainly did for me. I finally got so sick of side effects that I decided I would go out of my mind if I didn't at least try to come off the meds, and for me, it worked.

good luck. it's a difficult balance to strike. one thing that helped me when I was considering going off, but before i did, was to work with my doctor to half my dose, to try to help with the side effects while still getting some benefit from the meds.