Antidepressants? Do They Work For Obesity Depression?

[SewHappyInFlorida 1]

Antidepressants? Do they work for depression associated withobesity? Am I depressed because I'm obese OR am I obese because I'm depressed? Thewhole chicken and egg scenario. I’d really like to hear from someone who hastaken this type of medication and if it helped. LapBand is on hold for me untilI get new insurance that will cover it. However in the mean while I’ve beenreading all sorts of books, blogs and forums so I am confident with mydecision. I also find myself at my heaviest weight and really not feeling verygood about it. I’m 5’10” and 281 lbs. BMI40’ish with no other major problems. Which is question #2: If I embark on yetanother diet between now and the new insurance. Say my BMI drops below 40 am I now no longer acandidate for the surgery? I’ve been struggling with my weight for last 20 yearsand can certainly prove the last 5 years. I really believe that I am geneticallypredisposed to obesity. That’s where I think the lapband will help me, if my bodyis satisfied with smaller meals then hopefully it will stop storing all thefat. Any insight is appreciated.

[ginny echols 3]

i dont know if it works for weight depression or not because i dont know if that was why i was depressed or not but i can tell u that for depression itself it certainly does. I was very depressed a few years back crying all the time for no reason and over anything as well as grouchy and easily overwhelmed by simple lifes problems.I went to my doctor and told her and she gave me a prescription for lexapro and a few days later i realised i hadnt cried lately as well as my moods were improved. my hubbie noticed it too and said dont stop taking whtever im on he liked the new me .lol so i take the meds and were both happy.ha ha hope this helps.

[Debora Anne 3]

Not sure if they work for weight depression either but I had family issues which left me terrribly depressed I went to doc and he gave me PAXIL which is an awesome anxiety and anit depressant -

For your other question about lower BMI You need to check with your insurance company - they are all different. Many require only the 40 BMI and under 40 BMI require additional issues such as High Blood pressure, Diabities, heart issues etc

Good luck. I wish you well

[brbm6 6]

Be careful with anti-depressents because some of them can cause weight gain. I know my doctor put me on Wellbutrin because it is not supposed to cause weight gain. I'd ask him which one would be right for you.

[Jess55 97]

I don't think anti depressants work period. I started on them when I was like 12. I was on paxil, concerta and one other one, at different times and I was still very depressed. Finally decided to stop taking them and my meds for a stupid diagnosis of ADD, which I don't think I ever had, when I was like 23. Since I started losing weight after I had my surgery I have not really been depressed since. I do have to say when I started antidepressants I wasn't fat

[CheckYes 46]

Everyone is different. Antidepressants didn't work for me but intensive therapy has been working. It's recently "clicked" for me and I'm feeling better. Ive been depressed since my teenage years... Im almost 40 now.

Can you talk to someone? It honestly has changed my life to have that unconditional support of my therapist.

Antidepressants? Do they work for depression associated withobesity? Am I depressed because I'm obese OR am I obese because I'm depressed? Thewhole chicken and egg scenario. I’d really like to hear from someone who hastaken this type of medication and if it helped. LapBand is on hold for me untilI get new insurance that will cover it. However in the mean while I’ve beenreading all sorts of books, blogs and forums so I am confident with mydecision. I also find myself at my heaviest weight and really not feeling verygood about it. I’m 5’10” and 281 lbs. BMI40’ish with no other major problems. Which is question #2: If I embark on yetanother diet between now and the new insurance. Say my BMI drops below 40 am I now no longer acandidate for the surgery? I’ve been struggling with my weight for last 20 yearsand can certainly prove the last 5 years. I really believe that I am geneticallypredisposed to obesity. That’s where I think the lapband will help me, if my bodyis satisfied with smaller meals then hopefully it will stop storing all thefat. Any insight is appreciated.

[Acadia 20]

Wellbutrin (original or generic) can help ease depression, stop cravings, and help you lose weight so it's an ideal drug for someone struggling with those issues. I speak from experience saying it can and does work. But you can always eat around it. You need counseling at the same time to really get the most benefit. Even an over eaters anonymous group.

[mattie7632 24]

You definitely do not want to take anti-depressents unless you have depression to the point it is impairing your quality of life.

What the doctors WON'T tell you about anti-depressents is:

1. You very possibly will gain weight

2. You may develop liver and/or thyroid issues as a result of taking the med

3. MD's overall have no clue what a good dosage is, so you will likely be given too much or too little. Psychiatrists vs MD's are medication specialists that should prescribe these.

4. Try to stop taking anti-depressents once you've started. The withdrawal effects are positively miserable.

5. There are adverse effects and side effects, as with any drug.

6. Exercise is 100% effective in curing depression as the anti-depressent meds.

My advice, avoid seeking this as a solution unless there is no other.

[saraannie 7]

I love mine....celexa, keeps me from going off the deep end....it's my happy pill!!! I did not gain any weight because of it, and I am still on them, have not gained a pound since 1/20/11

[123crod 170]

You definitely do not want to take anti-depressents unless you have depression to the point it is impairing your quality of life.

If your quality of life involves extreme anxiety or depression for no reason, if you are shutting yourself off from your friends and family, if you spend more time in bed sleeping too much or not sleeping at all at night. If you sometimes feel life is not worth living or you have even thought about hurting yourself You need to see your Dr or counselor right away.

What the doctors WON'T tell you about anti-depressents is:

1. You very possibly will gain weight

not all people gain weight some will and some won't but just workout more if you have too. If you were diabetic would you not take your meds if you gained weight?

2. You may develop liver and/or thyroid issues as a result of taking the med

I have not had a liver problems in the 10 years and had thyriod meds before I started taking antidepressents

3. MD's overall have no clue what a good dosage is, so you will likely be given too much or too little. Psychiatrists vs MD's are medication specialists that should prescribe these.

Have your MD recommended a Psychiatrist and let them work together. A good Dr will start you off on a very low dose and check on you in a week, then 2 weeks, then a month. A good DR will not just give you a prescription and say see you in 6 months. Most meds take about 6 weeks to feel full effects and could make you fill sick the first couple of weeks or days, but it is worth it. What a difference.

4. Try to stop taking anti-depressents once you've started. The withdrawal effects are positively miserable.

Yes if in time your depression becomes better through meds and counceling you might want to wean off them to see if you can manage on your own. I won't lie the withdrawel it terrible no matter who tells you different it is a long slow process. I have done it twice it is HELLl. You are messing with your brain's chemistry. Some pepole will not need to come off of them if the cause of your depression is chemically based

5. There are adverse effects and side effects, as with any drug.

Yes there are side effects some sexual but that is about all for me. Without my med I can't work a 40+ hour week, watch my grandbabies in the evening 3 night a week, . . . .Heck I would eventually stop getting out of bed.

6. Exercise is 100% effective in curing depression as the anti-depressent meds

Exercise DOES NOT cure depression. It can help alot

, avoid seeking this as a solution unless there is no other.

/quote]

If you do not know what is causing your depression, see an MD for any physical reasons and get to a counselor and see if something is bothering you that is causing you to want to overeat. Counselors can teach you great coping skills without meds. But I have to use the meds and the coping skills. I have been through more than 3 year of counseling and my MD says it is a chemical imbalance in my brain and I will probably always be on them, unless God chooses to heal me, which is what I am praying for.

Depression is nothing to be ashamed of. You can not just tell yourself to be happy and it works. But it is no reason to give up either, get some help from both a Dr and a counselor and see what is going on with you. I have dealt with depression for more than ten years and have heared all the things people who have never researched it or never lived through it. have to say and they are wrong.I have very few things to be depressed about but that does not matter if is a chemical imbalnce in my brain. Most people who are overweight are sowhat depressed but that does not mean you will have to take meds. You might need to talk therapy as you lose weight. I for one had LapBand surgery almost 2 years ago lost 84 lbs and holding. Depression might even be worse know that before. I knew there was nothing to cure my depression (except God's Healing), but the surgery would deal with the weight and I would not have to deal with both. Hope all that rambling helps

cheri