Anti-Depressants and WLS

I'm under the care of a psychiatrist and psychologist and currently taking a lineup of anti-depressants (This started before my WLS) and I'm still working with my doctor to get my hormones and psyche in check. Not to mention, I think the sudden weight loss has me even more crazy than usual. My scale hasn't moved much in 2 weeks, does anyone else have issues with this? Is it one of the dreaded stalls I keep reading about or is it attributed to being on anti-depressants? I went into his office on Friday in tears, ready to get off of everything, because I haven't noticed a significant improvement in my mental well-being since I started, and I don't want to risk medication holding me back. We changed up my meds when I had surgery because he thought I would do better on the current line up due to absorption issues. Any insight on the is would be greatly appreciated. 

Hi hon,

I think you and I are both about the same length of time since surgery so I'm no WLS expert here, but I have been on antidepressants since the 1970's.  I attribute my "recovery" from severe Depression (1976 - 1990 was severe, since 1990 I've been doing very well), to the modern antidepressants such as Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, etc.  More recently my psychiatrist has supplemented my Zoloft with Abilify and all of a sudden I noticed how blue the sky was and how beautiful the world was!  Not trying to tell your psychiatrist what to prescribe for you, but if you haven't tried Abilify, it's really amazing and it works with the antidepressant you're already on.

I, too, have been on a weight loss stall.  I'm curious what the experts on here have to say about antidepressants and weight loss.  I know weight gain is a side effect of many antidepressants.  Still, I would say to you, DO NOT stop taking your antidepressants.  Even if they are causing our weight loss to be slower, I think the weight WILL come off and your mental health is worth so much.  Some antidepressants are less likely to have weight gain as a side effect so I'd say ask your psychiatrist to prescribe one(s) least likely to cause weight gain.

I'd also be interested in what the seasoned veterans have to say about antidepressants and absorption issues since my psychiatrist has not changed my meds and maybe she should?

Finally, remember antidepressants often take several weeks to kick in, so if your psychiatrist just changed your meds, it may take a while for the new ones to take effect.  So hang in there.  Hopefully you'll feel better soon and that stubborn scale will start to move again, too.

Hugs!

~ Karen  :)

Kakesie,

I am SO GLAD you replied...cause guess what my psych just prescribed me on Friday to supplement my Zoloft...Abilify. Too funny! I have tried a myriad of things, Effexor, Celexa, Lamictal, and I started the Zoloft when I had surgery. Your advice is great and something I need to keep in mind. Now I have another question for you, I'm on 10 mg of Abilify, did or does it make you nauseous when you take it? It does me, but that sometimes is the case when I start any new psych med. And I just started it Friday. I'm also on Klonopin when my anxiety gets really bad, but the Zoloft has almost completely made it unnecessary. 

I'm so excited that you're on Abilify.  It made a HUGE difference for me and I'll bet it will for you, too.  I've taken 10 mg. of Abilify also.  I think right now I'm taking 7.5 mg.  I don't remember any nausea when I started taking it.  I take it at night, though and go to sleep so if I was nauseous I probably just slept through it.  Hopefully your nausea will go away soon.  I also take Klonopin at night for Restless Limb Syndrome, which helps me sleep.  We're twins!  LOL! 

~ Karen  :)

No doubt. That's another reason I'm on the Klonopin is RLS.

I've also dealt with long term psych meds pre and post op. I lost a total of 230 lbs while on them so I can't say it had any effect on my ability to lose weight. Just bc of life and blah blah, my mental health deteriorated a couple years post op, and I found myself on 4 different psych meds. I did regain 90 lbs but only bc I ate every one of those calories. It had nothing to do with the meds. Now that I'm 4.5-5yrs out, I have managed to relose 50 lbs in less than 4 months being on all these meds. So again I don't think the meds are affecting me at all.

Side note - klonopin is great and I took it 2-3x a week for years but it subdued me to the point that I would just sit/lay around and do nothing. My psych recently took me off it for whatever reasons (I actually don't need it anymore). I'm also on ability and absolutely love it. It definitely changed my life. 

Side note 2 and totally unrelated : I joined and got actively involved in Overeaters anonymous which is teaching me a different way to live and has gotten me to a point where I'm no longer depressed and living with anxiety for the first time in my LIFE. This is the first time in my 30+ years of life where I am present, living life, have friends, etc - I can't really say why or what it is about the program that has helped much more than my years of therapy but it works. I highly recommend it :)

I am on Lexapro and I really enjoy it.  I have anxiety that I still deal with, but the Lexapro makes it tolerable. With this surgery my anxiety manifests itself as, "Am I still loosing? Is this all I am going to lose? Am I doing this right?"  I feel your pain with stalls.  They suck!

You ladies and this group are the best, thanks for helping me stay sane and on track! 

I am coming out of the closet. I hate to admit that I am on a slew of anti-depressants and was on them before surgery. I have had to change a few meds after surgery d/t a reaction that gave me symptoms of a heart attack and caused an irregular EKG it was scary.

Stalls are common. I went a month without losing anything then lost 10 lbs quickly to stall again.

Good Luck

Just wanted to pipe in and say that Zoloft made me very mean and irritated and I had sexual side affects . I was put on Wellbutrin which can actually help with weight loss and no sexual side effects . I'm definatley going to see about adding abilify if that's an option for me