Question:
What antidepressants are most effective to control compulsive eating pre & post WLS?
I've used prozac but I'm currently on serzone. While serzone seems to be helping me cope with day to day stress/anxiety, I feel like it has greatly inhibited my ability to control what I eat. Also, could anyone recommend a wls sensitive shrink in the Baltimore/WashingtonDC area? — Laura A. (posted on February 10, 2001)
February 10, 2001
I think antidepressants have different effects on each person. I
personally am on Zoloft and it works wonders for me. I have a friend who
was on it for a short time, and she had the weirdest side effects. This is
something that might be on a trial and error type thing.
— Patti S.
February 10, 2001
Personally speaking, I think the antidepressants were my downfall. I
started really gaining weight after I started taking Zoloft. After 2 years
of Prozac and 8 years of Zoloft I have gained about 100 pounds. I even had
a doctor tell me that Zoloft will cause weight gain in some people, one
side effect that they don't tell you. By the time I get scheduled for
surgery I hope to be off them.
— Paula G.
February 10, 2001
I am on Celexa at this time, I haven't noticed that it affected my eating
habits. I started on Paxil and that did seem to make me hungrier. And I'm
sorry, but I don't know anyone in the Balt/DC area!
— capodo
February 10, 2001
I've been very happy with Effexor XR. Although I was not a compulsive
eater pre-op, Effexor XR eliminated food cravings entirely, as well as
improving mood and energy and decreasing muscle pain from fibromyalgia.
Post-op, I needed to increase my dose from 150 mg to 225 mg per day b/c of
malabsorption. Others have had good luck switching from the XR (extended
release form) to tablets.In the past, I gained >100# taking elavil!
Later, I tried zoloft; my muscle pain/stiffness were gone entirely, but I
was lethargic and craved starchy foods. As you suspect,anti-depressant Rxs
can have a significant effect on appetite and eating behaviors.
— Linda B.
February 10, 2001
Serzone can lead to weight gain. If you go off of it be sure you are not
put on Zyprexa. Like Elavil it will make you gain 80-100 pounds. Usually
Prozac is the best.
— Mary H.
February 10, 2001
Oh honey I have taken just about every antideppressant out there. I have
taken desyrel, paxil, prozac, zoloft, serezone, effexor, celexa, luvox,
wellebutrin, and pamelor. Luvox is for obsessive compulsive disorder mostly
and when I took it I had no desire to eat but I also felt "dopped
up" all the time. So I switched to wellebutrin and this will be the
last one I will ever have to take. It is working. I have not lost the 150
pounds that I need to loose but it doesn't make me crave food like the
other ones did. They say most people who are depressed loose weight - I
haven't seen it. I swear by Wellebutrin - it makes me feel the most like
myself - my own thoughts and feelings, it doesn't interfer with your sex
drive and it doesn't induce that hunger that the other ones do. Now alot of
doctors are reluctant to put you on wellebutrin because it has a higher
siezure threshold. But if you get a doctor who is familiar with prescribing
it he will know that there is only a risk of a seizure if your dosage is
over 450. I am at 400 a day and I have never had a seizure. Good luck
— K T.
February 11, 2001
Antidepressants will not help you lose weight! Some people will lose on
Prozac, but I certainly wasn't one of those people. Also, once they get
used to Prozac they usually gain the lost weight back.
— Betty Todd
February 16, 2001
I hate to disagree with Mary but, I gained 40 pounds on Prozac and so did
my daughter. I don't have an answer for you but just wanted to add my two
cents to this.
— Barbara H.
February 17, 2001
When I was on Prozac, I immediately gained 40 lbs and kept it on. When my
doc switched me to Effexor, I lost 19 lbs. He told me it is the same
medicine as in Meridian, that weight loss med you see advertised on TV. My
elderly mom is on Paxil, and she is always hungry! I think I might suggest
to her doc that she needs another kind of antidepressant. Hopefully he
agrees.......Jane
— jane W.
February 17, 2001
They use Zyban/wellebutrin to quite smoking and when they put me on
wellebutrin I lost a good bit of weight. I have noticed that I'm not
obsessed with food the way I was before I started taking it. They also use
Luvox(sp) for obsessive compulsive disorder and it make me not want to eat
but it also depressed me even more.
— K T.
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