Weight gain

Hi all,
Okay, I know I should be happy that I found a combo that is seemingly working for the most part. BUT!! I am gaining weight like a pregnant woman! In December I added a low dose promethazine and daily low dose of Klonopin, AND raised my Cymbalta by 10mg. Iā€™m not sure which drug is doing it, or if they are all ganging up on me, but I have NEVER gained weight for no apparent reason. My mom keeps saying itā€™s my age, 45. Hormones etcā€¦blah blah blah, but I am not amused! Muffin tops are only good on a bakery shelf lolā€¦If this is as bad as it gets, okay, Iā€™ll deal with it. But itā€™s just snowballingā€¦and I canā€™t help but wonder if itā€™s something to do with my sugar levels/insulin/metabolismā€¦which canā€™t be good.
Sighā€¦if itā€™s not one thing, itā€™s another pain in the butt!!!

Kelley

Kelley, I hear ya on the aggrivation with weight gain while on meds!! I gained 30 pounds on Celexa, which was the big reason I wanted off of that med. I had gained 50 pounds during pregnancy, but lost all of it plus an additional 10 pounds within five months of giving birth and was down to my lowest weight in 8 years. Then about 7 months into the Celexa I started to gain weight, and it didnā€™t take long to get the extra pounds on.

Iā€™ve never, ever been this heavy outside of pregnancy, and never had issues keeping my weight normal, even in times when I wasnā€™t exercising. These extra pounds are so frustrating! Iā€™m struggling to get them off right now. I meet my neurologist on Wednesday to talk about the next step since Prozac is turning out to not be the drug for me, and I think Iā€™m going to ask to try topamaxā€“and hope I get the side effect of weight loss :slight_smile:

It sucks to gain weight because of meds. And it sucks even more when doctors tell you itā€™s not because of the meds. Thereā€™s no way my diet changed that much to gain 30 pounds. And I was still nursing, which takes extra daily calories. Blah. Damn you muffin top!! (Iā€™ve noticed the weight gain a lot in my mid-section)

Hey Kelley ā€¦ erm muffin top :wink: ,

I know the feeling too well. While I was on 15 mg of Cipramil it just kept piling on. I must have been eating more but it never seemed like that much more and I was certain Cip was altering my metabolism on top of turning me into a carb whore. My guess is that itā€™s Cymbalta doing it to ya. I know Effexor has this effect on lots of people. A guy I knew from university days is a real porker at the moment on some 150 mg of the stuff.

Do you think youā€™re eating more? Is your routine exactly as it was pre Cymbalta days? I used to get, ā€œyouā€™re just getting olderā€ BS as well but once I cut Cip out completely, the weight literally fell off in about 6 weeks. From 90 to 75 kg or 200 to 165 lbs.

I was sporting some pretty sexy man boobs at its peak. :lol:

S

Gee Scott
Victoriaā€™s secret must have loved the extra business it was getting! :slight_smile:
I donā€™t know if itā€™s Cymbalta, since the first year I was on it, I didnā€™t gain an ounce. Literally, it started in December and thatā€™s when I made the medicine changes. SInce I am on 3 meds that ā€œcalmā€ the central nervous system, I imagine that it could be any of them, but certainly all of them together canā€™t be good. The balance of Sero and NE in Cymbalta makes it pretty weight neutral. I am going to talk to my p-doc this week and see what he says. I am thinking of maybe trying Wellbutrin as a add on, and seeing if I can cut down the Cymbalta? IDKā€¦itā€™s so frustrating. I think I need to go back to that era where big fatties were considered sexyā€¦was that the Renaissance years? Maybe they were all on antidepressantsā€¦lolā€¦
Kelley

I am really struggling with this! For me theculpritsseem to be verapamil and zoloft! 20 pounfs since the fall and i am not happy! Double whammy with hormone stuff! We shall see!

Hey Kelley!
If you end up on Wellbutrin and stay on the Celexa, looks like weā€™ll be on pretty similar medications. By June 24th I can purchase the Wellbutrin and Iā€™m still on Citalopram. It might actually be something worth looking into. To me, the increased libido and weight loss is looking pretty tempting to me. Also, increased attention and energy. So not only will you likely to lose weight because of decreased appetite, but youā€™ll have more energy to workout, etc. Just recently I got into the workout ā€œInsanityā€ and I frickinā€™ love it! Seriously, if anyone is looking into finding a new workout regime ā€“ d/l it online and itā€™s a ton of fun and really gives you a great workout. Iā€™ve been having a pretty good amount of energy from the 60mg of Nori, but I think Iā€™m going to get off because it hasnā€™t touched my dizziness/ everything looking off.

Btw: Iā€™m sure Iā€™ve already said this a million time, but donā€™t get the generic Wellbutrin,
http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2007/04/23/side-effects-of/

Kelley,

If I had my choice, I would choose feeling good / great over gaining a few pounds.

Alasā€¦I am not a woman and do not always know where they are coming from :o)

However, I am altering our dinner plans this summer when you and your husband come visit us:

He and I will be having New York steaks with gorgonzola cheese drizzled over it, fresh sauted seafood grilled with butter, old bay, and wineā€¦grilled veggies on the bar-b-q with some good spices, yada yada yada.

In light of your dietary concerns, I will be serving you some lettuce leafs, raw carrots, and some yummy little brussel sprouts :lol:

Amber ale and vino for your hubby, my wife and me. I am getting you some fresh chilled vegetable juice :smiley:

Just kiddingā€¦we are all going to pork out and sit by the fire after slaying the fish and drink till our little hearts desire!

Take care kiddoā€¦Todd

Ah Todd, you joker :slight_smile:

If only weight gain were an issue with vanity. My cholesterol levels, while always borderline high, are higher than ever as a result of the weight gain and I had to start on cholesterol meds. My issue is genetics, as itā€™s been high since my late teens. But thatā€™s just one example of how weight gain can have negative impacts to other aspects of your healthā€“cholesterol levels rise with weight gain.

So for me, the weight gain has been a concern more than just the feeling lousy having to buy larger sized clothing, itā€™s knowing that other areas of my health are impacted.

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:jHCxZ2dCjisJ:www.healthcentral.com/migraine/h/wellbutrin-migraine.html+wellbutrin+and+migraine&cd=6&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&source=www.google.com

ā€œFor some people, yes, Wellbutrin is a good Migraine preventive that can reduce both the frequency and intensity of Migraine with aura (formerly called classic Migraine).ā€

I have gained about 10 kilos on Prothiaden. Luckily I donā€™t have any associated health issues (Anne, that is a bummer) and am still within the healthy range. But, aesthetically, yuck! I hate it. The weight gain is one of the reasons Iā€™m off it (as of yesterday, completely off!).

But, I would start taking the Prothiaden again in a heartbeat if my symptoms come back like they have been before. It got me out of hell - a housebound, miserable, unrelenting hell. So I will forgive it the 10 kilos. A few kilos or a shitful existence - no contest.

Vic

Todd,
You are too funny. I guess thatā€™s part of the problem. I havenā€™t changed my eatingā€¦didnā€™t realize I was going to have to make such changes since this came up on me all of the suddenā€¦well the last 6 months anyway. I figured working out would be the key to losing it or keeping it at bay, but apparently not. I think I need to have my bloodwork done to check my liver and sugar/cholesterolā€¦those things seem to be impacted with this stuff. But I will be eating Toddā€™s feast regardlessā€¦just need to find myself some elastic waist pants.
Vic
I agreeā€¦I would prefer to be plump over desperate and miserablly ill, but I may need to change things up since this seems to be a one way, fastrack on the weight gain. Iā€™ve gained 2 more pounds since last weekā€¦no change in lifestyleā€¦itā€™s frustratingā€¦I know you know. How are you doing med free? Iā€™m so happy for you!!
Kelley

Kelley - I took Cymbalta 3 years ago for my ā€œfibroā€ diagnosis and I gained 4 pounds in 2 weeks which is a lot on a petite frame and bloated up like a balloonā€¦ itā€™s notorious for weight gain. If you feel good, thatā€™s great. Iā€™m with Todd - that may be the tough tradeoff. Have a great feast at Toddā€™s Seattle Cookery.
Gail

Kelley,

I saw a recent picture of you on Facebook - you are stil one smokinā€™ fox so I donā€™t know where you are hiding these alleged kilos :wink: .

I actually havenā€™t lost any weight since stopping the meds - yikes! I donā€™t know if this is because Iā€™m older, slower metabolism, got into bad but unnoticed habits or what. Anyway, in the scheme of things itā€™s not the end of the world. I have grand plans of diet and (more) exercise but Iā€™m not known for my willpower in those areas. I stopped smoking just like that, no problems at all. I can cut out booze no problem. But chocolateā€¦sigh.

MAV wise Iā€™m doing really pretty well thanks Kelley. I few zings and wobbles since cutting out the Prothiaden completely but as for each time I titrated down Iā€™m using a little Valium till it settles. Iā€™m cautiously optimistic! :smiley:

Vic

Vic,
Firstly, thank you for the complimentā€¦I will send you a full frontal shot with my belly hanging out so you know I speak only the truth. :slight_smile:
You crack me up with your sense of humorā€¦! I donā€™t mind being a little porkish, but I just donā€™t want to get hog-ishā€¦so I"m hoping thereā€™s an end it sight.
Glad you are off the medsā€¦I dream of that one day!
Hugs,
Kelley

ā€” Begin quote from ā€œVictoriaā€

I saw a recent picture of you on Facebook - you are stil one smokinā€™ fox so I donā€™t know where you are hiding these alleged kilos :wink: .

ā€” End quote

Amen to that sister - I think these extra kilos are hiding in her sun hatā€¦ coz either I need to go to Spec Savers or my girl is looking in one of those Crazy Mirrors at the funfair!!

ā€” Begin quote from ā€œMuppoā€

ā€” Begin quote from ā€œVictoriaā€

I saw a recent picture of you on Facebook - you are stil one smokinā€™ fox so I donā€™t know where you are hiding these alleged kilos :wink: .

ā€” End quote

Amen to that sister - I think these extra kilos are hiding in her sun hatā€¦ coz either I need to go to Spec Savers or my girl is looking in one of those Crazy Mirrors at the funfair!!

ā€” End quote

She keeps them in her bikini top :wink: And I really do mean that in the nicest possible way - curves in all the right places, lucky thing!

Does anybody know of or experienced Wellbutrin for a vestibular disorder? Itā€™s the next thing Iā€™m going to try. It seems to help with concentration and energy, two things I need for my senior year at LSU. Even if it doesnā€™t clear up the dizziness and I can focus, itā€™ll get me through and hopefully I can find some time to start trying another med after that. Perhaps, Effexor.

Warning, re Effexor: someone close to me has been weaning off Effexor, which she blames for low energy, low libido, etc. Sick (irregularly nauseous) for weeks while reducing the dose, and tells me she was warned she may be still periodically feeling sick etc. for 1-3 months now that sheā€™s zeroed it out.

wow is this the thread for me.My mom passed away in May and and I made it back to the states in time to see her.However have been taking verapamil which was causing some weight gain and started amitriptile in April which seemed to be working but was putting on the kilos,got here and woke up last week and hearing had tanked.
Have been on steroids for the past 7 days and am eating like there is no tomorrow.
Thank God I am tall,being in the midwest of the USA doesnā€™t help either so much food! Itā€™s everywhere.
Have found a good neurotologist and hopefully he can figure out what is going on with my ears.

For the Love of God, another 5 pounds since I started this thread. NO changes, other than working out more consistentlyā€¦at this rate, Iā€™m going to be a blimp in no time.
and PS for those that are teasing me about those photos on facebook, they are not recent! That is why I keep them on there!! Truly, this weight has come on in the last 3 monthsā€¦15 pounds so farā€¦something must changeā€¦

Kelley