Need Help with my meds...Please?

Question

ok here is the deal. I am on Celexa during the day for my depression. And Seroquel at night for my mood swings and to help me sleep.

Well here is the problem...My seroquel's side effects is weight gain..Well it got me...I have gained a total of 27 pounds in 4 months and 15 of that is in the past 5 weeks.

So my question(s) are....What else can I suggest to my Dr (witch I do have an appt with in 2 weeks)

Cuz with this weight gain I am MISERABLE!!!

And when my dr gave me this med it was supposed to help me sleep to. it helped for a couple weeks now I am back to getting up at like 2am and having the worst time getting back to sleep....

So if anyone knows how what or whatever I can say to my dr

Thanks...I hope I made sense

Oh and I am on 100mg of the Seroguel

Answer 1

I had the same problem with zoloft. So i stopped taking it for like 6 months. But then I had all my symptoms again so I just started taking it again. I guess it boils down to watching what you eat and exercising to lose the weight.

you were probably not eating a whole lot because you were depressed and/or anxious and once you started the meds you felt happy again and began to eat! I know thats why I gained weight.

I went to the drs and asked for another anti anxiety med that would cause weight loss or at least not cause weight gain, they prescribed prozac, but It didnt work as well as zoloft.

For me, taking the zoloft and feeling whole is more important then the weight gain and I am willing to work extra hard to lose the weight.

Answer 2

seroguel knocked me on my butt and i couldn't get off the couch. personally, i take pexeva now.  i also gained a lot of weight in the beginning.  since it's already happening, you need to make the conscience effort to watch what you eat.  anti-d's give munchies so you need to learn to ignore the cravings.  plan your meals and how much you plan to eat.  make sure it matches how you ate before starting the meds.  btw-i started taking vyvanse for add in addition to biplor and dropped 60 pounds in 6 months.  make sure you doc knows you are concered about the weight gain.

Answer 3

Don't wait 2 weeks to go see your doctor.  You're on one medication to get you a certain place in the day, then another at night to change that.  That can really, really send you spiraling quickly.  Heck, without medications, two weeks of poor sleep can wreak havoc on somebody...when you're involving medications it only makes it more difficult.

The weight gain is something you're going to probably have to deal with right now unless the medication changes.  But, is temporary weight gain worth a lifetime of happiness as you work through your issues?  Weight gain is obviously a huge issue for people, physically and socially.  So let me make this a bit easier...

Let's say I told you that for 6 months you couldn't use your left arm.  It would still be there, just completely limp and unusable.  After that 6 months your arm would work just fine again and a briefcase filled with $5 million would show up on your doorstep.  How would you feel about that temporary arm situation then?

Again though, don't wait to see your doctor.  Two weeks is too long to wait.  Demand an answer that works for you, don't simply be talked into "well try this".  And write down all your issue and symptoms ahead of time so you can't forget anything when you're talking to your doctor.

Answer 4

Although I've never taken either of those medications, I've taken a TON of anti-depressants in my day. I currently take Effexor. I love it, but know others who do not. The main problem with any of these medications is that they effect each person so differently so it's hard to get an opinion that is going to help you personally. You need to try to be patient and work with your doctor to find the right medicine for you. Of course trying hard to watch what you eat is one thing, but sometimes the medication itself causes bloating and can lead to weight gain through no fault of your own. Plenty of people report crazy things happening to them with Ambien, but I take it regularly and have had no problems. Tell your doctor about your concerns and that if the medicine was working wonders you might be able to put up with a little weight gain, but since it is not working for you anyway, you must insist that you try something else. Good luck!

Answer 5

Anti-psychotics (such as Seroquel) are known to cause massive weight gain and many of these anti-psychotics have even been linked to the development of type 2 diabetes.  This is not healthy, but some people need the mental stabilization so badly that they must take this risk.  You might be one of these people, you might not, I'd suggest you talk to your doctor, let him know your concerns and he should work with you to choose a safer medication that you are more comfotable with or possibly lower your dosage. If he is a good doctor, he'll do that.  It could take some time trying to find the right meds/combination, one thing to consider is can you take this risk?

Personally, I think these medications should'nt be taken long term, unless it is absolutely neccessary as it has so many harmful side effects.  I think they should be used for a trial period of at the most 16 months and a more safer form of treatment should replace it.  

Answer 6

I'd ask about Prozac if I were you.  It makes me sleepy, so I take it at night.  It curbs the appetite too.  The only negative side effect of Prozac is a significant loss of sexual appetite.  You decide which you prefer.