Venting Medication and Weight Gain,

[pinkbluebutch]

I know it's somewhat normal to gain some weight when beginning new medications but it just feels so horrible to not recognize my own body. I've never been thin and I've largely gotten over the desire to be so, but I feel I was at a healthy-ish weight and now I just keep getting bigger and I don't understand. My diet and habits haven't changed, except now I'm medicated (escitalopram and methylphenidate for curious minds). It feels so hard to know what I look like or how to feel about myself. Realistically, self hatred and starvation are proven to only exacerbate weight issues and cause more weight gain. It feels like such a paradox, because the medication that theoretically helps me also seems to be making me gain weight in a way I don't want to.

I guess I'm curious how other people are dealing with or would consider dealing with this. By chance, I lost my medicine bottle somewhere so I've been off my meds for a bit which has made me much more prone to anxiety and depression, and now I'm considering just giving up on them completely so I have a shot at returning to my old weight. I don't know, but I feel like a stranger in my own body and I hate it. I hate knowing how much space I take up in the world and in a room and it makes me feel so much more suicidal because I know there are negative perceptions that come with being larger and I feel like a burden on society because of it. It's so hard to find a balance between those feelings and the "logic brain" that tells me my weight doesn't define my worth and the most effective and rational thing to do is to accept myself in whatever form I take.

Self-hatred is so much more satisfying than growth because it feels correct.

 

[LittleJem]

This is really difficult I know for so many of us on medication.

My friend went from size 8 to size 20 on a medication - but that medication saved her life.

fluoexetine can't spell it is the best ssri re weight gain if you haven[t tried it yet. But then a working medication is GOLD.

The weight gain is really hard to accept. Been seen and judged by other people or being seen as a larger person by friends and family. I now consider myself obese though my weight gain has been from stoner diet not my medication (though the one that is helping me is notorious for massive weight gain - mirtazapine). I am now on a low/no carb diet and restriced calories/MyFitness Pal app. At least it gives me something to do...

In general huge sympathy. I think the answer is to put mental health before vanity, but our vanity does affect our mental health.

 

[drugfiend]

I've gained a bit of weight on the medications I'm currently taking. It definitely doesn't help if you already had self-image issues that you were dealing with before starting the medication(s). It's one of those things you gotta weigh out like on a lawyer balance scale. At least that's what I've found. If the benefits you're getting from the medication outweigh (no pun intended) how you feel about the weight you've gained since starting the medication, stick with it! But if you're finding it's causing you more trouble than it's worth, that's maybe a discussion between you and your doctor. Wishing you the best.

 

[theboy]

There was a time when I gained a lot of weight because of the medications and in fact, they wanted to give me one that would make me worse in that sense. Now, I am on medication and I feel that the physical exercises I do are not helping along with my diet because I am not losing weight. it's really frustrating. i understand u

 

[restless.dreams]

I feel you, I've been experiencing something similar after being prescribed mirtazapine. I love your profile pic btw! Have you spoken to your doctor about trying a different medication?

though the one that is helping me is notorious for massive weight gain - mirtazapine

Well that would explain why my sugar cravings are through the roof :')

 

[OICU812]

I hate knowing how much space I take up in the world and in a room and it makes me feel so much more suicidal because I know there are negative perceptions that come with being larger and I feel like a burden on society because of it. It's so hard to find a balance between those feelings and the "logic brain" that tells me my weight doesn't define my worth and the most effective and rational thing to do is to accept myself in whatever form I take.

Well I can't comment on weight gain from medication... But I can comment on weight gain. Throughout my life I have gained 100 pounds, lost 100 pounds, gained 100 pounds, and lost 100 pounds... I'm living proof of the yo-yo diet. I lost the weight when I started running and eating healthier, and when I stopped I gained it all back. I guess what I'm trying to say is who cares what other people think of you. It took me my whole life to learn that. I used to care what others thought of me, now I don't care at all. And try to lighten up on your self-criticism. After all, "You are your own worst critic!"

 

[InAgony]

My strategy is always to eat less, but then I get to breaking point with it and come off the meds. Escitalopram didn't seem to be doing much to help me so that wasn't a problem and the Olazapine I just used temporarily to get back on track and then Aripiprazole permenantly because it doesn't cause me to gain weight, but does the same as Olanzapine.

Maybe talk to your psychiatrist - they can advise you on which medications won't cause weight gain and maybe you could switch to those like I did.

 

[Hollowman]

When I stopped taking that neurotoxic garbage thirty pounds melted off me in two months. Probably lucky I didn't get diabetes.

 

[IonicLemon69]

hey pinkblue, i know the feeling :( i went from honestly severely underweight to overweight in under a year on medication i have to take daily. gained 70 pounds. been awhile now & still havent accepted the change. i look back at old photos of myself & can see i was very unhealthy but atleast i was confident in myself at the time :( now im ashamed of my body!

 

[pinkbluebutch]

This is really difficult I know for so many of us on medication.

My friend went from size 8 to size 20 on a medication - but that medication saved her life.

fluoexetine can't spell it is the best ssri re weight gain if you haven[t tried it yet. But then a working medication is GOLD.

The weight gain is really hard to accept. Been seen and judged by other people or being seen as a larger person by friends and family. I now consider myself obese though my weight gain has been from stoner diet not my medication (though the one that is helping me is notorious for massive weight gain - mirtazapine). I am now on a low/no carb diet and restriced calories/MyFitness Pal app. At least it gives me something to do...

In general huge sympathy. I think the answer is to put mental health before vanity, but our vanity does affect our mental health.

Thanks for this reply, it's super informative and I definitely agree. It's hard with all the social judgment and restrictions that come along with gaining weight, especially since that can put a damper in the positive things medication does for mental health.

I feel you, I've been experiencing something similar after being prescribed mirtazapine. I love your profile pic btw! Have you spoken to your doctor about trying a different medication?


Well that would explain why my sugar cravings are through the roof :')

no, i never thought about bringing it up with my psychiatrist but i definitely will now, i think it's just scary since my meds have worked REALLy well for my mental health so far. also thanks haha, i love yours as well.

hey pinkblue, i know the feeling :( i went from honestly severely underweight to overweight in under a year on medication i have to take daily. gained 70 pounds. been awhile now & still havent accepted the change. i look back at old photos of myself & can see i was very unhealthy but atleast i was confident in myself at the time :( now im ashamed of my body!

aw, im sorry you're having a hard time, I wish there wasnt such a stigma associated with weight (especially weight gain) because the way people tie morality to weight definitely impacts those of us just trying to stay alive.

 

[melancholymallory03]

I know it's somewhat normal to gain some weight when beginning new medications but it just feels so horrible to not recognize my own body. I've never been thin and I've largely gotten over the desire to be so, but I feel I was at a healthy-ish weight and now I just keep getting bigger and I don't understand. My diet and habits haven't changed, except now I'm medicated (escitalopram and methylphenidate for curious minds). It feels so hard to know what I look like or how to feel about myself. Realistically, self hatred and starvation are proven to only exacerbate weight issues and cause more weight gain. It feels like such a paradox, because the medication that theoretically helps me also seems to be making me gain weight in a way I don't want to.

I guess I'm curious how other people are dealing with or would consider dealing with this. By chance, I lost my medicine bottle somewhere so I've been off my meds for a bit which has made me much more prone to anxiety and depression, and now I'm considering just giving up on them completely so I have a shot at returning to my old weight. I don't know, but I feel like a stranger in my own body and I hate it. I hate knowing how much space I take up in the world and in a room and it makes me feel so much more suicidal because I know there are negative perceptions that come with being larger and I feel like a burden on society because of it. It's so hard to find a balance between those feelings and the "logic brain" that tells me my weight doesn't define my worth and the most effective and rational thing to do is to accept myself in whatever form I take.

Self-hatred is so much more satisfying than growth because it feels correct.

Antipsychotics Like a cocktail of
Olanzapine, seroquel , prazosin ( for nightmares but still) and risperidone/ risperidal
ALL caused over 50 pound weight gain in me
I was already skinny to begin with, so wasn't " overweight " but super insecure and did not feel like myself. Also was still so depressed !!!!

 

[Yarani]

Here's a systematic review from 2019 about side effects of antidepressants and antipsychotics.
It contains tables with an overview of the analyzed side effects, including weight gain (pp. 12-13 of 17).
Maybe it helps with informed decisions.