Weaning off Paxil and gainning weight....anyone else had this?

T

trprwife

Cathlete
Hi all. I was wondering if anyone else has had weight gain when weanning off of a drug such as Paxil or Zoloft. I am sooo frustrated. When I was on the meds I had no problem with my weight. Now, it seems my weight gain corresponds to my step down program. Is it just my imagination? I swear every time I cut it back, I gain about 2#. I am so frustrated, I can't take it. It is making me so depressed. I can't fit into almost any of my clothes from last summer.....that were big on me yet. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated.

Kim
 
I have not noticed any weight game but I know that was the WORST I have EVER felt comming off any kind of medication. I felt bad for two weeks after I was finished taking Paxil and all I wanted to do was eat and did not have any desire to work out. I felt worse than why I got on Paxil in the first place. I wish I could tell you more on the weight gain but i can only imagine if you felt anything like I did that is enough to make you gain. I am not sure where you are in the weaning off process but for me it was about two weeks after I got off that I started feeling like myself again and was ready to get back with my program. During the time prior I just decided to lighten up on myself and not worry about exercise or diet until I felt better.I do not know your situation but wanted to mention that I started taking SAMe which you can get at a health food store and I really think it is helping me. I am DONE with taking any other anti-depressant!!! s

Good luck!!!
 
I am so glad to read this thread. You've both made me feel 'okay'. I recently gained weight and was wanting to(and doing it)eat all the time. I was terribly moody and exhausted. I couldn't figure out what was going on. I knew it was hormonal, but couldn't figure why....PMS wasn't the problem as the symptoms were all the time. I went off Welbutrin about 6 weeks ago. I went off as slow as humanly possible by cutting the med 1/4 dosage for a week at a time. I felt fine for 3 weeks. I guess it stayed in my system that long. After that, boom! I went down fast. Welbutrin appeared to give me energy so I want to be back on it, but I'd rather find something at the healthfood store instead. Does this SAMe give any energy changes, or just the mood help?
 
RE: Weaning off Paxil and gainning weight....anyone els...

I have to agree with boydjess that Paxil was HORRIBLE to come off of. I had nightmares for two weeks, felt extremelty dizzy, and suffered from malaise. Maybe people's different body chemistries react differently but this was one ugly drug to come off of!! I'm not on any antidepressants right now so I can't comment on one, but for me, I would defitnitely stay away from Paxil.


Sherry http://www.gif-seite.de/vorschaubilder/smilies/laola.gif

http://www.picturetrail.com/Peanut7
 
I forgot about the nightmares that was a side effect for me as well. My husband was on Effexor and had horrible nightmares as well when he got off of them.

As for the SAM-e the one I take has B-6 & B-12 in it as well. I think that I have energy but not the kind where you are bouncing off the walls. I have noticed that I am more patient with my kids and tend to laugh more. I am not a depressed person but more just one of those people that can't sit still and does not know the meaning of the word relax. I do not think any of the medications will cure everything but I do think it has helped a little. I am all about natural now after my Paxil experience. I read about SAM-e in the April issue of Energy magazine. They recommed taking 400 milligrams per day in two does of 200 milligrams each. They recommend a brand called Jarrow. The one I take is by Superior. I do not think the Jarrow has the B-6 & B-12 in it. I am not sure if it really makes a difference or not. The lady at my local health food store told me that when you are stressed your body is depleated of the B vitamins.

I thought you might like this info that was posted in Energy. "There is a natural nutrient called SAM-e that has been tested in dozens of scientfic studies as a treatment for mild depression. The research has conclusively shown that SAM-e is not only safer, with no know side effects, but is likely just as effective (if not more effective) at treating mild depression than most of the tri-cyclic anti-depressant drugs. And on top of all that, it is great for joint pain as well."
 
RE: Weaning off Paxil and gainning weight....anyone els...

OK confession. I've been able to reduce my dose of paxil a little but have never been able to get off it. I just completely crash when I go any lower than where I am now on it.

Edith :+
 
RE: Weaning off Paxil and gainning weight....anyone els...

Edith,

I have a similar problem with a drug I'm on. I can go down to the very lowest dosage and then my body just goes "nuts!" I wonder if sometimes it is psychological. Knowing that we're getting just that teeny bit keeps us from going crazy. I know I've gone down to doses so low, they wouldn't affect a fly, yet when I try to get comletely off, all of my symtptoms recur with a vengeance! x( I've been trying to figure that one out for 22 years! :+


Sherry http://www.gif-seite.de/vorschaubilder/smilies/laola.gif

http://www.picturetrail.com/Peanut7
 
Thank you all so much for your replies. I feel so much better now. I too have had terrible withdrawal symptoms from that drug. Very sluggish, tired, no motivation....not to mention sick to my stomach, headaches, VERY moody....worse than before I went on it. My neighbor knows a nurse and she said it could take 6 weeks for the drug to finally get out of your system. And I have read that getting off of this drug is just terrible. My doctor originally wanted to wean me off in 3 weeks....from 40 mg to nothing....in 3 weeks. I had to step in and say no way. I am so glad I did. I have been weaning myself off soooooo incredibly slowly...over about 2 months and I still have about 3 weeks to go yet....and I still had those terrible side effects. I can't imagine doing it in 3 weeks. I cried all the time telling my husband that I was so sick and tired of being sick and tired. I did NOT feel like myself. I have just started feeling better in the last week or two. I don't think my weight gain was a direct result of the Paxil...just that I was so down and miserable that I wanted to eat...so I did. I have been watching what goes into my mouth the last 3 days and I am feeling better about myself. We have a great health food store here and I am definatly going to check out that SAM-e. I still need something for my anxiety, but I will never go on another drug again.

Thanks again everyone....

Kim
 
RE: Weaning off Paxil and gainning weight....anyone els...

I just recently got weaned off because I gained weight from it. I gained 15 lbs, but was on it for 1 1/2 year. As soon as I came off, I started to lose the weight. You may be the other way around. I know some people can lose weight from it. Did you lose weight when you went on it? Just a thought.
 
RE: Weaning off Paxil and gainning weight....anyone els...

Hi Barbara. I did lose a few pounds while on it...maybe only like 3. It was so easy to maintain it though. Didn't have to think much in the way of food and I could hold it really easily. I could drop 2 extra pounds pretty easily too. I was told by another friend that she was told that people lose weight while on it. My neighbor was on Paxil for a while and gained weight like you did. When she went off, she did lose some, but not all of it (not trying to discourage you, she is not the most commited exerciser or clean eater I know). I think when I started to wean off, I was in a real slump and just went to the food cupboard. I am definately an emotional/bored out of my mind eater. I think it is going to be a little harder to maintain than it was before...time will tell.

Thanks for responding...

Kim
 
RE: Weaning off Paxil and gainning weight....anyone els...

No I don't think it's psychological at all. I was on 50 mg of paxil and came down to 40 mg no problem at all, 30 I could tell I didn't feel near as well, 20 no way, I had a huge migraine all the time and was crashing into depression bigtime. I tapered really slow too.

I've tried it several times I just can't go below 30 and really not below 40 if I want to feel well.

Edith
 
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