Depression and weight gain

Lorna · Depression and weight gain

Hello everyone! I am a depression patient but when after a lot of prayers and treatment finally my little daughter came in my arms after 7 years of marriage, I felt like living again. She brought so much happiness in my life. She's my fairy and i have kept her name Angel. Really being mum is the biggest joy on earth. I am on effexor 37.5 generic since my delivery and the doctor has forbidden me to breastfeed my baby. I don’t know whether it’s the drug or my daughter but they worked incredibly well for my depression. The only thing that I hate now is my weight gain. I have gained some 6 lbs in the last 3 months. I was very surprised since I had read that one of the side effects of taking effexor can be weight loss but weight gain was not mentioned anywhere!! I don't want to put on more weight but I fear that if I get off the drug, my depression would return again. Has anyone else had these problems? What did you do or will you advise me to do in this situation?

Kaytee576

Hi Lorna so lovely to meet you thanks for joining us

CONGRATULATIONS On the birth of your baby girl and what a wonderful name to

Thank you for sharing your experience with us, I am so happy to hear how your daughter has changed your life and of course made you so happy, A baby brings so much joy into our world, A new life a new beginning and apart of you, I have no children yet but I would love to someday and I can only imagine how amazing it must be

. Would love to see a picture bet she is so beautiful.

I haven't heard of the tablets you are on before but I am sure if weight gain was a possible side effect I am sure it would say on the leaflet and I cant see this being the case as it states they can cause weight loss, I looked it up on the Internet and I couldn't see anywhere that anyone had mentioned weight gain but of course everyone is different so I couldn't really say for certain.
If it were Me i would go and chat with my doctor, Is it possible for you to do this? Explain your concerns about your weight and the doctor will talk to you and let you know whether he thinks it is the drug and whether there are other options.

PLEASE DO NOT worry, there is no way the doctor will just take you off of the tablets, I can see you fear that and fear becoming unwell again, If the doctor and you agree you want to he will change your tablets to something that more suits you, so you will still have that support and help these tablets have given you so far.

Please also remember I am not a professional I can only offer you my advice but I would NOT reccomend you taking yourself off the tablets you MUST discuss it with your doctor first or just coming off them could make you poorly.

The other thing to look at is, how long ago did you have your daughter? As you probably already know every woman puts on weight during pregnancy and after having a child. Remember your body is trying to adjust and get back to normal and it takes a while for it to sort itself out. If you only recently had your baby the extra weight could be due to this rather then the tablets, But do not worry as soon as your body is more settled and you become more active now you can the weight will soon drop off.

I also read that they do not know yet what effect the tablets can have on a baby if you breast feed and that breast feeding should be avoided so I guess that is why your doctor advised you not to.

I would say that the tablets and the baby have both helped to make you happy, and now things can only get better with an amazing little daughter to hold and love.

PLEASE be patient with yourself, Remember we are always here, hope I have helped in some way?

Sending hugs your way. Kaytee576 xxx

Another thing before I go, I know ALL us girls worry about our weight, Do you know how much you should weigh for your age and height? I ask this as you may be worrying and your body weight could be totally fine and I know it is hard as we never believe it when someone tells us we are the perfect size. Just thought I would add this as I would hate for you to be panicking when everything is normal.

Angels-quest

Hi Lorna,
So nice to have you here, welcome

Also congratulations on the birth of your beautiful Baby girl, I so love the name Angel....seeing as I dont have kids, I am waiting for a special animal i can name Angel!!

Ok, am not sure I understand the dose you are on, but I too have been on Effexor 225mg for a few years now, after suffering a breakdown.
I have been pretty good on it, but like you, fear coming off of them, incase things go back downhill. I am not sure about the weight gain,I guess I have gained a little,but not sure if it's because of the back problem i have had since age 16, causing me not to always be as active, or if it is just one of those things that happens when we get older!
How long has it been since you had your Daughter, and could the weight gain be linked to being pregnant?And of course we can gain or lose weight during depression, sometimes through comfort eating etc, but i do not know if any of this to be true of you?

Personally, I'd strongly advise you do not just stop taking youe Effexor, because once out of your system, you will start to feel low again, and it wont just be the weight issue getting you down. If you have to go back on another anti depressant after leaving one off, then you have that gap of having none in your system, until the new one builds up & starts working again.
I know from myself, taking antidepressants over the years. whenever i have tried to stop them, or just live without them, I have gradually got lower & lower, until someone points out how bad i'm being. As you cant always see it yourself at the time.
Also depending on whether depression is in your family, it can be something that is just in us, and something we always will live with.So how a diabetic has to take a drug for life, so do we.

That is not to say that there are not other drugs out there that may be more suitable for you, especially if this one is making you unhappy about your weight.
Can you talk to your Doctor about whether any other patients have mentioned weight gain on Effexor, and if their are any other antidepressants that would be suited to you?

I can only speak from my own experiance I'm afraid. Although yes I have put on some weight to how I used to be, I have been on these drugs for a long while now, and wonder if it was them..would i just of got soo big by now? I cannot say one way or the other if it is these tablets, or other factors in my life....as I just do not have the answers & until reading your post, never considered it could be them.
I know how distressing it is when we put on weight (for some of us). I suffer with terrible migraines, and the only tablet they will give me, is one that causes weight gain! So I have refused it, as stupid as it sounds & chose a life spent in a lot of pain instead. But I cannot cope with the daily battle of stressing more over my weight. Because that makes me very miserable & depressed.

I dont know if any of what i have said has helped, as i cant say either way if it causes weight gain, i dont know for sure.But if i can help in any other way, please ask.
What mg's are your pills? As said i take 225mg a day.

Oh, and with the breast feeding, it probably is because they are unsure if the antidepressants will cause any harm to the baby.

Please do not just stop taking them though, as not knowing when you had your Daughter,sometimes a while after birth new mums can feel a little depressed, and without the aid of anti depressants, you could feel a whole lot worse than you do now, worrying about the weight side of it. If that makes sense?
I'm no expert, just have battled a long time with antidepressants!

I'm sure the birth of your darling daughter has helped you a great deal, what a wonderful gift, an Angel from above.

Please keep us posted & remember we are always here (or at least Kaytee is if my migraines are being bad

LOL)

Hugs,

Angels-quest

Hey Lorna,

I just wanted to update about the Effexor & the weight gain debate.
Ok, I just picked up my next prescription of Effexor, and the enclosed leaflet with the tablets has been updated. It now DOES say that I think it was 1 in 10 people could suffer weight GAIN or LOSS.
It also stated that you must NOT just stop taking this drug, it is very important that you seek medical advice before stopping this drug.

I have got the leaflet & can write it out or scan it for you if you would like to read it all, just let me know.
I have started questioning it now, as to whether it is the cause of me gaining a little more weight.So it has been an interesting & insightful question!

Please feel free to ask anything else & hope we can help. As said if you would like to read the whole leaflet, i will sort it out for you.

I hope you & baby are well?

Hugs,