Link Between Anti-Depressants And Weight Gain

The Link Between Anti-Depressants and Weight Gain

How Should I Choose A Weight Loss Clinic

Mood Medications are often associated with weight-gain and Dr. Dudney understands the unhappiness this can cause. Mood disorders, bi-polar, and generalized anxiety symptoms of irritability, obsessions, and non-productive worrying can be improved with mood medication, but Dr. Dudney will adjust these medications to reduce the risk of weight gain.

Examples of medications seen in our clinic that are associated with weight gain (listed from most weight gain to least gain):

Paxil-Elavil (the most side effects)
Trazodone-Seroquel (very very drowsy)
Tylenol-PM and Simply Sleep (anti-histamines cause night eating and next-day hang-over)
Lexapro-Celexa (most frequently prescribed)
Cymbalta (most clever TV ads)
Zoloft-Sertaline (a generic preferred by insurance companies)
Venflaxine-EffexorXL (labeled high blood pressure problems)
Pristiq (new and expensive)
Lamictyl-Lithium-Depakote (the mood-stabilizers)
Prozac (the oldest serotonin drug, but often a good choice)
Wellbutrin (the least weight and sexual side-effects)

The weight-gain from anti-depressants is thought to be due to a brain effect that decreases the feeling of fullness after eating, plus a change in insulin sensitivity resulting in conversion of glucose to fat storage. This weight gain is a risk factor for diabetes and heart disease. Feeling too numb and bland is another side-effect problem. Examples include: blunted emotional range, loss of sexual desire, and zombie-like sluggishness. Stopping medication abruptly often produces side-effects of muscle aches, flu-like discomfort, pins-and-needles, headaches, irritable outbursts, or return of the original symptoms. Tapering or switching requires medical knowledge, and often a cross-over time of combining two or more medications before the final adjustment is made. Many of our patients can have the anti-depressants adjusted and lose weight.

We often hear these comments from our new patients:

"The doctor just said it seems to be working fine, so don't change it."
"It's not the medication. It's eating too much, push away from the table."
"I don't really see a doctor anymore, the nurse just refills my prescriptions."
"I just never seemed to hit it off very well with the psychiatrist, so I asked my OB-Gyn to do my refills every year.”
"I went to a weight loss clinic, and they never even asked about my psych meds."
"I think I was started on (Pristique, Abilify, Cymbalta) because the doctor had just been given samples of it."
"I really needed something for anxiety 5 years ago, but now I don't know if I still need it."
"I will always have to take some type of Serotonin medication because I am really irritable and moody when I don't, but I still want to lose weight. I need someone who can do both, write my anti-depressant prescriptions and help me lose this 30 pounds. My clothes don't fit any more, and that's making me more depressed than I was before."
"I don't know why I was prescribed Lexapro, they called it ‘a happy-pill’, and the nurse just refills it every time, but I know I've gained 25 lbs since I started it."

If you are struggling with any of these situations, it may continue for years until you find an MD / Psychiatrist who understands the big picture and knows what to do. We can help. Our South Tampa office is easy to find and has private off-street parking. You may schedule an office consultation with Dr. Dudney on-line, by e-mailing Sherie, or calling (813) 873-2036. Bring your medicine bottles with you and any recent lab results. If you think medications have caused weight gain, schedule an appointment on-line, and find out what medications you really need.

Brief Consultation ("Do I still need this anti-depressant, and what should I be taking?") - $199

Starting New Patients ("I want you to help me lose weight, and write my prescriptions.") - $298 first month.

Return Office Visits (every 1-3 months) - $230

We do not accept or file any insurance.

Please note:

Medication costs are individualized and vary, averaging $20-40/week. We do not require unnecessary lab work just to generate fees, such as vitamin blood levels and food allergy or DNA profiles. There is no evidence that these tests do anything other than lighten your wallet and are designed to set you up for supplement sales by office assistants working on commission. We don't use B-12 shots. See why weight-loss shots are unethical non-sense.