Posted by Racer on June 22, 2007, at 19:47:54
In reply to Racer, what are they doing for weight gain??? » Racer, posted by Zyprexa on June 22, 2007, at 14:22:34
> How do they prevent the weight from going on, or to get it off? Besides controling the blood sugar? Diet pills?
Well, for the most part it seems to be a question of reversing the weight gain, rather than preventing it. At least, according to the few things I've read. There are several drugs offered, which help. Metformin, Topomax, Zelnorm (which has now been taken off the market), stimulants, Wellbutrin, etc. Some doctors are willing to start something as soon as you notice some weight gain. Others, of course -- well, it can feel quite satisfying to fire a pdoc!
The best news, really, isn't so much that they've found ways to fix the problem. They've found ways to mitigate it, to improve the situation, but not a perfect fix that I've seen. The best news really is just that doctors are recognizing that the weight gain is real, the meds really do cause it, and that patients really aren't eating all the way through a pastry shop daily to gain the weight. Just the fact that more doctors are believing it, and fewer are telling patients it's our own fault.
My very first pdoc, when I complained about gaining approximately 60 pounds on nortriptyline in fewer than six months, told me I needed to eat less. She said it had nothing to do with the drug. Told me to eat lower calorie, lower fat foods. I was anorexic! Half the time, I was trying not to eat AT ALL because I couldn't stand the weight gain. An average day's food was far less than a single healthy meal. But she insisted it was my fault for eating too much, and I had to learn to control myself around food... While my severe depression may have been reversed, the weight gain destroyed the little self-esteem I had at that point in my life. If fewer doctors are doing that, I consider it a sign of improvement.
poster:Racer
thread:764734
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20070622/msgs/765088.html