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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Joelle on November 10, 2000, at 12:16:49
Hello
I am new to this message board.
I have had depression for 23 years now and have been on three different type of medication: immipramine, Prozac and now Effexor. No matter which medication I have been on, I have gained weight. I started at 130 lbs (which is a good weight for me) and am now 190 lbs!! after 23 years.
I am sick and tired of battling this weight. I recently (over the last two years) have been able to lose 20 lbs when I was on a minimum dose of Effexor but...this past year I relapsed and had to increase my dose again. Guess what? I gained those 20 lbs back!!!
I have been reading your input re: Celexa and weight gain and wonder if this could be the medication for me?
I have another question...have any of you experienced bad withdrawal effect from Celexa? If I miss a dose of Effexor I cannot function in that my head aches terribly, I have mini-explosion feelings in my head and feel nauseated +++. Has anyone experienced this with Celexa?
Also, has anyone tried to get off Celexa? What are the withdrawal symptoms like?
Thank you
Joelle
Posted by JBELL on November 10, 2000, at 12:39:13
In reply to Information about Celexa required, posted by Joelle on November 10, 2000, at 12:16:49
> Hello
>
> I am new to this message board.
>
> I have had depression for 23 years now and have been on three different type of medication: immipramine, Prozac and now Effexor. No matter which medication I have been on, I have gained weight. I started at 130 lbs (which is a good weight for me) and am now 190 lbs!! after 23 years.
>
> I am sick and tired of battling this weight. I recently (over the last two years) have been able to lose 20 lbs when I was on a minimum dose of Effexor but...this past year I relapsed and had to increase my dose again. Guess what? I gained those 20 lbs back!!!
>
> I have been reading your input re: Celexa and weight gain and wonder if this could be the medication for me?
>
> I have another question...have any of you experienced bad withdrawal effect from Celexa? If I miss a dose of Effexor I cannot function in that my head aches terribly, I have mini-explosion feelings in my head and feel nauseated +++. Has anyone experienced this with Celexa?
>
> Also, has anyone tried to get off Celexa? What are the withdrawal symptoms like?
>
> Thank you
>
> Joelle
Welcome--I have been on Celexa for about a year and a half now and have had no problems with weight gain. Supposedly Celexa is one of the newest ssri's available and really targets serotonin instead of other brain functions that would promote weight gain. As always though, everyone reacts differently to medications.
Posted by pullmarine on November 10, 2000, at 17:15:29
In reply to Information about Celexa required, posted by Joelle on November 10, 2000, at 12:16:49
>
> Also, has anyone tried to get off Celexa? What are the withdrawal symptoms like?I was on 60 mg and did it cold turkey. here r some of the things u might expect, you may sleep less for a couple of weeks (two hours a nite). have lots of energy and very vivid dreams, and quite a bit of enthusiasm, Things may appear slightly more beautiful and colorful than noraml, u may feel a a great deal of stress (both mental, ohysical, and muscular), sweating (particularly when u sleep), and significantly increased libido.
JOHN
>
> Thank you
>
> Joelle
Posted by Sassy on November 10, 2000, at 17:41:06
In reply to Information about Celexa required, posted by Joelle on November 10, 2000, at 12:16:49
> Hello
>
> I am new to this message board.
>
> I have had depression for 23 years now and have been on three different type of medication: immipramine, Prozac and now Effexor. No matter which medication I have been on, I have gained weight. I started at 130 lbs (which is a good weight for me) and am now 190 lbs!! after 23 years.
>
> I am sick and tired of battling this weight. I recently (over the last two years) have been able to lose 20 lbs when I was on a minimum dose of Effexor but...this past year I relapsed and had to increase my dose again. Guess what? I gained those 20 lbs back!!!
>
> I have been reading your input re: Celexa and weight gain and wonder if this could be the medication for me?
>
> I have another question...have any of you experienced bad withdrawal effect from Celexa? If I miss a dose of Effexor I cannot function in that my head aches terribly, I have mini-explosion feelings in my head and feel nauseated +++. Has anyone experienced this with Celexa?
>
> Also, has anyone tried to get off Celexa? What are the withdrawal symptoms like?Hi,
I too experienced a weight gain between the two
mostly with effexor.If I kept the mgs down to 10 mgs with celexa, I
could hold my weight, so going off it for about a
month before I tried something else posed no withdrawl symptoms.My effexor experience was horrific weight gain
throughout. Had to take higher doseage to be
effective. BEST MED I EVER TOOK FOR DEPRESSION.Stopped effexor cold turkey after 50 lb weight gain(approximately 15 caused by celexa), but substituted 20 mg of prozac, for a week,
then topomax. No withdrawl symptoms.What was the lowest amount of effexor you could take without a weight gain.
I'm still trying to play around with it. Trying
to figure out what causes the gain, if it is
in higher doseage, initial doseage, certain food
combinations (i.e., CindyW indicates she had no
problems after giving up sugary sodas).I'm wondering if the weight gain would have stopped and reversed it self, (I have to wonder
because I wouldn't let myself gain anymore).I lost 35 lbs going off effexor, and then recently gained 10 pounds within a month, trying effexor again. This time I monitored the scale
trying to figure out, a correlation between the weight gain, foods, etc.You may need to do the same thing with the next
med you take regardless of whether they say it
promotes weight loss, or not.Good Luck
Sassy
>
> Thank you
>
> Joelle
Posted by Christina on November 10, 2000, at 18:52:44
In reply to Information about Celexa required, posted by Joelle on November 10, 2000, at 12:16:49
I've never stopped taking a medication without starting up another one, so I don't know what it's like to actually "quit" a med.
I do know that when I was going off one and onto another, it's best to taper slowly.
The problem with effexor is that it has a short half life, so you're going to feel withdrawal symptoms as soon as you miss a dose.
Tylenol has always helped the headaches and "sparks" in my head.As for weight gain, I have put on 25 pounds since beginning ADs five years ago.
Whenever I tried a new one, and the side effect was supposed to be decreased appetite, I anxioulsy waited for the pounds to melt away.
They're still here, but at least I am too!!
Posted by Joelle on November 13, 2000, at 12:45:36
In reply to Re: Information about Celexa required, posted by Sassy on November 10, 2000, at 17:41:06
Re:
> What was the lowest amount of effexor you could take without a weight gain.Hi Sassy:
The lowest dose of Effexor I could take (maintenance dose) was 37.5 mg tablet. I was able to lose 20 lbs by simply not snacking at night and not eating seconds.
With a higher dose I am constantly hungry and have NO willpower.I will ask my psychiatrist if I can switch to another med.
Thanks
Joelle
Posted by Sassy on November 13, 2000, at 17:27:15
In reply to Re: Information about Celexa required, posted by Joelle on November 13, 2000, at 12:45:36
> Re:
> > What was the lowest amount of effexor you could take without a weight gain.
>
> Hi Sassy:
>
> The lowest dose of Effexor I could take (maintenance dose) was 37.5 mg tablet. I was able to lose 20 lbs by simply not snacking at night and not eating seconds.
> With a higher dose I am constantly hungry and have NO willpower.
>
> I will ask my psychiatrist if I can switch to another med.
>
> Thanks
>
> Joelle
This is the end of the thread.
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