Antidepressants and Atkins

[AJs-mommy]

Re: Antidepressants and Atkins

Chronic Fatigue syndrome and Depression itself can hinder weight loss. If anything, I would think Atkins would help your chronic fatigue, as you would not be having the ups and downs of blood sugar. Meds effect everyone differently, so there is no way to really know for sure until you try. If your meds are effective, I wouldn't change them unless I absolutely had to! As far as being on a budget, my husband and I are a young, blue collar couple with a baby and we are on a pretty tight budget. You can get a big pack of chicken legs or thighs for a very reasonable price. Watch for when meats and veggies go on sale and stock up. Most veggies you can freeze, although I'm not sure about things like lettuce and tomato? Check around in your area and look for discount grocery stores (we have a store here called Aldi that has super cheap prices, especially their ground meats and produce!!). Cut coupons too!! It may sound like a waste of time, but it really does help!! Honestly, your appetite will decrease tremendously and you won't have to eat as much to feel satisfied, which saves money too. Good luck!! Keep us posted!!

[jennbeingme]

Re: Antidepressants and Atkins

I actually found that my antidepressant made it possible for me to lose weight. You talk of the CFS as hindering your ability to exercise and cook- that was me too. With the xoloft- I had enough determination and energy to actually cook, stick to a plan and start exercising, instead of being on the couch. I don't know if I lost more slowly because of the meds- I DO know that I started to "do" more, feel better and get moving. This after all is the key to health and wellness. If you can't get off the couch because of your disease, things aren't going to change anyway.

[HappyDayHere]

Re: Antidepressants and Atkins

I didn't say it doesn't affect weight loss - I have no way of knowing how much I would have lost if I wasn't on it. I know for a fact that I won't stick to a diet or exercise if I am depressed, so I stick to an antidrepressant that works, then I diet/exercise. I was on Paxil when I started Atkins, then switched to Effexor a few months later for non-diet reasons.

Thank you for your answer. Having Chronic Fatigue Syndrome makes this all rather tricky because I can't exercise much without exacerbating my disease, which makes it impossible to exercise, etc. Having your feedback is a great help.

[HappyDayHere]

Re: Antidepressants and Atkins

I actually found that my antidepressant made it possible for me to lose weight. You talk of the CFS as hindering your ability to exercise and cook- that was me too. With the xoloft- I had enough determination and energy to actually cook, stick to a plan and start exercising, instead of being on the couch. I don't know if I lost more slowly because of the meds- I DO know that I started to "do" more, feel better and get moving. This after all is the key to health and wellness. If you can't get off the couch because of your disease, things aren't going to change anyway.

Exercise -- or rather any stress whether physical emotional, happiness or sadness -- increases CFS symptoms, which manifest in the form of flu symptoms and can make it impossible to get out of bed. So my issue here is not depression, it's a chronic immune system problem. They don't know why anti-depressants are effective -- CFS is not depression.

It's great to have your feedback and I appreciate your sharing which medication you use. Thanks so much.

[HappyDayHere]

Re: Antidepressants and Atkins

I want to thank everyone for their support and information!

[maxima]

Re: Antidepressants and Atkins

For those who have gained weight while on antidepressants, I feel your pain. I was on a string of different types because I was very, very drug resistant and they finally settled on two different ones for me that do work - however during that time (two very difficult years) I gained all this weight, and of course, I ended up with the side effect of having no energy at all. This alone was very stressful, I was easily twenty pounds overweight when the drug hunt began due to the depression so I started with a problem with weight, not uncommon at all.

I think that this could be very beneficial for you, but you would have your answer within about a month anyway. I have found that for me personally, removing sugar and flour and those other really bad carbs from my diet has made more of a difference to me than I believe the drug did. Well, perhaps what has happened is by doing this diet, it has bumped the drug effectiveness up to a very good outcome. I've been losing steadily, my mood has greatly improved as has my energy level. I think that the new way of eating has been an actual mood elevator for me - that old way of eating contributed to a problem I already had. I think it has for all my life to tell you the truth.

I think that the various things in this diet that can hinder some actually don't effect others - it really is a personal discovery on what works best for you. I find that artificial sweetener doesn't hurt me one bit diet wise. I have my one can of diet soda every day, my large serving of jello every night before bedtime and lightly sweetened decaf coffee all day long. Not a problem at all. I eat my full cheese allotment every day in the form of the nuked "crackers" made with delux american cheese without a problem.

However, when it's "peanut butter" time on the rung of this diet, I won't even bother - nor will I ever have nuts. I already know from before I ever started this diet that even though it's not a favorite food of mine by any means, once I start on either, that's it. I'm craving both all day long. I'm quite sure I'm going to discover other things that I must avoid - red bell peppers is one of them I discovered already.

So, everybody is different. The one thing I know for sure is that cutting out all the carbs from sugar and flour and certain other carbs will not hurt a depressed person at *all* - even if it's not a strict Atkins diet. Depressed people tend to eat way too much of that stuff while not moving enough, it's simply a natural reaction to depression. This diet will be extremely good for you on that score. And it's the best thing in the world for type II or "nearly" type II diabetes, you couldn't eat a better diet than this for that form of diabetes. My neighbor had it and was on tons of meds with still high numbers. Four months after starting this diet she was off ALL medications with wonderful blood numbers. Every great once in awhile she will take "break" for an evening and have whatever she desires, including sweets, and her numbers remain wonderful. She knows that if she ever discards her new way of eating, she will be right back where she was in her blood sugars.

I can't recommend it enough. I'm betting you will be very pleased with all the results you get from doing this diet. Please do come back and let everyone know how you are doing in, say, a month from now. By that time you should know exactly how it is working out for you.

I will warn you, it took about three weeks of craving those sugar and carb laden foods and a bit of a let down emotionally from not comforting myself with them - so it was a tad bit worse before it got better, but boy - did it EVER get better for me. Not everyone has this reaction to the diet though, from what I read a great deal of people make the transition easily. But if the road is rocky, don't sweat it, it is temporary and then you will reap the results.

You won't know if you don't give it a really hefty try though! Do it (exactly right) for a month, you should know by then how effective it will be for you. You will either be a month down on your weight loss or be where you still are, you certainly won't be worse off!

I wish you (and all who need these wonderful drugs) every good thing.

[mom2jjl07]

Re: Antidepressants and Atkins

I canot wait to get this weight off so i can STOP taking my anti-depressants!!!

[AJs-mommy]

Re: Antidepressants and Atkins

CDC - CFS Treatment Options: Coping and Managing

I don't know if you have this information but I thought it may be useful.