Feeling fat

[jpd54]

It seems like the more depressed I get, the more I eat.  It seems like I stay hungry all the time these days.  I have gained so much weight this last year.  Of course, I get the if you would just lose weight, you wouldn't have all these problems.  Guess no one but those here understand.  Thank goodness for SJS friends.  It doesn't help that my digestive tract has problems (constipation).  It's a never ending cycle sometimes.  One problem leads to another problem. 

Thanks for the vent!!!

   jpd

[quietdynamics]

Have you asked your Dr. about cymbalta...since you have Fibro...you can hit two birds with one stone the depression and the fibro.

I know when I eat wrong it  triggers problems, which in turn adds to feeling discouraged. But, in this instance I was the the cause..and I can be the solution. I have found it is best for me to eat 5 small meals a day, using an anti-inflamatory diet----> no simple carbs, very few packaged foods. Once you get used to it, it really does become easier, healthier,and cheaper. Time-wise, make enough for two meals.

Occasionally I do have a chocolate feast, and I will actually feel sick from it,lethargic, fog-brained, etc. It can take days to get back to "normal".  So that just shows me that I diet is really important.

Take a baby step forward for yourself 

[eye2dry]

Sometimes antidepressants can be the cause of weight gain. If you take prednisone daily (as i did in the beginning with my SJS diagnosis) it could cause increase weight gain.

Just having aches and pains makes you not get up and move like you normally would...so your not burning as much calories either.

Has your thyroid been checked (TSH) lately on your labs?

eye2dry

[Belsey1]

Yes, eye2dry, antidepressants can be the problem with weight gain.  I have gained almost 140 pounds since I started taking them some years ago.  Sometimes I try to quit and the weight will start falling off with little effort, but he depression comes sneaking back in.  Last summer I was determined I could stay off of them, so I quit in late May(I teach school) and, again the weight started dropping.  By the time school was out in mid-June I had lost 16 pounds. I kept going without the meds and continued to slowly lose weight.  As the summer went on I withdrew more and more.....was miserable....couldn't stand myself or my family, all along I was blaming my terrible state on the SJS.  Two weeks before time to return to work, it hit me....you need your depression medicine.  I started taking it again and was just about back to "normal" in time for school to begin.  Needless to say, I had a TERRIBLE summer and have since gained that weight back, plus a few more. 

If you need depression medicine, by all means, take it.  Cymbalta is good, as someone else shared, it helps with the pain too.

[eye2dry]

I agree, if I needed an antidepressant I would take it and to h*ll with the weight worries.

eye2dry

[cargillwitch]

people often over look studies showing exercise having a greater ability to control moderate depression than most SSRI's do.

It also changes chemicals in our brains that help us deal with pain better . It aids in better sleep quality, reduces risk of cardiovascular disease ,cancer and stroke and low and behold helps weight loss!

You don't need anything fancy. A pair of shoes and out you go. Our bodies are built to move- if we don't things fall apart fast.

[dry2010]

I started Pilates in March it is low impact and I also do use my eliptical. I switched anti depressants from Prozac to Lexapro and am losing weight slowly. Talk to your doctor about your weight gain you have lots of med options. I feel less aches since I have been more active...

Dry2010

[jmkboyer]

I am SO with you!!  The stupid Lyrica I was taking made me gain a bunch of weight.  It took me 3 months to slowly titrate off and now I'm feeling a little more in control with my eating but I still have to get rid of the extra pounds. (Which wasn't easy even before I became "sick.")

Just want to let you know that you are not alone out there.  My mother just told my husband that I was heavy and needed to lost weight.  Nothing like adding that to the depression!

Meri

[quietdynamics]

A while ago I may have posted this already,
A woman I knew, this was before I had problems, who as arthritis and needed two canes to get around and was on the heavy side took the Arthritis exercise water classes a the local YMCS (insurance will pay for it). I had not seen her for a few months.
Then, there she was no canes, and she had shed pounds and gotten muscle tone. She had on a nice outfit and a touch of lipstick and a new hair-cut....WOW...she looked amazing. It was so great to see her smiling, I don't believe I had ever seen her smile before.

Interestingly, she met someone and they dated. Then he stopped seeing her and sadly she went back to the way she was before, canes, slouch over, shuffling about.

She went to the therapy for herself. It would have been best to have true to herself and not given so much power to another person.