Posted by Racer on June 2, 2008, at 20:03:19
In reply to NEWBIE/weight gain, posted by MiniMom on June 2, 2008, at 16:47:18
Paxil is known as the SSRI most associated with excessive weight gain. Other SSRIs are less so -- Zoloft, for instance, while it may cause some weight gain, tends to do so less than Paxil.
Wellbutrin won't necessarily cause weight *loss,* but it's generally pretty weight neutral. And for some people, it may contribute to weight loss.
And quitting smoking will absolutely cause weight gain! Nicotine has a major effect on your whole system, and quitting will affect your metabolic rate in a big way. Average weight gain associated with smoking cessation is 8 pounds -- which would be more significant for you, because of your height. Generally speaking, the benefits of quitting smoking are worth the weight gain.
And I absolutely understand your feeling about the weight gain. I've gained between about 40 and 70 pounds on various ADs, and it's my biggest nightmare. (I'm anorexic, which is part of that...) I don't know what to say, beyond the fact that there are various options to mitigate the weight gain. Most of those options are by prescription only, but ranitidine is helpful for some people in avoiding weight gain -- at least, it's helpful for any portion of the weight gain associated with increased appetite. Some of the weight gain is a direct result of the medication itself -- changes in the sensitivity of serotonin receptors, which slow the GI tract AND interfere with satiety signals.
Good luck, and I hope you can find some relief.
poster:Racer
thread:832543
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20080528/msgs/832589.html