Depression linked with no weight loss?
Find a Conversation
| Thu, 09-23-2004 - 3:55pm |
I am very active at the gym lifting and cardio, as well as go to great lengths to perfect my diet. I am not working and spend nearly the entire morning working out and eating right. I have tried all sorts of calorie breakdowns, I've lifted light and heavy. I've taken two weeks off to do hardcore cardio. Through it all, the weight loss has been excruciatingly slow and with my level of fitness, I should be seeing more results. Therefore, I thought maybe it was a thyroid issue or something else physical.
According to the NP, she thinks it may all be linked to depression, the various symptoms, based on my TSH level.
In the back of my mind, I knew it probably was depression, but wanted it to be something else...something easier.
I've been experiencing feelings of extreme sadness off and on for some time. I honestly do not know why I have these feelings, but I do. I am married to a man in the Coast Guard and while I am fortunate that he doesn't deploy, it is stressful moving around. We are currently in a small isolated community in Alaska.
I looked forward and wanted this move as well as the change in lifestyle.
However, I still have feelings of sadness and thoughts of death (though not really by my own hand) and other thoughts of leaving.
The nurse suggested I call the EAP to find a counselor and that meds may be in order. She said that perhaps the hormone imbalance is causing this inability to lose weight, however, I know from a friend of mine, she gained weight while on anti-depressants. Admittedly, I know very little about the various meds.
Has anyone experienced positive physical side effects from medications?
Thank you in advance.

Mary
Anyway, I fought medication for years, but finally gave in and found one that works for me (and doesn't have the weight gain side effect as well-Wellbutrin). We are looking at where we will go next summer, and my husband has suggested Alaska or Oregon, but I said no way, I couldn't deal with living in a cold, isolated environment. I know what you mean about working out without results. I have been through that before. Another thing is, if you are isolated and alone, you may not realize that you eat more than you think you do. Even though I watch my diet all day long, I find myself eating alot at night.
I have been tired for YEARS. I have complained to doctors for years. I asked for every test, and everything comes back normal. Finally this year after asking for yet another test because now-because of stress and depression, my periods are very irregular, I have acid reflux disease, and I have been exhausted. So, my doctor very gently suggested i might be depressed and wanted to see if trying a AD (anti-depressant) and counseling might help. Well, I've been on it for about 3 months and am doing great. I'm not tired all the time, I go out more and don't feel so overwhellmed by every little thing. My period and reflux is still not right, but I'm working on that.
Sorry I'm babbling, but yes, the military life is hard. Do you have kids? Because that adds fuel to the fire. It is hard moving around with kids. I have 2 -a 5 and almost 3 year old. And I know what you are saying about thoughts of death but not wanting to necessarily doing it yourself. I prayed so many times for God to just take me. That is a definate sign of depression.
Also, do you think your working out too much? Do you think you have a lot of weight to loose? I have been up and down with my weight forever. At my lowest, I was 120 lbs., which for me is too skinny. But even when I was 120, I was still trying to loose, and my body just kind of shut down, I couldn't loose anymore, my blood pressure got very low and my hair started to fall out. Also, if you restricting carbs too much, that can cause you to get depressed. I struggle to stay at 130 now. But that is fine, because I am healthier now (plus I have some breasts now, before I didn't).
Is there any other Coastie, or military wives there? I was not so open to the whole military wife club thing when I first got married, but when we went overseas, they became my family. Almost anywhere we go now, I find no problems fitting in with other military wives. It is like a sisterhood. No one else knows what we go through.
How long have you been in Alaska? How much longer to go?
I'm not too thrilled about it, but I might have to be on meds for awhile, at least until I deal with the whole military life (or life in general) a little better. I realize now that the negative parts of meds far outweight being depressed. I really didn't realize how depressed I was until I started getting better. One thing I can say is, if you Practioner suggested it, give it a try. If you do try Wellbutrin (it doesn't have the weight gain side effects, or the sexual side effects like the others), you need to give it a little bit to work and to get over the side effects (they do go away). Wellbutrin has been stimulating for me, where the others I have tried made me tired. I actually lost weight at first, because it reduces your appetite somewhat. My sex drive was better for a little while in the beginning too, but I have other issues in that area, so it didn't stay like that, for me. But I've heard from others that they have a much beter sex drive do to it. I've even read that some DR's are now Rx-ing it at a low dose just for the libido enhancing benefits.
Talk it over with your husband, if you do decide to try anti depressants, there usually will be some sort of side effect that you need to get use to, but it usually goes away. And just because one you try doesn't help, doesn't mean that another one might not be the right one for you. There is a AD board, you might find more help about meds there.
Life is too short to be depressed. I wouldn't have said that a year ago, I just didn't care. But now life is too good to feel bad.
I know I just rambled on (my son is kind of distracting me), but if you need any support or have any questions about meds that I might be able to answer (especially from a Coastie Wife), I'm here.
My e-mail addy is: Tinkerbell2974@hotmail.com
-Erin (mom to Logan(almost 3) and Bridget(5) and wife to Yancee (Officer Mac daddy!)
-Erin
Hi and welcome!
Looks like you have gotten some great answers already and I dont have too much to add unfortunately.
*hugs
CL for The
Good luck.
Judy