Diet and Mental Health?

[Texas Peach]

Hiya Everyone!

I've snooped a bit the other threads in this forum and I didn't see anything about mental health exactly, so I apologise beforehand if there was indeed one and I missed it.

Anyone else taking anti-depression meds and struggling with weight loss? I've have something between post partum depression and regular depression. My kiddo is 15 months old, so I'm not sure where post partum ends and regular begins. I'm on Slimming World 'life style change' ( I don't want to call it a diet because that would mean at some time I would go back to eating all the delicious foods I shouldn't eat much of lol!). I started off okay, losing between a pound and three a week. I was on Sertraline but it totally killed my libido. Now that I've been losing weight, I'd like that libido back, thanks! So I had my meds switched to something else, sorry I can't remember the name. Since the switch I am REALLY struggling. It's like I'm starting over with my depression, so it makes me feel even worse for having cheated, and I feel like throwing the towel in. Anyone else have this sort of struggle? If so, how do you cope? I kind of feel like letting this week slip and starting again next week once my meds regulate themselves and I'm back to my normal self.

 

[Eastern Indigo]

Oh my, yes, I know exactly what you mean. I take Sertraline too, although it hasn't had much of an impact; my problem is with my anti-psychotic, Quetiapine, which wreaked havoc on my appetite and has been a big factor in my binge-eating/overeating, whilst making losing weight a lot slower. I don't know whether this will help you, but I try to keep telling myself that even if the meds make it harder, without them I wouldn't be in a place to make these positive changes in my life, if my mental health is stable I can start to focus on my physical health. I know it sucks to have yet another obstacle in place, though. I think it's a good idea to give yourself some time to adjust, let your body figure everything out without the stress of food and weight loss, and start next week, when you're more settled - at least, that would be my advice .

 

[Texas Peach]

Thank you! Losing weight is hard enough on it's own but then adding mental health just makes it so much more difficult!
That's exactly what I did actually! I figured this is more of a journey than a just right now sort of thing. I figured it was a minor setback (in the grand scheme of things) and I'll get back on the horse. I binge eat too. It cut back a good bit with the Sertraline. Hopefully, this new stuff will work just as great. Feels kinda good to hear I'm not the only one. I know, surely I'm not the only one, but online, on facebook, so many members are like WOAH LOST A STONE IN A WEEK, and I start to feel lonely in my, "well I didn't gain anything this time" phase lol! Thanks Eastern. Feelin' better about this.

 

[Eastern Indigo]

Thank you! Losing weight is hard enough on it's own but then adding mental health just makes it so much more difficult!
That's exactly what I did actually! I figured this is more of a journey than a just right now sort of thing. I figured it was a minor setback (in the grand scheme of things) and I'll get back on the horse. I binge eat too. It cut back a good bit with the Sertraline. Hopefully, this new stuff will work just as great. Feels kinda good to hear I'm not the only one. I know, surely I'm not the only one, but online, on facebook, so many members are like WOAH LOST A STONE IN A WEEK, and I start to feel lonely in my, "well I didn't gain anything this time" phase lol! Thanks Eastern. Feelin' better about this.

I think one of the worst things about depression, for me at least, is feeling bad because you just can't always do everything you want to do, and with weight loss in the past I've felt like a failure because sometimes I had to put my mental health before going to the gym or cooking something healthy. Definitely just a minor setback, it's got to be a long-term journey if you plan to sustain the weight loss, and as long as you're making the right choices 90% of the time, you'll get there. I know what you mean, I often feel quite alone in this, glad I could help and that you're feeling better . The worst is the people doing VLCD diets, they have such amazing losses in the first few weeks .

 

[Texas Peach]

That is the worst! I'm not sure what VLCD diets are, but really it's rough when people lose loads of weight so quickly. I'm sure everyone has their own hurdles to overcome, but mental health I feel like is a whole different ball game. You're fighting yourself, and many times it's difficult to let people know that you're fighting your brain, an illness. I took two weeks off for mental health. I just couldn't fight both my appetite and brain at the same time. Feeling loads better mentally, but I made the mistake and weighed myself to see the damage and there was plenty of it.

 

[Georgiestar]

Hi there I too suffer from mental health. I had a few episodes of having false beliefs. Im fine now that I am taking the right medication and now I'm not having as many personal problems in my life at the moment.

I guess you could say I'm one of the lucky ones. I take orlanzapine and other friends I know say that it makes you put on loads of weight even if you eat less. For me it hasnt really affected me. I was a little overweight for my height but this is due to me eating unhealthily and now that im doing something about it I have still managed to lose weight in a healthy way just by cutting down and excersise, now im close to my goal. I have been a bit of a yoyoer with my weight but this time im trying not to treat my eating habits like a diet. Also its seems like being on here has helped me focus.

My advice would be to make sure you take the medication. I've been quite unwell if I don't take my medication.

Also if your having problems and your weight is making you unhappy. Then discuss this with the doctor there are usually alternatives that may work for you however the doctors dont always know if it will make you unwell.

Best of luck

 

[tipperary]

How did it go, did you chat to GP about weight loss and your medication? There are lots of options but the problem is...as you have found is that when you switch it is like starting at the beginning again. Tackle one problem at a time, your mental health and med stability first and then your weight. And don't be discouraged by massive weight gains other people talk about, a small and steady amount regularly is better. I have been losing on average 0.5kg a week....very little compared to most but I am not "suffering" to do it and it is not taking over my life. And if I don't lose or have a small gain then that wont freak me out either.