Re: Weight gain on Paxil

[Guest guest]

-

My daughter was on Paxil for about six weeks; her p-doc put her on

it as her first SSRI because it could cause some weight gain (she

had lost 10-15 pounds because of not eating...contamination

issues). I didn't notice weight gain on it, rather excitatory side

effects, so she really wasn't on it very long. We've been through

Celexa and now Lexapro. She has put the 10-15 pounds back on since

on these meds, but I think it is because she's eating normally

again. She is overall the same weight she was 18 months ago despite

growing 5 inches, so it was not excessive weight gain.

How long has your son been on risperdal? I know from reading these

posts that it is notorious for weight gain.

Hang in there-

(Ohio) Anne (12)

[Guest guest]

Hi , I'm surprised that your doc would go to Risperdal after a big weight

gain, it does seem to put weight on many kids.

Actually anyone might gain weight, or lose weight, on any of the SSRIs. However

Prozac and perhaps Zoloft have the reputation of being activating in most, so

less likely to cause weight gain. My daughter lost weight on Prozac, perhaps

because she was jazzed to the gills on this med and in constant motion. It also

depressed her appetite.

Paxil is an SSRI with the opposite reputation, slows people down, causes weight

gain. Again these are more clinical observations rather than hard and fast

truths that apply to everyone. My child 9 hasn't gained weight on any of the

SSRIs or Risperdal, which she has taken for over two years now.

You might be happier with a child psychiatrist--MD focused on brain disorders

and their medical treatment--than a neuro for prescribing and balancing your

son's meds, just a thought.

There *is* a med that some kids take to counter the weight gain, I can never

remember the name and hopefully someone will jump in with that info for you.

Good luck,

Kathy R. in Indiana

----- Original Message -----

From: brenburnam

There have been so many good postings lately - I learn so much from

this group. Just reading what everyone else is experiencing and how

they deal with it sure has made my life better these past several

months. I am always copying sections of letters and saving them in

a file that I can refer to.

My son (13, OCD, paxil, buspar, risperdal) has gained so much

weight during the past six months. We see a neurologist for meds and

were seeing a psychologist in the same office for therapy, but

haven't been seeing him for the past month. The neuro. has told me

twice that paxil doesn't cause weight gain. He took us off Depakote

and started Risperdal - saying Depakote might have caused weight

gain. Well, I know it is the paxil. He is hungry all the time and

craves carbs. No salad or piece of fruit would satisfy this kid. I

am not about to deny him food when he is asking for it, and trying to

get him to eat something different seldom works. I think it's an OCD

thing - he just sets his mind on what he wants, and there's no

changing it.

Anyway, I want to insist that the doctor either change paxil to

another drug, or add another prescription that will help him lose

weight. He currently takes 25 mg of the Paxil. Does anyone have any

suggestions about what drug I should request in place of the Paxil?

Also, Gail in New Orleans, I am in Mobile, AL - we are almost

neighbors!

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

In the FILES section of our group is a great article on Medication

Induced Weight Gain. Here's a portion of it:

There is some evidence that OCD patients preferentially choose to

snack on carbohydrates, and this alone may predispose OCD patients to

gain weight. Also, the SSRIs are associated with even more

carbohydrate craving. Some patients treated with SSRIs have a

significant increase in carbohydrate craving together with weight

gain shortly after the beginning of treatment.

*****

I know I've seen this subject mentioned more than once in an adult

OCD group that I belong to, the craving of carbs or that it seems

that's what some are eating most, etc. And I guess it can vary with

different people also, just like the medication.

I have to say that isn't on any prescribed medication but I

swear his appetite greatly picked up after OCD really began bothering

him. Of course, this was also about the time of puberty hitting him,

so I'm sure that played a part in his appetite as his height sure

began to shoot up, pimples began popping out, etc. I at times

thought that all that OCD must be just be using up all

available " energy " and maybe increasing his appetite. But the

appetite stayed even when his OCD got so much milder!

> There have been so many good postings lately - I learn so much from

> this group. Just reading what everyone else is experiencing and

how

> they deal with it sure has made my life better these past several

> months. I am always copying sections of letters and saving them

in

> a file that I can refer to.

>

> My son (13, OCD, paxil, buspar, risperdal) has gained so

much

> weight during the past six months. We see a neurologist for meds

and

> were seeing a psychologist in the same office for therapy, but

> haven't been seeing him for the past month. The neuro. has told me

> twice that paxil doesn't cause weight gain. He took us off

Depakote

> and started Risperdal - saying Depakote might have caused weight

> gain. Well, I know it is the paxil. He is hungry all the time and

> craves carbs. No salad or piece of fruit would satisfy this kid.

I

> am not about to deny him food when he is asking for it, and trying

to

> get him to eat something different seldom works. I think it's an

OCD

> thing - he just sets his mind on what he wants, and there's no

> changing it.

>

> Anyway, I want to insist that the doctor either change paxil to

> another drug, or add another prescription that will help him lose

> weight. He currently takes 25 mg of the Paxil. Does anyone have

any

> suggestions about what drug I should request in place of the Paxil?

>

> Also, Gail in New Orleans, I am in Mobile, AL - we are almost

> neighbors!

>

>

[Guest guest]

-according to what our pdoc told us and from everyone's experience on

other groups, you are on the two highest weight gain meds-Paxil and

Risperdal. When we changed pdocs, she took us off both immediately. This

has been known for quite some time. I really question the fact that your

neurologist said there was no weight gain. I don't know enough about

neurologists but I think most of the people see a psychiatrist for med

management. We gained over 50 lbs. in 6 mos on Risperdal and Paxil. You

could ask about switching to Celexa and Geodon. Good luck. Ellen

[Guest guest]

> you are on the two highest weight gain meds-Paxil and

> Risperdal. When we changed pdocs, she took us off both

>immediately. This has been known for quite some time. I really

>question the fact that your neurologist said there was no weight

>gain. I don't know enough about neurologists but I think most of

>the people see a psychiatrist for med management. We gained over

>50 lbs. in 6 mos on Risperdal and Paxil. You could ask about

>switching to Celexa and Geodon. Good luck. Ellen

Thanks, Ellen. This is just what I was hoping for - to be steered in

the right direction. We just happened across the neurologist we're

using because he is in the same group with the therapist we had

used. The therapist of course couldn't prescribe meds, and said we

needed to see the neurologist. I knew I wanted to find a new

therapist, but didn't really think about also replacing the neuro.

with a psychiatrist. Now that the OCD is not at an emergency level,

I guess I should look around for someone more qualified in the areas

that we're concerned with. Several people have seemed puzzled about

why we were seeing a neurologist - but at the time he was our only

immediate option. I have e-mailed the Alabama Psychiatric Assn to

recommend someone in our area who specializes in OCD in kids. I have

that name now, but haven't acted on it yet. I'll call today.

Thanks,

[Guest guest]

,

My son has been on risperdal only a month. The doctor took

him off depakote (which he only took for 1 or 2 months) and put him

on risperdal because he said depakote was known for weight gain but

risperdal wasn't. (same dr that says paxil doesn't cause weight

gain) But was gaining weight at the rate of 5 lbs a month

before depakote, so I really don't think depakote was the cause. He

was prescribed the depakote because he started having really angry

outbursts that seemed to be escalating - he started pulling back his

fist and I was afraid that violence was the next step. There's been

a big change since we started risperdal - not nearly so angry but now

he will have to fight back tears if anything upsets him - which is

often. I have noticed that his attitude changes depending on if he's

hungry. When he gets hungry he also gets short tempered, but seems

to calm down after he has eaten. (And he is ALWAYS hungry!)

Thanks for writing,

> How long has your son been on risperdal? I know from reading these

> posts that it is notorious for weight gain.

> Hang in there-

> (Ohio) Anne (12)

[Guest guest]

> >

> You might be happier with a child psychiatrist--MD focused on brain

disorders and their medical treatment--than a neuro for prescribing

and balancing your son's meds, just a thought.

Kathy, I think you are right. I hadn't thought about changing my

neuro, but I believe I need to find someone who's more on the " same

page " with me on this. If I have to educate the doctor, then we're

really not getting what we're paying for.

This is why I love this group so much - thanks to all who responded.

I feel empowered!

[Guest guest]

> appetite greatly picked up after OCD really began bothering

> him. Of course, this was also about the time of puberty hitting

him,

> so I'm sure that played a part in his appetite as his height sure

> began to shoot up, pimples began popping out, etc. I at times

> thought that all that OCD must be just be using up all

> available " energy " and maybe increasing his appetite. But the

> appetite stayed even when his OCD got so much milder!

>

>

>

>

just turned 13, so we're right at the beginnings of puberty.

He never was a very athletic kid, even pre-OCD, but he did love p.e.

at school. Since the OCD began, we had six months of practically no

physical activity. Just the past few weeks (actually just since he

has been on risperdal) he has started going outside, riding his bike,

playing a little basketball. I think his inactivity began with the

OCD, and may have also been due to feeling tired and sluggish from

the meds. If Paxil is making him sluggish, we need to find something

that will energize him. Paxil was the wonder drug that first made

the OCD calm down. I am a little afraid that if we change, the OCD

could get worse. (All this worry makes me feel a little OCD'ish

myself.)

Thanks for your note. I will check out the files on meds.