weight gain: (w/response)

[Guest guest]

<<I am confused about WHY exactly these drugs cause weight gain. There

seem to be many theories out there. What theories do people here

subscribe to?

drugs I've taken specifically:

risperdal

effexor

wellbutrin (bupropion)

seroquel

cipralex

paxil

----not all at once but at different periods in my life----right now

I'm on effexor and wellbutrin only and tapering off them well, but

the weight is a major ongoing problem for me. I follow what is

considered here a healthy diet and exercise 90% of the time, but my

BMI is still so high, now the highest it's ever been, that my blood

pressure actually raised and my family doctor says I am at a " very

high " risk for medical problems related to obesity (although when she

first saw me and I told her my BMI she thought I had calculated it

wrong --- " no you're not that high " ----then she saw it was in fact

correct! I am a size 16/18 - the biggest I've ever been)>>

** I'd like to first say there are not many theories out here -- there are

many uneducated guesses. Here is a very basic explanation.

All psychotropic drugs exert most of their influence in areas of the

hypothalamus. The hypothalamus, also known as the " master gland, " links the

nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland. The

hypothalamus regulates certain metabolic processes and other autonomic

activities (a few of these arebody temperature, hunger, thirst, and circadian

cycles).

It synthesizes and secretes neurohormones, often called releasing hormones, as

needed that control the secretion of hormones from the anterior pituitary gland.

The hypothalamus has a number of feedback and direct interactions with the

pituitary and the adrenal system. The operation of these together is called the

HPA axis. This system is designed to constantly strive for homeostasis. A

major part of the neuroendocrine system, it controls reactions to stress and

regulates various body processes including digestion, the immune system, mood

and sexuality, and energy usage. Basically, it is the mechanism for a set of

interactions among glands, hormones and parts of the mid-brain that mediate a

general adaptation syndrome.

Within the adrenal glands we have the adrenal cortices which produce

glucocorticoid hormones (mostly cortisol)when certain signals are received via

this HPA axis.

Cortisol acts at two types of receptors - mineralocorticoid receptors and

glucocorticoid receptors, and these are expressed by many different types of

neurons. One important target of glucocorticoids is the hippocampus, which is a

major controlling center of the HPA axis.

Psychotropic drugs overstimulate the production of cortisol. Cortisol and

insulin are intimately related. When cortisol rises, insulin rises. This

creates an overabundance of insulin. Your cells soon become insulin-resistant

because of this. This leads to your body improperly assimilating and storing

carbohydrates. This leads to weight gain.

Again, this is just a simple explanation but should be enough for

understanding the gist of it.

I'd also like to comment on your doctor's comment about being at " very high

risk for medical problems related to obesity " . The obesity is not the problem,

it is a symptom of the problem; therefore, the risks come not from the obesity

but from what causes the obesity -- the drugs your doctor gives you.

Regards,

[Guest guest]

<<Does the overstimulation of cortisol cause exhaustion? I can't figure out why

I'm exhausted all the time. It's hell.

>>

** Cause and effect. Your body is not compatible with the drugs you've been

taking so it becomes damaged and doesn't work properly.

You're looking for a simplistic answer to a complicated problem. As many

systems as the drugs affect are as many systems that are not working properly

and contributing to how you feel.

I need to stop replying to questions like this that don't have something in

it to help people. I have very little time so I must be sure my responses are

practical and helpful. The questions asked lately feed intellectual curiosity.

--

shortstorygal wrote: <

seem to be many theories out there. What theories do people here

subscribe to?

drugs I've taken specifically:

risperdal

effexor

wellbutrin (bupropion)

seroquel

cipralex

paxil

----not all at once but at different periods in my life----right now

I'm on effexor and wellbutrin only and tapering off them well, but

the weight is a major ongoing problem for me. I follow what is

considered here a healthy diet and exercise 90% of the time, but my

BMI is still so high, now the highest it's ever been, that my blood

pressure actually raised and my family doctor says I am at a " very

high " risk for medical problems related to obesity (although when she

first saw me and I told her my BMI she thought I had calculated it

wrong --- " no you're not that high " ----then she saw it was in fact

correct! I am a size 16/18 - the biggest I've ever been)>>

** I'd like to first say there are not many theories out here -- there are

many uneducated guesses. Here is a very basic explanation.

All psychotropic drugs exert most of their influence in areas of the

hypothalamus. The hypothalamus, also known as the " master gland, " links the

nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland. The

hypothalamus regulates certain metabolic processes and other autonomic

activities (a few of these arebody temperature, hunger, thirst, and circadian

cycles).

It synthesizes and secretes neurohormones, often called releasing hormones, as

needed that control the secretion of hormones from the anterior pituitary gland.

The hypothalamus has a number of feedback and direct interactions with the

pituitary and the adrenal system. The operation of these together is called the

HPA axis. This system is designed to constantly strive for homeostasis. A

major part of the neuroendocrine system, it controls reactions to stress and

regulates various body processes including digestion, the immune system, mood

and sexuality, and energy usage. Basically, it is the mechanism for a set of

interactions among glands, hormones and parts of the mid-brain that mediate a

general adaptation syndrome.

Within the adrenal glands we have the adrenal cortices which produce

glucocorticoid hormones (mostly cortisol)when certain signals are received via

this HPA axis.

Cortisol acts at two types of receptors - mineralocorticoid receptors and

glucocorticoid receptors, and these are expressed by many different types of

neurons. One important target of glucocorticoids is the hippocampus, which is a

major controlling center of the HPA axis.

Psychotropic drugs overstimulate the production of cortisol. Cortisol and

insulin are intimately related. When cortisol rises, insulin rises. This

creates an overabundance of insulin. Your cells soon become insulin-resistant

because of this. This leads to your body improperly assimilating and storing

carbohydrates. This leads to weight gain.

Again, this is just a simple explanation but should be enough for

understanding the gist of it.

I'd also like to comment on your doctor's comment about being at " very high

risk for medical problems related to obesity " . The obesity is not the problem,

it is a symptom of the problem; therefore, the risks come not from the obesity

but from what causes the obesity -- the drugs your doctor gives you.

Regards,

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[Guest guest]

<<I find it important to feed my " intellectual curiosity. " I need to know what I

am going thru is normal for my situation. So thank you for answering and please

don't underestimate the importance of intellectual understanding in the healing

process.

I need to know...I do a lot of research, but sometimes I still have questions. I

will try to go elsewhere for my answers.

>>

** , I used to do a lot of education this way on the group but found

that it took too much time and resulted in very little progress. When I stopped

doing most of the intellectual discussion it made a big difference in people's

progress. People tend to get caught up in the mental realm and neglect the

physical, emotional, and spiritual.

The way you know if what you experience is " normal " for your situation is by

asking. The answer, of course, is yes, it is ' " normal " .

Regards,

Kali wrote: <

>>

** Cause and effect. Your body is not compatible with the drugs you've been

taking so it becomes damaged and doesn't work properly.

You're looking for a simplistic answer to a complicated problem. As many

systems as the drugs affect are as many systems that are not working properly

and contributing to how you feel.

I need to stop replying to questions like this that don't have something in

it to help people. I have very little time so I must be sure my responses are

practical and helpful. The questions asked lately feed intellectual curiosity.

--

shortstorygal wrote: <

seem to be many theories out there. What theories do people here

subscribe to?

drugs I've taken specifically:

risperdal

effexor

wellbutrin (bupropion)

seroquel

cipralex

paxil

----not all at once but at different periods in my life----right now

I'm on effexor and wellbutrin only and tapering off them well, but

the weight is a major ongoing problem for me. I follow what is

considered here a healthy diet and exercise 90% of the time, but my

BMI is still so high, now the highest it's ever been, that my blood

pressure actually raised and my family doctor says I am at a " very

high " risk for medical problems related to obesity (although when she

first saw me and I told her my BMI she thought I had calculated it

wrong --- " no you're not that high " ----then she saw it was in fact

correct! I am a size 16/18 - the biggest I've ever been)>>

** I'd like to first say there are not many theories out here -- there are

many uneducated guesses. Here is a very basic explanation.

All psychotropic drugs exert most of their influence in areas of the

hypothalamus. The hypothalamus, also known as the " master gland, " links the

nervous system to the endocrine system via the pituitary gland. The

hypothalamus regulates certain metabolic processes and other autonomic

activities (a few of these arebody temperature, hunger, thirst, and circadian

cycles).

It synthesizes and secretes neurohormones, often called releasing hormones, as

needed that control the secretion of hormones from the anterior pituitary gland.

The hypothalamus has a number of feedback and direct interactions with the

pituitary and the adrenal system. The operation of these together is called the

HPA axis. This system is designed to constantly strive for homeostasis. A

major part of the neuroendocrine system, it controls reactions to stress and

regulates various body processes including digestion, the immune system, mood

and sexuality, and energy usage. Basically, it is the mechanism for a set of

interactions among glands, hormones and parts of the mid-brain that mediate a

general adaptation syndrome.

Within the adrenal glands we have the adrenal cortices which produce

glucocorticoid hormones (mostly cortisol)when certain signals are received via

this HPA axis.

Cortisol acts at two types of receptors - mineralocorticoid receptors and

glucocorticoid receptors, and these are expressed by many different types of

neurons. One important target of glucocorticoids is the hippocampus, which is a

major controlling center of the HPA axis.

Psychotropic drugs overstimulate the production of cortisol. Cortisol and

insulin are intimately related. When cortisol rises, insulin rises. This

creates an overabundance of insulin. Your cells soon become insulin-resistant

because of this. This leads to your body improperly assimilating and storing

carbohydrates. This leads to weight gain.

Again, this is just a simple explanation but should be enough for

understanding the gist of it.

I'd also like to comment on your doctor's comment about being at " very high

risk for medical problems related to obesity " . The obesity is not the problem,

it is a symptom of the problem; therefore, the risks come not from the obesity

but from what causes the obesity -- the drugs your doctor gives you.

Regards,

To subscribe to our off-topic Social list go to:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/socialWandR/

To subscribe to our Truth-in-Health list go to:

http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/truth-in-health