Well, here I am again. Fat and desperate to lose the weight. I have gained 35lbs steadily during the past three years. I was not too worried in the beginning until I jumped one size… and then another. I started my old diet protocols: no snacking, no fried food and less bread. It did not work and I gave up. Then I started to really look for an answer. Why had I gained so much wait so fast? Yes I ate more but not so much more, right? I started counting calories and registered about 2200 a day which granted are not those of a very slim person, but not those of a size 12, 5’6”, 185lbs woman either. Hmmm. The culprit? Antidepressants of course. According to different sources I found, antidepressants keep more of the serotonin (the neurotransmitter antidepressants affect) circulating on the brain before the brain itself absorbs it. So, the brain figures there is enough serotonin and stops making serotonin overtime. So, even if the antidepressant keeps serotonin at a comfortable level, overtime it can slow the brain production of serotonin. What is the implication? The person will crave carbohydrates, a raw material of serotonin. And craving you do! My favorite fix right now is a donut. When I sit to eat, I cannot live without bread and before going to sleep I have a cookie… or two. I used to have perfect self control of my eating. No more.
Before I learned about my body’s need for carbs, I stumbled upon a couple of books on dieting that claimed to help people lose weight on antidepressants. (Write to me and I will give you the titles for your own information.) The first was an overpriced little piece written by a fellow who supposedly had the secret to losing the weight. His website also has a free e-book on how to go off the antidepressants and diminish the withdrawal by taking in specific supplements and foods. Well, as soon as I received the book I felt robbed. It calls for 3-4 expensive supplements to be taking constantly. Of course, the supplements were sold at this fellow’s website. The book had so little information it was already defeating. But, I gave it a try. I followed the protocols, took the supplements and lost exactly 000.000lbs. At the end of the book, the author says if none of his prescriptions work, then you have to choose between the antidepressant and being thin.
Oh thank you!!!!! Where are my $15.00 I paid for this pamphlet??? In my hall of shame of wasted money.
I did not give up and soon found a diet guru that had a low-carb program with plenty of supplements and specific food choices. It promised you would lose about 5% of your body weight IN TWO WEEKS. And I did! I lost 12lbs in two weeks. I crave carbs of course but I was not particularly hungry. But oh oh. The taste of the food was just horrible. I had to stop salting food, eat eggs (horrible, I hate eggs), stop drinking anything but water and non-sweetened natural cranberry juice (tart and really really bad tasting.) Salads with flaxseed oil were the staple (tastes like I imagine hell tastes.) I was not permitted any artificial sweeteners only stevia so I could not even chew gum and I also had to buy a bunch of expensive supplements. But it worked. The first 4 days I had a killer headache since I was “detoxifying.” According to the author, the key to losing the weight is to clean the liver, the organ antidepressants load the most. Of course, no alcohol permitted. By the second week I was so proud of my self-control and so happy, I started pulling my old pants from storage. But by the third week I started feeling depressed and later so sleepy I was unable to drive. I started taking the bus to work and I fought the sleep all day at work. No caffeine at hand (not permitted by the diet), I would have to go around my desk every ½ hr to get some air and not fall asleep on the desk. Finally, my very well known symptoms set in: burning in the face, headache not giving to any pain medicine (mind you, the diet tells you to minimize use of any drug other than your prescriptions), rapid heart beating… Anxiety. I panicked, went to my psychiatrist and got an increased dose of Paxil, which helped enormously.
ATTENTION TO ALL ANTIDEPRESANT USERS!!! DO NOT GO INTO A LOW-CARB DIET. YOU NEED CARBS TO FABRICATE PRECIOUS SEROTONIN!
It took me about 2 months to feel really better, and then I had gained the poundage again. I researched again and found a Serotonin-oriented diet that I hope will help. I am planning follow some of the ideas on the low-carb diet, like a protein shake for breakfast and drinking lots of cranberry juice (1 part of the juice to 12 parts of water!!) to help clear the liver. I eat more eggs now although not as many as the diet calls and eat as much vegetables as I want (that’s not a lot ha ha.) But, I eat carbs at specific times and with a specific goal: to maintain my brain producing serotonin.
Be careful out there and whish me luck. I am at 185lbs and shooting for 155. Enough to return me to my size 8 regular self.
