Depression medications that cause weight loss: Are they safe?
When diets fail, people can resort to unconventional methods to lose weight. Instead of following a doctor’s plan or a combination of diet and exercise, some people are tempted to try other methods of weight loss. Some medications, such as depression medications, have been used to support weight loss efforts, although they are not approved for such use. People can buy depression medications that help them lose weight on the internet without their doctor’s knowledge. The danger is that these drugs can interact with other drugs and cause dangerous side effects. Depression medication often helps with cravings, which can help people control their appetite and eat sensibly, but it is important to know that losing weight by using unconventional methods can be harmful to health.
What are depression medications?
Depression medications are also commonly referred to as antidepressants. They are prescribed to a person who suffers from feelings of helplessness, extreme sadness, sleep disorders, concentration problems and even suicidal thoughts. It is not a disease that you can just get rid of or wish away. In most cases, a person suffering from depression must seek counselling or psychological help together with a prescription for depression medication. If you are prescribed antidepressants, you may have to take them for eight months to a year, and your depression may return as soon as you stop taking them. For this reason, it is extremely important that you are monitored by a doctor when you are taking this or any other prescription medication. Researchers have found that there are some depression medications that cause weight loss as a side effect.
Weight changes due to antidepressants
While some antidepressants lead to weight loss, some can lead to weight gain. In fact, experts say that up to one in four people gain ten pounds or more while taking antidepressants such as Lexapro, Paxil, Prozac, and Zoloft. The reasons for weight gain vary, but researchers suspect that depression medication slows down the metabolism and causes weight gain, even though eating habits have not changed. Some people who go through depression also reach for food to feel good, and the drugs have no real effect on appetite or eating habits. Another theory is that antidepressants help a person to rediscover the joys of life, including eating and eating well. The truth is that some people gain weight when they are depressed and others lose weight. The change in weight may not be a side effect of the medication.
Antidepressants for weight loss
There are various depression medications that cause weight loss. The main problem with these drugs is that they can have some dangerous side effects. Wellbutrin is one of the depression medications that can cause weight loss, especially when combined with diet and exercise. The drug comes with a strong warning that it can increase suicidal tendencies in both children and teenagers. It may also cause seizures and insomnia. Even if you can get your doctor to prescribe this drug for off-label treatment of weight problems, most insurance companies will not pay for it because it is not approved for this purpose. Adderall is another drug that is used to treat depression and ADHD, and there are reports that the drug causes weight loss in some people. Although it can help a person lose weight, the side effects can include heart damage, fainting, high blood pressure, tremors, hallucinations, blurred vision, aggression, and insomnia.
Security concerns
It is important to talk to your doctor before you start a weight loss program, especially if you decide to use depression medication as an alternative method. Your doctor can help you keep an eye on the side effects and can help prevent major damage to your body. While it may be tempting to avoid exercise and diet and take a simple approach to weight loss.