You May Likely Gain Weight on these 6 Psychiatric Medications

I had been on the drug Zyprexa (olanzapine) for four weeks and had already gained 15 pounds which, you know, didn’t help my depression. After going to a wedding and catching a side view of myself, I called my doctor and told him that my name was now Violet Beauregarde, you know, the gum chewer in “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” who becomes a blueberry balloon. Except that when I rose to the top of the room I was crying. “The two most common questions that patients ask me are, ‘Will I become dependent on the medications?’ and ‘Will I gain weight?’” says Sanjay Gupta, M.D. It’s a serious concern for people considering taking any kind of psychiatric medicine, and a sensitive subject among patients who are currently on meds. “A rapidly expanding waistline is one of the major reasons why patients prematurely discontinue an otherwise effective treatment, fall back into depression, and experience a poor outcome,” says Gupta. He ranks various drugs for weight-gain potential and comes up with these six (in order of waist busters): Clozaril (clozapine) Zyprexa (olanzapine) Remeron (mirtazapine) Seroquel (quetiapine) Depakote (divalproex) Paxil (paroxetine) A few important points: Clozaril, Seroquel, and Zyprexa are antipsychotic medications that increase insulin resistance, and therefore lead to weight gain. Remeron is an alpha-2 receptor blocker, an antidepressant that is sometimes administered to people — emaciated folks — who need to gain we...
Source: World of Psychology - Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Tags: Antidepressant Antipsychotic Disorders General Health-related Medications Mental Health and Wellness Self-Esteem Treatment Anticonvulsant Charlie And The Chocolate Charlie And The Chocolate Factory Chemical Compound Clozaril De Source Type: blogs