Weighty issues June 22, 2006
Posted by spacemom in : Depression , trackbackLet me start today with a special congrats to Stephanie of Emma-Bug and Perrin of TwoLadyBugs. They will get their referrals for their new daughters soon! Their adoption agencies have been told they are included in this next batch! Congrats to both of you! Karen of the Naked Ovary missed the cut off by one day, so go over there and cheer her up!
I was reading an article in the NY Times about mentally ill and an epidemic of diabetes. Turns out, the medications that stabilize their mental chemicals often lead to weight gain, which leads to diabetes. As I was reading this, a little light bulb went off in my head.
In 1996, I was finally diagnosed with hypothyroidism. I was close to 180lbs and lost some before my wedding. In 1998, I started to lose more weight and in Jan 2000, I was at 125lbs. I stayed there until I lost Pathfinder in Sept 2000. I gained about 5 lbs after that. Not bad. Started pregnancy with Soleil around 130. Luna at 132. I cannot get down to 125 without jumping right back up.
I wondered if there was a connection between SSRI (the anti-depressants) and weight. I talked to Dr. Google and found that originally, it was thought that SSRIs would cause a weight loss. However, research is showing that long term (over 6 months), people gain an average of 7.1kg (that’s 15.62 lbs for us Americans). Damn. That’s a lot of weight.
Celexa (which I was on between Soleil and Luna), may cause a craving for carbohydrates. Other SSRIs mimic the symptoms of hypoglycemia, which I get in the afternoons and often want to snack on something to stop the headache/lightheadedness I am feeling.
I was very surprised by these results. This could explain why I can get back to 125ish and then I bounce right back up. Why I feel I have no will power these days. Why I feel flabby fat and lazy, when in truth, I am not…
Interesting food for thought.
For reference, I am 5′3" and 125 is the ideal weight for my frame (120 if you believe the BMI folks, but I don’t because I have a stocky build)
Comments»
Uhh, there are some people who would kill (or they die trying) to get to 125. It’s just drilled into people’s heads that you’re never perfect and that “you could do better, if you had any self-respect”.
I know, That’s the weird thing. How much of this is societial that I need to be “perfect” Or that I need to be a certain way….
Yeah, this whole issue could open a whole can of worms for me..not medical related either. Unless you consider medical mental health related. Boy, I want my kids to be more comfortable in their skin that I was/am. I guess it’s all part of that growing a healthy girl stuff huh? Very interesting point you make about he medical links though.