Holistic approach to treating depression

Hi Everyone,
Is anyone else on an anti-depressant and having problems with weight gain? I have been on Lexapro for four years and have put on 35 lbs. I went off the medication while I was pregnant and only put on 20 lbs then subsequently lost 25 lbs after delivering. But, once I went back on the medication a few months later, the weight packed back on.

Over the last year, I took the medication irregularly and managed to maintain my weight. 2 months ago I started taking it regularly again. I have been counting my calories 1600-2000 a day. I run 20 miles a week, bike 50, swim 2 nights, and do pilates 3x a week too. And somehow I've managed to gain 6 pounds in 7 weeks :mad:

So, I have decided to take myself off the meds and try a holistic approach to treating the depression. I was just wondering if anyone else is doing this. I'm interested in some good resources that could help me with recipes and the like.

Thanks!

I didn't go the medication route, so I don't know what you should expect going off them. What helped me was a good therapist, somebody who not only listened well, but also tossed in new points of view to consider. I also had some PT parallel with that, took sick leave half time, and spent that time working out (exercize also helps). This being Norway, there were no insurance issues. Are you covered for that kind of regime?

After a couple years of treatment, I guess I had come to terms with current issues and also in one nightmare burst of memory finally recalled how I'd managed to get out of a kidnap/attempted rape situation some 25 years earlier (I kid you not). After that I've felt pretty much back in control of my life (as far as one ever is in control) and, though sad from time to time, no longer depressed. I wish you luck and strength! Once you get through, you can look back on depression and feel it was somehow worthwhile, but it's awful while it lasts. Especially when you have kids and are trying not to let them be affected by it.

Hi, Lime! Good to hear that you're going to try a different approach, and you're taking your health into your own hands.

What other methods have you tried? Could the support of practitioners like acupuncture, integrated massage, chiropractic, naturopath and the like be helpful? I'm dealing with health issues that have an emotional component, but not depression per se, so I'm not sure how much of what I have gained from working with these practitioners would help you.

I'm sending you butterflies to help you feel energetic, happy, and full of life!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

I highly recommend The Chemistry of Joy: A Three-Step Program for Overcoming Depression Through Western Science and Eastern Wisdom by Henry Emmons, MD.

Good luck to you. I do suggest that you do not go "cold turkey" off the meds - taper down slowly. Even so, you may find yourself going through some nasty withdrawals (shakes, sweats, nausea, racing thoughts, feeling CRAZY), so just be aware and maybe take a day or two off work and have some support nearby. Remember, it's not you, it's just withdrawal symptoms.

Also, if you decide to continue seeing a therapist or doctor, shop around for one who is willing to work with you sans meds. Most are not, but it is your right to have the treatment you want, so stand up for yourself!

I had Remeron for a while and gained weight too. But I would not recommend going off the meds if your therapist continues to recommend them.

Perhaps your doctor might be able to put you onto a new SSRI that does not have weight gain as a side effect? I went on Prozac and stopped craving.

Then also, therapy, yes, and exercise.

I'm a psychiatric nurse. If you are 10mg Lexapro, you will probably be ok and not have too much discontinuation syndrome (it's rare that I have seen it with Lexapro, but some people do feel rotten), but be careful if you are on 20mg and definitely take michelem's advice and maybe drop to 10mg and then off. (having said that....you should always talk to your Dr. when stopping any meds....sorry...nurse in me)

My recommendation would be to not stop it until you have been involved in some type of talk therapy or have some other support group or coping skills in place. Most psychiatrists are going to prescribe meds rather than doing therapy so maybe get some recommendations of really good therapists in your area and let them know you want off meds due to weight gain. Some psychiatrists are good therapists, but in my experience.....just tend to write meds.

I don't know a lot about diets or recipes for depression....sorry but a holistic approach to therapy would look at spiritual, biological, physical, emotional, environmental issues and such.... so maybe when looking for a therapist, look for someone who does "multi-modal" approach to therapy instead of someone who maybe has a psycho-analytical approach (Freud).

St. John's wort can be used for depression. I don't have any experience with it (it's possible it could cause weight gain too), but it might be worth looking into.

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I'm definitely going to check out those books.

I was on 10mg of Lexapro and have been off for 4 days now. I was starting to feel really anxious last night but am doing better today. The munchies are going away. I don't find myself wanting to snack as much :)

I am offered 6 free counseling sessions through work, so I will check that out first. Otherwise I can look into a different counselor, one that will work with a holistic approach to depression.

I know you're not near Creative Wellness in East Lansing, but maybe you could contact them and ask if they know a similar group near you? Several of their practitioners studied here in Seattle at Bastyr University. Huge reputation, great holistic approach to everything.

You might also contact Bastyr directly and ask if they have graduates or clinics info in your area.

http://creativewellness.net/

http://www.bastyr.edu/

Limewave, acupuncture can help. I will second what everyone here has said about counselling. It's good to ask around and while I'm sure doesn't work well for everyone, rapid eye movement desensitization helped me a great deal.

This seems to be a pretty well balanced view on EMDR.

http://skepdic.com/emdr.html

You can see from the infromation presented that the psychological problem (be it depression or anxiety) is caused by a traumatic event that needs to be reprocessed. If there is not traumatic event and your problem is chemical, it's not likely to help.

I hope you find some things that work for you.

A big component of depression for many people is destructive thinking patterns. Therapy that helps you catch your particular destructive thinking patterns and "rewrite" them can help a great deal in terms of living with depression. Usually this is called cognitive therapy. The goal here is to have you in more control of how you think, so that many depressive episodes get beaten off before they can really start. For most people, learning cognitive therapy works best while they're on an antidepressant. Many patients can go off the antidepressant once they're fairly stable (*waves* like me!).

It's also helpful to have your family and friends trained in the signs of suicide and major depression, even if you've never been suicidal before. It's not a cure-all, but it does help if you're in such bad shape that getting treatment feels impossible. (This also has the useful side effect that if you've got a genetically linked version of major depression, your family members have better odds if they're affected)

If you don't feel comfortable enough with your psychiatrist to call them about a meds change, find a different one. You need to have a doctor who you feel safe with, so that if you're feeling suicidal you call your doctor for help.

Oh and *please* treat St John's Wort as a drug. It can be quite effective, but your doctor(s) need to know you're taking it.

Timely article in today's Wall Street Journal (Weekend section):

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1184...weekendjournal

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Originally Posted by limewave

Hi Everyone,
Is anyone else on an anti-depressant and having problems with weight gain? I have been on Lexapro for four years and have put on 35 lbs. I went off the medication while I was pregnant and only put on 20 lbs then subsequently lost 25 lbs after delivering. But, once I went back on the medication a few months later, the weight packed back on.

Over the last year, I took the medication irregularly and managed to maintain my weight. 2 months ago I started taking it regularly again. I have been counting my calories 1600-2000 a day. I run 20 miles a week, bike 50, swim 2 nights, and do pilates 3x a week too. And somehow I've managed to gain 6 pounds in 7 weeks :mad:

So, I have decided to take myself off the meds and try a holistic approach to treating the depression. I was just wondering if anyone else is doing this. I'm interested in some good resources that could help me with recipes and the like.

Thanks!

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Limewave -

So many of us are struggling with balancing our lives - and depression is a major challenge. I salute your strength and hope that you are finding answers.

I was struck by a couple of things in your first post: your training volume, first. Is this your typical schedule? Do you periodize/taper? Forgive me if you have posted elsewhere on this as I am sort of new here, but, assuming that you have a child and probably a paying job, you are expending a HUGE amount of energy. 1600-2000cals doesn't sound like enough, and I wonder if you are confusing your body into starvation mode. If your training volume has been heavy for months, is overtraining playing into the weightgain and mood stuff? How's your sleep? So many mothers give up sleep hours to cram in chores/me time/etc that the lack of sleep can add to the weight gain (by adding more stress and adrenal exhaustion). I know I neglected sleep.

As for antidepressants, I know firsthand that they can cause 30 pounds to be gained over a few years. I had a bear of a time with it, including some nasty tapering side-effects when I was ready to stop, but with talk therapy and a more balanced training schedule (less and better, not more), I lost the extra weight in a year.

Personally, I feel better without the Celexa now, but I certainly needed it to work through some trauma in therapy and to just deal with the day to day functioning of job/family responsibilities.

Preach time: Holistic treatments - whatever route you go - will only work if you start with balanced sleep, diet, training - and achieving that alone is no easy task in this modern world!

I think you are going to get there, though. Please share with us what works for you because we can learn something from your quest.

Diet: I have started taking supplements such as fish oil and various vitamin b's. I have also cut back on poultry and red meats. I am considering going straight vegetarian. And am also staying away from excessive fat and sugars. Bye-bye icecream :(

Emotionally: for the most part have been doing well. I had a crying spell Saturday evening. But, probably any mother of a toddler embarking on the terrible two's would have too. It was a trying afternoon. I have little help because DH works so much. He's usually gone from 7:30 AM to 9 PM 6 days a week.

Exercise: I had all Sunday morning so I rode my bike 15 miles, swam .75 miles in Lake Michigan and then biked home 15 miles. And enjoyed a family walk Sunday evening. I'm just trying to make sure I do something everyday and it's okay if it's just a walk with DD.

Doctor: I haven't made an appt to see him yet. He's not covered by my insurance and his fees are $90 for 15 minutes. And I have a feeling this appt would be at least 30 minutes. I know I need to do it, so I will start putting some money aside.

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Originally Posted by limewave

Diet: I had a crying spell Saturday evening. But, probably any mother of a toddler embarking on the terrible two's would have too. It was a trying afternoon. I have little help because DH works so much. He's usually gone from 7:30 AM to 9 PM 6 days a week.

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The enormous responsibility of what you are doing is not to be underestimated! It can also be so lonely when you are doing it all. I feel like crying on most days around 4:00 simply because my little ones are tantruming and hungry and tired - therefor I am too!

Good luck with your new food choices, hope it helps.