Tricyclic Antidepressants

[Guest guest]

H. wrote:

> I cannot take Tricyclic antidepressants because they make me binge (eat)

> like crazy.

I laughed when I saw this. Years ago, the doctor put me on

Amitriptyline (also called Elavil, Tryptizol, or Laroxyl) to try and

relieve some of the problems I had from having Fibromyalgia mixed in

with my other pain problems.

I started gaining weight like crazy. So I began keeping a list of

everything that I was eating and drinking. I had basically doubled my

caloric intake when I started taking the Amitriptyline. In a little

over two months I gained almost 40 pounds!

I stopped taking Amitriptyline and that weight came off me, though not

as easily as I put it on. My food bill dropped considerably too. :-)

For anyone who thinks it's the medication that's " making " you gain

weight, please start writing down everything you are eating and

drinking. you can check the calorie counts on line. There are lots of

sites to use. I just typed in " calories in common foods " and got a

couple of dozen useful hits.

You may be surprised that it's not the medication, it's what the

medication changes about your appetite and your eating habits. Those

excess calories turn into body fat very easily. If you aren't burning

enough calories, those extra calories stay with you. Over the years I've

found that it's easier to take control of what I eat, rather than

keeping trying to deal with the aftermath of overeating.

Live and Learn. :-)

Lyndi