SW: 258.6lbs/117kg/19 stone w/ a 33.2 BMI
(Constantly fluctuated between 260-275lbs/117kg-125kg/18-19 stone honestly!)
CW: 233.2 lbs/105.6kg/16 stone w/ a 29.9 BMI
GW: 180lbs/81kg/13 stone
I’m a 30 year old male and about 6’3”/190.5 cm
Since January 20th, I’ve lost 25.4 lbs. I am officially no longer obese and I am now considered overweight. I’ve gone down one full pant size and have started fitting into clothes that I once thought were lost to me forever!
I wanted to share my results and my story because the majority of my weight loss (and weight struggles) has been tied to my medications. I’m not talking Ozempic (or any other weight loss drugs).
I’ve had mental health struggles all throughout my 20s and I was aimlessly put on several different medications by my PCP (primary care physician for non U.S. folks) until we found the “right” mix. Three to four years ago I was put on a medication that caused me to gain the most weight I’ve ever had in my entire life. I never made the correlation despite being warned by friends and family who have experienced weight gain from their own mental health medication. It was always a warning of 5-10lbs/2-4kg/.5 stone. Something inconvenient but manageable.
I gained 70+ lbs/31kg/5 stone during that time period, and I always linked it to my lifestyle choices. I was an alcoholic, I ate out too much, I wasn’t active, etc. While all the factors certainly did help contribute to my weight gain, I never truly did link it to one of my medications. I was the problem and I was ready to change, but despite my efforts to switch up my diet, exercise more, drink less, I hardly saw any true results.
It wasn’t until November of last year that I was formally diagnosed with ADHD, which caused me to seek help from a psychiatrist who helped me connect the dots. She informed me that one of my medications (Seroquel) really messes with the parts of my brain that deal with hunger and satiation, and it made complete sense as to why I never ever felt fully satiated, which ultimately fueled my binge eating disorder. That particular medication was prescribed to me by my PCP as a “let’s see if this works and go from there” mentality. My psychiatrist made an analogy that sometimes doctors prescribe medications like throwing darts at a dart board, hoping to see if they hit the bullseye. I don’t hold a grudge or blame my PCP, either. There just wasn’t much help or follow up with the side effects so long as the medication was doing what we hoped it would do.
Since January, my medications have been altered and the results have been astounding. I feel “satiated” and more in control of my body’s wants/needs. I’ve been sober for 94 days and I’ve done my best to redefine what normal eating looks like to me. I also have mental clarity and focus that I didn’t even know existed.
My main point is to highlight those who struggle with variables like side effects of medication that are outside of our control. Despite your earnest efforts to change your diet, exercise more, etc. you often saw a lack of results because chemically/hormonally something else is going on. I understand that healthcare in the U.S. is prohibitive to many because of how expensive it can be, even with insurance, and that not everyone has the luxury of figuring out their medications in this manner. But maybe my story will help someone feel better because they can relate to it.
TL;DR: Mental health medications contributed to massive weight gain. Working with a psychiatrist helped me understand those side effects and now I’m on medication much more suited to my mental health needs that has resulted in weight loss.
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/u/VictimRoyalty
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