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Prescribed Elavil. Gained Weight. Feeling Depressed. Reason For Weight Gain?

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Posted on Sat, 28 Sep 2013
Question: I HAVE BEEN PRESCRIBED ELAVIL GENERIC FORM SINCE JULY 2nd AND HAVE GAINED 15 POUNDS AND DEPRESSED DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO I GAINED 2 LBS PER DAY ITS TERRIBLE DONT UNDERSTAND? ALSO GABAPENTIN BUT TOOK MYSELF OFF DUE TO WEIGHT GAIN ETC. ONE MED IS ENOUGH! ELAVIL IS AN ANTI-DEPRESSANT WHY IS THERE WEIGHT GAIN I FEEL MORE DEPRESSED FROM GAINING WEIGHT I CANNOT EXERCISE DUE TO PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY!
doctor
Answered by Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi (34 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Elavil

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to XXXXXXX

Elavil consists of amytriptilline. It is a good antidepressant drug. It belongs to TCA group of antidepressant drugs. It has potential to cause sedation, weight gain as side effect. But at lower doses the weight gain is not so significant. I want to know what dose you are taking?
Second reason of weight gain is improvement of symptoms with drug itself. Due to improvement of mood, appetite increases which cause increase in weight.

If weight gain is really bothersome then I would advise you to go for walk daily for at least half hour. Consult a psychiatrist to replace elavil with some other group drug which don't cause weight gain. Medicines like Escitalopram, fluoxetine etc are free of side effects of weight gain.

Hope I cleared your doubt, if you have more queries you can ask again.

Thanks
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
Dr.
Dr. Seikhoo Bishnoi

Psychiatrist

Practicing since :2007

Answered : 5193 Questions

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Prescribed Elavil. Gained Weight. Feeling Depressed. Reason For Weight Gain?

Brief Answer:
Elavil

Detailed Answer:
Hello
Welcome to XXXXXXX

Elavil consists of amytriptilline. It is a good antidepressant drug. It belongs to TCA group of antidepressant drugs. It has potential to cause sedation, weight gain as side effect. But at lower doses the weight gain is not so significant. I want to know what dose you are taking?
Second reason of weight gain is improvement of symptoms with drug itself. Due to improvement of mood, appetite increases which cause increase in weight.

If weight gain is really bothersome then I would advise you to go for walk daily for at least half hour. Consult a psychiatrist to replace elavil with some other group drug which don't cause weight gain. Medicines like Escitalopram, fluoxetine etc are free of side effects of weight gain.

Hope I cleared your doubt, if you have more queries you can ask again.

Thanks