People who take Zyprexa oral medication for depression may experience weight gain that would make anyone feel blue, but is especially troubling to an anorexic.
According to WebMD, the common side effects of Zyprexa Oral include Parkinson symptoms, a feeling of restlessness, personality changes and weight gain.
One of my neighbors gained 75 pounds taking the prescription medicine. She had suffered with anorexia for a number of years prior to taking Zyprexa for her depression.
Gaining weight on Zyprexa, she told me, would have been psychologically tormenting, but she felt ambivalent while on the medication. However, her doctor was unhappy with her obesity and her high cholesterol levels. She was also diagnosed as pre-diabetic.
After following her doctor’s precise orders for coming off the medication, my neighbor joined a weight loss support group. Still, it was difficult to shed the weight she had gained without returning to her old anorexic patterns.
She eventually lost 50 pounds and developed a more muscular body.
Her disposition was sunnier. I asked her how she was coping with depression after coming off Zyprexa.
She filled me in on some of her natural cures for depression:
Use food as fuel
My neighbor told me she used to be drained because she looked at food as the enemy instead of as fuel. She started assessing the nutritional values of food including whether the food contained micronutrients and antioxidants as opposed to just evaluating the macronutrients (fats, carbohydrates and protein). She also took fish oil supplements.
Be wary of caffeine
My neighbor used to be a caffeine addict. She wanted to give herself a lift when she felt blue. But depending on caffeine to feel happy didn’t work because she would crash. She said the most severe crying spells came after mixing sugar and caffeine such as coffee with dessert at night.
Exercise outside
Instead of using the exercise machines at the gym, my neighbor joined me on jogs on the nature trail by our home. She said being out in the sunshine for at least an hour a day was invigorating. Dark, stuffy gyms just didn’t lift her depression the same way.
St. John’s Wort
When she first told me about St. John’s Wort, I was skeptical. The herbal remedy is used as an alternative treatment for depression. My neighbor admitted she does not think an herbal cure would have helped her when her depression was more severe. But after she was able to go from black clouds to just gray clouds, the St. John’s Wort took her the rest of the way to blue skies. Of course, she talked to her doctor first before taking the supplement.
More from this contributor:
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Slow Thyroid Function and Weight Gain
Phentermine Diet Pills: My Scary Experience