I don’t have any pictures to share this time….but instead, complaints. I have posted here twice before. Once at 4 months PP here and once at 7 months PP here. By the time I was about 10 months PP I was back to normal and completely happy with my body again. Once I started working full time again, about a year ago, I gained back about 5 pounds due to not having time to work out as much. I was still pretty happy with what I had. Until about 6 months ago….I’ve always been a pretty high strung person, but I began to feel more anxious than ever and was really stressing out about everything. My doctor decided to try me on Zoloft. This is the first time I had ever been on any type of medication for anxiety or anything for that matter. At first I started feeling better, calmer…but more hungry and lazier than ever. I still push myself to workout at least 3
days a week and I have been eating healthy, as I almost always have. The pounds keep coming. I have gained at least 10-15 pounds since being on the medication. I seem to have lost the muscle tone I had despite working out. My doctor says that the Zoloft will not cause these things and has ever suggested increasing my dose. I plan on stopping the medication under supervision….of a different doctor. It sucks cause I loved my post partum shape and now I hate my flabby body and find it harder to enjoy life and my family due to feeling so bad about my body. No matter what I eat or don’t eat or how hard I work out, I can’t get the pounds to budge…they just keep creeping up.
I know how it feels when it comes to the medication. I was losing my pregnancy weight and I started back on meds when I was about 6months pp and immediatly stopped losing weight. I had gained 90lbs during pregnancy and have only lost 55lb. Its annoying to say the least. I’m hungry and tired. And its frustrating because as soon as I get happy with things in my life, I pass a mirror and BAM.
I’ve taken up therapy at least every 2 weeks or so and it really seems to be helping me. It took probably 2 months of going every week for it to really help me sort things out. but it is working. <3 Maybe give that a shot?
Not everything works for everyone. It will really just take time. I hope you find something to help you out! <33
Your post is interesting to me. I started having severe anxiety and panic attacks when my firstborn was about 7 months old. I had lost all of my “baby” weight and then some. My doc started me on Zoloft, just the same as you. Rather than gaining weight, I lost. I actually was much more clear headed, organized and I really believe that zoloft made me a much better parent. I was extremely patient and calm. But, I was terribly thin. My dosage was reduced and then I was able to maintain weight at a more healthy rate.
I think each of us is very different and our bodies are chemically sensitive to different things. Don’t give up! It’s so important that you are happy with yourself in order to take the best care of your little one. Maybe there’s another med that will be better suited for your balance. Zoloft worked wonders for me (it still does as I take it to treat PMS for a week out of my cycle) but it’s obviously not the right fit for you. Kudos to you for finding a more sensitive doc. I’m sure there’s something out there to help with your symptons. It’s horrible to feel anxious and panicky.
Good luck!
I am by no means a doctor, but during my few months of PPD I had to try a few different types of antidepressants until I found the one that suited me best. I have tried zoloft, effexor, paxil, and wellbutrin. Zoloft definitely DOES make you gain weight. Zoloft didnt help me at all. Paxil made me have crippling anxiety. Effexor and Wellbutrin are known to not affect sex drive and weight. Wellbutrin is even known to cause some people to actually lose weight (didnt affect me). Those happened to be the ones that worked the best for me. I was on Effexor after my son and Wellbutrin (which is a wonder drug to me) after my daughter.
Like I said, Im not a doctor, but Ive tried a few different meds and I think you shouldnt stick with something if its not working. There are many types of meds and sometimes you have to try out a few to find the one that works for you. Wellbutrin saved my life, literally. I hope you find the best suited avenue for you. Whether it be exercise, therapy, meds, acupunture, etc…Be Well =)
have you had your thyroid checked?
get your thyroid checked. simple bloodwork at the lab.