Hi Madstar28,
It sounds like you're in a very frustrating place at the moment; I get the impression you've done all the right things and feel as though you've suffered as a result - you still have anxiety and other problems you didn't have prior to seeking help such as weight gain.
Whilst weight gain can be a side effect of some medications (anti-depression/anxiety meds included), it is not a given that medication will cause this. Is it worth having a frank discussion with your GP where you clearly outline your concerns about coming off meds (as you mentioned you still have active symptoms of anxiety) however exploring a different med that may combat the potential side effect your current med appears to be delivering to you?
Our body also plays a huge role in regulating itself. When we're under stress (in a state of trauma), it diverts all its energy into survival. It provides muscles with enough energy to fight or flee (fight/flight), it re-routes blood supply to vital organs, it stops worrying about non-essential functions such as fighting acne, injury recovery, producing waste, and of course, digesting food! We create adrenaline and cortisol when we are under stress, and these chemicals pretty much put a stop to all other chemical production that would normally assist with regular functioning. When we have an oversupply of cortisol, it just doesn't go away, and our body thinks (because we have cortisol coursing through our organs) that we're under significant and imminent threat; it is in survival mode. So, we just don't see reward for our efforts. Our body works against us in this respect.
The best way to rid ourselves of excessive cortisol is intense, vigorous exercise. The key is to then not produce more cortisol for no good reason; we need to remove the trauma or stress that is causing the chemical oversupply.
Lots of cruciferous veggies, fruit, minimal dairy intake, heaps of protein and strength/resistance exercise (weight training) is a great recipe for kicking our metabolism in the butt and reducing cortisol supply. Then a decent cardio (bike ride or brisk walk (jog if we can)) session a couple of times a week will add the benefit of weight loss/overall good feeling into the mix. But if medication is causing a break in the communication link and weight retention is the side effect, we won't see the results! Trying a different med may assist with this. Reducing stress definitely will assist in the positive! 🙂
