Weight and antidepressants – what's the connection?

Depression in the US is widespread, increasing gradually since WWII. More than 30 million Americans are thought to have depression, with two thirds of them women. Not surprising in the age of an economic crisis.

Many Americans with depression are now taking antidepressant medication, such as Celexa, Prozac, Wellbutrin or Elavil, to name a few.

Obesity in the US is even more widespread, with 70% of adults classified as overweight, and half of them classified as medically obese. The harmful consequences of obesity are well known; no need to repeat them here.

Does the use of antidepressants affect your weight? For many, this is a valid health question. For others, especially women (but not limited to women), it's also a social issue, a body-image issue, and many times a reason for refusing to use medically-necessary antidepressant medication.

Many patients on antidepressants gain weight. Is it a direct effect of the antidepressant, or is it that some patients begin to enjoy life more, and "celebrate" it with more eating.

Others lose weight. Is this a direct effect of the medication, or is it that these patients can now better deal with the realities of life and better control their eating habits and exercise?

Chronic cough

Cough is common, and can linger, during the allergy season. But does cough equal allergy? Most commonly it doesn't.

A cough can be an annoying, embarrassing symptom, or an important clue leading to rapid diagnosis and effective treatment. It is one of the most common reasons to see a lung specialist, accounting for more than one third of new patient visits in our practice. There is an abundance of confusing medical literature available, most of it on the internet; a recent search found more than 300 articles related to chronic cough published so far this year, and that's only the tip of the iceberg.

Get what's important from your doctor visit

Part of my article in EzineArticles.

The most important thing you should get out of your appointment with the doctor is an adequate explanation to the problem which prompted your visit.

Write down your questions in the order that you feel is the most important. Write down, or ask your doctor to write down, the answers to your questions, including instructions for the use of prescription and over the counter medications, medical devices, and lifestyle changes. If there isn't enough time to have all of your questions answered, then you will have had the most important ones addressed, and could save the rest for the next visit.

Do you have COPD?

If you develop shortness of breath faster than you should, you cough frequently, and are also a smoker, you may indeed have Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary (Lung) Disease, or COPD. The term COPD refers mainly to chronic bronchitis and pulmonary emphysema. More than 80% of COPD is caused by cigarette smoking, with the remainder caused by genetic factors (alpha 1-antitrypsin deficiency), industrial exposure (e.g., coal mining) and questionably air pollution.

COPD is a progressive disease, responsible for an enormous strain on the national healthcare budget, on the work place, and on one's personal well being. More than 12 million Americans are now known to have COPD, and many more have the "hidden" disease. COPD is the fifth leading cause of mortality in the US, and its economic burden is even higher.

The sooner COPD is diagnosed and treated, the better it is. Lives can be saved, jobs can be spared, and extra medical expenses avoided.

So, if you have shortness of breath, smoker or not, make sure COPD is not a factor. Don't delay, see your doctor, you won't regret it!

Think twice before indulging…

Are you planning to exercise away the extra calories of your next meal? Think again.

A typical McDonald double cheeseburger has approximately 440 calories. Add large French fries at 500 calories and you're at more than 900 calories (we won't count the soda because I know you chose the zero calorie one…).

If you weigh about 155 lbs (what used to be the typical adult male weight in the US), and you like to walk, you'll burn 76 calories for each mile.

So the meal you just had would cost you an 11.8 mile walk. No problem, it's still less than a half-marathon distance.

Incidentally, if you were to stop by the Cheese Factory for a cheese cake portion, that will only cost you an additional 9 miles.

Of course, you could do the un-American thing, and have a good portion of no-skin chicken and salad (you can even have a little oil and balsamic vinegar dressing) plus fruit, at less than 400 calories for the meal. Still hungry? Have an apple plus another fruit later.

Do the right thing, your body will thank you for it.