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Sunday, November, 22, 2009
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Rapid Weight Gain in Children Taking Antipsychotic Drugs

Jerry Kennard
Jerry Kennard
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Jerry Kennard is a psychologist
Chartered Psychologist

Dr. Jerry Kennard is a psychologist, freelance writer & consultant....

Jerry Kennard

Wednesday, November 04, 2009
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Weight gain has long been recognized as a common and unwelcome side effect of many medications. Last week, Duff Wilson of the New York Times, reported the findings of a recent study showing alarming rates of weight gain in children and adolescents who take some of the most popular ‘new generati...
  1. Huge weight gain in just several weeks !
    christina
    Wednesday, November 04, 2009 at 05:56 PM

    Yes, the medication does increase weight. My 19 year old started taking Seroquel, 50 mg in May,up to 100 mg by October. She has packed on 30 pounds since, and looks terrible. She is feeling better however, but her appetite is ferocious and is just always in the refrigerator. We are searching for alternative medication because now she is getting extremely conscious of her weight gain and we do not want her to quit taking the meds., but it is a catch 22. Discouraging to say the least!

    Reply
    re:Abilify
    S
    Wednesday, November 04, 2009 at 07:37 PM

    Started out saying it was "weight neutral."  Well, EVERYONE in my support group has gained weight on Abilify.  For me 50 lbs. in 12 yrs.  Now have high cholesterol, blood pressure & blood sugar too high.  Getting off Abilify

    Reply
  2. Untitled Comment
    tabby
    Wednesday, November 04, 2009 at 10:47 PM

    these 4 meds have been notorious for weight gain in adults

    why would it be different in children?

     

    that's right, I vaguely remember now (though could very seriously be wrong and if so, I truly apologize) - they weren't intended for children to start with

    then the 2 for pediatric treatment were then approved

     

    so this sets up a whole generation of obese young adults with degenerative diseases with all likelihood - as well as cardiovascular and systemic and further emotional due to society's obsession with thinness cause you can't really gain weight unless you stuff your face with food too much, remember?  Has little to do with metabolic screw up from the meds you are ingesting, many docs will be happy to tell ya.

     

    ooohh weight gain in teenagers and children are even worse with the peers than adults... creates that whole body dysfunctional image thingy that lasts a lifetime... creates Eating Disorders or stimulates them... yeah... way to go there

     

    but then again... there are more meds out there for all those problems as well

     

    course, these meds aren't always prescribed to adults or children for psychosis

     

     

     

     

     

    Reply
    re: Untitled Comment
    Karen Winchester
    Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 04:16 PM

    I find it extremely distressing that children are being prescribed anti psychotic medication.  I trained in Social Work and found that children were being labelled as having ADHD when there were clearly dysfunctional relationships going on in the family that were causing the child distress; my brother's behaviour was irrationally aggressive as a child, but he was later diagnosed as having a food intolerance.  It's bad enough that adults are being told that their emotional distress is a result of a biological disease and are coerced into taking medication with a variety of unpleasant side effects; but at least we have some choice in whether we comply or not.  What sort of irresponsible parent would poison their child for a quiet life???  I know madness is subjective, but surely this is insanity. 

    Reply
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