Elavil and fatness

I am having to take elavil for interstitial cystitis, and have gained 15
pounds since I have been on it. Has anyone on this list successfully been
on this drug without gaining?
I will probably have to take it the rest of my life, darn it.
Help!
Jackie

Jamie, it is truly elavil, amitriptyline. It has a soothing effect on the
bladder wall, apparently. As you probably know, with Interstitial Cystitis
the bladder wall gets ulcerated and bleeds, and is very painful. Google
elavil and I. cystitis and you will see they are now using that drug, and it
does help the bladder., but it puts the pounds on.
Jackie
"jamie" wrote in message
...
J. Davidson wrote:
I am having to take elavil for interstitial cystitis, and have gained 15
pounds since I have been on it. Has anyone on this list successfully
been
on this drug without gaining?
I will probably have to take it the rest of my life, darn it.

Were you really prescribed an antidepressant for a chronic bladder
condition, or did you mean Elmiron?

--
jamie )

"There's a seeker born every minute."

Jamie, it is truly elavil, amitriptyline. It has a soothing effect on the
bladder wall, apparently. As you probably know, with Interstitial Cystitis
the bladder wall gets ulcerated and bleeds, and is very painful. Google
elavil and I. cystitis and you will see they are now using that drug, and it
does help the bladder., but it puts the pounds on.
Jackie
"jamie" wrote in message
...
J. Davidson wrote:
I am having to take elavil for interstitial cystitis, and have gained 15
pounds since I have been on it. Has anyone on this list successfully
been
on this drug without gaining?
I will probably have to take it the rest of my life, darn it.

Were you really prescribed an antidepressant for a chronic bladder
condition, or did you mean Elmiron?

--
jamie )

"There's a seeker born every minute."

Jenny, when I worked in the Stanford OR (I'm a retired RN) we used to
instill some strong bleach solution into IC bladders, and I am glad we have
progressed from that.
Yes, Elavil works for me. I had just lost about 47 pounds on Atkins before
I got diagnosed and treated for IC, and have gained the weight due to a
vastly increased appetite, too many carbs, nuts, and SF candy. I intend to
get straightened out and begin losing again. I really appreciate your post,
Marengos, and the other kind souls who have addressed this pickle I am in.
It helps to have support, as you know. I love this list.
Jackie
"Jenny" wrote in message
...
Jackie,

At least the Elavil works for you! The alternative is much worse than
weight gain and you really have to look at it that way.

Have you tried low carbing and not had it work? If not, give it a shot.
The
one thing I'd caution you about as someone with a long history of urinary
tract issues (misdiagnosed as IC, but apparently not IC) is this: keep
your
protein at the level that is enough to provide some glucose for your brain
but not as high as most low carbers eat at.

The reason for this is that when protein digests it breaks down into
ammonia-like compounds which are excreted in urine can be very irritating
to
sensitive tissues.

I have put together a page that helps you figure out the correct level of
protein: http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/proteincalc.htm

One huge benefit of low carbing is that if you have undiagnosed high blood
sugars, which a lot of us do, they may be fueling subclinical bacterial
urinary infections which cause very similar symptoms to IC and are
extremely
tough to diagnose. Bringing down the blood sugar can help keep these
infections at bay. My own "IC" turned out to be non-culturing urinary
tract
infections that were promoted by my abnormal blood sugar which was not
diagnosed for almost 10 years. A combo of antibiotics and keeping blood
sugars normal has gone a long way to alleviating symptoms.


-- Jenny - Low Carbing for 4 years. Below goal for weight. Type 2
diabetes,
hba1c 5.7 .
Cut the carbs to respond to my email address!

Jenny's new site: What they Don't Tell You About Diabetes
http://www.geocities.com/lottadata4u/

Jenny's Low Carb Diet Facts & Figures
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/

Looking for help controlling your blood sugar?
Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/...0Diagnosed.htm


"J. Davidson" wrote in message
news:YbyTc.3512$73.2538@lakeread04...
I am having to take elavil for interstitial cystitis, and have gained 15
pounds since I have been on it. Has anyone on this list successfully
been
on this drug without gaining?
I will probably have to take it the rest of my life, darn it.
Help!
Jackie

Jenny, when I worked in the Stanford OR (I'm a retired RN) we used to
instill some strong bleach solution into IC bladders, and I am glad we have
progressed from that.
Yes, Elavil works for me. I had just lost about 47 pounds on Atkins before
I got diagnosed and treated for IC, and have gained the weight due to a
vastly increased appetite, too many carbs, nuts, and SF candy. I intend to
get straightened out and begin losing again. I really appreciate your post,
Marengos, and the other kind souls who have addressed this pickle I am in.
It helps to have support, as you know. I love this list.
Jackie
"Jenny" wrote in message
...
Jackie,

At least the Elavil works for you! The alternative is much worse than
weight gain and you really have to look at it that way.

Have you tried low carbing and not had it work? If not, give it a shot.
The
one thing I'd caution you about as someone with a long history of urinary
tract issues (misdiagnosed as IC, but apparently not IC) is this: keep
your
protein at the level that is enough to provide some glucose for your brain
but not as high as most low carbers eat at.

The reason for this is that when protein digests it breaks down into
ammonia-like compounds which are excreted in urine can be very irritating
to
sensitive tissues.

I have put together a page that helps you figure out the correct level of
protein: http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/proteincalc.htm

One huge benefit of low carbing is that if you have undiagnosed high blood
sugars, which a lot of us do, they may be fueling subclinical bacterial
urinary infections which cause very similar symptoms to IC and are
extremely
tough to diagnose. Bringing down the blood sugar can help keep these
infections at bay. My own "IC" turned out to be non-culturing urinary
tract
infections that were promoted by my abnormal blood sugar which was not
diagnosed for almost 10 years. A combo of antibiotics and keeping blood
sugars normal has gone a long way to alleviating symptoms.


-- Jenny - Low Carbing for 4 years. Below goal for weight. Type 2
diabetes,
hba1c 5.7 .
Cut the carbs to respond to my email address!

Jenny's new site: What they Don't Tell You About Diabetes
http://www.geocities.com/lottadata4u/

Jenny's Low Carb Diet Facts & Figures
http://www.geocities.com/jenny_the_bean/

Looking for help controlling your blood sugar?
Visit http://www.alt-support-diabetes.org/...0Diagnosed.htm


"J. Davidson" wrote in message
news:YbyTc.3512$73.2538@lakeread04...
I am having to take elavil for interstitial cystitis, and have gained 15
pounds since I have been on it. Has anyone on this list successfully
been
on this drug without gaining?
I will probably have to take it the rest of my life, darn it.
Help!
Jackie