120 pound weight gain leads to depression

August 16, 2012 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: My diagnosis is clinical depression and schizo-affective disorder. I have been taking clozapine since 1990 and Mirapex, levothyroxine, omeprazole, Cymbalta and bupropion for about six years. I am severely overweight now – 270 pounds. I used to be no more than 150.

I have been unable to work steadily, except as a retail shop clerk. I’ve had a college degree since 1981. My family (brothers, nieces, nephew and cousins) are all very successful. My parents are 88 and 90 years old and have been helping financially. When they are gone I don’t know what I’ll do.

Do you have any advice for me?
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Relaxation techniques may help TD

May 15, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: About 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with tardive dyskinesia, also known as TD. My tongue moved (wiggled) involuntary, continuously. A doctor said it would continue the rest of my life.

This was distressing so I decided to fight it. I pressed my tongue tightly in my mouth to stop the movement. Then one morning I awoke and realized my tongue wasn’t moving. Then it started moving immediately. I thought perhaps it didn’t move when it was in a state of relaxation.

During childbirth classes, I learned the technique of relaxing. When I relaxed my tongue with a conscious effort, it stopped moving. Eventually, the movement stopped.
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Is medication to blame for insomnia?

February 6, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I not only read but have scrapbooks full of your articles. For more than a year now, I have had insomnia nightly for two or more hours; dry mouth (for which I use Biotene, which helps a little); night sweats that cause me to change my bedclothes every night and sometimes twice; muscle discomfort from my elbow to my shoulder when my arms are out or above my head; gas (for which I use Beano, which only prevents gas when taken just before eating); and constipation, missing a day or two of evacuation on occasion.

For my dry mouth, my doctor thought Allegra could be the cause. I stopped taking the Allegra, but it didn’t help.
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