In Practice

A Practicing Doctor's Views on Psychiatry and Contemporary Culture.

Peter D. Kramer is a psychiatrist and author. His books include Against Depression and Listening to Prozac. See full bio

Comments on "Making Lemonade"

Making Lemonade

By Peter D. Kramer on July 21, 2008 in In Practice

Zyprexa, Eli Lilly’s blockbuster “atypical” antipsychotic, causes weight gain. So — should doctors use it to treat anorexia? Read More

Pounding nails with a screwdriver

Submitted by david Petropoulos on July 21, 2008 - 10:05am.

As a doctor your tepidly cautious about treating devastating mental illness and always caring and hopeful for the smallest change in a patient in your search for answers. Sincerely-David

It's extremely frustrating

Submitted by Anonymous on July 21, 2008 - 12:59pm.

It's extremely frustrating that the subjects weren't placed in their experimental groups randomly. A small sample size isn't an excuse for disregarding one of the most important rules of experimental design.

Randomization

Submitted by Anonymous on July 21, 2008 - 9:04pm.

The subjects were randomized. However, the sample size was too small to assure that both the treatment and control groups had similar characteristics. This is why large, preferably multi-center, randomized clinical trials are needed.

Only a temporary fix?

Submitted by Anonymous on July 27, 2008 - 8:52am.

As an adult with chronic anorexia I was urged to try this. My doctor offered me this med and told me he'd used it successfully with several other anorexics. He said that yes, they gained weight, but they didn't seem to mind. My question was, "Will they still not mind when they come off the drug? Will they be okay with the weight then?" I did try it. I did gain weight. He was right - I did handle the weight easier and the extreme anxiety and obsessiveness was not as bad on this med. I felt a lot better then I had in ages. I thought at long last there was a "drug solution" to anorexia (I was also in therapy but with only moderate success with it.) But, I was also right. When I went off the drug I was no longer okay with the weight, I felt that the drug jaded me temporarily and I ended up freaked out and lost the weight again. I wonder if other people with anorexia have had the same issue once they go off the med.

Only a temp fix?.... Yes

Submitted by Anonymous on November 14, 2008 - 7:27am.

Yes I too was on this drug and with me I was given it for anxiety and obsessiveness associated with my anorexia. To my extreme consternation my doctor did not tell me about it's weight gaining effects. I did put on weight as I was being hospitalised at the time, however it still bothered me very much even though I was on zyprexia, when I came off the drug, however I got quite depressed and couldn't stand the weight gain so perhaps the drug lessened my anxiety but it came back 10-fold after dicontinuing its use. I am still struggling with the ED worse than ever and would by no means ever take the drug again, it is purely a "fix" that temporarily takes some of the stress away away and ultimately brought me back around to hugely increased anxiety and obsessiveness.
I wish you all the luck in the world

COME ON! REALLY?

Submitted by melanie davidson on February 11, 2009 - 9:22am.

you only gain the weight if your putting calories in your body, otherwise it's not going to fix the anorexic's weight. anorexia is an ubsession a pill can't even fix. imagine that.