i am not new to low carb but i have been uninspired and hardheaded. i am an former athlete way out of shape. i have worked up to abiut 50 minutes of aerobic exercise daily. i look forward to journaling and would to like hear anyones experience with meridia in conjunction with atkins, i know that the atkins program states that diet pills hinder weight loss...i thought since meridia was a little different that it may be used effectively to help appetite contro along with ketosis....any advice is welcome ...i start officially tommorrow thanks robh

Greetings and welcome aboard!

I would forget about the meridia or other drugs for the time being. Start the program and get completely through Induction and then see what your appetite is doing. Most of us find that we have a problem eating enough food once we are fully switched over.

Good luck!

Meridia is a SSRI (like prozac). People who overeat--especially carbs--probably do have a serotonin imbalance that they've been self-medicating with excess carbs. But the carbs help worsen the problem in the long run. In the absence of carbs, the brain should slowly heal itself, manufacturing sufficient neurotransmitters for health and happiness and appetite control.

The problem with taking SSRIs is, they continue to mess up the natural production of serotonin. We have no way of knowing if, long term, they might not shut it down permanently...leaving the brain incapable of healing, and the drug-user permanently hooked on the drug just to stay normal. For this reason alone, I'd say avoid them unless it's a choice between Prozac or suicide.

(Even as a psychotropic agent, though, they're supposed to be short term for crises, prescribed only with psychotherapy, which they seldom are, alas.)

Good for you for exercising--that will also naturally increase your brain's production of important neurotransmitters, as well as decreasing your risk of several chronic illnesses, as I'm sure you know!

Welcome to the board and back to LCing. This could be the moment you change for good and get back to the athletic and energetic you that you must remember. There are some hard days at first--cravings and lethargy while the body converts the energy utilization systems a bit...then it can be smooth sailing for a long time!