If I can do it, so can you!!! (weightloss on Bipolar drugs)

beautifulsparkles

I am nowhere near my goal weight, but due to being on lots of drugs for Bipolar disorder, I started eating lots, which caused me to put on a good 15 kilos/33lbs (I was already classed as severly obese BEFORE I put on that weight). I have been on the site for a year, and have now lost that weight, plus a little bit more, and I intend to go all the way to my goal.

I used to think medications were a good excuse not to lose weight. I'm not going to speak for 100% of people on drugs that make you hungry or can cause your metabolism to slow down, or for you to gain weight. For some people, there really is nothing you can do.

However if you are like I was, and you start eating and drinking too much of the wrong things, stop exercising and even stop going outside, you are going to keep getting bigger. I have hope that you can at least maintain your current size, if nothing else.

Good luck to you, and I pray that you at least have the same success that I have. Feel free to send a friend request if you want to connect. I don't do perfect, but I believe in progress and enjoy connecting with people.

TehLaughingDog

You look freaking great! I totally needed to see this. Thank you!!!! I went on meds after an episode with my borderline and they just ballooned me up. Been fighting the good fight since. Glad to see others repairing themselves both physically and psychologically! You're an inspiration!!!

beautifulsparkles

TehLaughingDog wrote: »

You look freaking great! I totally needed to see this. Thank you!!!! I went on meds after an episode with my borderline and they just ballooned me up. Been fighting the good fight since. Glad to see others repairing themselves both physically and psychologically! You're an inspiration!!!

Thank you so much! I posted this on facebook as well and haven't had much of a response (yet).

Are you on many medications? mine have been lowered dramatically, I started on a low dose, which tripled or quardrupled after I was in hospital, and now they have been halved, so I am still on about a third to half as many pills as what I started on.

beautifulsparkles

Just wanted to share what medications I'm on. If anyone has any questions related to anything I've posted so far, about Bipolar or dealing with Bipolar let me know here.

Morning- 500mg of Epilium EC
2 fish oil supplements

Night- 500mg Epilium EC x2
Olanzapine 2.5mg

Epilium is also known as Sodium Valproate and is known for causing changes in appetite and weight gain. This drug is also used to treat Epilepsy- as a result, doctors and pharmacists often ask if I have Epilepsy- Nope, but the odd thing is, my sister used to suffer from it...

I take fish oil supplements/omega 3 because it was recommended in different places on the internet, and studies have been done that prove that fish oil helps people with Bipolar. I take 2 out of 3 pills a day. When I first started taking it, I had some really strange, very vivid dreams. It also seemed to help with things. Now that I've made a few life changes and life has gotten better in general, I'm not sure what difference it is actually making, but my life has gotten much better since taking them, so I will continue taking them.

According to google, fish oil/omega 3 helps smoothen out mood swings, countries with higher fish consumption report lower rates of depression, has an effect on seratonin levels, protection from Bipolar relapse, protection from heart disease and stroke, lowers the risk of type 1 diabetes and can improve the mental health of someone with Bipolar by up to 50%.

-Be careful though, these supplements may make some chronic illnesses worse.

Karen_can_do_this

@beautifulsparkles
Hi! I'm a fellow person with bipolar taking valproate!!
Just a saying hi

RespectTheKitty

I also have bipolar disorder and my weight has suffered because of the meds I've been on. I too thought there was nothing I could do, that I was just going to have to deal with being fat because the meds wouldn't let me lose weight. That was before I found the right meds for me. What I didn't realize was that, despite the meds, I was still having bad depression and anxiety, which was making me want to eat more. Once I was switched to the meds I'm on now, my depression evened out enough for me to want to make an effort to be healthy. I joined MFP and started exercising. I discovered that regular exercise does WONDERS for my anxiety and depression, reason enough for me to want to stick with it. I started MFP in January and so far have lost 40 pounds. I still have a little ways to go to lose everything I gained on the previous meds, but I'm well on my way.

For the record, I take Latuda and Lexapro for the bipolar disorder, and also Lunesta to help me sleep better.

ObsidianMist

I too gained 30 lbs from being put on an atypical antipsychotic, for my BPD, and I've lost 28 of those 30lbs. I'm currently tapering down my dose to get off of the seroquel because I'm not willing to spend the rest of my life only eating 1200 calories a day so I'm just hoping and praying my metabolism corrects itself. congrats on your weight loss! these drugs sure do make it hard.

goldthistime

Thanks for sharing this. Congratulations on your spectacular progress!