Meds and goals

Shrinkydinking

I'm not sure if this is the right area but I'm going to try anyway. In 2005 I was 203 pounds and my psych took me off lithium and put me on seroquel for rapid cycling bipolar. By 2008 I was 300. I got taken off seroquel and put on geodon and lamictal. I topped out at 315 by 2016. I see a different doctor now due to insurance changes. I'm working hard to lose now and for the most part stable on just geodon and clonazepam. (although he's also tried bupropion which was horrible for me). I'm down to 267. Now he is talking about changing my meds to one better for weight loss. Possibly putting me back on lithium or latuda (read the side effects and that's not happening). So in the past year and a half I have lost almost 50 pounds. The first 30 - 40 werent too hard to lose .. the last 10 -15 have been a constant battle. I've taken to doing diet bets so I have a consequence if I don't lose. (I lose money that I can't afford to lose - not much money but still money) It's cheaper than weight watchers and more effective for me. I'm more conscious of the scale. That is good and bad since I tend to obsess about things but it lets me choose my obsession which is good. So I also have an obsession, for lack of better words, with numbers and charts. I'm trying to develop my goal chart again and I keep deciding to end it at 160 as my goal. I'm 5 ft 8.5. Larger build. I have never been below a US size 12 in my teen to adult life even at 185 pounds. What is a good goal number? Keep in mind I won't make that definite. I am flexible WHEN I get close to that number (I'm not going to say IF because I will do it this time). I will allow for some play room but going by the BMI chart that is what I picked for a goal. Thoughts?

jemhh

Aim to get into the healthy zone per BMI and once you get close to it, just keep an eye on the mirror to determine when you like what you see.

Slowfaster

It's fabulous that you're doing so well when you have the added difficulty of medications.
160 lbs sounds like an "ideal," weight for you, but you will be below the dangerous "obese," range long before that. 185 lbs might be a good comfortable weight for you, long term.

Shrinkydinking

What do you consider a "healthy zone"? 200 I think was my magic number to get from obese to overweight. My next goal is 250. Then I'll go to the next one .. I'll have to play with numbers to figure out that goal. Maybe 240? (75 pounds) 225?

jlscherme

I can relate to med weight gain, I gained 70# in 6 months. Saphris was pretty weight neutral/losing weight for me, Latuda was a nightmare although others swear by it. My current med regime is Abilify, wellbutrin, Lamictal and lithium. I've lost 10# this month alone with little side effects from all those meds.

Another thing that helped was changing birth control pills to a quarterly period pill, camrese.

jemhh

Shrinkydinking wrote: »

What do you consider a "healthy zone"? 200 I think was my magic number to get from obese to overweight. My next goal is 250. Then I'll go to the next one .. I'll have to play with numbers to figure out that goal. Maybe 240? (75 pounds) 225?

At 5'8.5", 166 lbs would be the tipping point into the healthy BMI zone (24.9.)

That's not to say that you shouldn't have intermediate goals. I used five pound goals as I lost.

Shrinkydinking

jlscherme wrote: »

I can relate to med weight gain, I gained 70# in 6 months. Saphris was pretty weight neutral/losing weight for me, Latuda was a nightmare although others swear by it. My current med regime is Abilify, wellbutrin, Lamictal and lithium. I've lost 10# this month alone with little side effects from all those meds.

Another thing that helped was changing birth control pills to a quarterly period pill, camrese.

I'll look into Saphris. I do not like the side effects listed for Latuda. I won't touch bupropion with a stick again and I was usually manic on lithium but I never minded LOL Geodon seems to keep me mostly in check with some mild manias. no depression. My dr wants to change. I'd love to lose 10 pounds a month again. I was in the beginning but it has slowed down.

I can't do birth control with geodon. I was told it counteracted each other. After my son got diagnosed with eosinophilic disease at 13 (which was a few months after I started geodon) I had my tubes tied so that is not an issue now anyway.

Shrinkydinking

jemhh wrote: »

Shrinkydinking wrote: »

What do you consider a "healthy zone"? 200 I think was my magic number to get from obese to overweight. My next goal is 250. Then I'll go to the next one .. I'll have to play with numbers to figure out that goal. Maybe 240? (75 pounds) 225?

At 5'8.5", 166 lbs would be the tipping point into the healthy BMI zone (24.9.)

That's not to say that you shouldn't have intermediate goals. I used five pound goals as I lost.

I was doing 5 pound increments but it was too closely spaced together. Some weeks I can lose 4 pounds. Other weeks I gain. So now I set it at percentages and major stepping stones and diet bet goals. I seriously love diet bet. It helps me focus my obsessions into something healthy. And it gives me a timeframe to do things. I need that.