Psych Meds and Slow Loss

chavezjm196908

I take medications for Bi Polar and seem to be losing very slowly. Has anyone else experienced this? I'm thinking of changing meds but the one I am on now has helped so much, but known for weight gain. Any advice?

Luke_rabbit

There is nothing wrong with losing slowly. If your current meds are working, that is awesome. Finding the right meds combo for bipolar is priceless!

There is a wealth of knowledge on this site. Have you read all the stickies? Found some supportive friends or groups? Over time, using MFP as intended and learning from all the experienced folks here, you can see some great results.

Good luck!

kshama2001

What's "slowly"? Sometimes our expectations are distorted by shows like The Biggest Loser.

Womona

Better to feel great on the meds you are taking, than to switch out for the sake of losing a few pounds. Mental health is so much more important! CICO works, even if you’re on medication that makes you gain weight! If you haven’t already, get a food scale and measure everything. That was a game changer for me.

NorthCascades

Because so many people eat for emotional reasons, you shouldn't give up a med that's working well.

tartanshep

hi. I'm on meds for bipolar too. Gained a lot of weight on Quetiapine/Seroquel. Now on Lamotrigine but the weight is going slowlyyyy off.

It is going though. Half a pound a week is a good week for me sometimes. I Think I'll have to be patient.

Psychgrrl

I echo not switching meds because of slow weight-loss if you feel it is helping you manage your bi-polar diagnosis.

A couple things to be aware of ... the meds themselves don't contain calories and don't directly make you gain weight. However, they can affect behaviors which in turn can lead to weight gain. Your daily activity may be reduced or the intensity of the activity may be less (or both), resulting in fewer calories burned. This is more likely to happen when you're in a more depressive swing. And your appetite may increase whether you're manic or depressive (could be both).

Using a food scale and being religious about your calories in portion can help. Be patient and evaluate hunger cues. Are they really hunger cues or are they resulting from something else. Can you engage in another activity to see if the hunger remains persistent? If you are hungry, maybe try tweaking your food choices to find combinations that will keep you fuller longer.

And just give yourself grace. You have a medical condition. Weight-loss is not linear for anyone and you have some additional considerations to take. Any weight-loss is progress towards your goal.