Any Bipolar MFP's out there????

lisamay74

I have been Bipolar for the past 11 years. And it has been in these past 11 years I have I have been struggling with my weight!!
Before becoming Bipolar I never had a problem maintaining my weight.....I normally stayed around 135 pounds (I am 5' 7") my husband always told me I was too skinny! lol

But since becoming Bipolar these last 11 years my weight has been up & down. My highest weight was back in 2008.....I got up to 226 pounds.....so right after the holidays I decided to lose some weight and in 2009 I lost 76 pounds!!! But as soon as I went back to "normal eating" most of the weight came back!!

And being on these anti-psychotic meds for my mood swings does not help at all!!! Seems like the # 1 side effect is weight gain!!!
Luckily I gave a GREAT Psych Dr that understands how sensitive I am to weight gain and he tries VERY hard to help make sure I am not on a med that causes weight gain!!

So......just wondering if there are anymore Bipolar MFP's out there......

Lisa
:flowerforyou:

Crateria_

Yep, I am. My medication doesn't cause weight gain but I have struggled on and off with my weight when my manic depression would strike.

I was diagnosed when I was 16.

I take Lamictal which causes no weight gain and is marvelous for controlling mood swings.

tenathequeena

I am bipolar and have gained 100 pounds since I started Seroquel (anti-psychotic). Feel free to add me as a friend!

SomeNights246

I am on the bipolar spectrum. Diagnosis is not official yet. For now, they're calling it mood disorder NOS. My one doctor brought up cyclothymia, which I disagree with (my depression is definitely not mild). Bipolar II has been mentioned, as well. I was taking lamictal. It actually causes the opposite of weight gain. Loss of appetite. Sounds good in theory, but actually isn't (everything tasted horrible to me). I have struggled with depression since I was eleven. I did not have my first hypomanic episode until I was 19, though. My weight has fluctuated my entire life. It's a struggle to maintain a healthy weight. When I'm in a depressed state, I either eat too much or don't want to eat much at all. I'm trying hard, however, to maintain my current weight. MFP has helped a lot. Anyway, if you want friends, I'm more than willing to. You're definitely not alone here. :glasses:

mekkzy888

My Mum's bipolar and has issues with her weight, she used to be anorexic but is now overweight and can't seem to lose even though I know it makes her unhappy. Occasionally I think I've inherited her disorder because I've had a lot of the symptoms for a few years now but was never diagnosed with anything other than depression, mainly because I don't like going to the doctor's, haha. Welcome to chat to me

lisamay74

thanks for all your replies!!! It's really good to know that I am not alone!!!

I am currently on Abilify, Topamax, Zoloft & Klonopin.......The Topamax does not cause any weight gain at all in fact WEIGHT LOSS is the # 1 side effect for this med! When I first started it I lost about 25 pounds but that was almost 2 years ago......I have been on this "cocktail" for about 2 years now and I am doing very well!!

I also just got diagnosed with Fibromyalgia earlier this month so I take a muscle relaxer as needed for it!

Thanks again for your replies!!

Lisa
:happy:

jasmine2385

Yes I am Bipolar along with some add mental illnesses. I have been Bipolar since I was 11 yrs old. I have always been a chunky girl but didn't become out of control obese in tell I had been put on Meds for the M.I. I know that most of the meds that they have out caused weight gain and in turn you have to talk with the doctor about what might work best for you and have the leas weight gain. I wish you the best of luck.

mooncath

I'm not bipolar but I've been struggling with depression. While I was on my medication (sertraline) my psychiatrist kept emphasizing that I could expect to gain weight. I was often exhausted as well.

Since I was exhausted even though I was eating perhaps more than my maintenance calories, I decided that I would cut calories. I lost so much muscle

Then after medication I became careless and gained about 10 pounds. It doesn't seem like much, but I am petite so it looked like I gained about thirty. I've been working out every day since then and have gotten back to my original weight, but I don't think my body composition is the same anymore.

lisamay74

thanks jasmine2385......my Psych Dr & I have a VERY good relationship!!! He is a wonderful Dr and I know he is always there when I need him!! I am so grateful for that!!! And you are right what works best for me may not work well for you at all!! It even may take a while to find the right "cocktail" to help you!! Best of luck to you on your journey!!

caputdragons.......it is real shame that weight gain is often a side effect of the very meds that we need to function everyday!! IMO it causes more stress and makes my depression worse because I am not my biggest fan and I am so hard on myself......especially when I am over weight!!

Good luck maintaining your original weight!! I hope to be maintaining soon!!!

Lisa
:flowerforyou:

Teasaidh

I was diagnosed Bipolar II last november, although I have been dealing with it since I was in middle school and just didn't know what the problem was. I am lucky that Lamictal is working wonderfully for me. That is the only med I am on, and I feel better than I ever have in my entire life. It has evened out my moods which is helping a lot with my stress eating, something I learned from my mother and am now trying to unlearn. It has also helped me sleep better and have more energy and also to focus better. All of this combined has led to me being successful at losing weight for really the first time in my life.

I have always been a bit bigger than I wanted to be, but once I hit college and beyond, the weight started creeping on. I would diet and lose a little, but I would get depressed or lose interest, and the weight would just come back. Then, I went to nursing school and the stress and minimal free time led to me gaining about 40 lb. I fought to lose that for a year, but instead, I ended up adding a few more pounds. I work nights which can increase your cortisol and make it more difficult to lose weight. I also have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome which also makes it very difficult to lose weight, so I am excited to finally have solved part of the puzzle of my life and that it is helping me so much in this area.

Please feel free to friend me if you like. I only have one friend at the moment and would like to have a few more.

kuolo

Yup I am, and have the problems with meds and weight gain too. Depakote and mirtazapine did it for me. Lamotrigine was ok weight wise but unfortunately not enough mentally after a few years. I take clonazepam on and off which seems to be fine too, but aripriprizole made food taste really good which when combined with the mirtz and depakote was a recipe for disaster! Luckily not on the mirtz atm so am trying to lose the weight while I can!
Feel free to add x

billhilly1968

I am bipolar and need friends on here to chat with periodically, Thanks in advance.

lynoprinca

Does anyone have trouble sleeping when you are hungry? I have mild bipolar II and when I am hungry I can not sleep at all. Thats tough to manage when I'm trying to get my calories up earlier in the day. My typical pattern is to eat lightly all day and then have more carb heavy snacks in the evening, especially if I can't sleep. I know its better to eat more of your calories earlier in the day, but that leaves me lying in bed awake for hours....

kuolo

Yup but I think it's quite normal to have trouble sleeping if you're hungry. It's your body's defence mechanism saying don't sleep you need to find food! Nothing wrong with eating before bed either, time of day you eat not important for weight loss - but sleep is!
Tbh I only get it badly if I'm undereating, then it can wake me up in the night. Are you eating enough?

eta: op has deactivated apparently so see no reason not to change subject

karri82

Yep I am bipolar type II, I was only diagnosed last year after years and years of doctors just telling me I was just depressed, quite gratefull about being diagnosed and getting the right medication as my life is so much more balanced now. I did however pile on the weight as a side effect (feeling hungry all the time). It sucks but I've been losing since January scales have gone up and down a bit with binges but I keep trying :-)

ChaiyaChaiya21

I am Bipolar II and it can get pretty bad at times. I have struggled with depression for as long as I can remember and was in a lot of mental health facilities since I was a teenager and as an adult. I didn't get my diagnoses until I was 26/27 ( 3 years ago) It has made all the difference.

I had given up hope that I would ever find any medication that would ever work for me I either got all the horrible side effects or it made me suicidal. It was just a terrible cycles. It got to the point that I refused to to take medication because I would rather feel awful some of the time off the meds the ALL the time on the meds.

Finally when I as diagnosed I was put on Wellbutrin XL and it works very well for me. shortly after I was put on Topiromate ( is actually and anti-seizure medication) as a mood stabilizer which has really made the difference. I have notice a huge change in the severity of my highs and lows.

When I was diagnosed I was relieved frankly. I was so happy to know that it wasn't me that was so broken it was that the doctors were trying to fix the wrong problem.

When it comes to weight Wellbutrin is not known for weight gain it is suppose to help you lose actually but I just find in general when I have my highs I have great will power and plans and determination and then I hit my lows and I can't get off the couch and I eat everything I shouldn't because it takes little to no energy or effort.

My only saving grace is that I have a daughter and I need to stay present and accountable for her. That has helped me to keep it more healthy then in the past but it is still a struggle.

Please feel free to add me.