help, im getting bigger

cherokeetracey

i am trying my best with my diet, and yet i am getting bigger. i know, when the dr changed my bipolar medication, he didnt tell me the side effects was the weight gain. I saw him on wednesday and asked him about it, and all he said was 'oh yes, that is a side effect, we'd better check your diet'. i do eat properly, but as of late i know i have been struggling to eat as i have had a chest infection for 3 months aswell.
i just dont know what to eat anymore that will help me and help me stick to my calories.

jayliospecky

Hang in there! I have a cousin with bipolar, and he has struggled with his weight due to meds as well. This is an extra challenge, to be sure. Maybe you can get some practical advice from others dealing with the same medication? I know he did weight watchers for awhile, but it is definitely a struggle if your meds are working against you. Whatever you do, keep taking your meds; your mental health comes first!

lisafred24

Lean protein (chicken, tuna, egg whites, etc.)
Lots of veggies
Limited pasta, potatoe, bread
No sodas (not even diet), if you need the caffeine drink tea.

If you do the above and stick to your number of calories, you should be able to lose weight even with the medication. Good luck.

dobarber

Meds can definitely mess with you when you're trying to lose weight. If your doctor can't or won't help you with this then you might want to ask another doctor for help. Just stick with what you're doing on here to keep track of everything. Food journals always help with weight loss and you can show this information to your doctor to get advice on your diet.
Doug

kg1058

Don't be afraid to ask if there's any different meds that might work as well with fewer side effects. Doctors tend to get into ruts when it comes to dealing with certain conditions. Also, check to see if your local hospital has a dietician who works with people in your situation.... they can share ideas that most dieticians never encounter! Good luck to you!

UsedToBeHusky

If you don't mind me asking, what kind of medication are you on? There is one type that I took years ago that inhibited the part of my brain that told me when my stomach was full. As a result, I could not stop eating! I gained so much weight so fast and I am still working on taking that weight off. I had to have my doctor change my medication. Now I don't take any medication as they all seem to have really terrible side effects. I'd rather cope on my own. I realize not everyone can do that.

cherokeetracey

Lean protein (chicken, tuna, egg whites, etc.)
Lots of veggies
Limited pasta, potatoe, bread
No sodas (not even diet), if you need the caffeine drink tea.

If you do the above and stick to your number of calories, you should be able to lose weight even with the medication. Good luck.

all these are foods i love too. i drink either water or fruit juice as i dont like tea or coffee. i do treat myself to a chinese takeaway once a month but that is only when i can afford too. i am also trying slimming world again to see if i can loose the 1½stone i have gained. i know slimming world worked before as i lost 2 stone with them.
i take my meds every night, i have only ever missed 3 days of meds and boy did i know about it. i felt so suicidal, and depressed, so now i try not to forget. i do have a lot of down days but i try to stay positive, especially now i have a grandson to think about.

Megan2Project

You haven't been logging very much, and what is logged looks not very diet friendly.
Try logging and looking at your sugar/fat/sodium intake and seeing how it looks.

Eleanorjanethinner

No advice really, just to say well done for keeping on keeping on and looking after yourself as best as you can!

Keep seeking help wherever you can find it and good luck on your journey!

cherokeetracey

i am taking mirtazipine. the doctor said he was trying me on this and if it doesnt work then he was going to try lithium. so far i am ok on these meds apart from the weight gain.

UsedToBeHusky

I'm not familiar with that one, but according to Wiki, it is often used as an appetite stimulant. It seems to me that this particular one is going to hinder your weight loss goals.

bethanytowell

Just to shoot straight, you could fit a TON more food into your daily calories if you chose different items. Replace your afternoon skittles with a protein bar or almonds or applesauce or real fruits. For the amount of buttered fish and potatoes you had for lunch today you could have had 3 pieces of baked chicken, a whole cup of green beans, and a couple ears of corn. There are so many differnt options. I definitly dont make the best choices but when I have a slice of pizza for lunch I dont wonder why I am not losing weight. I also am on 2 medications that "cause" weightgain. When you get serious the weight will come off. I fall of the wagon all the time, read my blog its right there for everyone to read. But I dont give up, I get back up after i eat my hersheys kisses and get back on track. Just keep trying! But as long as you are eating candy and anything with Butter in the tittle, dont wonder why you are gaining weight.

cherokeetracey

i've practically stopped eating skittles now, when my daughter was pregnant, i had a huge craving for them and jelly beans. She craved muffins. She had the baby on 21st september and since then i have had one small bag of skittles and havent really been bothered with sweet foods. I love cooking, and today made myself a lasagne. ended up giving half to the dog as i was full.
been looking through my slimming world stuff again, and may give that a go,