Weight Loss with Bipolar Disorder

Naomiwaves

Hi,Naomiwaves here.
I am and have been bipolar for the past three years.
I'm writing because the medication I've been taking for the past few years causes weight gain.
The first year I found out I was,I gained aprox. 50 pounds.
I went from 155 to 202 pounds in a year.The second year I got serious about losing weight,
I dropped close to fifteen pounds but then gained it all back.
I'm just wondering if anybody has any tips for weight loss when on medication.

p.s. my current weight is 205.

CATindeeHAT

Weight-loss with Bipolar disorder is a tricky one. Look up the term "pyroluria" - you need to fix the nutritional imbalance that is most likely occurring in your body because of your bipolar disorder before having any luck loosing weight.

Also search the term "diets for bipolar disorder." Most of the scientific research suggests you stay away from sugar and consume high-fat foods.

jenjones28

It may depend on what medications you're taking. Some are going to make it really hard to lose weight because of the weight gain side effects. You may have to discuss with your doctor adding a complementary medication to help stabilize your blood sugar and insulin if that is a problem (Metformin), and be really structured about carbs and exercise.

Naomiwaves

@jenjones28 :thanks for the advice.

@KatasticCat :Thanks ,will check that out.

Any lifestyle changes you guys can reccomend?

FlaxMilk

Definitely talk to your doctor about your specific medications--certain meds used to treat Bipolar are suspected to change the way the body processes carbs, so for these meds, it can be beneficial to limit carbs. (Not eliminate them.)

onyxgirl17

my mom had bipolar and sugar was her downfall... I'd suggest staying away from a lot of sugar.

NuclearMosquito

I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder while in the process of losing weight 3 years ago (now I know this was because I was manic). I weighed about 178 when diagnosed. In 3 months I was back to around 215. They had put me on Seroquel, and that was the worst med I've been on to date as far as weight gain. I craved sweet carbs like no one's business!

Right now I am on 3 different meds long-term. Two have weight gain listed as a side effect. One thing I do to combat this is not allow sweets in my house. If I really want something sweet, I have to go out and buy it, and I only buy one serving at a time. It really does help. Also, the lithium I'm on is terrible at making you thirsty (and I think some other meds are, too), so I make sure to stay hydrated and not mistake thirst for hunger.

My only other advice is to work hard on getting yourself stable. I find when my moods are less flighty it's easier for me to stick to my diet, and I'm not reaching out to food out of emotion. And stay in close contact with your doctor! If you notice a new/recurring symptom or something's not quite right, let them know quickly. This will not only help your mental health, but your bodily health, as well.

christchick7

Thank you for starting this topic! I hope it can continue so that we can provide each other with imformation and inspiration.
I've not yet done the research you suggested on pyroluria, diet and bipolar, but I will; hopefully I can add something to this
discussion. I've been mentally ill since January 2003; I was diagnosed bipolar in April of that same year. I have cerebral pal-
sy as well so I have a feeling this may be even more challenging than I originally believed. I spoke to the floor nurse at the
nursing home where I live, and his advice was to be proactive about taking care of myself, and to take advantage of the up
periods to do positive things like exercise. I'm so glad to be here... Sue

tracypk

I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder while in the process of losing weight 3 years ago (now I know this was because I was manic). I weighed about 178 when diagnosed. In 3 months I was back to around 215. They had put me on Seroquel, and that was the worst med I've been on to date as far as weight gain. I craved sweet carbs like no one's business!

Right now I am on 3 different meds long-term. Two have weight gain listed as a side effect. One thing I do to combat this is not allow sweets in my house. If I really want something sweet, I have to go out and buy it, and I only buy one serving at a time. It really does help. Also, the lithium I'm on is terrible at making you thirsty (and I think some other meds are, too), so I make sure to stay hydrated and not mistake thirst for hunger.

My only other advice is to work hard on getting yourself stable. I find when my moods are less flighty it's easier for me to stick to my diet, and I'm not reaching out to food out of emotion. And stay in close contact with your doctor! If you notice a new/recurring symptom or something's not quite right, let them know quickly. This will not only help your mental health, but your bodily health, as well.

I had the same results with seroquel. I would eat 2 cake donuts in 30 sec flat. It was the reason I gained the weight I'm working on losing now. I don't take it anymore. Thankfully.

CATindeeHAT

Do You Have Pyroluria? - (IF YOU DO YOU NEED TO FIX THE NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCIES THAT ARE OCCURRING IN YOUR BODY BEFORE HAVING ANY CHANCE OF LOSING WEIGHT)

If you’ve never heard of the condition, pyroluria, you’re not alone. Chances are your doctor hasn’t heard of it either, or isn’t too interested in it, even if he or she does know anything about it. Why? Because there are no drugs to treat it.

What is it?

Pyroluria is a genetic metabolic condition long recognized by the field of orthomolecular medicine and orthomolecular psychiatry. As many as 50% of those with autism, 40% of alcoholics, 70% of schizophrenics, 70% of persons with bipolar disorder and depression, and 30% of persons struggling with ADD may have pyroluria underlying these conditions and make them very difficult to reach with traditional and even holistic therapies. –But pyroluria isn’t limited to these populations. As much as 10% of the population may have this metabolic condition and not know it…but may have lifelong symptoms associated with it that tend to worsen with age…and stress.

What are the symptoms?

In general, the symptoms of pyroluria have a mysteriously intractable quality to them and may lead to lifelong issues with severe inner tension, ongoing anxiety, poor stress tolerance (with added stress of any kind making the symptoms worse), digestive issues and difficulty digesting protein, frequent colds and infections, joint pain or stiffness, acne, eczema or psoriasis, mood swings and reactivity, poor short term memory, and a tendency in many to lean towards being a loner…among many other potential symptoms.

I’ve also included a screening tool at the end of this article outlining many of the most common symptoms reported you can use to help you determine whether it is worth additional testing to pursue a more definitive diagnosis. The test is a simple urine test anyone can order for themselves using the resource I’ve provided at the end of this article.

OK…so what is pyroluria (in more detail)?

During the synthesis of hemoglobin in the body there are waste products generated called kryptopyrroles. Kryptopyrroles don’t really serve any useful biological purpose and are normally excreted by most of us uneventfully. In someone with pyroluria, however, these kryptopyrroles don’t get excreted and will tend to build up–even more so under stress of any kind. It turns out that kryptopyrroles have a tendency to bind very strongly with things like zinc and vitamin B6, making them largely unavailable to the body…which is a very big problem. Zinc and B6, of course, are nutrients critical for the functioning of your entire body and mind–including your digestion, immune system, cognitive functioning and emotions. Over time deficiencies can really take their toll on the way you feel and function and have serious consequences. Often people will go for years suffering the effects of pyroluria regardless of what therapies they try or how well they eat.

Pyrolurics also have a greater than normal need for omega-6 fatty acids, particularly dietary arachidonic acid (AA–found readily in eggs, butter, red meat and liver) and the essential fatty acid GLA (gamma linolenic acid– found in supplements like black currant seed oil and evening primrose oil).

The really good news is that once diagnosed, pyroluria is very manageable with the use of disciplined supplementation–typically requiring large doses of zinc and B6 (liquid ionic zinc and a co-enzymated form of B6 known as “P-5-P” tend to work best). Also typically some supplementation with GLA is also needed, along with a diet somewhat higher in sources of arachidonic acid. Sufficiency for zinc can be determined using a “zinc tally” test and B6 sufficiency can be subjectively determined by the return of regular (remembered) dreaming. The “bad news” is that some ongoing supplementation is needed indefinitely in order for symptoms to remain manageable long term…a small price to pay for real relief. Without appropriate supplementation symptoms ten to return again in a week or two.

With appropriate supplementation and stress management mild cases of pyroluria tend to respond quickly. More severe cases tend to experience gradual and incremental improvement over a period of several months.

Additional considerations for the pyroluric include the need for improving digestion and hydrochloric acid status (see chapter on digestion in my book, Primal Body-Primal Mind), avoidance of phytate-containing foods such as grains, legumes and soy, and the susceptibility to heavy metal toxicity from mercury, cadmium and copper. Where the restoration of zinc sufficiency is highly resistant one may need to pursue further testing to see if heavy metal toxicity is an issue.

The following includes the most common symptoms associated with the condition Pyroluria. If you answer “yes” to 15 or more of these then further testing may be worthwhile:

PYROLURIA QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Little or no dream recall

2. White spots on finger nails

3. Poor morning appetite +/- tendency to skip breakfast

4. Morning nausea

5. Pale skin +/- poor tanning +/- burn easy in sun

6. Sensitivity to bright light

7. Hypersensitive to loud noises

8. Reading difficulties (e.g. dyslexia)

9. Poor ability to cope with stress

10.Mood swings or temper outbursts

11.Histrionic (dramatic) tendency

12.Argumentative/enjoy argument

13.New situations or changes in routine (i.e., traveling) particularly stressful

14.Much higher capability and alertness in the evening, compared to mornings

15.Poor short term memory

16.Abnormal body fat distribution

17.Belong to an all-girl family with look-alike sisters

18.Dry skin

19.Anxiousness

20.Reaching puberty later than normal

21.Difficulty digesting, a dislike of protein or a history ofvegetarianism

22.Tendency toward being a loner and/or avoiding larger groups of people

23.Stretch marks on skin

24.Poor sense of smell or taste

25.Feel very uncomfortable with strangers

26.Frequently experience fatigue

27.A tendency to overreact to tranquilizers, barbiturates, alcohol or other drugs (in other words, a little produces a powerful response)

28.A tendency toward anemia

29.History of mental illness or alcoholism in family

30.Easily upset by criticism

31.Sweet smell (fruity odor) to breath or sweat when ill or stressed

32.Prone to acne, eczema or psoriasis

33.A tendency toward feeling anxious, fearful and carrying lifelong inner tension

34.Difficulty recalling past events or people

35.Bouts of depression or nervous exhaustion

36.Prone to frequent colds or infections

Again, if you have answered yes to 15 or more of these then consider testing further using a urinary screening test for the presence of elevated kryptopyrroles.

Testing for this condition is simple, relatively inexpensive and readily accessible to anyone without a prescription.

NOTE: It’s important that a clear laboratory diagnosis is determined before attempting high dose supplementation with zinc and/or B6. Working closely with a qualified health care provider knowledgeable about this condition is strongly suggested. - from Primal Body, Primal Mind