Wheeee drug weight-- an intro
sparkleponyprincess
Posts: 6
Hi all, new to the group, nice to meet you all 
I was diagnosed with depression at 18, re-diagnosed with bipolar at 24, and I've been working with a really good pdoc to adjust my meds for the past 6 years. I feel like I'm generally doing pretty well on the mental health front, though there've been plenty of bumps in the road along the way, but I'm finally confronting the med weight head-on.
Before the BP diagnosis, when I was unmedicated and manic as hell, I lost 60lb in about 4 months, which was lovely because it was right before I got married and was thinner than ever for wedding pictures. But when I got on meds and my health stabilized, each med adjustment came with a bigger pants size... or two, or three. 35lb on Lithium, 25 on Abilify, 20 on Lexapro, 10+ on Seroquel. And fight as I might, it never budged.
So it's nice to get on a stable enough "cocktail," but being this heavy has caused enough other health problems (plus I've been yo-yo'ing over the same 10-15lb for months now) that I told my doc I needed to change, and now it's time for a switch. Dropped the Seroquel, and I've been on Topamax for about a week now... a little brain fuzzy, a little queasy, but feeling hopeful for the first time in a while.
(Current mix: Lamictal 225mg, BuSpar 15mg, Lexapro 10mg, Topamax 25 mg, soon to 50mg. Yes, it's a lot of pills, but after 6 years' refinement, my doctor thinks it works and I'm OK with that.)
Anyyway, that's me, hope to find some others fighting through the same drug-weight issues, TIA!
I was diagnosed with depression at 18, re-diagnosed with bipolar at 24, and I've been working with a really good pdoc to adjust my meds for the past 6 years. I feel like I'm generally doing pretty well on the mental health front, though there've been plenty of bumps in the road along the way, but I'm finally confronting the med weight head-on.
Before the BP diagnosis, when I was unmedicated and manic as hell, I lost 60lb in about 4 months, which was lovely because it was right before I got married and was thinner than ever for wedding pictures. But when I got on meds and my health stabilized, each med adjustment came with a bigger pants size... or two, or three. 35lb on Lithium, 25 on Abilify, 20 on Lexapro, 10+ on Seroquel. And fight as I might, it never budged.
So it's nice to get on a stable enough "cocktail," but being this heavy has caused enough other health problems (plus I've been yo-yo'ing over the same 10-15lb for months now) that I told my doc I needed to change, and now it's time for a switch. Dropped the Seroquel, and I've been on Topamax for about a week now... a little brain fuzzy, a little queasy, but feeling hopeful for the first time in a while.
(Current mix: Lamictal 225mg, BuSpar 15mg, Lexapro 10mg, Topamax 25 mg, soon to 50mg. Yes, it's a lot of pills, but after 6 years' refinement, my doctor thinks it works and I'm OK with that.)
Anyyway, that's me, hope to find some others fighting through the same drug-weight issues, TIA!
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Replies
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you sound a lot like me. i was also diagnosed with depression at 18, put on prozac, manic as hell till i was 24 and got the proper diagnosis of bi polar. i'm now on a cocktail of 1500mg lithium, 600mg lamictal, 2mg risperidone, 600mg sereoquel, 100mg topirimate and i take a thyroid replacement. i also have a prescription for ativan to use when needed.
everything i take makes me gain weight which is why i went on the topomax a few months ago. i've now lost about a pound or two a month. one of first medications they put me on was depakote. i gained nearly a 100lbs with it. i lost about 30 of that, but i'm still struggling with the rest.
i know how it is to struggle with this weight gain cause by medication. its terrible. i'm sure i helped it a long with my eating habits, but i know i gained more weight then a normal person would have in the same situation.
add me if you want. i have a lot of friends in the same boat. we all do our best to support each other. hope you find the support you need 0 -
Oh my gosh, your post could have been my own! It's been about 6 years since I first began getting so out of control that I finally sought medical help, and since then I had gained about 70 pounds. Each med represented a portion of the weight in my mind (Pristiq= 30 pounds, Citalopram= 20pounds, Buspar= 15pounds, etc.). My weight gain was also spurred a bit by a sleep disorder and thyroid disorder, but I had those before I started the meds and the weight wasn't increasing exponentially like once I started getting "better." I say better in quotes because even though many people would feel like a 70-pound weight-gain is the opposite of improvement, it beats being in the grave, which is where I would've gone without psych help. I'm on my lowest brain cocktail yet, and hoping it may help my weight loss efforts more, we'll see. Just wanted to let you know, I feel you! Sending a friend request, too 0
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This is so interesting to me. Mostly to finally hear that some people have found the meds that work for them. I have bipolar II and don't have to worry about becoming manic, but suffer from (in addition to unrelieved depression) panic and cutting. I was on a huge dose of prozac for fourteen years but it did nothing to control either my panic or self hatred. I have had mental problems since before they were prescribing medication for it. It used to be analysis or hospitalization and shock. There was nothing inbetween. Currently I take Cymbalta, buSpar, klonopin and ambien. I don't think it is addressing all my problems but I have a therapist also. I have steadily gained weight but that isn't my worst problem. I'm just glad to see some people who have found the right mix of meds for them. Gives me hope.0
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Hiii! Im new to the group and MFP but I am beyond thrilled I found this post. A majority of my weight gain has been medicine related and switching meds occasionally has only amplified the issue. I am bi polar, ADD, have a little PTSD and raging anxiety issues. I just recently noticed that my Xanax says it may cause weight gain which is the one med I thought wouldn't cause this issue. I also tend to emotionally eat or sometimes when I'm bored which does NOT help the situation. Does anyone have any tips or tricks for helping to compat this med induced weight gain? I plan on joining a gym if I can get over the initial anxiety of going there and/or going there alone because I definitely have social anxiety issues any advice would be awesome and Im just happy to have found a group who is dealing with the exact same issues.!0
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I have been on meds for years. Topomax reduces my appetite so I am satisfied with a 1200 calorie a day diet which enables me to lose weight. Prior to taking the Topomax I hadn't lost one pound for four years.0
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I can really relate. I've gained so much on drugs. 40 depakote, 20 Abilify, some on Lexapro, and then 100 on zyprexa. Granted I had an eating disorder when all of the medication started and I need to gain first 40+ but the rest has sent me over the edge and back into ED land and has disrupted my moods. I've lost 33lbs since Jan since I've started my new cocktail of 1800 Lithium, 20 Saphris, 300 Wellbutirn, and 300 Seroquel XR. Well I had lost 49 but I've been gaining and losing the same 5-10 lbs the past two months. I hope the topomax helps you. I was on it before and felt it did nothing for me except make me stupid and was angered it didn't promote weight loss. I don't know about you but I think the weight gain adversely effects my moods. I wish you well on your weight loss journey. It is possible to lose weight on meds, but sometimes it is a battle.0
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The same here - same condition, same weight gain.
Though the medication has made me gain weight, I have since lost quite a bit because I don't consume an entire box of doughnuts when I am not depressed. :laugh:
I also take 4 different types of medication, as well as 2 other to deal with the side effects caused by them. Wonderful!0
