Any Bipolar MFP's out there????

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.

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:

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.

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.

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

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

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.