Looking for Awesome Bipolar MFP Friends!

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  • jacques57
    jacques57 Posts: 2,129 Member
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    bump
  • fatalis_vox
    fatalis_vox Posts: 106 Member
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    I don't have BPD, but I do have major depressive disorder, and I'm currently struggling with it. I've gained 15 pounds since some stressful events triggered a SERIOUS down-cycle, and am currently trying to fight my way through it into being healthy again.

    I wish you the best of luck! Keep fighting the good fight! For my own sake, I have to believe that just wanting to do better is a powerful thing.
  • Bobtheangrytomato
    Bobtheangrytomato Posts: 251 Member
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    BP1. I've gained a total of ~75lbs since starting medication. I managed to lose 20 last spring but put on 30 in the past year. The constantly hungry thing sucks. Also I work in a bakery which doesn't help haha. I've struggled with mild depression over the last year and that contributed to my overeating and lack of motivation as well. I'm trying to get back on track but it's definitely hard. Anyone feel free to add me if you want. :smile:
  • 24lol25
    24lol25 Posts: 49
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    Diagnosed with bipolar here! I know how badly it sucks to gain weight from mood swings. I ended up overweight in the first place because of that, and increased appetite side effect of a medicine. Right now I'm on Lamictal and Clonopin, and it works great. I hope you find what works for you, and are able to over come the mood swings. You, or anyone else here can feel free to add me! :)
  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
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    Hi OP, I'm also Bipolar II. I also gained a lot of weight when I was first diagnosed and was put on Seroquel and Depokote. So much the doctors immediately took me off both because of the weight gain and they made my depression much worse. Also at that time I didn't have the strength or energy to leave my house, let alone worry about eating right and exercising.

    I am now on the right meds and have an awesome medical team treating me so be patient while they figure all that out. And exercise will help immensely with your mental health.

    Feel free to add me as a friend. I'm very active on the site and interactive with my friends.

    If I can lose weight so can you.
  • CrazyWhiskers
    CrazyWhiskers Posts: 63 Member
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    My heart goes out to you and everyone here. I am bipolar as well and very active on MFP and am also struggling to lose weight, but I always try my best and that's all we can ever really do, right? :) Anyone can feel free to add me.
  • LucasEVille
    LucasEVille Posts: 567 Member
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    First off, BP II did not cause you to gain weight........eating too much and not exercising caused you to gain weight. I deal with 1000s of individuals who are mentally ill and they have many ways to cope some would say what you did was coping. Comfort eating is the worse thing you can do and each individual that uses this type of coping tends to say they have no control. Wrong.. I see it as an excuse to eat too much, and I know I was heavier than most people on this site at one time in my life.

    I believe in responsibility and accountability in treatment as well as everyday life. Also, if your meds are causing adverse side effects you need to have them reevaluated by a psychiatrist. Again, I understand where you at but don't place your weight gain on a diagnosis.


    Signed, Therapist, Psychologist, QMHP, and counselor.


    Wow, just wow.


    You have no background information or diagnosis to make any comment, you also have about as much empathy as a barbed wire fence.... I am glad I don't work with you.

    Signed, secure forensic mental health unit liaison officer.
  • la_te_ra_lus
    la_te_ra_lus Posts: 243 Member
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    got diagnosed when I was 14 had a real rough period of time where I didn't understand why this was happening and attempted to take my own life. I'm lucky I have a couple of friends that love me and helped me during that period of my life.. Life has gotten much better with health and fitness.

    Feel free to add me. Everyone needs support even if they don't realize it..
  • Jess732008
    Jess732008 Posts: 98 Member
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    Hi guys!. Newbie here and I have Bipolar II Disorder. I was diagnosed on 2011 but formally receiving treatment on July 2012 after almost a month of hospitalization. From that time on I gained 50 lbs (from 120 to 170 lbs, and I stand 5'4).

    Although I'm contented with my current mental state the side effects of my meds (Lithium and Seroquel) is making me hungry and sleepy a lot. My doc dont want to change my meds coz of my marked improvement and just decreased the dosage of my Seroquel but still. My case manager enrolled me in a free gym program but the schedule does not fit my availability so I have to do it on my own. It finally hit me this year coz my doctor don't want me to gain more weight and I cant imagine myself obese. I'm so focused on healing my mind first that I tend to forget that mind/body must always be in harmony.

    Although I managed to keep the first 10 lbs off since January 2014 IVE BEEN HAVING A HARD TIME STAYING ON THIS COURSE. I lost another 10 but gained it all after being on holiday. So I really hope that MFP is able to give the right social media support given my circumstances,

    PS. I only accepting and inviting friends with the same page as I am (at the moment)/relatives or friends with Bipolar or anyone with other mental illness struggling with weight loss. But I give way to those with exceptional supportive nature and enthusiastic about their health ;-)

    They are not totally sure what I have yet, but it is either bipolar or schizoaffective with generalized anxiety disorder. I have been in the hospital for 2 weeks several times. I am currently on my meds ( lamictal, lexapro, abilify, and antianxiety drugs) and started gaining weight but kicked it in and I have pretty much lost it all. I am not a great friend online but I do like people who share a similar mental struggle. Many of my mental issues are tied to my weight and just being unhealthy and out of shape. I just start feeling so bad about myself for not keeping up with things like the house and everything else and beat myself up about it.
  • Jess732008
    Jess732008 Posts: 98 Member
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    got diagnosed when I was 14 had a real rough period of time where I didn't understand why this was happening and attempted to take my own life. I'm lucky I have a couple of friends that love me and helped me during that period of my life.. Life has gotten much better with health and fitness.

    Feel free to add me. Everyone needs support even if they don't realize it..

    I tried to take my life at 14 too, but I never told anyone and was never diagnosed until I was 25 or 26 when I went totally crazy because I thought I was so bad and evil and was struggling with my weight and how it was affecting my life so much.
  • Jess732008
    Jess732008 Posts: 98 Member
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    I too have bipolar disorder and unless someone has it or is really close to it, they don't understand. It's not always about over eating. A LOT of days it's literally hard to get out of bed much less have the energy to exercise.

    Feel free to add me. I've been struggling with it since I was diagnosed at 16. I don't have insurance right now though so I haven't been on meds for it in about 2 years... so although I don't have the med side effects, I also don't have them helping my mental state to keep on track. :(

    I am exactly the same way. It is so hard to get out of bed not because I am so unhappy just because I feel so tired and sleepy. I actually like life but still feel the wanting to die feelings and can find myself sleeping too much if I do not take my drugs.
  • Elsie_Brownraisin
    Elsie_Brownraisin Posts: 786 Member
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    ...

    I believe in responsibility and accountability in treatment as well as everyday life. Also, if your meds are causing adverse side effects you need to have them reevaluated by a psychiatrist. Again, I understand where you at but don't place your weight gain on a diagnosis.


    Signed, Therapist, Psychologist, QMHP, and counselor.


    As someone has already mentioned, it's a trade off. I complained about weight gain several years ago and the psychiatrist gave me a sharp look and told me it was better than being dead (real empathetic there too...)

    OP, I take the same combination nowadays. I have managed to lose weight, but it's taking a really long time. I have had periods where weight loss is the last thing on my mind and I tend to overeat, drink too much alcohol and spend a lot of time in a horizontal position when depressed. The last thing I want to do is eat fruit or go for a walk, I don't deserve it or have the energy. Then I gain back some of the weight I have lost.

    Feel free to add me if you like, I'm not in your specific situation of course, but I know how cr*p it can be and hope things improve for you soon.
  • instantclarity
    instantclarity Posts: 1 Member
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    I suspect that any real "therapist, psychologist, QMHP, and counselor" (redundant list of credentials - three of the four are pretty much synonymous) would know quite well that weight gain is a very common side effect of almost all of the medications normally used to treat bipolar, in addition to being a very common side effect of depressive episodes. With that said, I am also diagnosed with bipolar, and work in mental health. I just joined MFP a few days ago, and I would love to make friends who know how challenging it can be to strive toward good mental, emotional, and physical health. To the OP, hello, and best wishes to you on your journey!
  • shellsies93
    shellsies93 Posts: 88
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    I have Bipolar I with rapid cycling and up until recently i had it under control, but then alot of personal things happened all at once and i stopped taking care of myself. I am trying to get back in the swing of things, i was succeeding before everything happened, and i know i can again, i just need some support. I would love to be friends with anyone who understands and not judge me, but support me and i will obviously do the same!
  • renegadegeek
    renegadegeek Posts: 24 Member
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    BPII here, diagnosed around 10 years ago. I also have a chronic pain condition call trigeminal neuralgia. I'm luckily off meds these days, after counseling and lifestyle/diet changes. My episodes and swings are pretty minimal, but when a bad depressive phase hits, I tend to comfort eat, and I end up gaining. Granted these days, it's 10 pounds after a rough winter not 50, so I take it for a win. I've learned to make better choices and care for myself better, so that I can take care of the others in my life.

    Hang in there. You can do this. You'll find what works for you.
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