Anyone else on mood stabilizers?

keobooks · May 2014

Hi. I am a 42 year old stay at home mom who needs to lose 120 pounds. I have actually been thin (way too skinny. I had a very high metabolism) most of my life. Without going into a long story, basically, I've been changing antidepressants and mood stabilizers for depression since I was 25. I started gaining weight immediately, but I was underweight before that so I didn't mind. I didn't start getting overweight until I was 30. By 35 I became obese and after having my child at 38 and one more medication change, I became morbidly obese with a BMI of 41.

Doctors have not been sympathetic to my problem. They just say "Eat less. Exercise more" Or even "I think your weight is natural. You've probably been heavy most of your life.t" Without listening to the fact that I've been normal or underweight almost my entire life. Ive even been told that gaining weight is just part of taking the meds I'm on and I should just accept that I will have to choose between being thin and severely depressed and being mentally healthy and obese.

I've been looking for some home -- I want to find people who have managed to lose weight on these drugs. I've looked all over the internet and managed to find one other person and a lot of research saying that there needs to be more research about these meds and weight gain.

I don't want to accept it. But I've tried to lose weight and the best I could do was maintain. I feel like if I don't constantly work out and eat a very restricted diet, I'll just gain forever.

So am I alone here or are there others that understand the trouble with weight gain and difficulty losing weight on mood stabilizers?

Adw7677 · May 2014

I was on antidepressants for 15 years. After I started walking and eating healthier, my brain stabilized (as did my blood pressure), and I was off the meds.

Don't focus on weight loss, focus on total health - mind, body, spirit. Take a walk everyday, meditate yourself to sleep at night, say nice things to yourself every morning... and anything else you can think of.

Good luck!

nancy10272004 · May 2014

After a traumatic incident, I was on anti-depressants for years and got horribly sick -- mentally, physically and emotionally. I went from 95 lbs to 150 in the span of a couple of years.

After several years of misdiagnoses, I was finally correctly diagnosed as having bipolar disorder and put on a mood stabilizer. I cannot ever, ever take anti-depressants. They make me ill. Mood stabilizers have changed my life. They works exactly as advertised: they stabilize my moods and make life worth living.

After all those years of bad treatment, I ended up with a host of psychological problems like binge eating disorder. I went to treatment for that last year and I'm in recovery. I also have insulin resistance/metabolic disorder.

At 46, I'm finally losing weight and finding that it really is about calories in. vs calories out. I forget what it's called here but I eat what I want, when I want as long as it's under my calorie allotment for the day. I make sure to drink a ton of water and eat lots of fruits and vegetables. I don't exercise except for 5,000 steps on my FitBit every day.

I've lost 28 lbs in 80 days. I think your doctors are right.

** Unless you have PCOS or some other extenuating circumstances.

pandafoo · May 2014

Hi, I'm really sorry to hear that you're battling depression. I'm going through my 3rd major bout of depression, and started taking Celexa 2 weeks ago. I know that's not very long, but I'm still slimming down at around 2 lbs/week (which is what I was losing prior to taking Celexa). For myself, I think the key is net calorie intake which I try to keep around 1400, and daily exercise (even if it's a leisurely walk to get fresh air and clear my mind).

I read that 25% of patients on antidepressants gain weight. A lot of it has to do with the medication. I found an MFP thread about antidepressants that did not cause weight gain: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/693072-what-antidepressant-doesn-t-make-you-gain-weight. There are other threads addressing this issue which you may find helpful.

The doctors you've encountered sound like they're oversimplifying the issue, or aren't really attuned to what you're sharing. I'd recommend finding a doctor who can offer a holistic, comprehensive set of perspectives and who genuinely care. They'd be willing to switch you to other medications that may not cause weight gain for you, or suggest reducing the dosage and see if there's a direct correlation between the drug and weight gain.

In the meantime, diet and exercise are still important tho. Diet is more important of the two in terms of losing weight. However, according to some studies, exercise can be more powerful than antidepressants to improve your mood. Ideally, our goal should be to stop medications eventually, and perhaps you'll find that as you make a greater commitment to exercise, you'll feel better. Best of wishes to you! Feel free to add me as a friend if you'd like. We can journey in health and mind together.

SkankPopcorn · May 2014

I'm on fluoxetine for depression and I have 130lbs to lose. Feel free to add me.

SkankPopcorn · May 2014

BTW - Have you only recently started tracking your calorie intake? Because I found I was completely underestimating how many calories I was taking in. It was only when I started logging my food that I realised. But for sure, meds don't help.

_jayciemarie_ · May 2014

I'm on 150mg of Zoloft and 50mg of Trazodone. I have been able to lose weight on these. I do have PCOS as well, but not taking medications for that. My weightloss has stalled so I'm going to the doctor to help with my insulin resistance. As for the antidepressents I was told that they either make you feel sluggish so you move less, or they make you feel better so you have an appetite. So, the doctors are telling you the correct information. Mind over matter--eat less and move more. There are certain meds out there that have weightLOSS as a side effect. I would ask your doctor about that. Best of luck

AtticWindow · May 2014

I don't have anything to add about weight gain/loss, as I don't take my mood stabilizers on a regimented basis, but I did want to wish you the best of luck with both your weight loss and managing your depression :flowerforyou:

alyjb1121 · May 2014

I take an SSRI, I have taken the same one for 8 years. Why do you switch so much? Just wondering as sometimes they take time to adjust to.

Also, if a dr tells you being obese is normal, i suggest a new one.

I have not had any problem relating my weight to my meds but maybe eating to feelings when i was younger but i guess that happens sometimes.

Anyway, try reading up on some things you can do, eating wise, to increase the effectiveness of treating your depression in addition to the meds. It has really helped me. Good luck!

keobooks · May 2014

Just for info, there is a difference between mood stabilizers and antidepressants. I've been on both. The antidepressants caused slight weight gain, but the stabilizers caused me to gain 60 pounds in 6 months! The side effects are tough. My metabolism has changed to where I am constantly tired and want to sleep all the time. I also get ravenously hungry and feel like I'm starving to death. It's really hard to eat right and exercise when my instinct is telling me to eat everything I see and sleep all the time.

Mood stabilizers are primarily used to treat bi-polar disorder, but I'm taking them for severe depression. I remember a woman I worked with who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I watched her go from a vibrant active normal sized person to a very overweight woman who ended up losing her job because she fell asleep at her desk at a regular basis. After that, I met several heavyset women who used to be thin until they were diagnosed with bipolar disorder and started taking the meds.

I think its more than just a case of mind over matter. These drugs seem to be fighting against my best efforts to lose weight. I'm trying to get in to see a bariatric specialist to get into her nonsurgical weight loss program. I'm told that she might know more about weight neutral medications than my psychiatrist. I'm scheduled for July but I'm hoping for an earlier cancellation.

I don't mean to get defensive if I sound that way. I'm just saying that I really do think that its going to be harder on these meds than the typical weight loss story. I want to know if I'm being realistic about losing 120 pounds and how much do I really have to settle for in exchange for good mental health.

emdeesea · May 2014

I had been on antidepressants (Paxil, Wellbutrin, and then Lexapro) for about 15 years before I took myself off of them. Way too many side effects associated with these drugs. And not only the typical side effects, but they were causing my blood pressure to sky rocket as well, which is only in like 2% of the population.

I slowly titrated myself off of them over a period of about 6-8 weeks and haven't been on them for about 3 years. Blood pressure has stabilized and my weight is going down. And I'm no longer depressed.

Exercise seems to be the way for me to remain in my not depressed state. Working up a good sweat is better than sitting at a bar downing beer or crying over something I can't change. But that's me. People are different all over.

suetois · May 2014

I'm Bipolar II and also on meds--both antidepressants and mood stabilizers. The medication works well for me, but I think it has contributed somewhat to my weight gain. I'm hungry a lot more than I ever used to be, and Abilify is known to increase the hunger drive. Wellbutrin also is associated with more modest weight gain. However, in my case, I think it's an effect that can be overcome with diet and exercise. I say that because I've been using MFP for a little over a month and have lost 13 lbs so far. Other meds, though, can be brutal in terms of weight gain. I was on olanzapine for one month and gained 20 lbs. Almost all of the sites I checked while on that med warned about significant weight gain--and one even went so far as to state that giving an already overweight person olanzapine bordered on malpractice. I really think your plan to discuss your specific meds with a doctor who specializes in weight management is an excellent idea. Good luck!

_jayciemarie_ · May 2014

I apologize that I assumed anti-depressants are the same as stabilizers. I really didn't know. I do know a girl that was diagnosed with bipolor disorder. She plays hockey which burns a ton of calories. She gained an unreal amount of weight too. So, Yeah....something in the meds is messing with your metabolism.

FatFreeFrolicking · May 2014

I was diagnosed with generalized anxiety and panic disorder when I was in high school. I started anti-depressants my senior year of high school. I was 97 lbs when I started the meds. I immediately began gaining weight. Within 3 years, I gained 111 lbs because of the medications. Not only that but I developed insulin resistance and reactive hypoglycemia because of the rapid weight gain.

Anti-depressants are linked to weight gain, insulin resistance, hypertension, and diabetes.

Most doctors won't tell you this (I found one who did tell me after I gave my sob story about how I gained 111 lbs on these medications and how they ruined my body and health) but anti-depressants slow down your metabolism because they inhibit specific enzymes in the liver that allow the metabolism to function correctly… this leads to weight gain.

I never had a problem with my weight until I started taking SSRIs and SNRIs….. I was stick thin and could eat whatever I wanted and in huge quantities and never gained a pound. Taking anti-depressants was the biggest mistake I ever made.

keobooks · May 2014

Don't worry @Jacie. It's' no biggie. I just wanted to make myself more clear.\\

@FatfreeFrolic - Your story sounds almost exactly like mine. My doctors were trying to get my UP TO 100 pounds before I started taking meds. I couldn't gain weight at all and no matter how much I ate, I weighed 93-98 pounds. When I started taking the meds, I was thrilled to get up to 110. I looked so much more healthy.

But then I moved away from San Francisco, which is a very pedestrian friendly town -- to Lexington KY, which is a car town. I went from 110 - 125 in a few months. I also moved to different States in that time period and each time, I'd be put on a new anti-depressant, and I would gain 5-15 pounds.

By the time I was 35, I was 170. And then I had a baby. After she was born I was 160! I lost the weight so fast! But I had gripping depression that wouldn't go away. I was put on a mood stabilizer and went up to 220 and then 240 (where I am today)

I was convinced I had some sort of terrible rare disease -- like Cushing's Disease. I went to several specialists with no clue. After doing research on my own and pressing doctors for certain tests, I found out that the weight was caused by insulin resistance and I had developed metabolic syndrome and it was most likely caused by the meds I took.

I tried changing meds only once and it turned out I was allergic to Geodon. I broke out in huge hives and got so swollen that I couldn't bend my fingers or fit into my shoes. I ended up in the ER with an IV of antihistamine. My psych doc gave up after that. I want to see if the bariatric doctor has more ideas.

shellsies93 · May 2014

I'm Bipolar I and i was originally on Geodon, which helped me gain 40ish pounds in 5 months, and it messed up my life in more than just my weight but anywho. i am now on lamictal and havne't had that problem luckily. I did notice that when i stopped stressing about my weight and started being more mindful and meditating more, i was losing more than when i didn't care about controlling my moods. Good Luck!!!

jacques57 · May 2014

I am on wellbutrin and Lithium.

The weight loss is not easy even if you are not on the meds. But it is possible. At least I am not gaining weight any more.

jennifries227 · May 2014

I'm currently on lithium, Depakote, Zoloft, Trazodone, and Buspar (an anti-anxiety). I definitely gained weight after I started taking the lithium and Depakote, I was already heavy, but it just got worse and worse.
HOWEVER, I wasn't paying attention to what I ate and drank, and definitely wasn't getting any exercise. Since I started MFP and really counting my calorie intake and getting some exercise I've lost about 12 pounds. That's since February, so not too shabby!
It's definitely possible to lose weight while on mood stabilizers, but it might be more difficult. Don't give up hope, though! It might be slower than you want it to be, but you can and will get there.

I also have to say that exercising has helped my mood considerably. I would have laughed in your face if you told me that a year ago, but now... Yeah, it's true. It's helped my energy levels, too, which is awesome because all those stupid medications tend me make me sleepy.

Feel free to add me!

SailorSarah311 · May 2014

I had a situation 10 years back where I was on anti-depressants and gained weight. In fact, I gained around 25 pounds. The Psychiatrist wasn't concerned about my weight gain. Even when I asked him about it he told me to diet and exercise more. What a mood killer. Eventually one day I just said, "F*@$ it!" I stopped taking the meds. I had a friend with a similar situation, and she went to the same doc as me. I feel your pain. It's hard to lose weight while on the meds, but it is possible. You just have to push hard...even on days that you don't feel like it. You came here for a reason...to get help from others, right? Well, we are all here to help. Feel free to add me. We can push through this together.

keobooks · May 2014

So good to know I'm not alone. While I've been skinny most of my life, I know I had terrible eating habits. The meds slowed down my metabolism. I should have changed my habits when it started but I didn't know. Basically I eat like a teenager and I'm over 40 and on meds that slow me down.

jennifries227 · May 2014

So good to know I'm not alone. While I've been skinny most of my life, I know I had terrible eating habits. The meds slowed down my metabolism. I should have changed my habits when it started but I didn't know. Basically I eat like a teenager and I'm over 40 and on meds that slow me down.

Hind sight is always 20/20. But you can still change your eating habits now! I think changing the way you eat and getting some more exercise will really help you. Like I said before, it might be slow going, but it will happen. Best of luck!!

Anyone else on mood stabilizers?

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