Bipolar and Weightloss

Options
2»

Replies

  • pumpkinmoccasin
    pumpkinmoccasin Posts: 316
    Options
    Bipolar II disorder here, I've coped with it my whole life so I know where you're coming from. I had a really, really rough year with it last year but it seems less severe this year (less stress in my life means less triggers for depression thankfully) but I've recently started having mild visual hallucinations so I might have to start seeing someone about that soon :/ I don't take any medication other than birth control (for the contraceptive first and foremost, though I was originally put on it to help stabilize my moods a little better a very long time ago), I personally find it hard to function on medication so it's easier for me to cope without it. I'm not the type to act like meds are bad, though, and I've kind of resolved myself to accept that I'll have to be on them again eventually... It's rough when the side effects are ganging up on you, but healthy diet and regular exercise will help combat it, definitely :)

    Having support in your life is essential to coping with mental illness and there's a lot of people that don't understand/are ignorant about it. Last year I literally had an acquaintance in one of my classes tell me that they couldn't be friends with me anymore after she found out I was bipolar (I asked her why and she said "that's really weird and I can't handle you being crazy" so I just dropped it, clearly she didn't know what she was talking about even though we'd interacted normally for months)...

    I'm rambling. Anyway, feel free to add me. Sometimes having someone listen to you without judging when you're really down helps so much.
  • Aella
    Aella Posts: 6
    Options
    Melissa, my name is Liz. I'm 21 and this past January I was hospitalized for 11 days after my normally slow-cycling bi-polar disorder (for years, misdiagnosed as depression) finally snapped under stress and I started the fast cycling. I'd have up to ten mood swings in an hour, was becoming violent and confrontational, then guilt ridden and distraught, then maniacally happy. I understand, I really do. For the last ten years of my life my family never knew which Liz they were going to meet when they walked into my room or how long she'd be there.

    I'm also about 240 lbs and have been obese for the vast majority of my life. And I know how frustrating it is to want to loose the weight more than anything in the world and feel like nothing you do helps. Three years ago I quit my Zoloft-- then used to treat my depression and also known for inducing weight gain-- then hit a crazy manic wave that lasted for almost a solid year, and worked out for 60 minutes a day, every day, and ate just enough to get by. I dropped 80 lbs. It all sounds great, but every day I looked myself in the mirror and told myself that no one would ever love me if I was fat; it was the only way I could motivate myself. When I finally crashed, I crashed hard.

    These days I'm on Wellbutrin, like you, and Lamictal ( aka: Lamotrigine). While in the hospital as I was getting diagnosed, I broke down in tears when the doctor started talking about what drugs to put me on. My family psychologist has prescribed Wellbutrin because it's both an anti-depressant and an appetite suppressant. In front of this new psychologist I sobbed as I explained that I didn't want to go on anything that might cause weight gain. The other patients had told me about how they'd packed on the pounds with their mood stabilizers and I told him that I really didn't think I could survive putting on any more weight. In my experience, the Lamictal has been great. Even without exercising or eating all that well, I lost about five pounds in two months. If I'm not loosing weight, it's at least stabilized and I don't gain any.

    If a medicine switch is not an option for you (I know some people react better to Lithium and others just have side effects with certain meds) I'd suggest learning exercise related coping skills. I do yoga every day because it's calming and I can use the deep breathing exercises to help during stressful times later. Also, eating raw fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and food that isn't greasy tend to help with my mood. I might be able to afford the calories for a cheese burger, but I always. ALWAYS feel guilty about it later. Not to mention that my body doesn't react well to it.

    If you find yourself in a manic, energetic, or angry mood, do some cardio. Every time I start feeling like that, especially when I'm angry or upset, I jump on my bike, turn up some music (usually System of a Down or something equally as energetic and angry-sounding as I am) and just go until I'm calmer. I've also done crunches and lifted weights. Anything to release that energy and hostility. Don't think of the workout as a punishment. Never punish yourself for your mood swings or anything else. Just use it to vent, like art or screaming into a pillow (one of my personal favorites as a kid). Then, when you've dealt with your mood swings in a productive manner, reward yourself with a little dark chocolate or a fruit smoothie. Or, if you're feeling extra proud, a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt and some blueberries with a little skim milk in the blender. ^_^
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Options
    hey! if anyone wants to add me, i'd love to have some friends on MFP that are also bipolar :) I have rapid cycling BP. it makes EVERYTHING in life harder, not just weight loss.

    just recently changed my meds, so i'm hoping these don't make me gain weight! .. initial weight gain was from one of my major depression phases and being put on more meds/switching meds.
  • sarah307
    sarah307 Posts: 1,363 Member
    Options
    just wanted to add..

    that i have noticed I can somewhat ...alter some of my episodes. If i am feeling myself crash, I try to exercise a little bit more as to prevent such a bad crash into depression. If i am feeling myself going manic, I try to do more relaxing/calming exercises to just get me prepared for the episode and to prevent it from being as intense.

    of course, sometimes you don't know when the episodes are coming haha. so that doesn't matter here LOL.

    but definitely -

    *exercising = natural mood booster
    *and staying away from sugary foods helps me.
    *also, absolutely no caffeine (except in chocolate cause i have to have chocolate haha) because of mania and insomnia

Categories