SUCCESS? Nope. Failure. (not weight)

_snw_
_snw_ Posts: 1,298 Member
edited October 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
<rant>

I have been diagnosed with Bipolar 2 disorder (bipolar 1's little less manic depression sister)

I was put on a drug called symbyax. (note - i'm changing docs due to information I've descovered)

Symbyax is Olanzapine (antipsychotic) and Prozac (anti depressant)

The most common side effect of olanzapine is risk of extreme weight gain (something like 30+% gain 44-55 lbs). I gained 35 lbs in 3 months. For prozac, a main side effect is lower sex drive (which obviously sucks)

Yesterday, I researched symbyax is only supposed to be given when "2 other drugs have failed". It went on to say it's use is for "teatment resistant depression", meaning a drug for people who don't respond to other drugs. But my DR gave it to me FIRST. (I'm 39 and have never been on any mental health medication in my entire life, so why I got the big guns at the get-go? no idea.

I ask my Dr. She completed dodged the question.

I continued to search the drugs commonly used for bipolar: mood stabalizers (low side effects), antipsychotics (side effect weight gain), antidepressives( lowered sex drive as side effect).

I went on to read a recent large scale study by the NIMH which concluded bi polar people given an antidepressent, when on a mood stabalizer, the antidepressent gives NO advantage whatsoever. (not to be confused with a bipolar given just an antidepressent, without a mood stabalizer, which tends to make the person more manic).

My I-dont-have-a-medical-degree opinion was to why not try just a mood stabalizer? She immediately shut that down, saying those were "maintenance" drugs and since I was obviously in a manic mode (i was all riled up), I was not ready for a maintanance.

She kept shutting me down. Everytime I brought up the weight gain, which is my main complaint, she'd quote some (small) percentage of people who didn't gain or even lost weight on symbyax. Good Grief!! Haven't I proven the fact I am NOT one of those people? I was, and am, steadily gaining ~3lbs/week. THEN she said in so many words that since I'm getting older, I'm going to get fat anyway, so I should stay on this medicine. She continued to go on and on giving me dumb reason after stupid reason why it's not from the drug. To my statement of explaining I've never had a weight problem in all my years, she says "you're 39, your metabolism has slowed down dramatically". To my why-did-the-35-lb-gain-coincide precisely with me taking this drug? "oh, you weren't depressed anymore so you refound your joy in food". It went on and on.

A little piece of info to note - She is ~not~ skinny. I honestly think she has no caring about me getting skinny again since she isn't. And that's a horrible thing to say.

Or do you think her office just gets some serious kickbacks from Symbyax? Does that really happen?

In the end, by refusing to take that drug anymore and requesting a change, she RX'd me another antipsychotic and took my off the antidepressent. The antipsychotic still shows it's side effect as weight gain, but not to an extreme. I am SO frustrated.

</rant>

Replies

  • annabellj
    annabellj Posts: 1,337 Member
    they do get kickbacks but most drs want you to be healthy. sounds like it is time to change drs. i dont know about bipolar, but i do have bouts with depression. every time i quit working out or skip a couple days i get in a funk. totally different from what you have of course but exercise does help change the chemicals in your brain. call your insurance and see if you can see someone else who will listen to you.
  • tageekly
    tageekly Posts: 3,755 Member
    Wow. I would say first of all, don't be afraid to see more than one doctor - a specialist, not a GP - in mental health before you commit to the diagnosis and the meds. I was misdiagnosed and on the wrong meds for years because I didn't see the right doctor.

    Especially since it sounds like you're not comfortable with the answers you're getting (or not getting) and you've done plenty of research on your own to know your comfort with certain meds and side effects I'd say it's not out of line to see someone else. I found someone who is medical doctor and a psychatrist and it's really helped with a correct diagnosis. Good luck!
  • jenbit
    jenbit Posts: 4,252 Member
    as a psych nurse I can tell you that most antipsychotics have a side effect of increased weight. It really depends on the medication on how much weight you may gain. Most of the weight gain IS do to a dramatic increase in hunger sensation. I have had Patiens successfully lose weight on medication but hey usually have to be stable on their meds so the body has time to adapt. Sorry I know it sucks
  • BigDaddyBRC
    BigDaddyBRC Posts: 2,395 Member
    You should report her to the medical board. That is absolutely absurd that the caring physician did not answer your question. they are supposed to. Additionally, I would report this to the BBB....Last, look into counsel. IF there are guidlines as to the mediation should only be given after the ineffectiveness of other drugs, you may have a legit case of malpractice.

    Having been a medic in the US Army, losing a wife that was diagnosed as bipolar, and having a stern belief that society is too quick to medicate, all of the above should be done.
  • 01elizabeth59
    01elizabeth59 Posts: 59
    You absolutely need a second opinion! When a Dr. will not answer your question it's time for someone new. I think a lot of antidepressants have weight gain as a side effect but 35lbs in 3 months is pretty significant. I'm not bi-polar but I have clinical depression and have been on Zoloft for close to 20 years. I was lucky my Dr. listened!
    Good luck with this. Don't give up or settle. They need to listen!
  • MissObstinatiox
    MissObstinatiox Posts: 275 Member
    I,ve had experience with Drs perhaps prescribing drugs for mental health without really knowing what there doing!
    Which mega sucks considering as you kinda want them to know what there doing!

    My experience was i was prescribed anti depressants,I was on them for a month and they were actually making me worse.
    To the point i tried to end my life.
    It was later discovered i wasn,t the only one who had gotten worse on these pills and they were actually taken off the market.

    All the best :0)
  • psmd
    psmd Posts: 764 Member
    Hi there. I'm a psychiatrist. To be clear I'm not trying to give you any medical advice. The research you're doing has some truth to it (but it's a little more complicated in the real world rather than these studies). And olanzapine can and often does cause significant weight gain. Without knowing specifics of your case it's hard to say why your doctor picked that medication in particular. Some doctors get really comfortable using the same medications with everyone. I doubt she is getting a kickback. But regardless it sounds like she's not listening to you. Or at least giving you good reasons for what she's recommending. I would consider finding a new psychiatrist possibly. With psychiatrists (and dentists!), I think the best way to find one is by recommendation from a friend or maybe your primary care doc. Good luck!
  • shellyc7182
    shellyc7182 Posts: 261 Member
    Society is too quick to medicate.

    So SO true. Please seek another doctor so you can get the help and the answers you need and deserve.
  • _snw_
    _snw_ Posts: 1,298 Member
    Hi there. I'm a psychiatrist. To be clear I'm not trying to give you any medical advice. The research you're doing has some truth to it (but it's a little more complicated in the real world rather than these studies). And olanzapine can and often does cause significant weight gain. Without knowing specifics of your case it's hard to say why your doctor picked that medication in particular. Some doctors get really comfortable using the same medications with everyone. I doubt she is getting a kickback. But regardless it sounds like she's not listening to you. Or at least giving you good reasons for what she's recommending. I would consider finding a new psychiatrist possibly. With psychiatrists (and dentists!), I think the best way to find one is by recommendation from a friend or maybe your primary care doc. Good luck!

    Thank you for the reply. I started my conversation with her yesterday with "I am aware I am NOT a doctor and I don't know most of the medical stuff. And I am doing what Drs probably hate, by researching on the internet. But I did use data from pharmacutical and nationally recognized mental health org websites, not just about someone's blog. And in finding this info, I want to understand the descrepancies I have found. I'm not trying to prove you wrong". So I really treid to plead my case that I really wanted answers to what I found. But like I explained, she shut me down at every step. The worst part is I will be the first one to admit I'm wrong when given the facts. I even told her that symbyax may be exactly what I need and may have to go back to it, but I wanted to try other options first.

    At the end of this all, I did get an appointment with my PC who's seen me for the last 15 years so knows me pretty well. I hope to get a second opinion from her or a referral to someone she trusts. I found my current one just from a list on my insurance's website. She's not even a psychiatrist, just a PA. I've never even seen a psychiastrist yet.
  • _snw_
    _snw_ Posts: 1,298 Member
    Hi there. I'm a psychiatrist. To be clear I'm not trying to give you any medical advice. The research you're doing has some truth to it (but it's a little more complicated in the real world rather than these studies). And olanzapine can and often does cause significant weight gain. Without knowing specifics of your case it's hard to say why your doctor picked that medication in particular. Some doctors get really comfortable using the same medications with everyone. I doubt she is getting a kickback. But regardless it sounds like she's not listening to you. Or at least giving you good reasons for what she's recommending. I would consider finding a new psychiatrist possibly. With psychiatrists (and dentists!), I think the best way to find one is by recommendation from a friend or maybe your primary care doc. Good luck!

    Thank you for the reply. I started my conversation with her yesterday with "I am aware I am NOT a doctor and I don't know most of the medical stuff. And I am doing what Drs probably hate, by researching on the internet. But I did use data from pharmacutical and nationally recognized mental health org websites, not just about someone's blog. And in finding this info, I want to understand the descrepancies I have found. I'm not trying to prove you wrong". So I really treid to plead my case that I really wanted answers to what I found. But like I explained, she shut me down at every step. The worst part is I will be the first one to admit I'm wrong when given the facts. I even told her that symbyax may be exactly what I need and may have to go back to it, but I wanted to try other options first.

    At the end of this all, I did get an appointment with my PC who's seen me for the last 15 years so knows me pretty well. I hope to get a second opinion from her or a referral to someone she trusts. I found my current one just from a list on my insurance's website. She's not even a psychiatrist, just a PA. I've never even seen a psychiastrist yet.


    Oh, another thing that made me leary was I started noticing what samples she would hand out to other people in the office when I was waiting for my appointment. I've probably sen 20 samples given out, maybe 80% of them were symbyax.
  • crudd12
    crudd12 Posts: 63
    Try Geodon and wellbutrin! I had the same problem! Don't take risperdal either! Depakote causes weight gain also! Good luck to you! I would find another doctor also! One who will listen to your concerns about weight gain! When my doctor prescribes a new med I would look it up on www.webmd.com and see if weight gain is a side effect!
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