I wish you the best of luck with this. I also wish I knew some way to NOT gain weight on Zyprexa, because that stuff was a miracle med for me as well and I'm still sorry I had to come off it. I was on a small dose too. I didn't have any choice but to D/C it though, because I not only gained 17 lbs practically overnight and 25 overall, but it threw my blood sugars completely out of control (I'm a diabetic). I was running dangerously high (normal is between 70-110; mine went as high as the 300s) so there was no question I had to stop the Z.

FWIW, I dropped the Zyprexa weight within a couple of months and have continued to lose slowly since then. My pdoc and I have discussed the alternatives to Zyprexa, all of which are just as bad in the weight gain/diabetes department, or else they're more expensive, so right now I'm not taking an antipsychotic at all. I don't really need one now anyway, because my depression is manageable and my hypo/manic episodes don't start until the days get longer and warmer.

Your mileage may vary, however, and some folks just can't manage without an AP. The only thing I can advise would be to watch your diet like a hawk, and take advantage of your energy and good mood to increase your physical activity to at least 30 minutes on most days of the week. I know how hungry Zyprexa can make a person---when I was on it, there were times when the upholstery looked pretty good!---but if you can substitute things like V-8 juice and small amounts of protein foods, like peanut butter on a stalk of celery, for higher-calorie options you'll do a lot better and control that weight gain, if not lose it.

Good luck, and let us know how you're doing.