[cwgrlyipp]

Hello All,
For some time I've wondered do my meds interfere with my fitness results. I've been successful to accomplish weight loss (40lbs since Feb) but wonder IF my body needs to work harder due the BP meds for result? Obviously most of my prescribing doctors suggest the typical 'weight gain' and I understand, I guess I wonder if I could continue to have the success of weight loss as my meds (usually, often for BP) change or dosage increases? This worry of sorts does influence my perception of meds or need to take.
Are there any of you that have been successful with their fitness goals while being success with meds? Can anyone relate to my concern?

[cwgrlyipp]

Clarification is, I workout 5-6 days, and am serious about my results. I'm interested in knowing if any other people may share their desire to be fit?
Hello All,
For some time I've wondered do my meds interfere with my fitness results. I've been successful to accomplish weight loss (40lbs since Feb) but wonder IF my body needs to work harder due the BP meds for result? Obviously most of my prescribing doctors suggest the typical 'weight gain' and I understand, I guess I wonder if I could continue to have the success of weight loss as my meds (usually, often for BP) change or dosage increases? This worry of sorts does influence my perception of meds or need to take.
Are there any of you that have been successful with their fitness goals while being success with meds? Can anyone relate to my concern?

[pepperlynne]

Hello cwgrly, I have a desire to be fit. I want to be slim and physically fit. I am new to the whole being Bipolar thing. Today my psychiatrist prescribed an anticonvulsant that I will start out with a low dosage then continue from there. I hope it doesn't cause weight gain. What I've been doing to self medicate for the past few years is using marijuana. And it works, meaning it lessons the severity of my moods- though sometimes the munchies interferes with fitness plans.

[Anika.]

I can relate. I saw a personal trainer one time while I was taking lithium and an antipsychotic. She told me that lithium sort of acts like a beta blocker, and I am only going by what she said. She told me I may have to work twice as hard as I otherwise would to acheive the same results. She had trained others on psych meds so I was not her first. Wow I worked soooo hard 7 days a week. 4 days of the week I would go to the gym twice a day plus I do other activities outside of that. I was not trying to loose weight just build muscle. And it took forever to get any results, and my results were not very notible.

Now off meds I have built muscle quite quickly, with much less effort. I am still working on my fitness goals but am much closer now then I ever was when medicated.

So all I really can say from my own experience is yes the meds made it very hard to get results. Not impossible but I am not certain I would have even come close to where I am now despite double or tripple the effort.

Not to sound discouraging, because I was not trying to.loose weight just gain muscle , maybe works a bit different. You have obviously had great success at loosing weight. Which is awesome!!! But it may indeed be harder depending on the medications. I hope you reach your fitness goals, congrats on all the hard work and great accomplishment.

[medicalfox]

I workout and I've been fine on my meds. I take 200mg of lamictal and 0.5 mg of risperdal for schizoaffective; I don't have trouble burning fat and gaining muscle. The thing that interfered the most was that my anti psychotic always made me hungry so I would eat all the time. I munch on fruit, veggies, and low calorie snacks all day now so I'm not gaining a bunch of weight. My abs are starting to come in since I'm not eating 875843 calories a day

[Skittles56]

I did P90X while I was on my meds. I didn't notice it interfering with my workouts. I lost almost 30 lbs doing the program and I was on antipsychotics.

[cwgrlyipp]

Thanks to all PP
I've been very slow to increase meds due to the notion of weight gain, or loss of muscle mass. This sometimes makes therapist/psychologist irritated as their approach is pro BP-meds!! I've really enjoy my workouts (classes, running,diet) as it truly is beneficial to my BP. So, I guess my worry is...is this concern with high doses of BP MEDS vs. FITNESS a mask of sorts for mania or truly a concern to any active lifestyle?