Hello

I was diagnosed with either Bipolar disorder or schizophrenia in May of 2012. They never knew exactly what it was. I was put on a few anti psychotics but the one that worked best out of the ones tried was Saphris. So, I'm supposed to be taking Saphris everyday, I've been taking it on an "As needs" basis since may of this year due to being diagnosed with pre diabetes the same month. I've been dodging the diabetes bullet for over 10 years (I'm 27) and it seems coincidental that I start taking medications that have an almost guaranteed diabetes side effect and within 4 months I'm diagnosed with pre diabetes just barely missing the diabetes bullet.

I was just tested around 2 weeks ago for diabetes and it came back normal, after not taking my medicine for almost 6 months on an as needs basis. So this means that my Saphris was the cause of my pre diabetes! I ask my psychiatrist if there are any other options to prevent the diabetes side effects of anti psychotics and he said no ALL anti psychotics WILL cause diabetes and then I ask him if there's any way to get rid of the increased death risks and he said no either. I performed a Google search the same day and the Google search went nowhere. It's ****ing hopeless and I've been given a death sentence by God.

So I'm begging the people of these forums or some Psychiatrist to tell me that there's some tiny ray of hope that I'm not going to die before I'm 60 or get diabetes. Because If I'm going to get diabetes I'd rather go crazy and live in a mental hospital my entire life (I'd tell them where to shove their meds). Or, saw my own **** off.

I'd like to state I suppose, that I'm in the Super Obese category so it's possible that my pre diabetes was caused by my weight. HOWEVER, why would the next test 6 months later come back normal when I hardly lost any weight at all? It doesn't make sense, the meds caused my pre diabetes.

Hello and welcome to Psych Central! It is terrible that these meds can lead to diabetes. I am finding my sugar level is going up, too.

I know there are some bipolar meds that don't cause diabetes, since they aren't anti-psychotics. Let's hope some other med combo or just one med will come along soon.

You didn't say whether that was the only medication you are on. If you are borderline it could have just been that particular test. It happens to me so much that they run tests on me twice before DX me with any ailments. Because diabetes is a real risk for you a dietitian that works with diabetics or in the mental health field may be a great use for you. This says rasperdon may be your best choice please tell your doctor you are taking it as needed and why. S/he may have a better option for an as needed anti psychotic.

I was pre-diabetic, at one point about 3 years ago. I saw a nutritionist (like Miguel's Mom recommended to you) and it took a year of changing my eating habits, but it reversed the condition and I am now in the "normal" range. I understand food and it's effects much better now so I no longer have to pay to see the nutritionist. It only took a few meetings (over the course of one years time) and two rounds of bloodwork/tests, and I have changed my future. Hope that helps.