Do you find it unfair that the same doctors that put you on weight-gainer meds turn around and tell you to lose weight? I was thin and fit until i was 30 and got put on meds and almost instantly gained 100 pounds. I feel it's cruel of my doctor to ask me to lose weight. I feel like snapping, "If you want me to lose weight, get me better meds!"

I feel you -- I've complained about weight gain and my medications in the past. I weigh more now than I ever have.. It's discouraging. We're unhappy with ourselves in the first place, why add extra issues and stress? I hope they figure out how to side-step the weight gain issue. I'm sorry you have to go through that. You shouldn't be shamed for what isn't your fault!

I agree it seems very unfair, especially in cases where the weight gain is quite extreme. One does have to really measure the advantages and disadvantages of certain medications, and if a certain med or meds cause you just as much or more harm than the illness alone, something must be done.

I certainly believe that anyone with bipolar disorder that is quite affected by it really should take bipolar medications. It's a shame when frustration with side effects cause people to quit medications completely. There definitely are bipolar medications that are weight neutral or even weight friendly, or ones that help counteract the side effects of others. Perhaps they may not be quite as effective at curbing the disorder than one that causes extreme weight gain, but if they curb it to the degree that it gives mood relief and gets rid of the frustration of weight gain, could that equal an overall better "score" on a satisfaction scale than an alternative?

It took me a long time to get where I am now. I'm doing OK, but still have some challenges. I am overweight, and see my weight continuing to increase, but I know that with a minor change I may actually be able to diet and exercise more. On some medication mixes or doses it seems pretty much impossible. I was once on a medication mix that did very little for my moods AND made me gain weight rapidly, also increasing my cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose levels. I was left on that mix way too long. It was a lousy a*s mix. That was a "0" on my satisfaction scale.

Right now on my current mix, my moods have been pretty darned good. I'd give it a 90 for mood relief (100 being perfect) and a 70 for side effects. That will average out to 80 on my self-made satisfaction scale. I guess that's a low "B-" grade. My goal is to have my Seroquel XR dose lowered a little bit. I know that when it's 450 mg (I'm close) and I enter my annual spring upswing or find more and more improvement through therapy, that my satisfaction score will increase even more. Why? Because my side effects will ease and my weight will likely decrease. I'll have more of an ability to diet and exercise.

If I didn't take medications, there is a strong likelihood that my mood situation could be as low as 30. And though side effects from medications perhaps wouldn't be relevant (unless I was having withdrawals), don't some mood issues cause physical and other issues, too? Would I start to abuse alcohol again? Would I perhaps be slapping my face or punching the walls? Would my financial situation worsen even more dramatically than it is now? What if my husband left me or I ended up homeless?

[pirilin]

A quarter of what you eat, will keep you alive.
The other 3 quarters keep your doctor alive.

Yeah, right.

[fern46]

I'm sorry you're going through this. It is hard enough to stay on meds, but the weight gain side effect is just like an extra cruel kick in the pants. I just started meds and I've gained a few pounds already. I'm wondering how hard I will have to work to keep the weight off. I'm not eating any differently, but my metabolism seems off.

It does seem unfair. I hope you're able to find balance again.

[BP1beauty]

I feel your pain

Same here. I gained 80lbs since starting meds with no signs of that slowing down. Doc says diet and exercise will help, but my diet is pretty good and I exercise as much as I can when being sedated as all hell from the meds. I hope in years to come there will be advancements in psych meds with regards to this side effect.

[~Christina]

Saw my GP today for annual physical and I brought up my weight , I eat at most 800-1200 calories a day and exercise as much as possible. Yet my weight won’t budge.

We agreed its likely Latuda.. as I was fine until I started it and it’s been every steady gain slowly over time.

So since Big Pharma sucks and as if we don’t already enough problems. They refuse to produce a true weight neutral med, a@@ holes. Because they have meds to put a person needs once overweight.

I decided driving home that I am stopping Latuda and see how my weight goes. I do expect it to start coming off.

Will I crash ? Possible but I’m willing to take this chance. My cholesterol etc is high. All this weight is making my PsA arthritis much worse.

So yeah ....

[annielovesbacon]

I feel your pain... in the past I have taken Seroquel and been fine, because I was also taking Wellbutrin (which is an appetite suppressant). But my doctor just took me off Wellbutrin and doubled my dosage of Seroquel... boom. I gained 10 pounds in two weeks and it doesn't seem like it will stop any time soon, as my appetite is still insatiable.

I have told my doctor about my concerns with weight gain side effects because I also am in a very rocky recovery from an eating disorder. He said he just wants to try it. I see him again in two weeks and hope that he will be open to trying something else.

[Calypso2632]

I was on seroquel titration up and didn't think much of being hungry. Then due to loss of insurance, then loss of samples at my pdocs I had to come off it. Other things were occurring in my life and I had lost like 40 pounds. I still didn't think about the meds tho. Life was settling down in some ways, went back on the seroquel cause it did help, and I realized I COULD NOT stop eating!!! Called my doc's office and told her I was quitting the pills outright. No taper. That's enough shoving food in. Even since I'm off psych meds and the weight is stuck on. I'm not super active but I'm not on my butt all day. House to deal with, errands, no vehicle so everything is fetch and carry. Active with helping my landlord downstairs. The library. Shopping around the community. So it's fairly come and go around here. And I'm an anxious person so I clean all the time, ridiculous to do lists. Lol. I should weigh less!!!

[Wander]

I am sorry to all who have gained weight through meds. I have in the past on various meds and it kills your self esteem and puts your physical health at risk. I agree with Christina. Big Pharma don't give a s*** and need to wake up and come up with weight neutral drugs for all situations. Right now I am lucky. I have a pdoc who won't give me weight gaining meds long term (ie. only when in crisis, like IP). If I start to gain weight I complain and am taken of said med and alternatives are sought. But everyone has a different reaction to meds. Like with Lithium I gained initially but lost it all later. My other meds have not affected me.

[Fuzzybear]

I can relate to this....

[Unrigged64072835]

I've been through this a lot. I still haven't lost the weight I gained on Zyprexa, Seroquel, or other meds. Right now I'm glad I'm not gaining more weight and my diabetes is back under control.

[Mountaindewed]

My doctor actually seemed mad when I started losing weight after getting off my buspar. He kept trying to put me on new meds even though I didn’t need them. I said I wouldn’t try any new med and he got mad at me and said “why not?” He was legit upset I was losing weight.

My current doctor is a pill pusher and try’s to put me on all kinds of stuff. I’ll ask him if it causes weight gain and his answer is “it doesn’t really cause weight gain” Which actually means they are like most of the other meds I’ve tried and I’m guaranteed a weight gain of at least 30 pounds.

Things are a lot better now but I refuse to be on any bipolar med except geodon and lamictal.