the link between bipolar and obesity

Tart Cherry Jam · 10:21 PM

The Obesity and Bipolar Disorder Puzzle

The article is not current and is grossly incomplete, e.g. it recommends weight loss surgery but not the far less dangerous weight loss medications, or it mentions Lithium and Depakote but not Zyprexa and Clozapine, but still it is good that information about the linkage is out there.

Pinny · May 03, 2023, 07:47 PM

I can’t read the article because of my location apparently.
But thank you for posting and for thinking of others

Hopefully others who are in the location they can access it will benefit.

raspberrytorte · May 04, 2023, 12:59 PM

Interesting article. Thanks for sharing.

Aurelius710 · May 05, 2023, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Bipolar medications also share the blame because they tend to make you hungry.

That's the rub for me. The biggest culprit behind noticeable weight changes for me were antipsychotics exclusively. When I was on risperidone, it legit took having thirds in the university dining hall to feel anything resembling full. It goes without saying, but in the six to eight months I was on the med, I gained roughly sixty pounds.

In addition to the weight gain, some of meds I was on took my blood sugar to pre-diabetic levels. So, that was fun.

It's funny they mentioned lithium and lamotrigine. They're my current mental health meds and they've been a godsend for me. Effective, with nearly no side effects. Especially weight gain.

I'm glad I found my "sweet spot." For the longest time, it felt like a crapshoot, for the reasons above and then some!

Fuzzybear · May 05, 2023, 06:44 AM

Thanks for sharing

bizi · May 06, 2023, 02:15 PM

Wonder why they did not include zyprexa as it is a weight gainer big time!
bizi

Soupe du jour · May 07, 2023, 08:09 AM

I don't have diabetes...yet, but have pre-diabetes. Throughout the years I've had pre-diabetes, then normalized it, and repeat. I didn't know that being diabetic can increase mood cycling. That's a new tidbit for me.

The article did mention a little that lack of activity plays a part in weight gain. Med sedation is only one part. The illness (depression) is also. Certainly for me. Plus stress!

Another factor the author didn't mention was the contents of the diet itself. I think that fatigue leading to poor food choices is one issue, but also inability to afford the healthier options. Many of us collect disability to pay bills. This is a reason why many poorer people in the US tend to be overweight or obese. Junk food is often the cheapest option. It is also like a drug in terms of carb high, etc.

Pinny · May 07, 2023, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Soupe du jour

The article did mention a little that lack of activity plays a part in weight gain. Med sedation is only one part. The illness (depression) is also. Certainly for me. Plus stress!

Another factor the author didn't mention was the contents of the diet itself. I think that fatigue leading to poor food choices is one issue, but also inability to afford the healthier options. Many of us collect disability to pay bills. This is a reason why many poorer people in the US tend to be overweight or obese. Junk food is often the cheapest option. It is also like a drug in terms of carb high, etc.

Yes and YES!

I know there are so many factors but these are often overlooked.

The levels of physiological stress just managing and maintaining staying well with an illness like bipolar disorder must be so high. I don’t know about anyone else here, but that is a huge source of anxiety for me that before therapy, I hadn’t really thought about the fact that people without something like this, just don’t have.

Tart Cherry Jam · May 07, 2023, 11:04 PM

Poverty really makes it much harder to stay healthy and eat well.

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