How To Lose Weight On An Antipsychotic

Other than exercise and healthy eating, what can be done to offset the weight gain associated with antipsychotics? I've gained a lot of weight in the six months of being on an AP injection and have an extremely difficult time getting the weight off. I exercise. eat healthy, it hasn't helped. I've heard of Wellbutrin helping with weight loss, but it would interact negatively with my other meds and I don't think it's a good idea for me to be on a stimulant as I would probably get agitated and manic.

I'm going to be asking my pdoc about this when I see her I just want to hear others experiences.

Unfortunately when its associated with the AP it is very hard to get weight down unless you change meds.

When I started on Zyprexa I put on 30 kilos in about 3 months. Pdoc said there was nothing I could do and would I prefer to be fat and stable or just unstable. I ended up being taken off that dose against my will in a secure facility and the weight started dropping off.

Rispiridone, abilify etc was the same story but I chose to come off them once I was out of the danger zone.

While on seroquel I was extremely fit, but put on around 20 kilos and nothing I did changed it. Again was given the fat but happy line. I ended up not happy after a while and took myself off it sending me into hypomania where I easily lost the weight again.

Now I am on a weight neutral med - Zeldox. I lost about 10 kilos on it. But as I have been using Zyprexa PRN I am now 20 kilos overweight.

Basically in my experience the only way to get the weight off is to stop the med. I was told that it slows down your metabolism, so it is even more important to stay healthy.

Some people are fooled by what is healthy and what is not - what is your daily diet like? What do you drink? I know how hard it is to stay healthy on AP's with the cravings!

Im not sure this helps at all but it is my experience. Goodluck.

I've read that some people take Topamax to help with their bipolar and to help with weight lose.

I don't know, I just switched from Zyprexa to Abilify to help reduce diabetes risk, and lost a few pounds. But honestly I can tell from calculating my caloric needs I don't exercise enough and I don't eat few enough calories. I can't honestly say it's just because of my meds. I'd have to eat 1200 calories a day and exercise more.

topamax helped me ALOT, but I've just had to reduce it because I was very foggy on it, and my hunger is coming back. It's definately worth trying, but go up on it very slowly and don't go higher than you need it to be (50 mg might be enough). I didn't notice any change in appetite for about 3 weeks or 4 weeks, so you have to be patient. Wellbutrin worked for me at 400 mg., but I couldn't tolerate it, although I've continuosly tried to up it again in hopes that somehow something will change and it will be ok. For some reason, every time I up it, I then have to up my seroquel. Never heard of Zeldox, Supernova - I'll have to look into it. Good luck, Bluebird.

Metformin works for some people....

zeldox = geodon
i hate hate hate hate zyprexa
i am going to tell them i want to stop taking it with or without their help, i can't stand this weight problem! why can something be good and so bad at the same time

I'll see about the Topomax at my next appointmemnt, thank you for the replies everyone

i've read about topomax and the weight loss, sometimes its extreme and can be unhealthy...
google it for more info
be careful what ever you do please be open with your pdoc

if you have a good pdoc he will listen, if he doesnt listen i would consider a new one