bipolar anyone?
 

Does anyone have bipolar disorder and are on meds for it and are also trying to lose weight? Is there anything I should expect differently?

I've lost weight in the past but I was just recently diagnosed. Anything will help! Thanks!

Hi!
I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder a few years ago.

there are different "cycles" and types of bipolar, um... mine change throughout the year. I personally have gained weight from my stange bingeing/fasting habits....I used to stay awake for four days(seriously) or so and I would hardly eat anything, I drink alot of liquids though(not alcohol)
and I wouldn't be tired or hungry at all-I'd practically be cracking out and I'd be happy and easily annoyed. I'd normally lose 5-8 lbs (after a while my body was really good at not losing anything even without eating.)
oddly enough, I tried to kill myself in my manic stage rather than my depressive state- I was then after hospitalized.
I wasn't even sad-just erratic...

and the weight I gained I gained in my depresive state which typically lasts a month or even longer, when I eat a lot and become paranoid and believe everyone hates me, and that I'm Ugly.oh, and I sleep 12 or more hours.

I'm doing A LOT better than I used to I still have mood swings but the cycles are faster and milder and I'm better about reconizing them and controling myself.
And praying to God and focusing my mind on Him has personally helped me so much I can't even explain...

while I have been doing better metally I still feel the effects.
I binge less often, and while I haven't gained any weight I havent lost any
but now I'm ready and more stable to do so.

these are my personal stuggles with bipolar and weight loss.

I wish you luck and would like to hear about your experiences.

Thank you so so much! We sound just alike! You helped me a lot actually! Now I know what to expect, so thank you. :]

I guess we are the only ones...lol! ^_^

Nope, your not the only ones! Welcome to the crazy club!! LOL Sorry, that may have been out of line.
My family doctor diagnosed me with Major Depressive Disorder when I was 12 years old. I was on anti-depressants for years, yet still something was not right. When I was 20, I was hospitalized for being suicidal. That's when I was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. My father has a very severe form of it. I got it from him.
What really helped me a lot in coming to terms with the illness is that it is not a psychological disorder. It's physiological. It's like being born with a birth defect like Cerebral Palsey or the like.
I was on Depakote for a long time and gained about 80 pounds. Of course, I was eating HORRIBLY....tons of ice cream, McDonalds, Burger King, etc. etc.
I think that if you want to lose weight, you will lose weight. You just have to push past the food cravings that your meds may give you.
What are you on? I've been on TONS of different meds, so I may be able to help you a little! :)
Currently, one of my meds is Zyprexa. It's supposed to cause MAJOR weight gain and I'm quite frightened. BUT, it only causes weight gain because it makes you hungry. I'm going to fight this!
What I can tell you, from experience, is do research on Bipolar Disorder. Listen to what your body tells you so that you are prepared for a manic attack or a depressive phase. Seeing a good therapist has also helped me a lot...psychotherapy.
If you need to talk or need any advice, I'm here! :) Good luck!

RE: Bipolar
 

Stay away from Depakote because it really increases your appetite. They do have mood stablizers that do not increase your appetite. One of them is Lamictal. Just tell your doctor that you don't want anything that will increase your appetite. Wellbutrin XL decreases your appetite just FYI.

Oh man, Depakote is HORRIBLE!!! I was on it for years and gained like 80 pounds or more. The worst pill EVER!!! BUT and that's a big BUT, most of the time it's not the actual pill alone that makes you gain weight. It's the increased hunger side effect.
Right now, I take Lexapro, Trileptal, Lamictal and Zyprexa. I know, a lot of pills, but my doctor is trying to stabilize me. I'm having a rough bout.

I guess I wrote most of that in my first reply. Sorry!

I'm diagnosed Bipolar I, and my first medication cocktail included Zyprexa and Risperdal at the same time. Needless to say, I gained over 80 lbs. over the course of that time period. I slept most of the time. I thought my life was over. I was actually diagnosed schizophrenic then, but it was a misdiagnosis. I've gone through bunch of different ones before they settled on this one.

Right now I'm on mostly weight-neutral medications, except Seroquel, which has done a world of good for my mood and is supposed to have only minimal weight gain, which can be made up for if you are motivated by being mentally healthy.

I think it takes a lot of strength and willpower to fight these kinds of side effects and to keep on truckin' in the face of one's own body chemistry, which is really uncontrollable.

Bi Polar and Weight Loss
 

Hi Guys,

I'm approaching cautiously, here, but I do have a bit of feedback for you regarding Bi polar and weight loss....

My daughter has been DX'd with Depression and Bi Polar... she has had an obsession with food since she was about 5 years old. While she was never obese, she always had a few more lbs. than needed due to the food obsession. We have tried a few meds that did not work well. (and BTW, I agree, Depakote has a tendency to make people gain..) Finally, we have tried Abilify for her, which is typically an anti psychotic used for Bi Polar, and it has worked like a miracle! Now, we are on :cloud9:

It has stabilized her, and the food obsession is gone! So, I guess my point is, I haven't found Abilify to cause an appetite increase or weight gain, but again, every one is different. You might want to check into this with your doctor, if you think you need to.

Good Luck!

P.S.
CemetarySiren, no offense taken at your crazy club comment. You're on 3 Fat Chicks.com, remember? :rofl:

Gingercakes

I'm bipolar too. I take wellbutrin sr, risperdal, lamictal and adderall (also adhd) I have always had a fascination with food. at one time i weighed 310 lbs. then i had gastric bypass surgery. I lost down to 135 lbs but its been almost 20 years and i find myself gaining again. currently i weigh 190 lbs. I don't know if my meds are adding to the weight gain or not. I think that its kind of a cop out as I know i like to eat like a pig. I can be real about that. But i do agree that the depression of the bipolar thingy does make me want to eat more.

I have Schizoidaffective Disorder with Bipolar Features. That means I hear voices, see visions, and even smell smoke when nothing's on fire in between episodes when I'm 'in balance'.

Like many of you, I've found that Depakote slows me down so much that it's difficult to exercise. But for me, the alternative medications did not work and I'd rather be overweigh and sane and happy than to not take it.

Zoloft is my anti-depressant. I've been on it for well over a decade so I don't remember if it had any effect on weight.

Five years ago, I started taking the anti-psychotic Seroquel and gained quite a bit of weight each year. Seroquel made me constantly extremely hungry and I craved carbs and sugars. No matter how much I ate, I was still stomach aching starving. Even though I had gained 50 pounds, my mind set was if I was mentally healthy, I was happy.

Last December, I was very close to a full manic episode and the Seroquel was no longer suppressing the voices. My doctor switched me to Geoden, an anti-psychotic for schizophrenics which has recently been approved for severe bipolar disorder.

The switch in meds changed my eating habits for the better. On Geoden, I just want to eat vegetables and whole grains. I'm filled up quickly and now have an aversion to sugars - and I was a chocoholic my entire life!

In the 14 months I've been on Geoden, I've taken off 49 of the 50 pounds without feeling hungry or exercising (the ban of my existence) So, for me it's been a 'magic pill'.

Plus the Geoden has quieted the voices, eliminated the smells, but I still have visions. (Fortunately for me they are not scary ones and I can cognitively think them away.)

I've written to Pfizer to tell them of the wonderful 'side effect' of easy weight loss. Perhaps other drug manufactures will be able to incorporate the feature in this drug's chemical properties that reduces excess weight.

http://www.3fatchicks.net/img/bar-ch...0/110/111/.png

I was diagnosed with Bipolar II 3 years ago after a suicide attempt.

I was put on different medications, depakote, wellbutrin (taken off after it was noted that it was lowering my blood pressure, which in turn was making me real dizzy whether or not I was sitting, standing, walking, whatever), lamictal, prozac, etc. I think either the depakote or lamictal made me feel exhausted frequently.

My "current" mix is lexapro and abilify (which I was put on abilify back when I was first diagnosed Bipolar). I haven't really been taking anything over the last couple of years, er, without therapist/doctor knowledge, but when I did take it, I don't recall having problems with weight and became pretty level psychologically. The others, I just basically didn't care about weight and ate, ate, and ate.

Wellbutrin didn't really decrease my appetite. But the lexapro and abilify did seem the best as far as clarity without making me gain weight via not caring about what I ate, etc. Though, everyone is different, so it's hard to say.

I also have xanax, for an as needed basis. This one I do take when absolutely necessary; however, it's effects either knock me out cold, make me extremely slap happy, or just completely "careless". I've noticed the days I've taken them I didn't have any regards towards what I was putting in my mouth. I just simply didn't care.

For me and the meds, I think the biggest factor in weight loss/gain simply depends on how the medication makes me feel/how it alters my state of mind rather than the make up of the medication just doing it or having certain reactions with my body.

Abilify and Geodon are miracles.
Depakote and Risperdal will make you gain, and fast. They had my boyfriend on Depakote and Seroquel and he puffed up like a dang balloon (he's naturally a freaking rail). Now that he's off of them and on Abilify, he's still ridiculously thin and pretty even keeled.
I'm on Lexapro and so freaked out about gaining weight that I barely crack 1000 calories a day. I know, I know, it's horrible. But I'm battling some severe depressive bouts right now and I keep going back into eating disorder mode. It sucks.

To Eight Bit Girl,

Focus on eating really quality foods such as vegetables, whole grains, fish, and low fat dairy products rather than doing the calorie count. You'll be healthier and you won't gain weight from the meds.

Congratulation on the all the weight you've lost so far!

I don't mean to be discouraging (or argumentative), but this is not true. Zyprexa also makes you gain weight because it affects the way your body processes lipids. So even if didn't make you hungry, it would still make you fat. This is why it isn't used as a long term treatment (at least not for most people), it's considered a short term interim drug because it's clinically proven to cause weight gain.

For me, it seems that the med induced weight gain is harder to lose than "regular" weight. I've lost weight before and it came off very quickly if I stuck to a healthy diet and exercise regimen. Over the holidays, I faithfully exercised, kept my calories between 1200 and 1300 cals a day (i'm 5'4") and ate nothing but lean meats, veggies/fruits and whole grains, and didn't lose a pound, and my body size didn't really change either. Since the beginning of February, I've stayed on the very strictest low carb diet, and have done brutal gym work, and I've lost about 10 pounds.

Your mileage may vary, of course, and you CAN lose the weight, but be prepared to work hard.

Good luck!

wow. i am so happy (?) to see that others relate, even if i am not the original poster.

i was diagnosed bipolar (with psychosis) a few years ago after i attempted suicide and was hospitalized for a -year- after.

i am currently on lamictal for it. but i have a second opinion scheduled in about a month because i don't think my current psychiatrist is sensitive to my eating/weight issues.

i have many mood swings. it seems like it controls my life somedays. i don't know what else to say.

hi thecity,

You'll definitely find lots of support on this forum! As far as weight issues go, Lamictal is really a great drug. It's one of a precious few psychiatric drugs that are weight-neutral.

The way our brains are wired (and the meds we need to "correct" them) can sure make weight loss difficult, but it's not impossible.

Wishing everyone the best of luck!

can I ask a quick question?
 

Hi there im new on here but I was just wondering if it took long for your bipolar to be diagnosed? The reason I am asking is that I have suffered from depression for nearly 6 years now, and have only recentley read a small amount of info regarding bipolar and it sounds very similar to how I feel sometimes. My moods are up and down alot of the time and can be very hard to justify at times. I just wondered if I should talk to my doctor more about it. Thanks for any advice it would be good to heear from anyone

i got diagnosed in my mid-20's.

here is a bipolar screening test.

see if that helps...

definately talk to your doctor about it!

It's always worth talking to your doctor if you have questions, that's what they are there for! Bipolar disorder and other various disorders can be tricky to diagnose at times because there is a lot of overlap with the symptoms. This is why it usually takes several doctor visits, over a period of time, to come to a correct diagnosis.

It might be helpful to write down a list of all the reasons YOU think you might be bipolar, and bring it to your next appointment. The doc may not agree that you are bipolar, but he or she may notice that there are other things going on besides just the depression, or that the depression itself is causing irritability/anxiety that could be mistaken for mania (thus leading you to believe you are bipolar).... or about a hundred other possibilities. Just make sure you're giving your doc as much info as you can, with accurate details, so they can draw an accurate conclusion. and don't be afraid to ask questions! -- good luck!

Hi there thanks for that i wll have a look and see. I have been treated by the same doctor since being first diagnosed 6 years ago. But it was only a few weeks ago that at the docs i read a small leaflet about bipolar. It made me curious as I have never recovered from what started as post nantal depression. but thanks I will definetley speak to him about it!

Oh my god i just done the tick test and i ticked all but about 2!!! should i be worried? I have never done anything like that before so i have never actually had to think about my feelings etc. I have to say i feel better by just doing that and seeing that I am not the only one that must feel like that to have a list already made up lol!
thank you so much!

No, you shouldn't be worried : ) Those tests are just a starting point -- basically, it means "If I have these symptoms, then it's worth asking my doctor if maybe I have this illness".

But now that you have your list, you can take that to your doc and see what they think. If you ARE bipolar, being properly diagnosed will help to improve your treament and you'll feel even better in the long term.

let us know how it goes!

Yeah I will do and thank you for your help!

I should be back at the docs soon so I wil keep the list and show him. Hes great and knows me well so I know I can talk to him in confidence.

Thanks again
nikki x

boopadoo asked "I was just wondering if it took long for your bipolar to be diagnosed?"

I've had depression since I was a pre-teen, I'm now 46
I had my first hypo-manic episode in college
I was officially diagnosis with depression the year I graduated college ('83)
I was treated for 1 1/2 years.

I was able to get through my yearly week of depression until 1994 when I had several stress factors compond each other. I went on my 2nd short term disability for depression.

In 1996 I had my first full blown manic episode and went on long term disability. I was diagnosised with bipolar disorder type II.
In 1998 I had another serious depression and went on life time disability - which means my insurance covers me until I'm 65.

Five years ago when I told my doctor I have always heard voices at night and since the manic episode sometimes see vissions, she re-diagnoised me with schiziodaffective disorder with bipolar features.

So for me it's been decades to come to this current diagnoisis. The most important point is that I kept with my doctor and we kept trying combinations of medicines until we found what works best for me. AND what works for me is different than my sister and brother who also have bipolar.

Educate yourself about the symptoms and learn about the various drug therapies. Knowledge is very powerful in helping you cope with depression or mania.

I've been stable for 14 months straight since my last med change (which caused the 50 lbs weight loss - so there's hope for all!)

Wow Carolyn,

what an inspiring post.. and congrats on the successful weight loss!

wow that must have been hard for you. I havent been diagnosed I havent even spoken to my doc yet I was just asking the question about it coz only recentley I have heard more and more about it. But the more I hear the more it makes me think I may have it.
Depression runs in my family with a few family members having breakdowns!
I have suffered for along time but mainly since my first son was born. After a traumatic birth it just never got better. I was on meds until I fell pregnant with a second son and only managed 3 months afteer he was born before the black ness came back! I went straight back on my meds.
In the early summer last year I decided I had , had enough and wanted to come off them much to my docs dismay but I had gained so much weight with them I felt so down about that. I started weight medication due to a genetic gene fault. I am on reductil now and have been for 3 months losing approx 1 1/2 stone. which is great but I still have very bad days where i dont want to leave the house coz i get so paranoid about people looking at me.
I havent worked since my oldest son was just over 1yr old because of the depression so have been on long term sick since then.
My moods can change very quickly from good happy go lucky to angry at everything and wanting to cry because im so mad at nothing!
Its like I have a short fuse that keeps sparking and changing if that makes sense? I too have voices and have told my doctor about it but he didnt take it very seriously.I have to say everything in my head before it comes out of my mouth to make sure it is right. Even as i write this now i am repeating it in my head first. But i feel ok.
I was watching a programe last night with stephen fry on it and it was all about bipolar, it was amazing to see other people who have the same feelings as me, but it made me sad too because I could see that it is what i have to go through to most days.
Im a bit confused but im going to go to the libary and see if i can find out more!
thank you for all your help
nikki
x

I have bipolar II, again more of the depressive episodes, easily agitated, etc...because i have pcos which also means its difficult to lose weight my doctor put me on lamictal because it does not cause weight gain...right now i am taking lamictal and celexa together and have not experienced any weight gain

I was diagnosed with Bipolar I last year after a scary bout with taking some antidepressants that made me manic. I'd definitely shown symptoms since high school, but this made it all the more apparent. At first, I was in total denial of it, but then, I had another bad manic episode without the meds present, and realized it couldn't be ignored anymore.

Before taking meds, I had no problems taking off weight. The antidepressants made me gain some weight, which I didn't take off immediately. I stayed relatively stable on Lamictal, but then my weight shot up on Seroquel, which I used in combination with the Lamictal. I was burning 1100 calories every day on the treadmill, eating no processed sugars, carbs, or saturated trans fat, but I had a voracious appetite just the same and would pile on weight. Finally, I told my doctor. I have also had a fascination/obsession with food since I was young, so I didn't want to create any more problems for myself.

Now, I'm just on the Lamictal, but I might have to take the Geodon soon. This is always the time of year with the mania kicks in and I've already noticed that there are some nights when I sleep considerably less. I've read that a few people love it. Are there any more success stories pertaining to weight loss? I've tried Abillify, which didn't work for me, Seroquel, and I am terrified of Zyprexa because of the metabolic/weight gain issues. Seroquel was great as a sedative, until it wasn't sedating me and I had the strong urge to crawl out to the kitchen and chow down! Geodon sounds really good though, so if anyone wants to share their stories, I'd greatly appreciate it!

Thanks!

Bipolar, too
 

My husband was just diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder by his new counselor, so I started doing research on the internet to find a way to help him. It was either that or we were going to get a divorce because there was no way I could put up with any more of that! So...I decided to help instead and found an ebook by Julie Fast that has really helped. The problem was, while reading it, I realized I WAS BIPOLAR, TOO!! No wonder we were having trouble getting along! LOL!

Anyway, I always wondered why the anti-depressents weren't helping enough and why, no matter how 'high' I got and how positive I became about losing weight, it would only last a little while and then I'd go 'down' again for even longer. It was so frustrating because I want more than anything to be thin again! Now that I have Julie Fast's Health Cards to help me I'm fighting it mentally and actually feel like I'm winning.

I can't take meds because I just found out I'm pregnant, so I'm doing all natural techniques, changing my eating habits and doing 'prego' exercises and yoga. I'm doing much better but hubby is still struggling. We'll get there.

And I recommend to anyone on here to look into the ebook and Health Cards because you can get there, too. It may not ever go away, but there is a way to fight it and have more control over it.

Take care!
Gayl

Hi Gayl,

Have you seen a professional about this? The only reason I ask is because it's easy to look at those self-report measures and think you have bipolar disorder. I think everyone definitely could check some of the items on the list, but it would take a psychiatrist or clinician to interpret such a list and make a diagnosis. You should do this especially if you're pregnant and believed to be bipolar. I am pretty sure that Lamictal has a very low record of birth complications and is highly recommended for women of child-bearing age.

Again, it might be worth looking into this if you're concerned because only a professional can really make a diagnosis. I think your highs and lows are normal for anyone dealing with weight loss problems. I'm on medication now and my mood still fluctuates when it comes to being under-motivated or over-motivated about getting in shape, so I think that's normal. I know from experience that anti-depressants made me manic, to the point of temporary hospitalization. I don't know if others have had similar experiences with such drugs if they weren't used in conjunction with another medication.

Unfortunately, there isn't a natural way to totally get rid of the sometimes devastating effects of bipolar disorder and if left untreated, it gets worse. I'm sure there are things out there that help (there is a huge study on omega-3s at Harvard), but medication is essential. I hate the stuff and once said that I'd rather be crazy and thin than heavy and medicated, but I can tell you that from the mistakes I've made in my past, I can't imagine living without something helping me.

Good luck to you!

Erin

Wow am I glad I stumbled upon this post!! I was diagnosed with bipolar when I was 13. I've been on SEVERAL different medications but was never really concerned about weight gain until now. I haven't been on any medications for over a year now because I wasn't under psychiatric care. I meet my new psychiatrist on the 16th. I'll know what to tell her now. I do NOT want to take anything that'll make me gain or crave food. I've been doing too well over the past week to take a step backwards!

I am new to 3FC. I saw this and thought that I would post. I was dx about 18 months ago with Bipolar 1, I also have OCD. Not the normal, Monk, OCD. I have to have odd numbers of everything, but everything has to be even. I know, it doesn't make any sense. Anyway, when I was 12 I was dx with severe depression for trying to commit suicide. I went to therapist after therapist, was on 7 different anti-depressants and nothing seemed to help. When my Doc dx me with Bipolar he told me that my mom just thought that I was a hyper teen when I was on my high's and when I was low she was worried about me.

So almost a year ago my only child, Lincoln Grace, died. She was 3 years old. I have been suffering from horrible depression since my little girl was taken away from me. I have just recently started taking Topamax and Prozac and they seem to be doing great for me, and helping me lose weight. I still have my high moments, but I am sure that we all do. I am glad to know that I am not alone and I hope that I have been some help. Love to all,

Rachel,

I'm SO sorry to hear about the passing of your daughter. My heart goes out to you.

I have the same type of OCD that you have. I hate odd number. The ONLY odd number I can accept is 25 and that's only because my son was born March 25th in room 225.

No, I love odd numbers. Three is my favorite, that way everything can go in a pyramid. I know I am weird. Thank you for mentioning my daughter. I <3 her!

not Bi-polar, but I am BPD and am on meds for depression/anxiety.

I think the most important thing is that you have someone to reach out to when you are "low" cycling, aka in a more depressive state. There are plenty of great people here who can support you, and in any case, if you want to reach out to me, please be certain you can PM me any time :)

My worst moments with food/drink (especially drink) are when I'm very low and only "into" myself. To be able to reach out means a lot!

Rachel, I am SO SO sorry for your loss :(

I'm new the the forums and so happy to see an area like this since I know my depression and bipolar play a part in my lack of diet success. So I'm happy to join the crazy club. :)

I was diagnosed as Bipolar II Rapid Cycling about 7 years ago after a suicide attempt. I took meds for a while (Depakote which made me worse and Lithium which I had to stop taking because it made me feel high and made me want to start doing other things that I was also working to get away from). I no longer take any meds but probably should be on something since my depression gets really out of hand (no more suicidal feelings, just can't get myself out of bed for days at a time). This all adds to my being an emotional/boredom eater as well. Joy. :)

^^..^^ jessica