Any bipolar chicks?
 

Hey all I'm bipolar and have gained so much weight since diagnosed. I have yet to find a good drug combo I was on abilify and finally saw light at the end of the tunnel but have since developed a thing called tardive dystenksia (SP?) so now I have facial ticks rolling of my tongue and all kinds of freaky stuff.
My Doc has now started me on Trileptal and it's making me a zombie. I just can't seem to stick to any kinda diet because of all the stress I'm constantly under. I usually don't post under this section I don't know why I haven't. But I'm getting lonely and figure I'd try to talk about it.

Hi 2Much,

I'm not bipolar, I only get the lows. :dizzy: Years ago I would get some soaring highs and began thinking I may be bipolar, but those have disappeared.
I'm glad you decided to post here b/c you definitely need support. :hug: Dieting is hard enough when your emotions are more even, but throw in rollercoaster mood swings and it usually spells disaster.
Join us over in our weekly chat thread. There are some wonderful ladies there and we just vent till we drop about it all!

Bipolar here! :wave:

I've had awful times with meds and mood swings. I was diagnosed with depression in my 20's, so I'd go on medication usually be overweight. Then I'd feel "super good", stop my medication, and usually drop some weight. Then I'd get depressed again, and so on. I was finally hospitalized for mania for the first time when I was 31 yrs old.

I haven't had a manic swing in a few years (maybe some hypomania), but I recently had a depressive swing.

One of the things I did at the end of the swing was stop eating sugar and white flour. It was suggested in Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder as one of the lifestyle changes you could make to help with your moods. I found that this has curbed my appetite and stopped my binges. I am also involved in AA/OA.

I'm not on some of the medications with weight gain as a big side effect right now. Who knows later? I tend to be medication resistant and have breakthrough moods. I totally know about fighting med side effects and the paralyzing depressions where I don't even move.

I've actually lost weight due to my diet but I still don't have the energy to exercise. It's all I can do to go to work everyday or most everyday.

You are not alone. I know it is terribly difficult.
Thinking of you. :hug:

Amy:)

I am not bipolar but i deal daily with my husband who is suffering from extreme bipolar disorder. He is in a mixed state right now. He had been manic for a few days.
He has gained alot of weight on meds. He has also lost some weight with topamax. He is med resitant also and take his meds faithfully. They cant find a combo to level him out. He has tried over 40 meds in all. We even got so desperate last summer we tried ECT. the dr said it would stop his mania...it didnt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IN fact all it did was wipe his memory. He still cant remeber alot of things he should know.
I am so sorry you are going thru it.
debi

I jsut remembered you said you got TD from abilify. the drs say it doesnt cause it...LOL yeah right. Hubby got the tongue chewing and facial ticks from it. He is on seroquel at a low dose and has full body jerks at times. they did an MRI last year to make sure nothing else was causing it. I am trying to talk our dr into trying tegetrol on hubby. We have to do something to help him.
good luck and hang in there...i know its hard for me....but even worse on the one suffering from the disorder.

Thanks for the welcomes and advice Oreokitty I really should give up sugar and white flour because on top of everything I have blood sugar problems.

Deb I'm sorry about your husband I hope he gets better and I was on only 10 mg's of abilify and got the TD so it is horrible I've been off abilify for over 6 months and I still have the TD symptoms they if anything have gotten worse. I have heard it can become full body movement so hopefully I stopped in enough time. It's just a shame because I have had the best look with my mixed states with anti psychotics but the side effects are just horrible.
How's your husbands memory now?

his memory is horrible...he is on so much meds.

I was diagnosed w/ bipolar disorder about 7 years ago or so. I've taken various medications. Currently I take seroquel and wellbutrin. Thankfully I've done well w/ them. My dr wanted me to transition to depakote but the seroquel seems to be working fine.

I'm trying to create more routine in my life, like going to sleep at the same time and waking at the same time. It'll be easier on my health and my diet. My medications don't make me hungry, but I did/do have problems w/ emotional eating.

For me, I find that journaling/blogging helps a lot. Also lets my readers know that it's possible to be bipolar and a functional person.

My medications are seroquel, wellbutrin, exercise, my husband and my guinea pig.

I also set up a sleep routine, regular bed times and awake times. It has really helped. Routine in sleep & eating has felt very stabilizing.
Amy

Bipolar II :(

I'm not diagnosed as bipolar, I only experience constant lows. My brother is bipolar and borderline skizophrenic, our mother is skizophrenic, so I can definately identify. Everytime I get my meds straight, I feel so good that i forget I need them. In a manner of months, i've stopped taking meds and bam, I come off worse than I was before. It's a stupid cycle. I hate medication and refuse to take it. really, i'm shooting myself in the foot. Just don't give up. You will find the right combination of medications. Remember that how you feel now is temporary (we hope!). Everything will get worked out.. Maybe try reiki or mediatation?? (i've done both and given up, but maybe it will help you feel better) :D

I am 100% bipolar.. I was diagnosed in 2000 with this and for a year and a half it was a VERY LONG HAUL!!! I was hospitalized 11 times in 9 months they tried 27 different meds. I was on ONe(that i wont mention on here incase it does well for someone) that took me from 165 pounds to 298 pounds in 6 months and the doctor wondered why i was depressed and could not breath!!!( that is another story) I finally was hooked up with a doctor who took me seriously and got me off the med and in 4 months i lost all but 23 pounds of what the meds put me up to. in 2002 i went of my meds and have been doing great. even through 2 c-section and a miscarrage i was ok.
I have been a spokes advocate for Mental health America Formally MHA. i go to schools and talk to kids and other places about what i went through.



http://www.3fatchicks.net/img/bar056...0/170/226/.png
IF anyone needs anythign let me know i will do my best to help you

Me. Bipolar NOS. I am pretty much permanently hypomanic. I never get depressed, but I do get some sensory integration issues from time to time. I'm on Lithium, super low dose... just enough to take the edge off.

Yes, I have Bi-Polar.

Have had it for 12 years. Currently I take Lithium/Effexor. But it in the past I have taken a bunch of other meds. I only noticed and decided to do something about my severe weight gain Aug of 2007. Since then I have lost 30 some lbs. I have also noticed in the past year 2 weeks on, 2 weeks off in manic/depression moods. Since I don't care what I eat, don't excercise during the depressions, I have been working with my Psych on this (I'm pretty content with the Psych I currently have). So he's upping my dose of lithium, and hopefully that will up my mood so I'm more happy all month long.

Good Luck Ladies!

Gecko

Also Tardive Diskenisea (sp?) is mostly caused by taking one particular Med for too long.

I am also Bi Polar. I never had a problem with my weight until my father died in 1999. When this happened it set off some swings..and ultimately found out after years that I was bipolar. Usually I am just low..but any stressors set me off into mania.(which I do get alot done for a change)

I was 112 pounds until I was 33 then within 6 months I went to 188. Ultimately through many med changes I topped out at 232.

I was on Depakote, but that caused hair loss..I am on Lamictal...Geodon (which caused TD) and cymbalta.. the meds seem to be working as I'm not having severe mania..but I tend to have too many swings..so the doctor is working on adjusting my meds slowly. It is just a delicate balance and a constant journey.

I have finally decided to fight my meds and depression and work on weight loss. I have lost a few pounds and look forward to some day regaining my health. thanks for the post OP...it is nice to chat with others in the same boat.

I can totally relate. I've been bipolar since I was 12, so almost 11 years now. I did take meds for awhile, and they totally caused weight gain. I switched to talk therapy because I wanted to really get at the root of my problems and I felt that the meds were really only acting as a bandaid where surgery was what was really necessary. I have learned that being bipolar affects how I lose weight. Any small slip up at all can send me into an enormous downward spiral and unless I pay close attention to things I know to be dangerous warning signs I find that I can really easily slip into ugly cycles of overeating and feeling miserable. It makes it hard to stay on plan too because some days I simply feel like "why bother...it doesn't matter...etc." At the same time, we depressives have a somewhat bizarre advantage on many people. Depression forces you to learn a lot about yourself and in the end you can have a really strong understanding of who you are and what your needs are. You also have been strengthened by dealing with something that many people never have to. So yeah, that's my two cents. Never forget how strong you are and never hesitate to ask for help! *HUGGLES*

I was diagnosed last October. I am currently taking seroquel, lamictal, xanax and cymbalta.

I had something similar, it was like post traumatic bipolar. I am now fully recovered, but I was on wellbutrin and lithium. Wellbutrin is also known as the "happy horny skinny" drug, and I will say I experienced all three. :) But the combo of anti depressant and lithium is for those whose lows are worse than the highs.

I am BPII. Diagnosed at 14 (now 22), meds from 14-16. At 20 I relapsed. Now on 500mg Depakote, 75mg Effexor, 0.5mg Risperidal. After I got off lithium at 16, I lost 43lbs. Now I can't seem to lose more than 5-10 because of the water retention. Its frustrating. My Pdoc is skinner than I am and seems to lose weight between appointments.

I'm BP Type II and take Seroquel. I've always been sooo afraid of getting tardive's dyskensia. I have been on so many types of meds . . . it's ridiculous. I've been on so many drugs and need a cpap and I'm ready to scream! I'm sad and tired all the time. But, there are things I can do (like my hubby says - just do what you can, even it it's a little). I know that exercise, nixing sugar and white flour and using my cpap could help. What I want to know is - why the heck don't I do it?????

I was diagnosed bipolar a few years ago. I've since been rediagnosed as bpd. But I was on seroquel for a long time. That stuff made my ankles and feet swell and tingle with shooting pains. My dr didn't believe me so I switched drs. I was taken off of it and it hasn't happened since. I don't fully trust any one of them.

Anyone else go through stages where you don't think you need your meds but you rationally know fully well you do but don't take them anyway? I go through stages like that alot.

I've been on all sorts of stuff. Lamictal made me gain 50 lbs and I can't lose it at all! Right now i'm currently on Topamax, Cymbalta and Niravam.

Too late to keep this thread alive? I was thinking of making a new thread, but this one is still here, so I'll just add to it. :)

I'm Bipolar I, I was diagnosed when I was 13. I've had such a big problem with meds and weight gain. For a while there I just decided to not take any meds just so I could lose weight (and I did lose weight, but that definitely backfired). My biggest problem was Lithium. It was the only thing that worked for a while, and I took it for almost 2 years. I gained around 100lbs all together in those 2 years. The reason I didn't stop it before that was because I was also on Depo Provera so my doctor just assumed that's why I was gaining weight so rapidly. So when I stopped taking Lithium for good the weight came off pretty easily.
Now I'm just on WellbutrinXL, which is working really well for me. I haven't had a manic episode in quite a while, I'm getting better at figuring out when I'm about to have one, so my doctor decided it would be okay to just take Wellbutrin. I take xanax sometimes too for acute anxiety. And I also take seroquel for sleep, but I'm starting to believe it's been increasing my appetite. :/

10 years ago, I was diagnosed with depression and was put on anti-depressants. However, the anti-depressants threw me into hypomania. So then I was diagnosed as having bipolar 2 and was put on mood stabilizers. They only served to make my moods swing up and down erratically and caused me to gain 50 lbs in 6 months! Meanwhile, I started seeing a behavioral therapist and it was the best thing I could have done. I weaned myself off all meds, continued to meet regularly with my therapist to control the depression, and because I was no longer taking anti-depressants, I no longer flew into hypomania. So "technically" I have bipolar 2, but I've been swing- and med-free for 6 years! That doesn't mean I don't have to figure out other ways to cope, however. I constantly have to monitor my moods, I have a "stand-by" medicine available in case of anxiety attacks, therapy is still my anti-depressant (without the nasty side effects), and I have to avoid situations that I know will stress me out. But hey, it works for me!

Hello,

I'm glad this thread is back up. I take Wellbutrin XR and Seroquel, both of which have worked well for me.

I'm similar to you in that respect. I've been doing well with both, after trying different dosages. I check in w/ my doc every 3 months, but other than that use various coping strategies and being more aware of my moods.

Through out the years I've taken different medications to different amounts of success. I've gained with some but not very quickly, slowly but constantly.

As far as weight goes, I've lost 20 lbs since January, and a lot of it has to do with working out but working on issues. I'm much better with emotional eating and keeping on an even keel...

I figured it's better to be healthy than thin and miserable..that always back fires. Once I accepted that this is my lot in life, but I am not defined by it, things improved.

I'm glad you found this thread, it's good to have around, even if it's just a reminder that you're not alone. :)

Hi everybody!

Good this thread is alive again....

I joined the forum years ago when I had a very good phase in life. It all went quite good until I ended up with a huge hypomanic (or maybe manic) episode. Only I didn´t knew it back then...I am quite recently diagnosed with Bipolar rapid cycling (mostly depressive and mixed states). Suddenly a lot of things make sense....

Well, anyway. I already gained a lot of weight because I have chronic pain and had to take a lot of different pain killers. Now I take Lamotrigen (for/ against the pain and as mood stabilizer). I am quite reliefed that it is not known for weight gain, but my Doc said that I should get used to the fact that I maybe have to take another med...which maybe cause weight gain.

So know I try to lose some weight before I have to try a new med. And I hope that a few changes in my exercise routine and eating behaviour would maybe help to stabilze my situation.

Ok, so hello everybody! :wave:

hm, i've tried many different meds, abilify works great but i have gained 60 lbs on it, so now im going to the gym and lowering my dose myself doctor changed me to moban so we shall see if it works... i was thinking about takign5 milligrams vs 20 of abilify to help... good luck to all who suffer with any kind of mental illness, it's a horrible feeling

Has anyone had any trouble taking antidepressants? I used to take them all the time till recently. If I try to take them now I can't sleep and they just really mess me up. I'm bipolar II and right now I'm taking Neurontin and just started klonopin today for my anxiety because I can't tolerate antidepressants all of a sudden.:dizzy:

Antidepressants are almost always a bad idea with Bipolar disorder. They can push you into mania (or hypomania in Bipolar II). I can't take them at all either. I take mood stabilizers, anti psychotic and anxiety meds.

BTW - I can't concentrate on any one thing for more then two seconds because I am having a major bout with dysphoric mania and I'm on here instead of doing the damn treadmill so bye bye. :D

Treadmill actually sounds like a good idea....(ok, don´t have one so it would be exercise bike for me).

I am acting like an ADD- squirrel today- doing a lot of things at the same time, getting nothing done, running around in the house...very efficient. :spin:

Lol! That is the one positive thing about the upswing of bipolar. You do get a lot of things on your checklist accomplished (if your thoughts aren't flying too fast for you to keep up, that is)!

Saw that post a little late, sorry!

I had major trouble with ADs of all sorts. I took a few "older ones" and Cymbalta (a SSNRI). I started to fall into a bad mixed state, very agitated with constant suicide thoughts, couldn´t sleep, had terrible nightmares....

I took Neurontin as well, to help with my trigeminal neuralgia (don´t know how to spell that in english:^:) because I haven´t been diagnosed with Bipolar then. Unfortunately I didn´t really stabilize me, even on the highest possible dosage. And it didn´t helped with the pain. But I felt better than I did whilst taking ADs and had very little side effects.

Actually I don´t even know I am going to be hypomanic or on the edge of a mixed phase because there are a lot of "dark thougts" as well. I really should keep a mood chart....I am not very good at realizing the first warning signs of mood episodes... :^:

Bumping the old thread, sorry everyone. Through some difficult circumstances, I was diagnosed a few years ago... tried Topamax, and my ex-husband didn't think it worked, but I thought it did. I stopped, and shortly after we divorced, I started again, also again thinking that it helped. Started dating again, and my boyfriend didn't think that being on anything helped. I'm not sure if I should try something else... I've been off for several months, but I feel as though I need to be back on something -- anyone know if there is addictive properties with Topamax? I'd be willing to try something else, but sometimes I wonder if I need a anti-depressent as well as something to control my outbursts. I'm also going to admit that I hate talking to my doctor about it... I also get chronic migraines, which where decreased while taking Topamax.

Any suggestions? I probably just need to talk to my doctor about it again, but I'm just nervous about it, and I don't know why.

Yep, add my name to the list. In case nobody has noticed my mood swings yet. :)

I suffered through depression from early childhood on into my 20's. Very few, if any, manic phases presented themselves so I was not diagnosed as Bipolar until I was 24. I've always had terribly low self-esteem, even when I was athletic. Now that I'm obese, the feelings have worsened. It isn't, of course, that it happened overnight, it is just that up until recently I apparently chose to NOT see it. How you don't see almost 100 extra pounds is beyond my comprehension.

My PCP approved my termination of medication about two years ago and I've done fairly well without them. I kept a journal for five years and it really opened a door to non-medicated treatment. I logged events, conversations, feelings, changes in behavior, eating habits and pretty much everything else. Within those pages, triggers became quite obvious, as did remedies that seemed to lessen or even eliminate my symptoms.

I don't get manic much at all anymore, maybe a few times a year at most. Depression still gets to me but putting on my shoes, grabbing my iPod and walking the nearby track has worked wonders.

Every day is another step towards good mental and physical health.

Bi Polar chick here!

They have me on lamictal and it doesn't seem to make me gain anything.
But my drug coctail is
Mirtazapine (remeron)
Lamotragine (lamictal)
And Zoloft

the only problem medication is the remeron. It's like having the munchies everyday.

Dfhdf
I was diagnosed a year ago, and we are still tweaking medications.
:/

I was diagnosed Bipolar I in 2004. I've been on prozac, lamictal, depakote (put over 50lbs on me), topamax, cymbalta, abilify, and ritalin, in different combinations. Right now, I'm on zoloft only, as I'm breastfeeding. I'm actually doing better on just the zoloft than I did on the other medication combinations, but part of that is probably because I've quit all of my other destructive habits (smoking, drinking, etc.).

Jules, don't be sorry about bumping this thread. I think it is the only bipolar thread, so that was a good idea! You definitely need to talk to your doctor. You have nothing to be anxious about. He/she is there to help you. He/she will listen to what you have to say and will try to do what's best so that you can function well. Plus, you can ask about any addictive properties to your meds. As for your ex-husband and boyfriend giving opinions on your meds, maybe they just expected it to do even more. Sometimes the meds work just well enough to take the edge off, and that's something! That can slow down impulses! That's probably why you felt it was working, and if I were you, I would not discount my feelings about it. Those guys are not living in your body. You are. You know what you feel. People who are bipolar or depressed often having trouble making decisions for themselves, so be aware of that. You may be taking the wrong advice from your men (as well-intentioned as the guys may be)! Your doctor has the right advice, so talk to your doctor! Good luck! :hug:

Bipolar too
 

I'm on Lithium, Lamictol (sp?) and a little Seroquel. I lost maybe 15 lbs summer 2007 when I was manic (triggered by Celexa for misdiagnosed depression). I was taken off Celexa and put on a high dose of Seroquel. Didn't do much except knock me out. When I crashed a few months later Dr. added Lamictal. Finally at the hospital a different Dr. added Lithium. I gained back the 15 lbs, plus another 20+, I think from my sluggish state of mind/body and constant hunger from Seroquel.

Someone here said keeping some structure to your day helps. It does. Have you heard about the "10 minute rule"? Basically if you make yourself do something, keeping in mind to just try it for 10 min., that you'll prob. end up doing it longer. I used it a lot to get out and go for a walk, which made me feel better. I didn't lose weight then, it's taken me a year to level out. Once I felt "normal" again I was able to focus on getting in shape physically too.

I hope to see you around in this forum again. I just discovered it myself. :)

me three
 

wow glad to find you guys,
thought I was the only one.
I agree with Jacqui_D hubby/boyfriend can play a big part in communicating symptoms to the dr. he knows and sees things you can't. My hubby is experianced we been playing this BP thing over 15 years. I am a season cycler and so is our 19 year old son. My hubby can notice patterns like I start sleeping way more, I avoid friends, skip taking showers, withdraw, hate work and sometimes don't go (mind you I only work 3.5 hours a day for 180 days)(yes I work for a school) I have been hospilitized twice (wich is kinda of a hard thing to do when on an HMO) But with all the med combinations out there the dr are just throwing a dart at a dart board to see waht will help. It can take a while to get it right(if right exists) I was on Depkote like forever I was afraid of the lithium stigma I thought if you told anyone you were on lithium they would "know" But know that I've been on it 300mg (2 at bed time 1 in am) I have ben way more level with help of other stuff like welbutrine, xanax, atavan, ambian and mind you that's just what I am on at the moment. seems like we are always tweeking and fine tuning here and there.
so stick to it get support read books and pick someone you can tell everything to.
:D

Now hurry up and write me back
I am dieing to hear from you