[IBelieveInMe2]

Several years ago, I gained 60 pounds fairly rapidly over the course of a year trial on Zyprexa. Went off of that (finally) and now I've been on Abilify (along with Effexor for depression and Buspar for anxiety) for a long time. Was also on Lamictal for a long time, but recently weaned off under the direction of my psychiatrist. About 3 years ago, I lost about 35 pounds on Jenny Craig (so weight loss IS possible, but much more challenging on meds!) but gained it all and more back once off the diet and eating "normal" food again. I feel as though I cannot shed one pound lately! I know that I am weight loss resistant due to my meds, but I am determined to get this weight off once and for all by making healthy lifestyle changes. I am now opposed to "diets" because they seem to only be temporary fixes. I know that I can lose at least SOME weight since I did it before on the meds, but I did seem to hit a plateau where I couldn't lose any more weight. I have recently gone down on my Abilify (against the doctor's recommendation, but with his guidance), hoping that it might help me lose some weight, but I am still on 15 mg per day, along with the Effexor (300 mg per day) and Buspar (30 mg twice a day). It is soooooo frustrating that we need the meds to stay mentally and emotionally healthy, but they interfere with weight loss. BUT..... it CAN be done!!! Even if we can only get some of the weight off, it is better than nothing! I am currently at a new all time high after 2 foot surgeries in a year's time, but TODAY is the day when I START OVER and make the lifestyle changes..... one thing, one day at a time. I am determined to get this weight off of my body once and for all. It won't happen overnight, but I can make small changes each day that will eventually add up to weight loss. I wish you the best of luck and success on your weight loss journey! Don't give up on yourself! You are worth it!

[Jessicarabbit]

hey.. well depends on what u have... usually most anti psychotics do cause weight gain... of them ziprasidone causes less weight gain.. and for antidepressants fluoxetine is also good doesn't cause much weight gain.

[Monkeysmom]

I was on Seroquel and that definitely made my weight go up. I was also taking Valproic acid (Depakote) for seizures not too long ago and it seemed to really pack some pounds on. I agree with you Foxevil that people tend to disregard the weight gain side effects of medication unless they have been on it themselves or know someone who has struggled. As if it weren't hard enough to lose weight I hope you have a wonderful vacation in Egypt even though you are feeling really down right now.

[seabiscuit]

Hi,

I can definitely relate. When I was first on psych meds, I was on Stelazine which is an older antipsychotic. Wow, did that increase my appetite drastically and packed the pounds on a lot. Over the years, I have been on other psych meds such as Depakote, which also made me gain weight. Seroquel and Abilify are also definite weight gainers.

This summer, I was inpatient at a psych ward and I told the docs that I wasn't going to take weight gaining or addictive meds. Fortunately, I was able to not take meds with a high risk of those side effects. My advice is to speak up for yourself and ask that you are on a medicine without a high risk of those side effects or on a lower dosage of those meds, if possible.

I will say that I am grateful that there are more psych meds available these days compared to when there were very few psych meds on the market. I can only hope that more are developed to benefit patients.

[RavenIllusion]

I feel ya, when I went on my meds, risperdal the first thing that the doctor warned me about was weight gain. I am not sure how much I gained, but in the past 7 months I have managed to lost 75lbs so it is possible to lose weight on psych meds. Good Luck

[twish]

I was on Seroquel for quite some time, but managed to lose 35 lbs (I have a lot to lose) in 12 weeks by using the My Fitness Pal app. I love it! There are a lot of folks on this site on there too. It has been a great tool for tracking not only calories in and out, but the balance between carbs, fat and protein each day. There is a box you can click a the end of each day and it says something like "if everyday were like today you would weigh XXX lbs in 5 weeks". I love it! It is SO motivating, that the next day, I try really hard to make sure I am getting the right calorie balance and burning enough calories to stay on target. It is one of the most motivational tools I have ever come across (I've done WW, Atkins, metabolic stuff, etc.) It is a great tool for helping me stay accountable.

I have Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and a couple of other diagnoses, but aside from the side effects of the meds, I also have Insulin Resistance and a laundry list of other things that make it hard for me to lose weight. I have chosen not to focus on these obstacles, because to do so would just bring me down. Instead, I keep things simple. I use My Fitness Pal and I do the work (calorie counting and exercise), because the end result is worth it. Because I am worth the effort.

Finally, instead of Seroquel, I am now taking Saphris (Asenepine). It's a relatively new drug (I think it's been out for under 6 months) and my doctor prescribed it because it hasn't been causing weight gain in her other patients. It's an atypical antipsychotic that was developed to treat schizophrenia and bipolar, but it's also being used with success in treating other things, like PTSD. I have felt like a new woman since taking this medication. I feel more like myself than I have on any other med.

We can do this. It might require more effort to lose weight on meds than it does for others, but my view is that everyone has "stuff" that holds them back. I am ignoring the "stuff" and focusing on getting to where I want to be, whatever it takes. Celebrating each and every lbp lost.