I am taking Depakote to control severe migraine headaches. Unfortunately, I have gained 10 pounds in the past month...with no end in sight. I am a lifetime Weight Watcher who had kept a stable weight for many years. Because it is hard for me to get to meetings, I am hoping to find support and inspiration here at 3FC. It must be possible to at least stabilize my weight, if not lose weight, while taking this medication! I'd love to hear from others in my situation. Thanks!

I think that anyone taking meds has a problem with weight gain. I have arthritis and fibromyalgia and I gained a lot of weight from the anti-inflammatories and pain killers. I went on a diet called The Formula - it is a 40% CARBS - 30%PROTEIN - 30% FAT diet. It is a great diet, allowing you to eat all you need to, plus you feel good and you lose weight. I lost 8 pounds the first week on it. My biggest problem is that with the Fibromyalgia I get to a state of exhaustion and my body craves carbs - and not the fruit and veggies type. It needs quick energy and that is sugar plain and simple. Also, the past couple of months have been difficult with things going on in my life, to even try to stick to a diet. But you might want to give it a try. I believe it is similar to the Zone, only easier to use.

Good luck on your endeavours.

Anne

Thanks for writing, Anne!

I, too, have diangoses in the arthritis/fibromyalgia category. Mine are Sjogren's Syndrome and Undifferentiated Connective Tissue Disease. I, too, have terrible debilitating fatigue...and yes! I crave carbos. I'd love to keep "posting" with you!

Vee

Why don't you join us on the Fibro Thread #22. Overtime we have gotten to know each other pretty well and would be more than happy tohave you join us. We don't always discuss diets because for some of us it is so very hard to stay 'true' to a diet because of the cravings, but we try and we lend each other support in all kinds of matters (some of which usually lead back to overeating). So come on in and say hi.

Thanks, Anne...
I'll visit "Fibro!"
V

Don't know why Annewin is showing. I use HappyCanuk, so when you go to the fibro thread,that will be me. I was having problems with the site at one point and signed in again under Annewin, because it wouldn't let me in under happycanuk. Never noticed until now.

OK...I'll look for Happycanuk...thanks for letting me know!
V

Hi Everyone- I went to my Dr. I also have had Osteoarthritis since I was a young girl.Now I also have a heart condition and ofcourse hi-colesterol. Well the Dr said stop eating salt- Stop drinking caffien - stop eating fried foods- Fats. Almost every product I see in the stores have salt in the contents. I went to decaf, I have drank reg.coffee since I was 12 years old. Almost everything has fats in them. Sometimes I wonder what is left for me to give up. I am having a difficult time with the salt reduction,but I have to because of the water retention. I am using a lot of spices. Maybe I am on the right tract.
Happy Canuk- I haven't found the wheat pasta yet. But I am still looking.
I am a WW lifetime member and if I am not careful I will have my weight sneaking up on me again. My Prayers are with you all. ..Joanne

Go back into fibro #23. Someone posted something about finding the wholewheat pasta and a website for it, if you can't find it in a place near you.

I live in Canada, and we have a lot of wholewheat pasta on the shelves. Spagetti, macaroin, linguine etc. Add, broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms etc., and your favorite tomato sauce, and you have a great pasta dish. I learned this one in ww years ago. I also am a lifetime member(but have surpassed even my own expectations now) from all the meds you have to take for pain. The anti-inflammatories were the worst for me, and sent me on a upward gain - my stomach would hurt all the time - acutally worse than the o/a (didn't appear to have fibro at the time).

Hope you have a good day.

Veep, still haven't seen you on the fibo board! Come on over and say hi.

Happy Canuk-- Thanks- I'll go there. I know what you mean about the stomach pain from the artritis drugs- I ended up with ulcers from them. ..I no longer take them unless I have a bad flareup and that has not happened in quiet awhile. I am trying out the faces. I never seem to get them right. I am still learning. At my age. Ha. Bye for now.. Joanne

hello. just peeking in and saw a comment about weight gain on depakote. i am on depakote (for manic depression and migraines both)and my psychiatrist warned me that i would crave things badly and probably gain weight with it. she told me that if it gets really bad to try taking tagamet (spelling?-it's a fairly common heatburn med, i believe) right before eating to help control the effects of the depakote on my metabloism and such. you may want to ask your doctor about that; it may help some.
just my 2 cents--but, ask your doc.

Veep, four years back I started taking valproic acid. The first six months I was on it I gained almost 30 pounds. My dosage during that time varied between 250mg-1000mg as we tried to figure out the best dosage for me. I now take 750mg/day and am taking Epival instead (divalproex sodium). Once I stabilized on that dosage I found I had no more side-effects at all, including hunger and tiredness, and I was able to start losing weight. I don't know if the hunger stopped because of the dosage or because the side-effects wore off after a year or if it was because I switched to Epival. Also, I found that some side-effects varied depending on the dosage of the pill, what time of day I took it, etc.