Extra Easy Bipolar meds and weight gain (EE)

M

missimoo

Member
Hi I'm really really depressed I'm currently the heaviest I've ever been weight wise I just can't stop eating the wrong foods my bipolar medication has made me gain quiet a bit of weight (orlanzapine) Anybody on these will understand the constant need to eat and eat my doctor says Well that's part of it, 14st 10lbs if anyone has any advice or anything I'd be really happy thank you xxx
 
Ah I didn't want to read and run.
I don't have any experience of these medications but hopefully someone will. I would say just stick at sw at least you aren't compounding the weight gain by eating rubbish.
Hope someone else can help more


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Hi I was on metazapine a few years ago also Depakote & quetiapine & couldn't stop eating so know how you feel.Is there not another med you could try that doesn't make you gain weight? It is not fair that the weight gain will only add to your depression well did in my case :( I eventually came off all meds(not suggesting you do this) but doctors should be able to advise another type that wont make you gain weight,I really feel for you as it is a vicious circle xx
 
Hey, I've had anti D's before that made me want to eat all day...i wasn't on SW so I gained weight, BUT

You can eat all day on SW and still lose. It may be that the meds increase your appetite, which is fine, but they might play with your bodies ability to store fat or summat, which isn't so easy to counteract.

I personally would have loads of snacking foods in the fridge ready to grab, made from Free and Superfree foods...fruit, yogurt, hummus etc etc And cook big meals that you can freeze/keep in the fridge for later. Keep your food options open :)

When my mate first started SW she didn't stop eating - i was shocked - she really put food away every hour or so and she made good, if not a little bit slower, progress, which is better than gaining.

Either way though; I hope the meds are getting you through a difficult time, and if you do gain a bit of weight, just remember you are losing lots of mind weight :) x
 
Hi I'm a psychiatric nurse just thought I'd advise Hun olanzapine as with other meds in this group doesn't gain your weight u can loose it does INCREASE your hunger but with SW you can take the healthy options at this will help you loose weight help you with self esteem and confidence xx
 
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Awwwwww thank you so much for your advice everyone, yes your right about the increase of appetite omg I'm always hungry but I've got to make the right choices I suppose, I have the choice of what to put in my mouth not the tables haha xxx
 
So true - just load up your fridge with pre made fruit salad, free yogurts, other stuff you can nibble on that is free and on plan. You might lose weight a bit slower but you shouldn't gain doing this :)
 
Haven't got much time now - but I didn't want to read and run. All i wanted to say is that I take olanzapine too and it is a DEMON for weight gain. Nobody who hasn't taken it can truly understand how terribly hungry it makes you. You could eat a three course meal and still be ravenously hungry afterwards. But this side effect does wear off a lot - after several months though. I'm on 20mg and whilst i still need to lose a lot I have made some progress on losing the weight. Anyway i'll be back on the thread later - hope that helps for now!
 
As I was saying olanzapine is awful for weight gain. Most anti psychotics (the family of drugs its in) make you gain weight but olanzapine is particularly bad. What needs to be balanced against this is that it is a very effective medication for bipolar etc. If you can get through the first couple of months then the hunger does wear off. Otherwise it's worth talking to your psych about transferring to a more weight neutral medication (like Aripiprazole).

Missimoo, if you want to chat about this some more you can either post here or PM me - in the meantime the best of luck to you. It is possible to lose weight on psych meds although it can be a bit tricky especially in the early stages. HTH!
 
Hun i am sending you hugs....these last few months i have been stressed and regained a stone all on my own without drugs to make it worse....haven't updated my weight on here as its tooo depressing..... I am just having a bad time all round but i am cutting myself some slack re weight while i try to cope with the rest...
 
Hi, I'm pleased you posted :wavey: I too, have bipolar and have gone from a skinny 8 stone to my heaviest ever (12st 2lb) when I joined SW 2 weeks ago. I have been taking Depakote for years and my anti depressants were changed from Sertraline to Mirtazipine in September..I gained a stone in that month alone and the transition made for a psychologically hellish month :( but I am sleeping better.

I lost 2lb at my first weigh in last week and accept that I will probably be on the VERY scenic route..no 5lb a week losses for me.

I am trying get my head round the difference between superfree/speed and superspeed at the mo so a bit confused today.
 
Hi Lisa - we should start our own support group - psychmed weightgain r us! I didn't get on with mirtazipine at all, it made me much much more depressed and I had to stop taking it. I take duloxetine and that's working for me with no weight gain thank god. I was just like you though - i became ill and was 8 stone dripping wet then was admitted to hospital put on olanzapine and ballooned within weeks. I never had a weight problem at all before. So I'm definitely on the scenic route too! Re Superfree/speed/superspeed. Don't worry about speed/superspeed at all. It is not necessary to understand them but what is crucial is the superfree - you ideally need a third of your plate superfree - that means non starchy fruit and/or veg (just not potatoes, sweetcorn, peas or avocado). You can consider speed/superspeed foods when you become more experienced in the plan (all it means anyway is food that speeds up your weight loss). Good luck!
 
Thanks for the explanation.... all this brain drain I am sure I will have lost a pound in brain mass this week anyway lol x

p.s love your signature ;)
 
It's nice to see I'm not the only one, I feel like I've lost all heart in losing weight lately, but I go on holiday next September (Egypt) and I need to focus on how I would feel fat and ugly and uncomfortable in that stifling heat, would you suggest extra easy or original? I've also joined the gym, bipolar is such a dark and lonely place it's nice to be able to talk to ppl who understand xxxx
 
Hi Missimoo, losing weight is hard enough at the best of times and even harder when having mental health problems and coping with the side effects of meds. I joined a gym at the beginning of October and it has really helped my mental health. I've also shifted half a stone which is not a lot but I hadn't lost much all year prior to that. I would suggest you do whichever plan suits you best - I lost three stone on green several years back (have put almost all of it back on though by going back to bad habits). So decide what you like to eat and see which of the plans accomodate that best. It could well be EE or Red but don't rule out green either. Good luck!
 
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