Comments on: Preventing and Reversing Weight Gain Associated with Psychiatric Medications

By: Rachel

Rachel — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 16:31:25 +0000

After a suicide attempt almost 2 years ago they threw me in a mental hospital at the age of 16. They diagonised me with severe depression, and put me on lithium, cymbalta, and trazadone. Since then I’ve gained 40 pounds, and it’s not even like I’m inactive. I still have the same muscle I’ve always had, so I can usually hold my own on the gymnastics team. But I keep losing skills all because of the weight I’ve gained. My parents are trying to bribe me to lose weight – not even they understand that it’s not my fault. At least my psych gets it, and is in the process of switching me to lamictal. I just wish it could be faster, it’s my senior year, I should not have to deal with this, I already have enough on my plate.

By: Crystal

Crystal — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:53:35 +0000

I was diagnosed bipolar two years ago. Doc put me on depakote and lexlapro. Within weeks i had gained 15 pounds. I took myself of all of the meds and lost all of the weight was back down to 125 @ 5’5. Of course i started to spiral down hill, eventually landing myself back in the hospital where they put me on lexpro and lithium soon after ariving home i gained 25 pounds went off meds again and ended back in the hospital with a suicide attempt. This time they put me on geodon and pristiq and i lost all the weight again until dosages were increased to 80 mg geodon and 100 pristiq i then gained about 15 pounds and stayed steady at this weight for about six months. I started having manic episodes and started to see a new doctor. My new doc weaned me off of pristiq and geodon he said this was not a good combination for bipolar disorer so he put me on zoloft 50mg for ocd and seroqel 300mg and tegretol 2x a day for a total of 800mg. I have gained so much weight in the last 4 months i now weigh173 and i feel so deprssed from the weight gain. I am so tired i can barely get up during the day. Idk what to do?

By: Sarah

Sarah — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 02:09:31 +0000

I’ve gained 15 lbs on Olazapine but I’m on Topamax too. I work out constantly. My weight gain I thought was just from the holidays, but I’m always hungry since I’ve been on it. I was 120 now I weigh 135.

By: Athena

Athena — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 22:27:39 +0000

I thank God every day that we even have medications that can help us with our depression. Think back 100 years. People were just sent to institutions to rot and suffer incessantly. My life would be a living minute-by-minute hell if it weren’t for meds.

That being said, we still need more options and I know that right now scientists are working on it (the anticipation is killing me ). I’ve gained weight on these meds like everyone else here. I’m going to ask my doctor to switch me from Zyprexa to Geodon or Tegretol. Or something else. I’m hopeful– he’s a good doctor–but hurry up scientists! We need more options!

By: Christine

Christine — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:42:25 +0000

I have been diagnosed with bipolar and have been on lots of meds. I have gained 30lbs on Seroquil but this is the only med that helps me sleep. I need to loose this weight in 6 months for my wedding. The dressed has already been purchased before I gained this weight.

By: Jen

Jen — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 02:03:12 +0000

Went to phychiotrist today. She will not prescribe metformine, but wrote a letter to my primary requesting it be prescribed because I have metabolic syndrome. My primary called and said, well let’s get some blood work done and see the outcome. Good idea, although I was told they won’t prescribe it either!!!!! Their answer: DIET AND A NUTRITIONIST!!!! already been that route, for 5 years. This is crazy.

By: Jen

Jen — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 07:27:02 +0000

Hi, my name is Jen. I am 39 years old. I was diagnosed bipolar 1 with severe depression, anxiety disorder and panic attacks about 5 years ago. When I was 28, I was diagnosed with cancer. This was my first bout with weight gain due to medications. I weighed 127 lbs and stood at 5’3″ and went to an astounding 190lbs. After surgeries and meds I EASILY lost a lot, down to 135 at 30 years old. I could handle that. But once diagnosed all of these mental conditions, I was once again at the mercy of medication. I have tried all kinds of medications that I had bad reactions to, or they simply didn’t work. I was on abilify for two years. Great med, but i went back up in weight to 180. My cholesterol was not readable it was so high, over 400. I was tapered off the abilify. I joined a gym and started to diet. Lost 15lbs. But, got very sick and needed a mood stabilizer. I started taking seroquil, only 50mg..that is super low. I also take Zoloft 200mg, 75mg klonopin, and when needed Xanax. In a matter of four weeks I gained 15lbs right back. I have severe constantipation, belly distention. I purchased a glucose meter and will be testing that tomorrow. I take the Seroquil at night. It puts me to sleep very quickly, but I wake up starving and have been having major heart burn. Zantac 300mg. I can say the seroquil is amazing with my mood. I feel mentally perfect until I stand up and feel how fat I am. That makes me depressed. Going to see if we can try topamax or metformin. I will let ya know!!!! I think mental and physical health go hand in hand. This post has been up since 2008!!!!! And NOTHING has come about.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 22:49:17 +0000

SUBJECT: IS ZYPREXA WEIGHT GAIN PERMANENT?

Hi- I gained 30 lbs in three months while taking Zyprexa and 9 mos later I can’t lose the weight – even though I am medication free and I diet and exercise. Before taking Zyprexa I easily lost weight.
Also – most of the weight seems to be in my abdomen making me look pregnant.
So – has my metabolism been permanently changed by this drug? (I’ve asked several doctors and all they will say is that it’s ‘possible’ that this change is permanent but they can’t say for certain.
I am really angry with the psychiatrist who prescribed this drug and didn’t tell me about the weight gain.

Thanks for any info on this.
Lisa

By: john hopps

john hopps — Sat, 15 Oct 2011 21:23:14 +0000

to sum it up. ive been on lexapro,luvox,zoloft and prozac for ocd/anxiety. I have gone from 229 with a 4pack to a fat 254. I have stopped and started a few times because of the weight gain. I have been off meds for 8 weeks and have gained 10 pounds since stopping. I have been through this before and now I am not gaining anymore. the weight will start to come off soon. it sucks that luvox worked so great besides the weight gain. im gonna see after I lose the weight maybe try,luvox at 50mg and hope for the best. my eating habits and excercise have only gotten better so its not for that reason. all my hard work to get fit was done away with by a pill. I never thought that was possible

By: LDL

LDL — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 20:54:20 +0000

I totally agree that all too often, MD’s and Psychiatrists, treat many of the common side affects associated with these type of meds as being not a big deal, and an acceptable trade off for being mentally stable. And in most cases they never even bothered to warn me that these types of side affects were even possible, it’s frustrating, and it’s gotten to the point where I simply don’t trust them anymore. I stopped taking my Anti depressants 3 months ago, and it’s been a real struggle. I don’t like feeling the way I feel off these meds, but I also don’t care to go through life as an overweight, emotionless zombie with no sex drive. Seriously, how is that any better?.