Gone from a size 10 to a size 24 in 2 years. Feeling shit about myself

[NCbcosouting]

I have always been slim. At one point I was a size 4! I usually sit around a size 10-12 comfortably, weighing around 11 stone, very small on top, bigger on my bum and thighs. But since giving birth to my son 2 years ago I have ballooned up to a size 24, and weigh 21st, at the age of 27.

I think I have sleep apnea, get out of breath easily, find myself making snorting noises sometimes, breathe very heavily, I just feel shit.

I went up to a size 16 in pregnancy, and have gained 7 stone since becoming a mum. I’m not in denial. I don’t eat the best, but I don’t eat enough to warrant this much weight gain - I am still actively gaining every month no matter what I eat!

I have PCOS and had postpartum psychosis so have been on pregabalin, aripriprazole, lamotrogine, and lurasidone ever since. Would any of these medications make a difference? I know weight gain can be a side effect of all..

I’ve got to have gallbladder surgery on Thursday and I am worried about the anaesthetic and having sleep apnea, I’m worried that my weight will complicate things.

I guess I’m just posting for support, I really want to lose weight but every time I try I’m still gaining weight. I’ve had my thyroid checked and it’s fine.

Just feel so bloody crap and horrible about myself :(

The clue seems to be that you say 'I don't eat the best.'

What do you eat? I have a feeling that you are taking in more calories than you think.

You are right about certain medications causing weight gain. Is there any chance of reducing the medications, given that you've been taking them for 2 years?

I have ballooned in weight too since taking medications for PP PTSD.

It's utterly crap. Sending a hug.

I think you may be right something else is going on. That’s a huge amount of weight to have gained in two years and I’m sorry, you must be fed up.

I would say it is likely your medication for postpartum psychosis! Look them up individually and talk to your GP/support team. I have been in a support group which included mums after psychosis and most of them ballooned in weight, but in later years some of it dropped off. If your medications are ruining your mental health in other ways also, then you need to investigate changing them x

That is an unusually large amount of weight to gain, especially as you were so slim.

Have you noticed your appetite increase after starting the meds? Can you list a typical day of food and liquid intake?

It's horrendous how calories can add up!!

I’m not going to offer you magic fixes, but just wanted to say you have all my sympathy, I hope you find some way through this

Have you seen a medical professional? I think doubling your weight in 2 years without significant diet changes is a real red flag.
Are you eating an excessive amount? Snacking? Drinking a lot of high calorie drinks?

OP, you mention you don't have the best diet - I think only you know if this really is the main factor to your amount of your weight gain. What do you eat in a typical day?

Either way, I'd certainly have a word with your GP to check medication or another factor isn't contributing, and if not, what support they can give you - it'll be one step in the right direction.

Discuss with your GP and psychiatry team if medications can play a role (don’t stop them without advice as that may cause bad symptoms). Much sympathy - I hope you can find small things to do consistently to help.

Some medications can make you absolutely balloon for sure. I'm on Lamotrgine for epilepsy and haven't put on weight, so I doubt it's that.

Have you spoken to your GP about it?
What's your typical days food ?

I’ve taken lamotrigine before and didn’t have any issues, but I take pregabalin now and only found out this week it can make you gain weight/permanently hungry. 😔

Sorry to hear this op, this must be tough. I cant offer any advice on meds etc, what is your appetite like? And what kind of things do you usually eat? If you have gained 10 stone in 2 years that is very fast so there may well.be something else going on (thyroid issues?) But if down to diet that is roughly 5 stone per year which is just under half a stone per month on average. You wouldn't need to be overeating by a crazy amount to do that but it assumes your calories have continued to go up or you wouldnt be overeating if that makes sense? What is your diet like currently and have you seen any difference when you have made changes?

Medication definitely. Don't listen to people who blame you for this.

💐If you have PCOS you are likely insulin resistant so you would probably find fasting helpful. Jason Fung is probably the easiest to read/watch/listen for information.

You have youth & a recent history of slimness on your side!

Yes the meds can do this
Ask your psych to consider Metformin as it can help

Pregabalin and aripiprizole both made me gain a lot weight so I would say the meds are contributing for sure. Definitely think you need a discussion with a medical professional.

I piled on weight when taking pregabalin and from the research I've done that's very common. I'm not taking it anymore but now need to lose all the weight and struggling.

Once you got to a size 16 how did you jump up again? I think with food we can all eat huge amounts and don't realise tbh!

Have you joined a gym? Did you return to work? Excerise is key too.

I think it will be the meds. I am on antipsychotics and antidepressants for my bipolar disorder and I, too, am a size 24. Well, 22 now as I have managed to lose a tiny bit of weight. The trouble is, I can't do without the meds - and I've tried nearly all of them over the years. I have been referred to the weight management team at the hospital......fingers crossed they can help me.

How can you possibly know this, are you OPs doctor?

OP - I'm a mental health nurse in a specialist psychosis team. Do you have community mental health support? You need to discuss this with your team or your GP as they're best placed to help you with it.
However what I would say is that Lurasidone and Aripiprazole are two of the newer antipsychotics with the least likelihood to cause weight gain as they don't tend to cause hunger.
Even with other antipsychotics that cause excessive hunger, you won't gain weight if you're not eating too many calories - but that's obviously hard not to do on those medications!

I feel for you, weight gain sucks and it sounds like you've had a really difficult few years. Good luck with it all x

It's the medication. Speak to your GP to see if you still need to be on multiple meds/current dose.

I sympathise OP. I have also been on significant MH meds and previously gained several stone quickly. I am afraid I didn’t lose it healthily - it triggered a previous eating disorder and I basically stopped eating. I maintain it now and am just in healthy BMI. I maintain but following Fast800 to the letter, no processed food, chocolate, alcohol - so it’s very strict. Plus walk around 15k steps a day and weight train x 4 weekly.

It’s really tough because I am sure most people would lose weight on that routine but I’m just maintaining. However, I need the meds so I am stuck.

BTW, eating low carb, after the initial carb flu, has curbed my carb cravings and i never feel hungry.

Best of luck OP.

Have you had your thyroid checked? Both of my sisters developed an underactive thyroid after pregnancy.

Honestly, that amount of weight gain that rapidly is extremely unlikely to be down to poor diet alone. The medication is likely to be a strong contributory factor.

I have pcos and hashimoto so feel your pain 😪 the only thing working for me (after dieting at 1200 cals a day and 10-12 hours cardio a week and losing weight v slowly and putting it back on extremely quickly each time) is exante 800 cals a day, I lose slower than other people on the same plan but I was losing max 1 lb a month before (and putting a stone back on in a week over xmas) so i was going now where. Now I can get down 1-2 lbs.a week (average 1.4) so it is going in the right direction.

When you have health conditions that increase the propensity to gain weight and make it hard to lose it is v distressing, particularly when you find people effectively disbelieving you.

Anyway, I have found exante works and has good offers on. I just have 3 shakes a day and a pint of skimmed milk for my tea as I am a huge tea addict. I use 10 cal jellies and coke zero to tide me over.