Bipolar meds having effect on weight?

[slavetothemoney]

I take a fairly high dose of quetiapine daily for bipolar, eupd & GAD.
I think this has attributed to gradual weight gain.

I'm 3 months post outpatient discharge for AN and struggling, restricting but not losing. I'm in mental turmoil over this. The only thing I can think that's stopping me losing weight is this medication.

So I've not taken it for the past 2 days and can already sense erratic/manic behaviour about to take hold. I've not slept for 2 night straight, feel sick, cold sweats but already lost 2lbs. I know it's completely the wrong thing to do but the desire to lose weight is pulling me so far in the wrong direction.

How do I overcome this?
Stay 'well' but at a cost (weight gain).

Ask your psychiatrist if there's a different anti psychotic he can put you on?

Unfortunately weight gain is a side effect of these meds. My mum was bipolar and used to go through this cycle. Stable on meds, puts on weight, decided she wanted to lose weight, comes off meds, becomes unstable and gets re hospitalised. All I can say is if you have dc, please reconsider doing this with your meds as you may not realise how awful it is for those around you but I do have sympathy as I know how hard it is.

If different meds aren't an option, I would explain to your Gp/psych that the weight gain is a problem for you and maybe they can help with a diet plan? But please don't de stabilise yourself for the sake of a few pounds