Mood stabiliser that stops weight gain?

[Spaceboundeminem]

Someone advised a mood stabiliser that was given in conjunction with olanzapine. But I have forgotton what it is and was hoping you could tell me so I can research it?

A number of mood stabilisers are weight neutral including lamotrigine. Aripiprazole is an antipsychotic sometimes used for mood stabilisation and is also weight neutral. Either of those ring a bell?

No but thanks anyway. I have tried arirpiprazole but I got extremely unwell and my pdoc won't prescribe lamotrigene.

Carbamazepine is also weight neutral but it's not particularly efficacious in my experience and is difficult to combine with other meds.

Sodium valproate is quite commonly used either in its own or with Olanzapine.

Why won't they give you lamotrogine? I was told it's the only truly weight neutral mood stabiliser. I was given it as weight gain would trigger my eating disorders.

I know it's expensive though

My pdoc gave two reasons for not using lamotrigene one was that it is not strong enough for a type 1 (pdoc is useless so that could be utter crap).

The second was he won't prescribe it because of Stephen Johnson syndrome.

Lamotrigine is much better at treating lows than highs but I prescribe it routinely for patients with bipolar 1. SJS is a risk but careful adherence to a fixed dose escalation plan minimises that risk substantially.

I'll keep racking my brains for you as there are some weird and wonderful (and not very effective) mood stabilisers out there. I would say though that olanzapine is really not your friend when it comes to weight gain.

Unfortunately I have gained 4 stone I am on 15-20mg a day. 15 when well 20 when I'll. But I tried aripiprazole because olanzapine was causing weight gain but when it didn't work (I tried for a year during which I had a bad manic episode and a bad psychotic episode and was not well at all).

I agreed to go back on olanzapine.

I think the mood stabiliser began with a f? Not a 100% though.

Olanzapine is a very good drug and obviously works well for you but I understand how difficult the weight gain can be. Are you currently taking a mood stabiliser?

Begins with F - fluphenazine?

That might be it thanks. I am on sodium valproate 800mg.

Fluphenazine isn't NICE approved so you might have some difficulty getting it prescribed. It's not funded in my trust.

Ok thank you very much.