Losing weight on anti-psychotics.

[CaulkheadUpNorth]

I've just weighed myself to find I've gained about a stone and a half since October. I'm not eating more or less (use mfp) so in guessing it's the medication.

I've got a history of anorexia and bulimia, so I'm probably more anxious about it than other people, but now no clothes will fit and I can't afford a new wardrobe, especially if I'll carry on getting bigger if I don't change anything.

Please call you all reassure me that there is something magical I can do. I'm on depacote, quetiapine and lithium if that makes any difference.

There's a great site called 'crazy meds' (on phone so cant link) that lists side effects and has a forum for discussion about weight gain and other stuff. It's scientific but with a sense of humour.
I initially gained weight on lithium and was horrified as I have an eating disordered past so they stuck me on lamotrigine (wave goodbye to teeth and hair) but the Crisis team were great about listening to my fears over weight gain. From what I've read some is water retention and some is sugar/carb craving and some is metabolic. I'd really recommend the Crazy meds site as I'm being rather useless sorry. But I know exactly how you feel.

I've heard things about metformin + topiramate to prevent excessive gain on atypicals.

Thanks, I'll have a look. It's my birthday and I'm sat in tears seeing how much I now weigh - which obviously is stupid. It's great to not be suicidal but it's still hideous!

Yeah it's not taken seriously enough as a side effect. It's also possible to just keep on gaining - people say sooner or later you level out but I gained over a stone a year every year I was on the atypical+valproate+sundry other meds combination. I know lithium can make you thirsty - are you drinking a lot of calories?

Firstly - Happy Birthday!!!!

Secondly, It's worth getting your thyroid checked if it hasn't been done recently. I'm on lithium and it has made my under active thyroid worse - which would have made me gain weight it I wasn't having it measured regularly. I think sometimes other aspects of our health get overlooked because we are all focused on the mental health.

Nope, sparkling water or herbal tea. MFP is tracking my calories at about 1200 a day so it's not that either.

Is a thyroid check a GP or a psychiatrist thing? I have full bloods done regularly.

I've gained a lot over the years on various antipsychotics (olanzapine and Quetiapine being the worst for it). For me, the most effective way to lose weight has been low carbing. However as the meds cause carb cravings it's twice as hard!
I'm still on Quetiapine as it's so effective at keeping me stable but my binge eating is out of control.

Could it be water retention?

I don't think it's water retention, at least not 20lbs of it.

I thought about low carbing, but the historic anorexia began with just cutting out carbs and then led to things getting quite bad. So I'd like to do it, but worried about it.

Thanks for all the reassure I'm not the only one!

so they stuck me on lamotrigine (wave goodbye to teeth and hair)

Really? Can you cite that please as that is not a side effect I have heard of for Lamotrigine.

I think aripiprazole is weight neutral. I have been quetapine, lithium, olanzapine etc but never gained weight. But now I started pregalin and for the first time I have got the munchies in the evenings! I have to be careful.

lamotrigine is an antiepileptic which happens to work on bipolar and receding gums are a known side effect. Many people have reported hair thinning but I've not noticed that one. I've had the gum issues but the main side effect for me has been insomnia. When I get home I'll find the link.

One option to consider is the older antipsychotics - less weight gain on those.

Ive gained a lot on Olanzapine, I'm going to try low carbing as I'm starting to get bigger than my size 12's and refuse to go up another size, every time I discuss it with my Pdoc he tells me to exercise.

Thanks theclock

aren't you on depakote too caulk? that's not known as depabloat for nothing

Yes, I'm on that. I'm going to try increasing my exercise, then at least when I see the psychiatrist I can say I've already tried everything!