Med ideas!

[greeneyes2721]

My best friend was diagnosed with Bipolar and she is having a really hard time right now finding a good med that will help her. She has experienced extreme weight gain and that is making her more depressed. She was a heavy drug user for 5 or 6 years straight and that was one of the things the Dr. told her increased her disorder. Are there any meds out there that wont effect her weight gain and will help her feel better? I know a lot of those meds do cause weight gain, but are there any that wont as much? Thanks so much for hearing me out and any advice is greatly appreciated. I lover her so much and want to see her get better.

[Venora Moonwind]

meds dont cause weight gain , Eating more calories than you burn causes weight gain. Now with that being said there are meds that make things taste better ,feel better etc I am on zyprexa and celexa.I did gain weight initially on  this combobut I have since lost that weight and I am continuing to loose more.
My advice is to eat healthy 6small meals a day .NO caffiene or sugar as these both aggravate bi polar.Regular rest pattern.Meds and therapy.
exercise at least 30 mins a day even if its just a brisk walk.
My bi polar experience has taght me that you need a mood stabilizer and and anti depressant. One without the other will tip you in the opposite direction.What we look for in bi polar is stability.We still have emotions. We get sad ,happy and down and up jsut not with the estremes of our disorder.

I know you care for your friend and want to see her get stable. See if you can get your frien to come to the forum here. It is wonderful to be able to talk with other bi polar folks.
Blessed be
Venora

[monkeyc]

Realistically speaking no one here can give you med advice nor should be - the medication a BP needs is a decision for the doctor.

In this case there is also a history of drug use and yep it brings it on.  Extreme weight gain is a rare side effect of some meds but if those meds are being managed then it should not be an issue - Venora has good advice with eating but she and I dont neccesarily agree about the need for both MS and AD nor do many docs - however its not bad advice either and its got me talking to my pdoc.

The fact is if she has a thyroid problem then weight gain is an issue - however depending on the drug abuse history this may have damaged her systems and contributed to it - we are not docs.  Weight Gain is listed as a symptom of many meds but that normally happens due to their affect on the thryoid.

In the end her doctors are the ones who can help her with her meds.

[bernie40]

Weight gain is a side effect of many of the mood stabilizers.  I know from personal experience - I did not eat more, I ate healthy but the weight still went on - once coming off the medication the weight dropped.  Some of the weight is an increase in fluid,

Some valuable advice that was given to me on here (probably by Venora), was that you have to weigh all the pros and cons.  An increase in weight is no bad thing if your moods have stabilized - would your friend rather be overweight but stable or thin and unstable?

I do understand that too much weight can impact on your state of mind, however if the med is otherwise doing its job then take Venora's advice and change your eating habits and exercise a little more - it might not take away all the weight gain, but health isn't all about the amount you weigh but about being fit and healthy.

[Lizz67]

I've got to back up Bulldozer on this one.  Weight gain is listed as a side effect - not increased appetite.  On one med, I gained 40 pounds in about a couple of months.  I had maintained a very petite figure my whole life and this was kind of shocking. I went off that med soon after and I'm still trying to lose the weight.  I did not change my eating habits - I've always been light eater.

My weight is a big problem issue for me, but I've also been stable for three years.  My current meds are probably making it harder to lose weight, but I would rather be this way than thin and in a hosptial.

I don't mean to scare anyone with saying that I'm still trying to lose weight.  It really is better to be this way than totally disabled.   And I admire Verona that she seems to be really doing all the recommened things.  I don't always get that stuff right, but I see a difference when I do.

[PenelopeAnn]

If a medication causes you to not just crave, but MUST EAT sugary bready carbs, in my book it is causing weight gain. When I was on Depakote, when I was on Remeron, when I was on Zyprexa, I gained an enormous amount of weight because like zombies MUST EAT brains, I HAD TO EAT bread and sugar. I was a little petite thing when this all started and over the years - and because of the medications - I became obese. I don't like it when some one says it is as easy as not eating the calories. Not everyone has the same issues with side effects or as bad. If I hadn't been on the medications, I wouldn't have gained the weight. It wasn't my doing, my wish, and some medications make you fatigued, so you can't exercise, and the depression can immobilize you physically, so you can't burn off those calories. Some drugs make it more difficult to lose weight. Yes, understand how it is happening and do all you can, but don't blame the person.
Unfortunately, for me, when I was put on medications that didn't cause me to gain weight and my moods were stable, I started with reasonable dieting and exercising but ended with me underweight and dealing with an eating disorder. But that is ME. Everyone's experience is different.

[Venora Moonwind]

that is true everyones experience is different I dont mean to come off sounding like a know it all.
It is a delicate line we walk with bipolar and the meds that help us to be stable .
the point I was badly trying to make is that it is about balance.My zyprexa and celexa makes everything taste good.I do want to eat so I have found the balance of eating 6 small meals a day of healthy food and snacks. I only intend to share what I have learned in MY experience.
That is what coming to the forum is about to share what we have learned and what works for us.
I have also learned if the meds arent helping your quality of life then they arent the right meds  and it is time to change the meds.
I also know that when I was sitting in jail cell because I wasnt on my meds I had to make a choice Take my meds and change my lifestyle or be in jail and the mental health facility for the rest of my life.I made the choice to change its been hard on me and my family while I have been making these lifestye changes
If I can help one bi polar person with my life expereinces then it is well worth the time spent.
I apologize for any offence.
Blessed Be
Vee

[greeneyes2721]

Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences with the different meds. I really appreciate all the info. I do think everyone is different and my son who is 7 was put on Zyprexa and then Abilify and being a kid with such a high metabolism he didn't gain any weight but he was also on a ADHD med so that proabably balanced it all out. He isn't bi polar but we (my husband and I and the doctors) all thought he was because he seemed to diagnosed with verything under the sun, and sure enough he was diagnosed with high functioning autism. So I know how hard it is to find that one or two meds that will help you through the day and your life.
My friends diet isn't the best but it's all realated to her drug addiction in the past too. That increased her disorder and also messed up her metabolism. She does't have any insurance or a steady dr to go to, so she isn't o any meds right now. We were just researching some meds to have ready for when she does find a dr. to talk to.
Thanks again for all the helpful advice.
Take care,
Ashley

[PenelopeAnn]

Sorry. I'll being saying that a lot. I am what they call 'too sensitive' and then I become defensive without the ability to keep it to myself. Unfortunately, I can't blame this behavior on an illness or disorder, just a nasty personality trait. I could have made my point without being defensive and assumptive. :-)