coming off meds

[ingam]

hey, i have rapid cycling bipolar and am on a lot of medication, prozac, lithium, lamictal, seroquel. i have put on a lot of weight since going on these meds, ive practically doubled in size! im coming off prozac and intend to come off anything except lithium. Im afraid that i will have severe mood swings when i do this but i need to get my life back, i sleep most of the day because of  fatigue and i need to lose weight! any advice please? be well.

[Jess0953]

Hello,

I have tried to self-prescribe doses for myself numerous times. Unfortunanately it has ALWAYS put me in  a severe state of "shock" even if I taper it  off. I have found that I am no doctor so I will not pretend to be one.I know all about the weight gain.I used to be a size 10 and now Im a 16(Im also on many meds and a rapid-cycler),yes I care about my physical appearance but my mental is far more important.

Please talk to your doctor FIRST,Abilify is a great option. It is an anti-psychotic used to treat BiPolar in conjuction with Lithium.There are many choices out there and if your Dr doesnt listen to you then,well, its time to get a new one :)

Be Well and let me know what you decide.

[toosick13]

You are on a lot of meds.  I was like that yrs. ago; way overmedicated and way overweight.  I'm now down to 2 antidepressants and 1 mood stabilizer. (I am also a rapid cycler). Everybody is different and responds to medication differently.  The best and most all-around useful mood stabilizer for me has been Topamax.  It is an anti-convulsant, also indicated for propylaxis of migraines (which I also have).  The great side effect, if you're overweight, is WEIGHT LOSS.  Be careful, though.  I've lost 54 lb. in 10 months; now underweight and have continued to lose, in spite of attempts to gain.  Have also been having GI problems, so not 100% sure is Topamax, but am now in the process of weaning off, to see.  I'm switching to Abilify, which is indicated for use with lithium/valproate to stablize mania/mixed mood in bipolar I.  I'm bipolar II, but we're going to give it a try as monotherapy.  Since you're on lithium, and want to keep it, Abilify could also be an option.  There are mixed reports, though, about wt. loss vs wt. gain; some lose, some gain.  If your doc thinks Topamax may work and you're really overweight, it might be worth a shot.  Of course, you have to wean off all the other meds, and Topamax is a wean-on med.  Good luck.

[ingam]

thanks so much, il ask my doc about that xx

[dame_wilbur]

I can understand the weight gain. I gained 6lbs in 5 days when I increased my dose of risperdal. My psych put me on a med called Metfomin. It's technically for pre-diabetes, but it works by changing how your body uses and stores calories. It might be worth asking you p doc about it or a similar medication. It might mean that you'd be able to stay on your current medications, and stop gaining, and maybe start losing some of the weight.

Good luck,

~Dame