Weight gain w/depakote, seroquel?

[RubyShooz]

I've been taking antidepressants for 30 yrs and was recently taken off those and put on bipolar meds after some serious symptoms developed.  In the first month of taking depakote and seroquel I've gained 20 lbs.  Doc prescribed Phentermine as an appetite suppressant but it is not helping.  I'm so hungry all the time and have no self control.  I'm also taking provigil as needed to combat the extreme fatigue from the meds.  I feel like I'm such a mess, don't know what to do with myself.  Getting very discouraged.  Any words of advice?

[RubyShooz]

Many thanks to each of you for your kind words.  You are most helpful, giving me encouragement and support.  I wish I could send each of you a big HUG!  I will see how I feel the next few days and then check back in to this forum.

Ruby

[Crystlas]

I just hope that our comments and insight will encourage you to work with your doc on finding what best suits your body type and chemistry.  We are all different.  I had ground rules when I was diagnosed and I still had to struggle to find the right combo.  I call it the "brain game"  playing it each day, trying to find what the winning combo will be!  Best of luck to you.

[DLA]

Yes, mental illnesses do run in families as most medical problems do.  Hopefully one day soon there will be no more stigmatism about being mental illnesses and it will be accepted as any other illness.

I understand about how your family reacts to you about it.  My mother had me convinced not to tell anyone about it for a long time, and I didn't.  But now I talk about it to her even.  She has really come to accept it.  At least she's trying really hard. ;-)  My dad is the one I inheredited from and he still won't admit there is anything wrong with him.  Think my mom has seen the huge difference the meds have made in me and now wishes my dad would be dx with it and take meds.  But he thinks I'm weak and worthless b/c I claim to have bipolar and don't just own up to the fact that there is nothing medically wrong with me, I should be able to control all of it on my own.  He never sees that in himself of course.  The strange thing is with my family, the more I talk about it the more they say, "Wow, that's how I feel.  Do you think I could have it?"  

Hang in there and know you are not alone in this.  There are a lot of us out here living happily with it day after day and some time soon you will too.

((((((HUGS)))))

[RubyShooz]

I wish I could take lithium, was on it when being treated just for depression a few years ago and it not only made me gain weight, it gave me a terrible rash on my hand.  The rash went away as soon as I stopped the lithium.  I felt so good on the wellbutrin/lexapro combination -- but that was just for depression, before the bipolar started.

Looking back on my life, I was probably bipolar for many, many years but because the manic episodes felt good -- I was flying high! -- I never reported those symptoms to the doctor until they recently got all screwed up last summer and I started doing crazy, risky things.  All those years I just told my doctor about my depressive episodes, crying, suicidal thoughts, etc. But meanwhile I went through 3 marriages and divorces, problems caring for my son, ridiculous shopping sprees, lots of crazy stuff that seemed "normal" to me at the time.

The problem is that each med seems to work differently on each different person, there is no "one size fits all".  When I next see my doc I will ask him to try something new for me.  On a different topic, I've seen the recent news reports about Delta Burke and her struggles with depression and it reminds me that this "curse" can hit anyone, anywhere.  Does it seem to run in your family?  My mom was never officially diagnosed but looking back, she certainly displayed and continues to display the symptoms.  My son (age 34) has been diagnosed but is trying to beat it with occasional counseling and not meds because of the side effects.  He is a young professional with a wife and 2 kids and I hope he is doing the right thing.

Thanks for listening. I am currently single and living with my "boyfriend" but he has no idea of the pain this bipolar causes me, he tries to laugh it off and make light of it.  Same with my friends and family.  It's impossible to make people understand what it feels like.  

Hugs,
Linda

[RFehr613]

i was on depakote in highschool and gained a LOT of weight.  im now also on a lithium/wellbutrin combo as mentioned above.  i wouldnt say its easy to manage weight on these meds, but with the right diet and dedication, you can accomplish anything no matter what you take.  if you need the depakote, take the depakote.  but if not, id rely on somthing else.  i try to stay away from weight gainers, but lithium just works too well for me to deny it.  first priority is your brian, second is your body.  you can always alter you body throuh hard work, remember that.  and good luck ;)

[Barb925]

Kudos for Crystas She is so right. Don't let that dr be the boss. YOU ARE THE BOSS. You are important and need to remember that. Take Care and remember YOU ARE THE BOSS.

Barb

[Crystlas]

Hang in there...be proactive with your doctor.  I refuse some meds they try to pump me with.  I researched solutions for me.  Lithium was the first med prescribed to me and I started doing reseach from there.  It just happens to be great for me.  I am mixed state so having a mania med that helps with depression (Lithium) and an awsome anti-depressent (Wellbutrin) I am starting to get stable.  I just started the Wellbutrin 3 1/2 weeks ago in the hospital.  I ended up being suicidal on just Lithium and my stupid Psychiatrist refused to prescribe me an anti-depressent saying it would make me manic and told me that the ideations would go away after my depression cycle!  Dumb woman.  I fired her @ss as soon as I got home and started with a nurse practitioner that actually listens to me.  I will never go down that road of not pushing for what I want again.  Since I have started with the NP she is not trying to pump me full of ****, but listens to what I want.  I wanted to try Respridal for sleep and she prescribed me some and I tried it, but it made me feel like a zombie dizzy person so I threw them away and I know she will understand.  I switched to natural methods for sleep which is a noise maker, melatonin, chamomile and passion flower.  So far, so good.  I finally discovered a natural combo that works for me!  It makes me so happy.  Seroquel is so sedative that you will not feel that pep on it at all.  Exercising on Seoquel...good luck!  I hate that med, it sucks!  I tried it for three days and could not lift my head.  I have to much to do to lay around like that.  I know what you mean by feeling alone with being BP.  That is why I love this forum so much.  Make an account and join our community, it is wonderful support.  I do have a fairly understanding family too, along with a therapist.  Best of luck!  

[RubyShooz]

1500mg/day Depakote and 300mg/day Seroquel.  The doc says they are giving me some (not total) relief from my bipolar symptoms - he hates to make a switch.  While he treated me for just depression I was on wellbutrin/lexapro and I did not lose any weight, but did not gain on those either.  From what I read on the web, most of the drugs that are effective do have a lot of "possible" unpleasant effects.  Thanks to both of you for your notes.  I feel so alone with this disorder, nobody understands how and why I feel.

MUST I make a choice between feeling good and being FAT and TIRED all the time?  I'm hoping when the weather warms up here in upstate NY I will feel more like going to the YMCA to exercise, and maybe that will help.  Right now I don't have the energy to do that.  Thankfully I was able to take early retirement (age 55) from my job so I don't have to worry about that as well.  But I don't want to spend my days asleep on the couch!

Thanks so much for listening.
Linda

[Barb925]

I agree with Crystlas. How much seroquel and Depakote are you on?  That is alot of weight to gain in a month. You need to google and see what other side effects you are looking at. Good Luck and Let Us Know What Happens.


Barb

[Crystlas]

Both Seroquel and Depakote are SERIOUS weight gainers.  Have you been to the their websites are read the side effects?  That is one thing I tell each doctor helping my BP,  I refuse to take weight gainers!!  I love my Lithium/Wellbutrin combo and I am losing weight on them!!  :0)  Good luck!