What medication for bipolar doesn't cause weight gain?

[val853]

Does anybody know of any medication out there for bipolar that doesn't cause weight gain?  I've gained 30 pounds the past 6 months and don't need to gain, but lose so please help. Thanks

[Mooni1995]

I was on Lexapro and it worked well. Insurance ran out, so went on Depakote, made me gain right away, so was changed to abilify and prozac. Did well for a few years, the bam....gained 60 pounds in 6 months, and gained another 40 in the last 2 years. It's causing my tryglicerides through the roof and I am borderline diabetic.Plus I look pregnant, I am so upset and overwhelmed with the weight gain. If anyone knows what might help me, please respond, I have been doing research and have a few in mind, but would love some help with this.

[Take_my_hand]

Abilify

[Gks44]

I took Geodon for two months and lose 30 lbs from lack of desire to eat.From what i was told It is also known to help 90% of people taking it to sleep. Im in the 10%.
I stopped it because i could eat anything more a small bowl of food and feeling loopy due to lack of nutrition.

[xxxNikkiRxxx]

Lamictal and Latuda have been wildly successful for me.

[asiamima]

This question was absolutely appropriate. While yes it is extremely important to find a combination that works for you, if you are on medications that cause you to gain an extreme amount of weight the person is now fighting the possibilities of more health issues that come with being over weight and a quick weight gain puts stress on a persons heart. So while some people ask this question for vanity I think it is very smart to try to find a combination of medications that help the manic episodes but also doesn't cause you to put a the strain of extra weight.

[Bexxypixxy]

I was on lamicatal for almost 6 months and gained weight. My doctor switched me to topamax and I have lost so much weight!! I am also on bupropion (Wellbutrin) 75mg and this is the right dosage for me. She just recently put me on resperidone.. An anti psychotic for my mood swings and we are giving it a week trial period to see if that helps with my mood swings because it does not cover all my mood swing issues.. It is hard to find the right mood stabilizer.. This path of bi polar is such a hard path to go down.. You think you had found the right medication and 6 months down the line you are back in the deep hole of mania.. It is very important to stay honest with your psychiatrist and let them know how you truly are feeling.. I am still working on finding what is right for me and I hope you find what is right for you~

[Hankgus]

Did you gain weight from the risperdal? My daughter gained a lot of weight from it

[baldwindeb]

It also makes you lose taste for carbonated drinks, which helped me lose weight. Read about your meds before you take them people.

[tie96]

I  have taken the medication that you are on now and had huge side effects with my bladder. it was not nice went to several specialist about this problem,  would not wish that on any one!!  How ever I have sever depression, bipolar, ptsd and a thousand others. I have also had to fight breast cancer,  years cancer free!!

[didi768]

I'm with you.  Lamictal so far is not cutting it for me.  I'm on 200mg.

[JulieNP]

I agree; believe psychiatric nurse practitioners: 4 meds come to mind.
1. lamictal that has a preventive depression component (watch for any s/s of a bad rash),
2. Topimax that has weight loss often associated with it (great for migraine prevention),
3. Trileptal (excellent in adolescent boys), and
4. Geodon with less weight gain and a more favorable metabolic profile. Each of us are uniquely, individually made, so we can expect about that many possible reactions with any meds, but this is my go to list when treating bipolar conditions. Remember all the antiepilectic mood stabilizers can cause cognitive (thinking) dulling, but not always! If you are not severely depressed, or running really fast, thinking may improve.
Also, sometimes I will supplement with a small dose of lithium, just for the antidepressant effects. like 300 mg bid. We don't have to worry about bloodwork as much, and most of my patients are on very limited budgets. That's NOT alot of lithium.

[Glo59]

You said Triliptal was good for adolescent boy's. What about for a 58 yr old woman ? Depakote made me gain so much weight . I was put on Lamictal and had HORRIBLE SIDE effects. Today is the 1st day I have taken Trileptal .

[Sassione]

Lamotrogine. It's awesome. I gained like 35 lbs. on Depakote and kept gaining. I went on lamotrogine and lost the weight.

[JLB3713]

Well, some people do seem to gain weight on Lamictal, so I'm not sure why your psychologist is so adamant that that's not the cause! Also, if she's a psychologist then she's not an expert on meds anyway. Do you have a psychiatrist who's prescribing your meds?

[GbabyRock]

I have been on Lamictal for about 2 years now and it has caused me to gain 45 pounds and no matter what I do, that number keeps going up. I am 5'1 and have a naturally curvy figure, so I do not expect to be super thin or anything but I would at least like to be closely back to my original weight. My psychologist REFUSES to believe its because of the medication since its known to not cause weight gain.

My diet consists of mostly fruit and veggies, the only meat I eat is chicken and fish, I only drink water. The only thing is I don't get to exercise more than 4 days a week because of my back problems (it becomes too painful).

Would lowering the dose help at all?? Or anything.. I have been pretty desperate. Even if I could just lose 5-10 pounds that would be awesome.

[rogelio63]

I take lamictal, geodon, zoloft, welbutrin and lithium. I've been going down on all doses except the zoloft and lithium. Right now I am losing weight very slowly without trying. I took zyprexa for a while and gained weight on it but that was the first med I've tried that I could definitely point the finger at and say it caused me to gain weight.

[Lorki]

Lamictal and abilify were my answers to the weight gain crisis and I lost 20 pounds 3 years ago and kept it off. Good luck.

[bmom68]

My 15year old daughter has been on Latuda for 3 1/2 Months. She's gained over 30LBS. It has helped her bi polar but she is so tired all the time. While it might be weight neutral, the lack of energy and the 350 cal snack required to take with it at end of day is the reason she's gained weight

[007Bunny]

Hi all, have you tried Slimming World? I lost with them loads here in the UK but they are now in the USA as well. It is the healthy eating life style and you have to eat to lose weight. No hunger what so ever. Give it a go :).

[xylina12]

I had to quit Latuda because it made me manic- irritable, restless, agitated, racing thoughts, the whole bit.  It started about 2 hours after I took the med.  This is the number one reported side effect from it, although they call it "restlessness" and not mania.  In my case, it was definately mania, not just physical restlessness.
I'm on Seroquel XR now which works great but I've gained 14 lbs. in 3 weeks.  Think I'm going to have to go off it, which almost puts me in despair.  If it makes me gain weight, it works, if it doesn't, it makes me manic.  I think it has to do with how the non-weight gain ones affect dopamine vs. the more traditional weight gainers.  Lamictal in and of itself doesn't do enough for me.

[kito51]

Years ago I was on Zyprexa for one year and gained 60 lbs.  I then took Seroquel for several years and my weight stayed stable, but still overweight 60 lbs.  I then took Geodon (Zeldox) and within a year I had lost 30 lbs without changing anything in my diet or exercise.  For the first 10 months I felt great.  I had so much more energy, I felt like I was coming out of a long period of being a zombie.  Unfortunately I had to stop Geodon because it started causing anxiety.  So went back to Seroquel XR last year and have gained 20 lbs and back as a zombie.  Now I'm starting Latuda, which apparently does not make one gain weight.  I don't know whether it will make me feel anxious like Geodon did.  Any comments will be appreciated  

[ricky316]

Been on lithium for 6 yrs and have gained 40 lbs. Now I have stage 3 kidney failure and need to switch to another med. I was slim all my life until lithium, but it did work the best for me.

[shep784]

i am newly diagnosed bipolar II.  I started taking abilify and it worked wonders.  However, i gained 6 pounds in one week!!!!  Abilify made me feel nauseous unless I ate something...a lot of something!  I love how people say diet and exercise is key.  I am a marathon runner and exercise all the time!  i also eat mostly fruits and veggies and no soda.  Don't smoke or drink either.  Diet and exercise aren't everything.  meds are going to do what they are going to do.  Hoping I can find one out there that works as well as abilify but does not cause the weight gain!

[kassandram]

I am 20 yrs old. i have been switched around from depakote, depakote er, trileptal, and lexapro in the past 5 years. I didn't experience any weight gain from any medication, but i did lose weight with lexapro. I had a lack of appetite for about 3 weeks until i adjusted to the medicine. i lost a total of 8 lbs and was very weak and "dumbed down" for the first 2 weeks. after my levels were okay i gained my weight back and haven't had a problem since.

[oreocookie1986]

i have been on limactil for 5 years and never gained weight. So for some people I guess it does different things to everyone but I would give it a chance.

[onlymecoping]

I would like to know the same question I have been taking bipolar medications for 15 years now all the ones I have been prescride have made me gain weight and a'lot Abilify Celexa not sure if for Bipolar or not have heard yes have read no Welbutron.  Topamax I have been on 11 months I have lost 92 pounds on but I am on 400mg but I do not want to eat sleep my height to is only 4 10 1/2 I weight 286. Now Im 194. That was from the other bipolar medications. Before filling the precscribtions read about talk to your doctor. My best advice. Have faith in your doctor to. So many like Me and my mom, have been given the run around on medications and now we are having a hard time and being scared of medications. If you think not the right doctor find another check the doctor though.