“I don’t like side effects and I want to quit these @#$@# meds. “
If you are like me and probably wouldn’t be alive without medications, then the only thing to do is search constantly for the right bipolar disorder medications with the least side effects and then do all you can to take them correctly.
For many people with bipolar disorder, discovering the right combination of medications is the most difficult and frustrating part of treating this illness. I know that I spent many years trying to find meds that worked for me and when I did, I became even more effective at managing the illness.
Unfortunately, It took me over a year to manage my side effects and they are still a daily challenge.
Part two of this blog covers strategies you can use to find the right meds that have the least side effects.
Julie
I have been on Seroquel for over 5 years now. I have Bipolar with psychosis. I am tired of the weight gain fight.
Seroquel has been very affective in controlling the psychosis which I have frequently. Is there anything that can replace the Seroquel in controlling the psychosis without the weight gain?
Stinker
Hi There Stinker,
Here is a short answer to your question:
Maybe.
Everyone responds differently to antipsychotics. Most gain wait on them, but some don’t. It’s very, very well documented for example that Zyprexa has an average 20 lb weight gain. Seroquel, Risperdal, and the other atypical antipsychotics are known for weight gain around the stomach. This leads to a complication called Metabolic Syndrome- I wrote quite a great article on this last year for http://www.healthyplace.com if you want to read more about it. Just type in Julie Fast and Metabolic Syndrome and it will come up.
When the atypical antipsychotic Abilify came out, it was touted as an antipsychotic that didn’t cause weight gain. I have now heard from people that it definitely can. But, overall it’s considered to have the least weight gain, so talk to your doctor about it. The problem is that it’s not simply a replacement for Seroquel. They work differently. I can say that Abilify is not known to cause the amount of weight gain that comes with Seroquel, Risperdal and Zyprexa, but the research is ongoing. On the other hand, I know people on Zyprexa who have gained no weight- and then there are those who gain up to a certain point and then it stops
I am unable to take antipsychotics because the weight gain and hunger are so intense and the weight gain is so immediate, I can’t stay on them. I also have a lot of other side effects that compound things.
.
It’s not a complicated question- what is complicated is whether the bipolar is more serious than the weight gain and its consequences. I wish I could take bipolar anti psychotics- it would be nice to have some relief for my chattering brain.
My coauthor Dr. John Preston wrote a great book called The Medical Treatment of Bipolar Disorder- it’s on my http://www.bipolarhappens.com site. It answers most medication questions and can go into this with a lot more depth than I can here.
I suggest you read all you can and then talk with your doctor- Ask about options in terms of staying well and losing weight. It’s a balancing act. I wish it were only about eating less and exercising more. That helps 100%, but it doesn’t necessarily help anti psychotic weight gain.
Readers, have you been able to balance the weight gain with the benefits of the drugs- or have you found a drug that definitely had less weight gain? Please write and let us know.
Thanks for your question,
Julie
PS: There is a category list to the right that has a medications section- it has a lot of info on the antipsychotics and bipolar disorder.
I have also posted this question on the blog as it is such a good one.
Julie,
First, thank you for answering my question. I have spent two whole days just reading about the medications I am on, and what they are for. I also read chapter 1 of your book “Take Charge of Bipolar Disorder.” Then I went to Healthy Place and found the article “Psychiatric Medication: Medication for Mental Illness.”
I was able to talk with my doctor about my weight gain, and my desire to get off the Seroquel. I told him that my hunger was very intense, and I felt literally like someone who was denied food for a long time. He thought for a while and then decided to increase my intake of Ritalin. I felt very discouraged. I felt like he just wasn’t getting it or listening to me. I do want to give him credit because he is great. He pulled me out of a very dark place and an illness that placed me into hospitalization a lot.
I was able to read your article “Which Atypical Antipsychotics Carry the Highest Risk for Diabetes.” I had no idea that the drug Abilify is an Atypical Antipsychotic. I was put on Abilify over a year ago. It was a miracle. For eight months my life was finally worth living.
I now can ask my doctor about getting off the Seroquel and using the Abilify. I now have the ability to feel like I am in the drivers seat, and I can take responsibility for my own wellness.
My deepest thanks to you again
Stinker
I, too, have gained quite a bit of weight on these drugs. I am currently on a juice fast (very healthy veggies and fruits) and I am finally losing weight quickly. I enjoy it. Fixing the produce is actually calming. I will stay on this for a while. I feel better, too. I recommend it to whomever wish to try it.