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Weight Loss Strategies w/t Meds

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    Weight Loss Strategies w/t Meds

    Hi all,

    I am new to the forum, and I have been diagnosed with BP II in addition to my Fibro, anxiety, sleep disturbance,etc.

    I have been on several anti-psychotic and suffered a lot from many of them and get hospitalized. The only one that is working is Serequel. I also take my mood stabilizer (Lithium).

    I am desperate for gaining back a stable self confidence and self esteem. As you may all know that these medications (Serequel) or others needed in our case, is suppressing the metabolism which is directly proportional to gaining weight.

    I am putting my self over diet programs and also trying to exercise though I hurt my self due to the chronic pain and weakness in my body from joint issues...

    I am still gaining weight or cannnot loose weight. I am really asking all of you about your recommendations that you have tried with a success regarding weight loss or diet scheme that can work while the medication is slowing down our metabolism engine.

    I am in negative feedback circle as adding weight is depressing me and slowing any stability for our mood and case. Kindly please contribute with all of the ideas and let us enrich this post with practice and optimistic ideas and solutions to manage our weight under bipolar medications.

    Thanks for your contribution in advance.

    Sandra.

    #2
    Hello and welcome to the forums Sandra. I know that the subject of weight gain as a side effect of meds has come up before, so you aren't alone and others here may have some tips. I'm sorry to say I don't have much to contribute on this subject, but want to thank you for posting!
    uni

    ~ it's always worth it ~

    Comment


      #3
      Hello Sandra and welcome to the forum. Most antipsychotiques are said to add 5 lbs by just filling the prescription LOL. I joke, but I know how serious the weight gain is. I'm no medical person and don't have any training in that field so what follows is just my opinion and I've been known to be wrong.

      Seroquel helped to get me on the pathway to recovery. It also helped me gain a lot of weight. What can you do about it? You have already guessed that they it does affect our metabolism. I found that doing sweat exercise 3X per week was better than going for a walk every day. By sweat exercise I mean exercise that works up a sweat for about 20-30 mins in a normal heated room.

      I also learned to read labels real carefully and I found that the longer I put off putting sugar in my system in the morning the less my appetite was later on in the day. It's surprising just how much sugar can be in a bowl full of raisin bran. Fats early in the day will also cause me to crave more later in the day.

      Fluids that we consume are often full of fats or sugar. Gatorade, marketed as a sports drink has 36 grams of sugar in a 591 ml bottle. Even breakfast that we eat can affect us. Whole milk with Raisin Bran and a glass of orange juice will start your day off with 58 grams of sugar and more calories than we need.

      We do need milk, sugars, and fats but they can also cause a lot of problems. If you live in Ontario, your doctor can refer you to a dietitian (free) and they can be more use than with understanding all that we eat. They can also talyor your diet to one that you can afford and one that you can stand to eat.

      Of course you have to balance getting better mentally against physical problems. I opted to get some better and then start to lose weight. I'm still over weight, but I'm down about 70 lbs from my highest, partly from learning what to eat. I don't have a big budget either so I just couldn't go out and buy all of those nice fresh fruits and veggies that they advocate. Good Luck and Take Care. paul m
      "Alone we can do so little;
      Together we can do so much"
      Helen Keller

      Comment


        #4
        Welcome to the forum Sandra. I understand your frustration with weight gain. Antipsychotics are notorious for causing weight gain. I have to be very careful about what I eat and make sure I get exercise, easier said then done.
        AJ

        Humans punish themselves endlessly
        for not being what they believe they should be.
        -Don Miguel Ruiz-

        Comment


          #5
          Hi sandra welcome...I have an opposite effect where I gained all my weight because I didn't want to accept my bipolar and since I started using my medications right I started dropping a few pounds..I got quite a bit to lose but I think now that I am a bit more stable I can try to improve..

          Comment


            #6
            Hi Sandra, I am having the same problem with weight gain but I know it's because of inactivity and drinking. I tend to eat healthy. I have started to go to the gym and cutting back on the booze so I'm feeling hopeful that I will lose some of these extra pounds. Good luck with your struggle. Do what you can but don't give up on the meds. Being overweight but stable is better than being slim but unstable don't you think?

            Comment


              #7
              Now I have the same problem, but I try to respect the regime and do sports. The main thing is not to worry. At first, I talked to my doctor, and he told me to avoid stress, eat as many vegetables, fruits and drink fluids. I was convinced that a balanced diet can work wonders. And in addition, you must always respect the meals, but eat in small quantities. I also deal with sports, but now in a pandemic, it is difficult for me to go out somewhere. I had to learn to convert kg to lbs, it sounds funny, but it was fascinating to me. I have already lost 3 kg, I still have to lose 10 kilograms, and I will feel like a different person. I want to wish you all success and take care of your health.
              Last edited by Lisari; May 28, 2021, 02:44 AM.

              Comment


                #8
                I do not agree with taking supplements if you want to lose weight. It will somehow mess with your body. Most of the time, you are just losing the so-called water weight. it is still best to sweat it out. IT does not have to be an intense workout to cause body pain. Your goal is to get your body moving and be active. As a matter of fact, you can lose weight by simply having a walk around town every day.

                Comment


                  #9
                  For me, supplements are essential since I know that I am not eating everything that my body requires, but for others who are eating properly, supplements may not be required. They do not help me lose weight either. I need to eat properly, walk on my treadmill and drink lots of water to lose weight. Everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another. If you have an underlying health condition that remains untreated that this could be the reason why someone can't lose weight. I always encourage people to undergo a complete physical and check their blood work each year.

                  Mocha231

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Another challenge some people have is weight gain caused by medication. The second generation anti psychotics for example, are notorious for weight gain. Some clinics give you access to a team of people all there to help you. Having access to a dietician is great, but not always available.

                    When it comes to being a healthy weight, most of us have better success with a healthy diet and exercise, rather then a diet. It can be a slow process, but well worth it. Our goals need to be realistic and the small victories need to be celebrated!

                    As Mocha231 has mentioned, a complete physical with blood work is recommended, for many reasons. In terms of weight gain, it can be an issue of the thyroid for example, that can easily be addressed.
                    AJ

                    Humans punish themselves endlessly
                    for not being what they believe they should be.
                    -Don Miguel Ruiz-

                    Comment


                      #11
                      I limit my diet to chicken breasts and fish for meat then broccoli, celery, and potato. Mostly potato. Yeah, I know how many potato dishes are bad for diet but I just try to avoid cheese and salt for it. Mash potato and others work great. I don’t know what else. Hmm. I don’t really like cauliflower beecause of its texture so I’m a broccoli person. When it comes to fish, it can be any dish besides fried. I like roast and I don’t really care if it ruins the diet. I don’t get fat from it so I’m sure it’s fine. Don’t like vegan meat or tofu in general.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Hi Laojuntasa, I tend to drink water with lemon, I find that is a great way to detox the body. I try to exercise 4 times per week for half an hour. I also cut down on my sugar and use stevia. I tend to avoid food that is high in fat and I try to eat things with Omega 3. Have you tried the veggie burger from Burger King? It's delicious and you can't even tell it's not meat. Some veggie burgers are better than others. Weight loss can be a very slow process. I would definitely encourage you to try some new foods or you may get sick of eating the same old thing. I like whole-wheat pasta, whole-wheat bagels with light cream cheese, an omelet filled with veggies, oatmeal, whole-wheat toast with jam. Just some ideas.

                        Mocha231

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Not disagreeing but I really prefer keto diet than these meds or something similar. What people often forget is that meds have side effects. I didn’t know I was hosting too must fat in my body till when I went for a medical checkup and found out it was unhealthy. Because seriously, I was a huge fan of pork and beef (I still am tho) especially this buche meat, but I’ve minimised it now cuz I really care about my health. And about detoxing, there’s no better combo than lemon and water.
                          Last edited by joantucker; December 28, 2021, 07:09 PM.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Sandra, how are you? I'm also new to the forum. We'd like to convey a warm welcome to both of us here. LOL For the past five years, I, too, had been struggling with a number of health issues, the most exhausting of which was weight gain due to a slow metabolism, both physically and mentally. Instead of overloading my body with the countless diet fads, a friend who got to know about my health's and suggested to add a few spices and spice blends to my regular diet. Her favorites were turmeric, cayenne pepper, and cinnamon. And the best part is that I don't have to give up my favorite foods. Simply adding these spice blends and its make a huge difference. I agree that it is important to give it some time to function on the body, considering that we are dealing with fully natural products. I strongly advise you to give it a try for at least three months and witness the results for yourself!! I wish you the best of luck on your weight-loss journey.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              To lose weight, you first need to establish nutrition, and then you can think about sports. Only a doctor can give you the right advice on weight loss, taking into account the effect of the medications you are taking. During hormone therapy, I had terrible problems with being overweight. You know how difficult it is for a woman to accept her body the way it is. I started to go in for active sports and participated in long-distance running marathons. But then the doctor said that I had heart disease, restricting me from physical activity. I bought a scale and signed up for yoga classes. If you really want it, you can find a way.
                              Last edited by RunningKnitter; July 19, 2022, 08:06 AM. Reason: Commercial link

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