Dilemma of weight gain with certain types of anti psychotic medication
Posted , 4 users are following.
Yesterday I started my new diet and exercise regime, as I knew I was sufficiently overweight that a "regime" it had to be.
I have been on a clopixol injection for ten years now and on and off injections and various pills since 19 inc largactil which gained me a dress size from 12 - 14.
The injection was marginally better and with sensible eating I got it back down to a 12 mostly, there were one or two starvation diets and commission only jobs which saw me a 10.
However with perpetual and repeated use of depots, currently for ten years non stop, of clopixol, I have ballooned to 18 stone when I weighed myself yesterday. I am dumbfounded, dismayed and disgusted. I haven't gone on a crash diet and I haven't attempted suicide although tempted. I was 15stone three years ago., and a size 12 up until my late 30's.
What I have done is some research, and subsequently having found an anti psychotic that statistically - you may say that's ONLY statisics but they do count in these circumstances - that puts on the least weight and given my consultant an ultimatum, or his secretary, that he sees me in up to a fortnight, which she said is doable, and sees about drastically reducing the depot of clopixol and starting me on a back up of Ziprasidone, least likely of all the anti psychotics to put on weight and see if it is suitable for me and can eventually completely replace the depot.
I am well aware what a struggle, women in particular statistically, have with anti psychotic medication and just wanted to share my experience, and I will update after I have seen my consultant as obviously I am not certain how amenable he will be if I present all the facts calmly logically as it were, catch up soon, Fiona
1 like, 10 replies
borderriever fiona51388
Posted
I understand your problem ever so well, I have been on meds now for at least two years and I have piled it on as well. I have been on NHS Diet Courses a few times, and now I just put my hands up in disgust
I also have IBS and I could pass wind for the Boat Show, on Saturday
BOB
Rubyroamer borderriever
Posted
borderriever Rubyroamer
Posted
Keep a hold
BOB
fiona51388 borderriever
Posted
Thanks Bob, I do empathise. That's why I'm hoping that ziprasidone will help me and that indeed the Consultant will be willing to let me try it. But Concepts of "Big brother" and "catch 22" spring to mind the way we are beholden to these people. I got an appt through in the post for 24th Jan so not long to wait now.
Sympathies also about the IBS, I have prolapsed bowel so suffer horrendous with this too, and yes,uncon troll able farting features with me also!
Take care, Fiona
borderriever fiona51388
Posted
Good luck for the 24/01/17
BOB
fiona51388 borderriever
Posted
fiona51388
Posted
The medication I most wanted to go on, Topiramate, is apparently not licenced to be prescribed in the UK, so he was very sympathetic my Consultant and put me on the one he feels in his experience is the least weight gaining one and there are even some reports of weight loss in the statistics overall. Anyway that's Abilify and I start it tomorrow, so wish me luck. Co incidentally, my friend who is close to me is also on Abilify and has been for years but says she lost some at first but latently I know she eats a lot of chocolate so that may be why she hasn't lost any lately. Not so me with my diet and exercise regime which I'm still on so I'll let you know if I go on ok without any contra indications with the Abilify in a couple of weeks.
bobcrachet fiona51388
Posted
Dear Fiona,
I feel very sorry for you Fiona, weight is a problem for lots of people but some medicines really add to the problem. I really don't think starving yourself is the answer. Exercise on the other hand really does work, I lost 9 stone by dropping of my insulin and walking every day. It took me 7 months. I did feel a bit strange and I was a bit saggy around the face.
You can do this with exercise but I would definitely not starve yourself. You will get depressed, come off the diet and end up heavier than you started. I know this because this was my mothers story, she would never listen.
Just eat healthy stuff, make sure you get enough calcium and walk as much as possible. I ended up doing 5 miles a day.
I hope this helps, I know it works
Lovely to talk to you
bobcrachet.
fiona51388 bobcrachet
Posted
Hi Bob, oh I'm not starving myself, I take in about 1,500 cals a day and where 2,000 is the recommended it is sure to make a substantial difference over time. I get what you mean about exercise but being 57 now I am not nearly so supple and find it tough. I get on my exercise bike four times a week and burn 120 cals each session as recommended by my dietician and do morning exercises from NHS choices bur honestly without making the changes to my dietary intake that I have I would get nowhere. I lost 2 1/2 stone back some years ago over time and know whenever my eating is out of control it does pile back on so I feel its definitely a combination but more emphasis on diet as o am not so agile these days! Best wishes, Fiona
bobcrachet fiona51388
Posted
Fiona,
You must do what works for you. It's njust that seeing my mother fail so many times on mad diets I question whether they ever work.
I am an engineer and if I had to build a machine to transport a person like you around I know it would use a serious amount of fuel. That is why we use so much energy/food to walk long distances. I know if any medical people read this they will start talking about using glycergin first then 20 minutes in burning fat and then all the clever tricks our body has to conserve energy. At tthe end of the day you don't get anything for nothing. Walking is a very good way to loose weight. Definitely not running or you will be joining the queue for joint replacements.
What do you think.
By the way, we all store energy as fat at a figure of 3500 Cals per pound of fat. So you can quite easily work out how much weight you will loose per mile. I love sums.
best regards.