Bipolar support thread

snookey

The weight gain is a problem on the anti psychotics and all the psychs say is eat less as if thats the real reason for the weight gain. I think your body changes the way you burn the food when on this type of medication.
Im starting the gym in April so Ill see If I burn off the fat. Hope so, lol.

de1amo

i think the part of the brain that switches on the receptors that register the fact that 'one' has eaten enough gets turned off! and we overeat! i am a yo yo dieter on anti pschotics--i gain weight easily and then go mad with dieting and dieting!

Natty68

I dread to think how much I have gained in weight since being on my mood stabilisers - carbomazapine. Since the latest increase I have put half a stone on, and I can't shift it either. And I have cut down on eating to the point that I am having smaller portions than I was before, and they were small!

Once I can get my head around it's a small price to pay for keeping my moods under control then I am sure I will be fine with the weight gain..:D

Trialia

Natty, carbamazepine is one of the few I just refuse to touch, because of the auditory distortion side-effect. I'm in a chamber choir, I refuse to have that compromised as badly as that, as it's one of the few activities I have left.

Honestly, nothing my doctors have tried for this keeps my mood swings in check without sending me painfully in the other direction. So I'm unmedicated, and do my best to keep my rapid-cycling under control with guided meditation - which does help, if I do it regularly.

the_devil_made_me_do_it

I bought a set of scales & I weigh myself everyday. Seems I haven't put on any weight yet (well according to the scales).

However, I have only been on Seroquel for about 5 weeks, so will have to wait & see.

I did put on a lot of weight whilst on different ADs & after I had my gall bladder removed. Since then I have had major trouble trying to lose weight.

If I do start gaining weight, I'm considering speaking to the GP re: dietican & maybe even gym referral.

Natty68

Trialia wrote: »

Natty, carbamazepine is one of the few I just refuse to touch, because of the auditory distortion side-effect. I'm in a chamber choir, I refuse to have that compromised as badly as that, as it's one of the few activities I have left.

Honestly, nothing my doctors have tried for this keeps my mood swings in check without sending me painfully in the other direction. So I'm unmedicated, and do my best to keep my rapid-cycling under control with guided meditation - which does help, if I do it regularly.

Yikes what is auditory distortion? Although being deaf in one ear I probably wouldn't really notice it..

I am finding the higher dosage has settled me down and when I get an "episode" it doesn't take so long to come out of it now. Although I mainly have flat feelings now - I laugh etc..but inside there isn't anything - does that make sense.?

I am also on my year long group therapy of STAIRWAYS, after finishing a 20 week course of STEPPS in group therapy, as the MHT felt I had Borderline tendancies to go along with the Bipolar II - ugh!! Great!! Still it has taken me 11 years to get this far with the MHT, maybe another 11 years and I will actually be well enough to cope in the outside world in a job etc..

Trialia

Basically it adjusts the tones of what you hear by about a semitone, so if you hear a particular note, the actual note being produced is a semitone higher, and if you sing what you hear, you're out of tune by that semitone.

the_devil_made_me_do_it

Natty68 wrote: »

Yikes what is auditory distortion? Although being deaf in one ear I probably wouldn't really notice it..

I am finding the higher dosage has settled me down and when I get an "episode" it doesn't take so long to come out of it now. Although I mainly have flat feelings now - I laugh etc..but inside there isn't anything - does that make sense.?

I am also on my year long group therapy of STAIRWAYS, after finishing a 20 week course of STEPPS in group therapy, as the MHT felt I had Borderline tendancies to go along with the Bipolar II - ugh!! Great!! Still it has taken me 11 years to get this far with the MHT, maybe another 11 years and I will actually be well enough to cope in the outside world in a job etc..

I have auditory issues & have also recently found out I'm quite deaf in one ear (getting an hearing aid ). I don't clearly hear voices or anything commuicating with me directly, but I do hear sounds that ain't there, such as talking, radio (music & talking). It's a bit of a nightmare to be honest & I've been referred to a hearing clinic in order to ascertain what the problem could be.

I, too have been suffering for over 13 years before finally being diagnosed. I have recently started on Seroquel with other meds being added possibly in June/July (depending on what state I'm in by then).

I have told Mental health services I am at the last chance saloon & I have set myself a 5 year goal. Don't know whether I'll get there, but I am trying.

de1amo

Anyone got a view on having kids or not having kids when a diagnosed manic--i am male and pushing on a bit at 48! --i have always viewed it as high risk from what i have read--the wife would love one with me--i have been stable for 10 years on meds

snookey

Iv two children and only got diagnoised after the second one. Your stable and if your wife is well then why not have children.