So do I... I just switched from Seroquel to Geodon and have lost weight!  Try a med switch.

I too have bp disorder and have experienced weight gain since taking medication. I take lithium and am unable to change meds (according to my Doc.). It works for me so a little leary about making a switch. I gained a significant amount of weight when I first started taking meds.

I think I would be very careful about my caloric intake and get lots of exercise. It is a huge factor in warding off extra pounds and helps with the bp also. It is very difficult to take off the you put them on.

Hope this helps.;)

amd

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Hi!  Trust me on this.  Not the same condidtion as yours, but meds made me gain 60 pounds.  So far I have lost 30 in just 3 months...........

I know this is a big pain (trust me, I never quit going to the rr)  but you have to have 80 oz of water a day and cut the salt out entirely.  The salt hangs on to all the bad fat and stuff we don't want, and the water flushes it out and just drinking diet soda won't work (its got salt).  I finally gave in and went to a weight mgmt place and thats what worked.  You will be so surpirised do it for a couple of weeks, and you can even taste the salt in cookies and not want them anymore. 

 I drink diet pop and eat pretzels. Maybe that is why since I went on meds my weight shot up 45 lbs. I am going to try drinking water and lay off the pretzels.

ok this bi-po thing has gotten WAY out of line IF they would publish the names of all the GOOD and famous people with bp then maybe the world would not stigmatize and drug us!Also since we are not raving maniacs that go around and murder our children like Oprah implied on a show etc. we probably would be less stressed and more creative -like we ought to be and content= not overeat and abuse our selves

i also take meds that can cause wt. gain- but ive found except for 10 lbs. the rest is up to me.jnleb

I take Prozac, Wellbutrin, Topimax, Clonazapam, Ambien, and Seroquel for medication resistant depression, PTSD, anxiety disorder, and agoraphobia.  I used to run 5 miles every day and bike 27 miles with my kids a few days a week.  I was on medication then but only Prozac and Xanax or Clonazepam.  I am 5'8".  I weighed 120 lbs.  I had to have knee surgery on 6 different occasions and was forced to stop running.  My depression got worse, my weight went up, even though I wasn't eating any differently.  My highest weight was 215.  I became a hermit.  Along with the weight gain came more medication, more depression and isolation.  It's a monster that has gotten out of control.  I have a treadmill, exercise tapes etc.  I was using them daily and got down to 170 lbs.  Then I got sick and had to have some abdominal surgery.  During the surgery there were complications.  Now I am in pain most of the time.  I'm back up to 200 lbs.  I won't go anywhere.  I can't get motivated enough to start exercising.  I feel fat, old and useless.  My antidepressants aren't helping me.  The Seroquel makes me want to eat everything in sight so I don't take it unless I am having a really bad day and need to take a "day off and sleep".  Should I be taking these awful antidepressants that I have been on for over 20 years or should I just get myself back into shape.  I'm 50 years old now.  I know I'll never look like I used to.  I still have abdominal pain and knee pain.  What do you say? Is it the exercise and the natural endorphin high that was keeping in normal or was it the Prozac.  I often wonder if I were able to exercise religiously like I used to and slowly taper off the medication, if I would need to take all these anti-depressants.  Any thoughts?

Weight gain is an unfortunate side effect of some medications for bi-polar disorder.

Work with your doctor about what medication is causing this.  

Most importantly dont stop taking any of your meds because of the weight issue . 

 Self control over what you eat and learning about nutrition are 2 keys that will help you .

Hello furbee01.  I am SO glad you wrote!  I am at the beginning of gaining weight on my bp med.  It really is so hard, isn't it?  Just reading these posts of other women struggling with the same thing helps me.  Your post helped me in particular.  Thank you so much for authentically documenting your experience.  You've had some serious challenges, and you are still pushing forward; I'm really inspired by you.  Here's my situation: 

I'm on Lamictal, and it makes me feel like the Seroquel makes you feel.  I'm hungry ALL the time, I don't feel full after I eat, and I think about food every second.  The reason I'm sticking to it for now is because it manages the bp so wonderfully.   I also try to keep working out and watching my diet.  My husband was the first to point out how much the regular exercise has changed me.  The benefits are huge.  My working plan right now is to keep taking my medication, but I chart the weight gain and my emotional response to it all at the same time.  When the scale tips, and the benefits of the meds don't outweigh (no pun intended!) the weight and all the things that go along with it, then I'll be done with Lamictal if at all possible.  In the meantime, though, I keep my doctor updated so she can see that I am becomeing less satisfied.  I fax her my mood sheet that charts my weight and other feelings and such.

No med is worth it if it isn't managing your depression OR your weight.  Call you doctor!  Present your VERY valid ideas about exercise.  Your doc should work to give you back your quality of life as well as help you find a new workout routine that is low-impact for your knee and ab pain.  I hope I hear from you again!