bipolar rider

[IGGY]

Hi all-
I recently was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and am taking medications that are causing weight gain (my "don't eat that" filter is just...gone). I'm heavy to begin with, so this is discouraging. I have purged my house except for the kids snacks and stocked it with healthy stuff, but I still manage to get in unnecessary calories. I'm apparently a very creative medicated eater! My supportive husband is biking with me (I'm fairly new) and last week we did 10, 5, 10, 17. I bike about 8-10 miles per hour.
I'm wondering if anyone out there has battled medication weight with the bike and did it come off?

[abejita]

I haven't experienced weight gain due to bipolar meds, but I have with migraine preventative medicine. The good thing is that the medicine doesn't magically cause weight gain, it causes hunger or craving, which trigger overeating and weight gain.

You've won the biggest battle, you are aware. I would suggest that the first thing that you do is journal your eating. Right down every little thing that goes into your mouth. This will make you very aware of your eating habits, you will also be able to see if there are any particular times of the day that really give you problems. For example, if you come home from work everyday and go straight to the kitchen and snack, you can try coming home and going straight to your bedroom and changing cloths to break the habit.

You all may want to discuss with your doctor if there are alternative medicines that you can try that are less likely to promote overeating. For me, after trying many migraine medicines, I decided that reduced migraines was worth the extra 10 pounds that I personally had gained.

[OakLeaf]

I have no direct experience with either of these types of meds, but I've experienced a lot of weight gain from a tricyclic antidepressant. Those change your metabolism, not your appetite, so you gain weight while eating the same amount.

Unfortunately, exercise didn't help me - it's true generally for women that we can't lose fat from exercise alone. Dieting helped to a point, but I had to restrict my calories so severely it was affecting my ability to concentrate. I didn't lose the weight for good until I got off the med (and then, it came off not only without trying, but without my even being aware of it until I'd already dropped 7# and someone else pointed it out).

Can you ask your doctor to try something else? Or have you already exhausted most of your options?

[Loraura]

Compulsive Overeating -- yup, I'm familiar. OA helped me stop.

[tulip]

Iggy, I hope you figure this out soon. Bipolar is no fun at all, as I'm sure you know (well it can be fun sometimes, which is the problem)

Are you eating the same as before and gaining weight anyways? Or have your eating habits changed? If it's the former, then I would discuss other med options with your doctor. If it's the latter, that's something that can be helped with talk therapy and behavior modification. Figuring out the base of the problem is the first step to solving it.

Best to you.

[loopybunny]

Cycling is pretty efficient so you have to ride a lot to burn off a lot of calories. Try mixing in walking/jogging to help maintain your weight.

Also consider taking a cooking class if possible. It might make cooking and eating healthier a little easier. I've been told that the key is to have a lot of flavor in your foods so you don't have to eat as much to enjoy it.

You may also find that riding your bike a lot may help control the bipolar symptoms a little and maybe you can cut back a bit on your meds once you have things under control. I don't know if this will actually work, but I find when I ride a lot, I'm a much happier and calmer person day to day. Something to do with the endorphins from exercise.

[Flybye]

What are you taking? Hubby is a pharmacist and I can ask him for some possible alternatives.

[IGGY]

What are you taking? Hubby is a pharmacist and I can ask him for some possible alternatives.

I am taking zyprexa. I tried abilify but had horrible side effects. I feel great, lots of energy, less depression, but this weight gain is a huge downer. I've only been back on the bike for ten days, riding every other day about ten miles, so we'll see.

thanks for everyone's input so far. This has been a lifetime journey for me, and I know it will continue to be; I just have to make it the best journey that I can.

[Aggie_Ama]

I have depression and have been on Lexapro for a year, I have also gained 30 pounds but I wasn't working out most of the year. For me antidepressants made me much more mellow, balanced and relaxed. Problem is I lost the drive to push myself. I used to compete with myself on working out.

I am not sure it is the medicine or the extreme stress at my job that has killed my activity level. One thing I have found is running or harder cardio takes the pounds of quicker. Road riding never worked for me because I am not able to push myself as hard, but a lot of people do lose weight cycling. Variety also helps, I now run, hike, road ride and mountain bike.

Another free resource I like is Sparkpeople.com, you can journal your food and make a good plan. Hope you find relief, it is hard when you know you need medicine but aren't happy with the side effects.

[kenyonchris]

I haven't experienced weight gain due to bipolar meds, but I have with migraine preventative medicine. The good thing is that the medicine doesn't magically cause weight gain, it causes hunger or craving, which trigger overeating and weight gain.

.

If you want to go the other way you might try Topamax. I am small to begin with, but when I had a migraine induced stroke three years ago they put me on Depakote, which made everything taste like sawdust...then switched me to Topamax. I lost fifteen pounds (putting me at 105), no real appetite.
Downside, lots and lots of tingling in the hands and feet (painful) and the "dopamax" effect of supression of the language center of the brain. I eventually adjusted to the side effects.

[abejita]

My neurologist called topomax a supermodel drug...makes you dumb and skinny, LOL!

I tried it for my migraines. It made me increadibly sleepy but I did loose weight on it.

[kenyonchris]

My neurologist called topomax a supermodel drug...makes you dumb and skinny, LOL!

I tried it for my migraines. It made me increadibly sleepy but I did loose weight on it.

Nice. Mine came up with the "dopamax" nickname. I had to take it at night or I was a zombie.