Is there any Bipolar med that doesn't cause Weight GAIN?? And is also geared more for Bipolar II? I'm on Topomax right now but not exactly Lovin' it. However, I can't afford to put on tons of weight - that's already a struggle for me anyway.
Thanks for any help!
J.

I am on Lamictal 100mg and I have actually lost weight!! I am also taking prozac with it...I love it. I am so much happier and I am not gaining any weight...Talk to your doctor about it and say that you want a med. that doesn't make you gain weight...That's what I did.

Good Luck...Let me know how everything goes... :angel:

Thank you so much! I'm not sure, but I'm just not doing well on the Topamax. I think I need a lower dosage maybe. I'm taking 100 mg 2 times a day. Plus 60 mg of Prozac. Today I actually screamed at my 4 year old and scared him. I'm NEVER done that before. I don't know what's happening to me. Excess stimulation, noise, etc. freaks me out and I can't stand it. It's like I want total silence. Is that anxiety? Before I took the Topa, I was suicidal, now that is gone (thank goodness), but I'm screaming and so b**chy I don't know myself. And, I'm socially anxious. I want to scratch my husband's eyes out. Truly. For no reason that I can think of. Because he's breathing I guess. I'm feeling such rage. I think I'm in hypomania. Is it the topamax? At least I'm not suicidal, ha ha. But, homicidal isn't good either, ha! ; ) Unfortunately, my next dr. apt isn't for 2 weeks. I'm new at this (8 wks diagnosed). Do I call for an earlier apt. because I'm scaring myself or just lump it until then? THat L.... med sounds pretty good about now! ACK!!!!!!!!!!! i'M Actually craving some drinking just to come down. BUt, I won't that would be bad to combine with all these funky meds. I might just blow up or something like a chem experiement. Who knows, smoke might come out my ears >>>>>>>>>> ;)

:) hi JSonShine, how's it goin'
I'm BipolarII and also Bulimic...i'm currently taking Efexor - not weight gain - and Seroquel mood stabiizer no weight gain either....it's important to me too hope it helps girlfriend. I haven't had any probs with these meds at all NO side-effects at all

I've also been on Lamictal (200 mg) for almost a year and haven't gained any weight, something I've been struggling with my whole life.

Any chance it could be the Prozak causing the hypo mania. I cannot take an anti depressant, sends me swinging, irritability to the hilt. Lamictal worked for me for one year, helping the depression but not so much the hypo-mania. I had no weight gain but had blurring vision. I would recommend it highly for those whose depression precedes the mania, but not visa versa. As for me, I'm going to ask the pdoc for a medium dose of Lithium and low dose of Topamax. My hope is to lessen the mania so the depressions won't be as long and severe. Good Luck. K--

K - I think you tagged it on the nose about the prozac causing the hypomania. I lowered my dose by 20 mg down to 40 mg and my hypomania ended. Very nice. I'm so glad that is over. It was pretty yuck. So, I'm still on the Topa 200 mg, and Prozac 40 mg. THe only side effect I have right now is SLEEPINESS. I think I just need to drink more water. I'm going to ask my MD for some provigil maybe. See what he thinks. I feel like a little chemist here. I just want to feel good. My moods are stable. My anxiety is pretty much gone. My depression is fairly manageable. I just want to sleep 24-7. I've thought about trying the Lamictal instead of the Topamax. What do you all think. I'm SO tired, but at least my moods are NOT swinging. I'm a rapid cycle bipolar II and if I could just have relief from 1) the rapid cycles and 2) the bone exhausting depression 3) the screaming rages. So, the fact that I could lay down and sleep at any moment, have NO energy, do not want to leave the house and can't tolerate any noise mean I'm just having a sleep side effect (I'm sleeping 8-12 hours a night plus naps) or that the depression is uncontrolled again? If so, perhaps I should try the Lamictal instead of the Topamax. I just don't want to try anything WORSE than Topamax, you know? It seems like the bipolar meds are all so awful! Like if you find one that's not to terrible, HOLD ON TO IT! HA! Know what I mean? Man, I'm tired. Heading to bed. Again. So glad you all are here. Who else could I ask/tell these things too????????? ~ Jodi

Jsonshine how are tired one??? 8-12+naps is way too much sleep!! You shouldn't need to catnap during the day. I too have bipolarII and rapid cycle; I freaked when i started to feel sleepy during the day and rang my Pdoc and said it's not good enough. He increased my efexor and seroquel on 12/10/05 and i've had about 2weeks of adjustment to the new dose...i go to bed around 9:30pm - 10:30pm each night and wake around 7:00am * I have eight hours sleep and no naps/no need for naps during the day*
Shining_Star

J, Glad you lowered you dose of Prozac and got some relief. Before asking to change your meds. ask yourself this questions: Does your mania come before the depression, or visa versa?

If mania comes first, and is always followed by depression, then I would suggest a stabilizer that deals mostly with mania (Lithium, seroquel, etc). I think if you stop the mania the depressions should subside greatly, if not all together. Slow release Lithium worked very well for me. I took it at night, slept great, no need for naps. Had some tremors and a lowered thyroid that was well treated with a low dose of Synthroid. One of the side effects is weight gain but I had none. Seroquel is known for weight gain with a very sedative effect.

If you suffer mostly with events of depression and lesser events of mania--- then I personally would recommend Lamictal. It is known as a stabilizer with better results for those who have more events of depression then mania, with no weight gain. Many folks that take Lamictal can even drop their antidepressants. I really wished it had worked for.

I here Topamax actually can cause weight loss. Has it worked for you in this way? k--

hi I take topomax 400 mg . , it has worked for me lost 40 lbs that depakote out on blu

:rolleyes: IM ON 600MG OF SEROQUEL AND IV PUT ON 20 POUNDS IN 3 MONTHS. IM GOING TO HAVE MY DOCTOR PUT ME ON SOMETHING ELSE NEXT WEEK.

I guess I'll add my 2 cents, I was put on Abilify about a year ago for mania and my weight plummeted. It got me moving after the "crash" that follows my mania. I usually eat(alot) during a deep depression, it almost made me anorexic? It could have been the Topamax, but as another one of you said in another post-how do you know when you take so many meds, which is doing what? But topic at hand- Abilify didn't cause weight gain for me. :)