A little bit of info on me:
I’ve been diagnosed bi-polar and have had varying mental health issues since age 16 (I’m now 40). I also will have mood swings that will turn violent if I haven’t had my medication. I currently take Geodon and Depakote ER, which combined with food; caused me to gain a metric fuckton of weight (talking 75-90 lbs in a year and a half). The mental health stuff hits every part of my lifestyle; including money management to the point where I have my SO help with managing my money.
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I feel you on the weight gain. I was on the highest dose of Latuda possible for about 2 years and I gained over 100lb because of it. One of the reasons I’m so sick and in the hospital with respiratory issues is because of the weight. Being a heart patient didn’t exactly benefit me either.
I’ve lost 50 pounds since being in the hospital though (2 weeks as of today. Expected to be here another month). It’s was entirely water weight but it’s a start.
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Same with me. I take Seroquel, 200mg in the morning and 300mg at night. It makes me gain weight like crazy but I have to take it. If I don’t I start hearing the voice and my depression and anxiety just get worse. I’d rather be a bit fat than be…unsafe. I just need to work out and that will cut down the weight.
I just got a workout bench and weights (I already have some weights to go along with it as well) so I’m gonna start working out again regularly. I think that will also help with my recovery. It will give me something to do and shave off some weight.
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Azure
386
Honestly, the stress of the current deliberate structure of this society is what begets so much of mental health issues.
Stress, stress, stress.
And boy, do the health and pharmaceutical industries absolutely LOVE it.
Industries… the heartless core of the problem.
Went to see my psychiatrist today. Got real with him and told him everything that’s gone on since jail. He did not want to give me any kind of benzo for my anxiety. Against his better judgment he gave 1mg Ativan 3 times a day. I don’t plan on takin’ it three times a day though. I’m just going to take one in the morning and one at night.
He was really hard on me but he was right, I need to get out and start doing shit other than being a hermit. I also cant miss appointments with him any longer. If I miss my next appointment he will no longer give me any type of benzo and I’ll just have to suffer with my anxiety.
I didn’t realize it but I had been on Xanax for 10 years. That shit is what was keeping me in a super funk I think. The Ativan doesn’t do that to me. I’ve been on it before and, even though its a benzo just like Xanax, it doesn’t keep me down like the Xanax. Not only was I super addicted to it but it was just too strong for me. I was on 2mg three times a day and that was just too much. Even .25mg is too much. I’m glad the doctor in the hospital took me off it. Its a terrible drug.
Edit - I also dont get addicted to Ativan and I can stop takin’ it without any withdraw.
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Sacr3D
388
How much would meditation help people with bi-polar disorders? Would it help a lot that you can reduce the intake of medicine? Or do you guys need to take meds all your life?
The medication I take helps with that and other shit. I’m not certain but I think I’ll be on 2 of the 3 medications I take for the rest of my life. Sad but true. The only one I can see me not takin’ forever is the one I take for anxiety. I may (I hope) learn how to cope with my anxiety without medication.
Sacr3D
390
So idk wtf happened but since yesterday my brother is in a catatonic state. I don’t understand how this could happen. He’s in the hospital under observation. He’s always been a lost and depressed kid with no friends and is a big pothead. Yesterday he tried to talk to me then just shut down in front of me which made me call an ambulance. Man is he always going to stay like this? There’s so much I don’t understand.
I picked up my meds yesterday for my bipolar and I found out that one of the meds I take currently has a 1 in 10 chance of gaining 100+ pounds as a side effect. Guess who got hit with that?
@mikeohara Is it Latuda by chance? I was on 120mg of latuda for about 2 years, maybe 2 and 1/2. I weighted 220 when I was first put on it. I ballooned to over 340 by the time I took myself off of it. The massive weight gain was one of the tipping points of me being in the hospital for a month.
Shit sucks. I’m trying really hard to lose the weight. Since being admitted in February until now I’ve lost over 75lb though.
nope, it’s Geodon (generic is Ziprasidone).
did a generic search on alternatives to the medication, and they all have weight gain in some form or fashion as a side effect. The only alternative would be to start taking CBD regularly, which is expensive af.
Since I got off the Xanax and have been taking my Seroquel as prescribed Ive gained a shit load of weight. I weighed in at 185lbs at the end of February. Now I weigh in at 235. Its crazy and a bit scary. Fuckin’ Seroquel makes me mad hungry and I just go crazy and eat everything I can then I fall asleep. Gotta start fighting the food cravings just like I fight the sleepiness.
If you need to see this today or any other day. I’ve had to learn this the hard way.
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You’d be amazed at how many people don’t know that.
In such hard moments when we get a hard to hear diagnosis we must be very optimistic! Mental health is also very important! My dad got diagnosed with tuberculosis. This was one of the hardest moments in his life. He got very depressed and became very anxious. He didn't talk to us a week and all family was very worried about him. One therapist recommended us to give him https://kratomgallery.com . After 3 days of using he started thinking more optimistic, and we saw that he is more upbeat. By the way kratom is one of the most famous herbs that experts ecommend for a variety of ailments, thanks to its immense medicinal properties. Various research studies have found that Kratom is useful in inspiring a positive state of mind and causing users to have a more optimistic attitude about life in general.
USlater
400
Depression is one of the most awful thing that may happen to a person
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Nothing that is going on in this present day is giving me any significant depression. However, dealing with demons from the past (history of violence and mistreatment) can make focusing on what is in front of you almost impossible. These incidents just replay in my head over and over again… I feel especially bad for the people having the same problem that I have.
Not giving someone rent-free space in your mind can be difficult…
Bandile
403
Interesting topic. I was diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder in more recent years, but had developed it since the age of 7. I’m on one medication that does everything it should. I’m also hypersexual, which I think as long as my sex life is positive and responsible, than I won’t have any issues.
From cognitive testing, I was diagnosed with Borderline Intellectual Functioning. Though, I try not to let it upset me, because I can still be successful without doing more positions in life that demands a higher level of logic to them. I just have to improvise. It’s fortunate that my other sisters and older brother didn’t inherit this, because speaking as a slow learner, it took too long to find my passion in life. However, it’s better late than never.
