I am a person with bipolar that is being treated with seroquel for this. It has helped me tremendously but I am having a problem with low energy and weight gain. Is it possible to lose this weight while taking seroquel and if so could you please let me know how? Thank-You! Susan
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Seroquel for the management of bipolar
12/ 1/07 3:12am
Weight gain is a problem with bipolar to begin with but with seroquel as a treatment plan it can be difficult to lose. I think 20 lbs. is an awful lot to gain on seroquel. I went off of seroquel for a month and lost 10lbs. I was trying invega in the place of seroquel but that didn't work too well. It made me very nervous and I had to end up going back on seroquel. I take 400mg. at bedtime. I recently discontinued 300mg.at bedtime of neurontin I had been taking with the seroquel.
12/ 1/07 5:39am
The old saying of its better to be fat and happy and thin and crazy has merit. Weight gain is a common side effect of many of the medications used to treat bipolarism. I would voice my concerns with my psychiatrist about the weight gain (a valid concern) to see if the two of you can find a balance of being stabilized without all the weight.
What I want you to stop doing is deciding on your own of how much and what medications to take (self-medicating). Everything you do needs to be under a dr. orders so in the event something happens…your dr. will know what you’re on, how much of it and when it is being taken.
There is a balance and I am sure you will find it. Why did you discontinue the Neurontin?
12/ 1/07 10:48am
It wasn't that the person was not following instructions, it is that they have gained a lot of weight in a short period of time & has low energy. They are seeking advice.
There is also something to be said about being overweight due to meds. Your comment about "the old saying of its better to be fat and happy then thin and crazy has merit."
Unless you are grossly underweight & this is disturbing to you - most folks are not happy being fat especially if caused by a pill. Being overweight causes medical as well as physical problems in and of itself.
Finally, let's not talk about society's views of being "fat". Both of these do cause a lot of self-reflection issues in folks that already suffer from depression of any type.
I do agree though that if you are under a MDs/Pdocs care - to not modify, reduce, or increase any medication without their advice due to possible side effects and possible adverse reactions that can come from any tweaking.
Course, if you are having any adverse reactions like hives, swelling of face, difficulty breathing, seizures, etc... it's best to go to the ER or Urgent Care immediately. You can then call your doc afterwards.
12/ 2/07 2:21am
Hi, Eric I discontinued the neurontin with my p-doc's advice due to so much sleeping. He wanted to reduce the seroquel 400mg.at bedtime but I tried that before and I did not sleep. I may try it again next time I see him. This p-doc is in his 70's and does not want to talk with me about anything. He askes when I go in "How is your medicine doing you?" and before I can finish a complaint of any sort weight gain, acne, or thinning hair what might it be he interrupts me and tells me to go see a dermatologist. I can't afford to keep going to the doctor's for side effects of seroquel. Susan
12/ 2/07 3:29am
Hi Susan,
As hard as it may feel…it’s time for a new psychiatrist. What should be the expectations from us as a patient in regards to our psychiatrist? Listening & communications skills rank first and foremost when it comes to conveying the best treatment plan to follow.
I asked about the discontinuation of Neurontin because I happen to be on it as a stabilizer and works well. I take 2400 mg a day and have no tiredness or sleep issues. In the beginning there were the usual dizziness and forgetfulness associated to any of the classes of anti-seizers medications used to treat our illness. The reason for this medication was that it also has properties for the relief from chronic pain.
Tubby, I totally agree with you about the issues of weight gain… I grew up with the side remarks of being fat and over weight…Pillsbury dough boy and the local beach ball. Truth of the matter most of us guys are just as concerned about our appearance and looks as women.
My other concern about too much weight gain is how it affects our personal health. It basically sets us up for diabetes and heart related issues. Yes…weight gain is a big issue and there are too many medications on the market to just have to settle with all the side effects related to any one medication.
Susan…the main reason I say to find a new pdoc is that you feel you are able to convey your issues and he is unwilling to talk to you about anything. The other factor you need to figure into the equations is his age. Most after age 55 are pretty much set in their ways and unwilling to try any of the new medications because it would require a lot of time on their part to research and keep up with the information from the clinical trials.
12/ 1/07 10:57am
I was on Seroquel for several months. I was on the low dosage though. I slept so solidly on it and awoke with an absolute hangover. Still, I slept.
I also gained about 20lbs within the first 2 months. I was also on Lithium at the same time and that with the Seroquel - I ballooned up to about 30lbs within the first 4 months. I was already slightly over my recommended mark (seriously, slightly). As a result, I was then marked by my doc as being obese.
I then developed adverse reactions that the doc pointed straight to the Seroquel as causing and she took me off of it.
I would talk with the doc concerning your concerns regarding weight gain and low energy. Let's face it - being told to exercise and eat healthy while you are struggling to get through the day with the illness twirling in your head is almost next to impossible. If both you & the doc can come up with a plan that can "balance" you out - then that's when you may have to really focus on the exercise and food intake.
When weight gain is caused by a medical thing and not actual calorie intake, it can be very discouraging because it wasn't due to you not having any self-control. Unfortunately, once you are "balanced" you'll need some to combat it and then you may not lose all of it, most probably but not all.
12/ 1/07 11:40am
12/ 2/07 2:12am
12/ 2/07 8:31am
Do you have anything for the depression cause Seroquel isn't for the depressive side. I've been told that it is primarily for mania symptoms and mania induced insomnia symptoms.
I also agree that you may need to switch to another pdoc. The older the pdoc the more blaise they become with people having "complaints" about the meds.
It's that they've seen it all, heard it all, and are not fazed by any of it. A lot of them also (my experience here) tend to treat the patients with the "they are mentally ill, what do they know?" mentality.
12/ 2/07 7:05pm
I've already gained weight on another med for bipolar & it is causing problems in my marriage so when the pdoc recommended Seroquel to help me sleep (I already take Trazodone & klonopin but can only manage 3 hours of sleep at the most), I said no way due to the fear of more weight gain.
So I'm fat & an insomniac at this point. Cholesterol is too high, blood pressure is too high & I have insulin resistance...
12/ 2/07 9:51pm
HI, SG......Sure weight gain can cause alot of problems if you let it. I am wondering what medication you are on for bipolar that causes you weight gain. I know that zyprexia is worse at gaining weight than seroquel. I took trazadone and it did not help me sleep. They will not prescribe klonopin to me due to it is addicting. I am wondering what options there are out there for me to be able to get off of seroquel. I sleep so good on it and if you starve yourself practically you can lose. Just watch your carbs and sugars. It is a struggle with all medications. I have to think about decreasing this seroquel to maybe 300mg. so I can have somewhat of a life. I sleep too much and don't get moving until the evening hours which finds me getting depressed because the day is gone and it is time to go to sleep again. Somebody Help.......................!!! The p-doc doesn't care and I know medication all of it that I am at the end and can't think of one I haven't tried. I am definitely looking for a new psychiatrist. Susan
12/ 3/07 1:24am
I don't know, Susan, if any of these other meds would be helpful instead of Seroquel--Geodon, Abilify, Depakote, Lamictal, Risperdal & good old lithium...it seems like there are many other options nowadays, but the darn side effects can really cause problems for SOME people. I've had bad luck with side effects.
Anyway, it's 1:15 a.m. my time & I'm up for the day.
I can say I would much rather have insomnia than have the opposite problem like you do. I agree that sleeping away a life isn't much of a life. Good luck.
12/ 3/07 4:11pm
I think that being a little overweight is better than not sleeping at all and being manicky. I know I can lose this weight with the proper food. I tend to eat sweets at times and need to cut this out. I am thinking about getting the p-doc to cut down on the seroquel to 300mg. I heard that 300mg is almost like taking 400mg. I am just scared sort of to try it due to I hate when I lose sleep and I haven't done it except if I have something exciting to do the next day that keeps me up. Susan
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I'm not sure. My son, who's always been underweight, has gained 20 pounds in 2 months while taking it. You might try exercising and eating healthier. If I were you, I'd ask my doctor about it. Maybe they have some suggestions.
Let me clarify this. My son is 5'9 and weighed 113 when he went into the hospital. He'd been on Adderall for a few weeks and had dropped about 6 pounds in that couple of weeks. When they took him off the Adderall, the hospital started giving him ensure to gain weight. They said he should weigh at least 140 at his height.
So yes he gained 20 pounds but some of that was also the fact that we're giving him ensure twice a day in addition to his meals and the fact that he's no longer taking the stimulant.