A mood stabilizer that doesn't make you gain weight? Is there one?

[bernie40]

Is there such a thing as a mood stabilizer that doesn't increase your weight?  I am so fed up, I put on loads of weight with the depakote, since coming off it I have lost some of it and now they want me to go on zyprexa which is another one for gaining weight.

If any of you know of one please let me know so I can discuss it with the psych next time I go.

Cheers

Helen

[Belle1120]

I have took all these and Have gained so much weight that my docs and myself are scared of what it is gong to do to me  as far as I am so obese it is in sane.I cant take lamicatl as I am of course one that is so sensitive to it at a does of 150 I have the itch and rash so bad it wakes me even if it does put me to sleep/I took my won self of the cymbalta as I was on diet pills and counldnt loose and  noting I did would make it come off and when I stopped the meds lost 50 pds and didnt do anything different than not take it.But where I have been on it and  Seroquel,and several of the others that due cause weight gain over the past 10 yrs I have along way to go even with dropping 50.I have got to find something for the sleep issue as well as my mood is beyond anger.So I am do I kill myself with meds that cause me to die of obesity or do I suffer  with being postal and never sleep so I can be alive and able to move.

[breakdance202]

Know this is an old thread but I love lamictal. No weight gain. 300mg at night. No noticable side effects.

[BBall_Mom]

I was on Lamictal for several years and was having good success @ 200 mg/day.  My Doctor did regular drug levels to check for treatment dosages and I was always on the low end of dosage recommended.  One day I woke up and felt a little woozy when I first got up.  3 hrs later I had driven 45 min to a schedule appt with my Psychiatrist.  When I got there I could hardly make my legs go where I wanted them to go. Doctor called my Mom to take to to University Hospital (1.5 hr away).  After being at the Doctor for 45 min I felt on the verge of passing out.  By the time I arrived at Univ Hosp ER I was unconscious.  During the trip I lost ability to speak or even hold my head up.  When I came around, they had 2 IVs going to flush my system and had lab results back.  My Lamictal was at toxic level.  Scared the heck out of me. They told me to never take it again or any other medication in the same class as Lamictal.  I've been without a mood stabilizer for nearly 2 yrs and I can hardly stand it.  I have gained weight (gone through several antidepressants) and I'm scared to take anything like Lamictal but don't want to gain more weight with the old drugs.   I do have early stage kidney failure and the ER speculated that was the reason I reached toxic level.

I liked that my Doctor often did lab work - it's important to know your med levels -- and thyroid function certainly plays a role when treating depression.  Best wishes on your treatment.

[reedjordanb]

I didn't read all the blogs.  But be careful with lamictal.  I had good results on it moodwise.  However, there's always the chance of getting a rash.  And if you get the nasty rash, it goes just about everywhere.  And most of the rashy sores will leave scars.  I was depressed (not because I was on a low haha) because I had to cease lamictal due to the rash.
I am not fighting like crazy to see what will work at this point.  Lamictal, topamax, and depakote are out for either weight gain or other reasons contrary to my physical health (bp, cholesterol, etc.).


Good luck out there.

[Medtrooper]

I feel just like you. I have been through hell and back. I'm not even asking to be thin, I want to weigh a normal amount of weight.....I would be thrilled with 160 lbs, I'm currently over 200, and Depakote which is making me miserable with the weight gain. All I can say is you must not give up and keep looking until you find the right combination for you with the least amount of side affects. It's out there.

[missnancy123]

I have gained 70 pounds on ability....over a period of 4 years....it causes sweet cravings like no other...if I didn't know better all I would eat is ice cream on ability......I hate bipolar meds...on lithium it messed up my thyroid pretty bad had to go on synthroid but as a typical bipolar person I went off all my meds several years ago and although I went back on bipolar meds I didn't the thyroid one.