Sleeve and Bipolar Meds

[Bryn Dawson 9]

I'm a long way out from even getting a surgery date, but I know that VSG is going to affect the medicine I take for my bipolar as well as the Vitamins and such. Does anybody have any experience with HOW this will actually change? Like, will I be taking a higher dose to compensate for less time in the stomach, or a lower dose because body weight for absorption will be going down?

Currently I take 120mg Cymbalta (AM), 5mg Abilify (AM), Multivitamin (AM), 500mg Depakote ER (PM), 20mg Omeprazole (PM) and either 3 or 6mg melatonin to help me sleep.< /p>

I suppose I can ask my psych this when I have my psych eval but I was wondering if any of you folks have experience with it too? I'm worried about the rollercoaster ride of depression and hypomania and would like to have an idea of what might be in store.

[Eureka-C 20]

i remember some people talking about how they lowered their meds further out, because as the weight lifted the depression lifted. As for Bipolar, you probably will have to monitor and adjust as necessary, but my list of meds not to take after surgery does not include any of those.

[CamaroGal 3]

I'm a long way out from even getting a surgery date, but I know that VSG is going to affect the medicine I take for my bipolar as well as the Vitamins and such. Does anybody have any experience with HOW this will actually change? Like, will I be taking a higher dose to compensate for less time in the stomach, or a lower dose because body weight for absorption will be going down?

Currently I take 120mg Cymbalta (AM), 5mg Abilify (AM), multivitamin (AM), 500mg Depakote ER (PM), 20mg Omeprazole (PM) and either 3 or 6mg melatonin to help me sleep.

I suppose I can ask my psych this when I have my psych eval but I was wondering if any of you folks have experience with it too? I'm worried about the rollercoaster ride of depression and hypomania and would like to have an idea of what might be in store.

Bryn, I too am bipolar. I was on Stavzor (Valporic Acid like your depakote) and on Seroquel. My psych had me on Abilify but I couldn't handle the side effects. When the Stavzor raised my liver levels and the Seroquel raised my sugars... and knowing I was going to have the surgery... my doctor switched me to NON-TIME RELEASE lithium. The problem with the time release is your stomach is too small to have the meds sit there. I now take 600 mg twice a day. As my meds are capsules, and after checking with the pharmacist, I had to open the capsules for the first month after surgery. Now that I've lost about 55 lbs, I'm going for another blood test to check the lithium levels. Plus lithium screws with your thyroid so they have to check that too. I'd ask your regular psych doctor about what should be done about your meds now. This way, if they need to make a change everything will be settled then you won't have the problems post-op.

[Thomas CPA 496]

May be outdated by now if you had surgery. I am on 200mg lamotregene and my psychiatrist isn't going to change due to weight loss it is what is needed for the mind.

[Oopsseedaisy 90]

That is a very good question Bryn!

I had a friend with bipolar disorder that had a RNY three months ago. He lost around 70 pounds. I do not know what medications he was on or the dosages, but I am very sad to report that he committed suicide three weeks ago.

I am not trying to scare any one just send a message to keep your meds in check and regulated with your changing body.

Hugs

[smkeller 3]

That is sad and scary. I am on anti-depressives too, and I wonder how the absorption rate has changed. I doubt very much that there is ANY research on this. Unbelievably sad that he was on track with his weight loss, but his doctors seemingly didn't realize the danger of the process on his psyche.

That is a very good question Bryn!

I had a friend with bipolar disorder that had a RNY three months ago. He lost around 70 pounds. I do not know what medications he was on or the dosages, but I am very sad to report that he committed suicide three weeks ago.

I am not trying to scare any one just send a message to keep your meds in check and regulated with your changing body.

Hugs

[FeistyRedDragon 1]

I have Biopolar II... When I had surgery I went off ALL of my meds basically because I just could not physically TAKE them, swallowing etc. It was a good two months before I was able to get back on my full meds regimen and BOY did I notice the change in my personality. I felt very frustrated until I was able to take them again.

I have lost about 50+ lbs since surgery in June and suspect that at some point med levels will have to be lowered. My psych said as much since I was a larger person when I was prescribed, I had a proportional dosage. It's worth checking out with your Psych but I wouldn't self-adjust your meds. And looking back if I could have taken them right after my surgery I would have, just to avoid all the craziness I went through. Surgery is hard enough and then dealing with your bipolar on top of that. I think I bout drove my husband off the edge!

[Thomas CPA 496]

Sorry to hear you were off Meds. I'm also bi II and I was all over nurse for my meds day after surgery, skipped day of. Had to threaten to take the pills I brought. They got me 8 25mg to replace my 1 200mg. Can't imagine being off Meds. Glad your back to as normal as we get.

[Sassygirl06 962]

hello. i am a psych tech and hand out medications to patients all the time. i just wanted to let you know that it is possible for you to get alot of the medications in liquid form so that it will not hurt your stomach after the sleeve. most of the absorption occurs in the intestines any ways its just not being able to swallow the pills right after surgery. there are also a lot of capsule forms that you can open and put into liquid so that they dont hurt your sleeve. as far as adjusting the strength or the type of meds, you are right to talk to your psychiatrist and also have him talk with your surgeon. most docs are willing to communicate with other docs about what is right for you. they most likely will adjust the strengths of the meds as you loose weight but they should not take you off your meds abruptly as this may cause a deep depression or manic episode. it is improtant for you to realize as well not to stop taking your meds because you feel better. i see this all the time with my patients and they do not realize the reason that they feel better is because of the meds, and it makes them spiral out of control. best wishes for you, and if you need any support please feel free to message me. -sassy

[Kami 9]

It hasn't been a problem for me. I'm a very mild bipolar II (much more depression than mania) and I take Effexor, Abilify, Lamictal, and Ambien. The Effexor is in capsules, and I'm able to open those and dump out the little round balls into a spoon of SF pudding. Abilify is tiny, so I just chop that in half and swallow it. Lamictal has an orally-disintegrating form, so my P-doc switched me to that at my request. Ambien is also tiny so I just chew that up into a few pieces and swallow.

Definitely talk to your meds prescriber about it. You have enough time to maybe switch up your meds if you need to in order to get onto pills that either come in liquids or pills that you can crush or open.

I'm only 2 weeks out, so I don't know if my meds will need changing as I drop more weight, but I know what signs to look for and I have a good doc that is willing to work with me. I'm hoping that some of my depression will ease as I get skinnier, so I might need some adjustment there. But isn't that always the case with the mind meds? Sometimes you need to go up, sometimes come down. So, in a sense, nothing really changes!

Good luck!

[pvechiola 195]

I've read that you can break the pills in half or grind them down and put them into soft foods

Sent from my 0PM92 using the BariatricPal App

[sasharbinx 115]

That is a very good question Bryn!

I had a friend with bipolar disorder that had a RNY three months ago. He lost around 70 pounds. I do not know what medications he was on or the dosages, but I am very sad to report that he committed suicide three weeks ago.

I am not trying to scare any one just send a message to keep your meds in check and regulated with your changing body.

Hugs

So sorry to hear that.

My condolences!

Definitely keeping my meds in check.

Sent from my iPhone using the BariatricPal App