Hi All,

Well update to previous posts - I finally weaned myself off of the Effexor and the weight started dropping off. I am losing now and that is great.

Problem is that now my mind is going crazy I am having panic attacks, I am extremely manic, up & down and am driving my husband, boss and family crazy.

I have an appointment with a Psychiatrist tomorrow to get back on meds but I am scared to death about stalling my weight loss again. Because as some of you know, after the surgery for about 6 mo's because of the meds I was losing almost no weight at all.

It has taken me 7 mo's to lose 30 lbs. and I don't want to gain ANY back or seriously, that will make me even crazier and harder to be with.

I am anxious a lot and am looking for anyone that is successful on meds that are not making them gain weight or stopping them from losing AFTER SURGERY only please reply.

I have been on Effexor, Lithium, Depakote, Prozac, Paxil, and all helped bring me from 135 lbs in my 20's to 240 lbs pre-surgery in my early 30's.

Please tell me types of meds and dosages if you will.

Thanks for your help.

I am bipolar as well. I take 20mg of Celexa and 200mg of Lamictal. I was only banded on 11/14 but I've already lost 23 lbs. Effexor made me gain weight too and I had horrible withdrawals while weaning off of it. My meds now are great and they really work. You shouldn't be off your meds - without a healthy mind, there is no healthy body. Good luck and don't be so hard on yourself. Bipolar is very difficult to live with. The doctor that finally got my meds right was a psychopharmacologist - not a psychiatrist.

I have panic disorder big time. I take Klonzapam, 1 mg. x 2 a day. I swear by it.

For the past 6-8 years, I've been treated successfully with a combination of:

300 mg lithium (17 yrs)

300 mg seroquel

10 mg ambien

20 mg celexa

The lithium influenced my weight gain, especially in the early days of treatment. The ambien caused me to be really hungry before bed. Fortunately, the band does not allow for those late-night munchies.

I have anxiety and panic attacks, as well as recovering from depression, I take:

40mg Celexa

300 mg Wellbutrin

Hi,

Lamictal 500mg

Risperdal 3mg

The best med for me has been lamictal, it's been a lifesaver. I'm on 500mg per day and it's stopped the highs (I still miss them) but most importantly the dangerous lows have gone. My mood still fluctuates but nothing like before the lamictal. I'm still looking for an anti-depressant that will work for me - I get all the horrible side-effects with most of them and others just don't work at all. I wanted to try Wellbutrin but it's not used here for depression - only smoking cessation!

I can't get many of the meds I'd like cos I'm in the UK and we have to put up with the old cheap stuff on the NHS - I was lucky to get lamictal - I had to beg my pdoc for over a year and got it when it was in it's trial stages here.

I suffer from anxiety and am looking for something to help that too - Buspar made me worse and I am now on Risperdal 3mg per day which helps a little, it's an antipsychotic and helps me with the strange thoughts and nightmares. I've had to use the old self help techniques such as the breathing exercises and going to my happy place to calm down, it helps but I think I need a med but my doc is against me starting on any of the addictive stuff and ones that make you feel doped up.

It's hit and miss trying to find the right combination of meds but hopefully we'll all get there.

Yvonne

x

Hi! I am being banded on 1/15 and have been getting very nervous about the surgery. Reading these posts is giving me something new to worry about. I am bipolar and finally have relief with 225 mg effexor and 400 mg seroquel. I have not cycled for at least 9 months. Nothing else was effective before effexor. I have an appointment with my psychiatrist on the 20th. She has been very supportive in my decision to get the band. I guess I will talk to her about whether she thinks that another drug could be as effective without weight gain. (I have gained about 60 pounds in the last year. Maybe it was the effexor and not all me?)

I take 900 mg of Lithium. 700 mg of Seroquel, 60 mg Buspar, 1mg Cogentin 160 of Inderal and 6mg of Requip. Lions and Tigers and Bears OH MY! I wish you the best!

I have been on a lot of different meds for the last three years following the death of my Dad. Currently, I take 300 mg of Wellbutrin. But honestly the thing that has helped me the most with depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder is....drum roll.... a rockin' therapist and a lot of self-examination. It is hard and painful but seriously rewarding. I'm really lucky to have a group of friends and some family that know my true potential and kick me in the butt when I'm doing falling back into old habits or ways of thinking. I'm hoping that with the band, I can feel better about my body. I would HIGHLY recommend a good therapist who will keep you honest. For me, I just didn't want to realize that, for the most part, I was in control of how my anxiety affected my life and the people around me and that I part of me actually liked being in crisis. Did I want to admit that? NO! But is it partially true. Yup. Final thought: I am NOT saying that depression and bipolar disorder are not medical illnesses. Both my parents have responded very well to medication... ironically the same medication and the same dosage. Obviously genetics plays a significant role! I am saying that WITH the right meds and a trained professional (a therapist, priest, social worker etc) real recovery and maintance of symptoms IS possible.

Thanks for reading the long rant. I wish you the best of luck. Keep us posted with your journey. 30 pounds is 30 pounds is 30 pounds. Go to the super market and pick up one pound of Crisco. Now multiply it by 30. It's great progress. You're doing great.

With love, Sheila