alternatives to lithium without side effects of bloating

i gained about 100 lbs on Lithium. i asked to go off it for a number of good reasons but my Doc says NO it is a good drug for you and ALL psych meds put on weight.

i am very active now compared to before. i have lost 30 lbs in about 2 months just from walking so much and watching what i eat.

according to my psych Doc, those that are very active may not gain the weight with Lithium or other psych meds.

good luck:)

Lithium is an old tried and true drug.  New alternatives such as Depoke and Lamical are gaining in propularity.  Ask your dr about Lamictal-weight gain is not minimual.  rach

Oh, I saw that programme. I understood them to be saying that coming off meds cold turkey, or in a rushed way, or inappropriately (i.e. they are still needed to maintain balance in your bp) is what is likely to trigger episodes. This can of course be the case when coming off any long term meds cold turkey (might not trigger bp, but if you have anxiety and you come off meds too quickly the withdrawal can spin oyu right back or to heightened anxiety). I certainly did not understand them to be saying that lithium was the *cause* of this trigger -- rather the absence of the thing that had kept you stable shocks the system and tends to bring back bp more strongly. The advice is always that any weaning off meds should be done with the full engagement and monitoring of your doctor. There did not seem to be any suggestion that not taking meds was the way forward: indeed, the second episode of the programme followed Stephen Fry's journey as he realised that leaving bp untreated as he had been doing had caused him all sorts of problems and showed him looking into getting treatment, which he had come to see as something that was needed.

Bipolar does not simply go away: that is key. It is an illness that needs long term management with meds. Sadly it is also not simply something that can be cured by rebalancing your hormones. It is to do with brain signals and is more complicated than that. I'm not sure what elements Lyme Suffera is thinking of (hormonal), but, while such treatment *may* help, it is never going to be the *solution* and for bp sufferers at least this kind of thing should always be undertaken with guidance from a pdoc. You can't really mess about with bp: the potential damage you can do by simply dropping meds and latching onto something that "might" help (but is not a recognised treatment for bp) is great and should never be undertaken without full consultation with your mental health specialist.

Rosie x

Thanks Lovely Lyn -- yeah, I know you understand on this one! :)

Rosie x

I was diagnosed BP over 25 years ago when I was in my early 30's, and I am now 60!  "Mr. Lithium" and I have been together for over 20 years!  I gained a total of 75 pounds over this time, but I don't contribute it all to the lith.  I think what often happens to all people and not just those suffering from BP is that once a great deal of weight is gained, one becomes depressed about the gain, gives up, and begins a habit of over eating.

When I tried to quit Lithium cold turkey, I ended up in the psych ward for two weeks after a suicide attempt . . . I learned my lesson from that.

I did manage to cold turkey Zoloft and am now only taking 600 mg of lith a day along with Trazadone to help me sleep.  I decided to do this because I'm having weight loss surgery in June, and they will not do it unless I lose weight before the surgery to prove that I am motivated.

Anyone out there ever combined weight loss surgery with Lithium?

hi Tracker. I'd go for a second opinion - lithium is not usually the first choice for BPII. I'm assuming you have more problems with depression than mania. Ask if Lamictal is appropriate for you as it helps with depression and doesn't usually cause weight gain.

You are your own advocate and in charge of your own care. Starting reading and researching medication options, their risks, side effects, etc., and then talk with your pdoc about what might be best for you.