I COULD NOT lose weight until I started taking Cymbalta...if you are taking any antid's or need them, you might try that one.

restricting isn't the way to go, it just means as soon as you do eat anything, ANYTHING it will get turned to fat cos your body goes into survival mode.
you can't beat eating healthy and exersise. trust me, starvation will only fuck you up.
xx

here here, I am with you. THis geodon crap has made me ravenous. I am with you I refuse to over induldge...

OMG- me too! Iam the biggest I have ever been!!!! disgusting!

.

Weight gain is something that should be addressed better by the Clinicians who prescribe the Meds.

It is too much of a cop out to say there are 'side effects'.

Especially when the weight gain has a worse effect than the mental health diagnosis.

.

yep

Well, I was told by the psych I would gain anywhere from 5 to 10lbs on Depakote. WRONG! She also told me I should try the new diet aid, Alli if I started to gain, and Alli is notorious for causing, umm...anal leakage! No thank you!

I know eating healthy is the way to go, but I also know it takes much longer to lose the weight that way. I know my body will go into survival mode, but honestly, I done this once...ate only one small meal a day (had all the soda I wanted), and after only a few days of doing that, I lost five pounds. I really think if I can drop this excess weight, I can keep it off by exercising and eating better, but for now, I'm determined to restrict because I HATE myself this way! It only makes my mental state worse, but I feel as though I can't go off the Depakote because it actually works for me. I'm on a cocktail of meds, and it seems it takes every single one to keep me in balance, and today, there will likely be another med added to the mix of the seven or so I already take. UGH! It's INSANE!

Depakote made me uncontrollably ravenous and I blew up like a pig. My overweight MD tried to tell me this was not as important, but I found it extremely depressing.

I do wish you luck.

I was put on topamax for my mood stabilizer with my Lithium and wellbutrin, it also helped me lose the extra 35 pounds I packed on from the lithium. It completely killed my appetite. I don't know how well it fares with the Depakote. but you might ask about it. I had migraines also and the topamax took those away too. My pdoc started me out low at 50mg and now I'm up to 200mg a day and I don't have any side effects from it. Just a suggestion...most people I know that use the topamax lose weight on it and benefit from the mood stabilizing....oh and it helps with my a lot of my pain meds for some reason...meaning I don't have to take as large of dosages.

If I were you, I'd find try to find another doctor who is more into physical health and fitness who will help you find an alternative method.
My first doc put me on Lithium and Seroquel, I packed on over 60 lbs and he told me to love myself. I told him to screw himself because I was fat and miserable. My new doc is more into physical well-being and put me on Lamictal, Abilify and a high dose of fish oil. I lost all the weight,plus some, got into shape and feel better.
Good luck to you.

How much fish oil and what brand do you buy?

Excuse me while I roll my way to work this morning!

I'd still rather be fat as hell and sane, than insane and suicidal and thin enough to fit in one casket only.

I was on Depakote, on a strict diet prescribed my a dietitian and going to the gym regularly...I ained close to 75 pounds in 4 months. I blew up going from a size 4 to a 14 in a matter of months....horrible....just horrible!!

Get off it if you can. I now take Lithium adn Seroquel and the weight is coming off now.

I blew up on Seroquel. Then I started a low fat diet and ate very little and started going to the gym. I did this for 4 months and didn't lose a pound. I was faithful to my diet too. I think the Seroquel lowers my metabolism or something. Next time I see my pdoc i'm getting off the seroquel. I'll get something else for sleep.

Even if u eat crap, exercise is the only way to lose weight n tighten it up..