Bipolar Disorder Support Group
Bipolar disorder is not just a single disorder, but a category of mood disorders marked by periods of abnormally high energy and euphoria, often accompanied by bouts of clinical depression. This is the place to talk about your experience with bipolar disorder, learn from others' experiences, and find support.
FORWARD FROM DR. OORANGE
Hey you guys
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Jan 2008 published a study looking at the use of Metformin (Glucophage) for the treatment of antipsychotic-induced weight gain:
1) As many of you know the atypical antipsychotics are associated with weight gain (78.8% of people using them increasd their weight by more than 7%)
2) Zyprexa and Clozaril produce the most weight gain followed by seroquel and risperdal (geodon and abilify produce the least weight gain).
3) This was a 12 week study which randomized patients into: lifestyle changes alone (AHA diet, 30 minutes of treadmill a day), metformin 750 mg a day, and lifestyle + metformin
4) Results showed that lifestyle + metformin had the greatest effect on weight loss but METFORMIN alone at 750 mg a day was superior to lifestyle alone for reducing weight gain and improving insulin sensitivity (the average person lost 3.2 kilograms in 12 weeks with metformin alone)
As many of you know Metformin (glucophage) is used to treat type II Diabetes but we are starting to see many more uses for it...and apparently weight gain from antipsychotic medications may be one of them
Thoughts?
Dr O.
Posted on 01/20/08, 07:01 pm
Hey you guys
The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Jan 2008 published a study looking at the use of Metformin (Glucophage) for the treatment of antipsychotic-induced weight gain:
1) As many of you know the atypical antipsychotics are associated with weight gain (78.8% of people using them increasd their weight by more than 7%)
2) Zyprexa and Clozaril produce the most weight gain followed by seroquel and risperdal (geodon and abilify produce the least weight gain).
3) This was a 12 week study which randomized patients into: lifestyle changes alone (AHA diet, 30 minutes of treadmill a day), metformin 750 mg a day, and lifestyle + metformin
4) Results showed that lifestyle + metformin had the greatest effect on weight loss but METFORMIN alone at 750 mg a day was superior to lifestyle alone for reducing weight gain and improving insulin sensitivity (the average person lost 3.2 kilograms in 12 weeks with metformin alone)
As many of you know Metformin (glucophage) is used to treat type II Diabetes but we are starting to see many more uses for it...and apparently weight gain from antipsychotic medications may be one of them
Thoughts?
Dr O.
Posted on 01/20/08, 07:01 pm
In December 2005 I was put on Topamax for bipolar and anxiety. Could only stay on it for one month because it made me agoraphobic an down right CRAZY BUT it did cause me to drop the 30 pounds Depakote put on me.
YEA!
Fast forward to October 2007. I was on Lithium for a short time. Lithium did nothing for me except gave me back the 30 pounds that Depakote had so nicely given me.
Aha! I know what to do. Back on Topamax.
But, Topamax, my mistress bitch, would not give me what I craved, so for the past 7 months instead of weight loss, all she did was give me burning, itching, crawling skin!!
And, madness ....
I feel the need to add I also exercise and eat sensibly so am at an extreme loss to understand why I can't lose this oh-so-cruelly added med-weight.
I begin to wonder if somehow I cannot metabolically lose weight gained by meds unless I lose them with meds. May sound like so much bull sh*t but my past track record speaks otherwise.
I may be asking my pdoc to be pulling out that prescription pad.
They may be skeptical about putting you on it unless they look into it.