Bipolar Disorder Support Group
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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
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
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My 6mo twin DD's are EBF and just started rice cereal on the first. Everything has been going fine except this morning one of them had a diaper rash (lots of redness around her anus). I read this as one of the signs of an allergy. BUT I did just buy a different brand diaper yesterday (which they have used randomly before w/no issues). Do you think its the cereal or the diaper? Im ready to start...
I am currently on Depakote 500 mg,been on this for about 8 weeks ,no weight gain.But I have not been able to lose any of the previous weight gained from prior meds.
I am careful w my diet,and walk.
Could glucophage make some impact on weight loss for this situation?
I would sure love to lose some of my body mass, just enough for a small planet.
2) I should also add in this same study (remember this was ONLY looking at the weight gain caused by the atypical antipsychotics so lithium and depakote wouldnt have been included) those patients on metformin had an improved lipid profile as well.
Dr O.
Don't know that I'll gain weight 'cause I'm already on metformin for blood sugars creeping into the gray zone and staying there (106, 113, 115, 117, 118). Doc saw a trend there so I'm on it anyway.
But doggonit, too many factors interfere. Depression makes me lose weight, mania makes me lose weight, so if I just gain back the weight I lost when I'm in the normal zone then it is Zyprexa or the normal zone?
Do have too healthy appetite though.
Whilst Research is great for statistical purposes and Data, I would like to see more Funding attributed to 'real-life' case scenarios.
Where the research follows real live people that have a lifestyle indicative of the condition being researched.
Just to take ALL factors into consideration.
In my area, in the UK, they are just beginning to look at the physical needs of those with a mental health condition and perhaps get Primary Care joined up ! Instead of treating the condition as a seperate entity, the person should be treated as an individual with individual needs than just a condition.
The weight gain is never explained properly at source, nothing is put in place to offset the Meds. effect on the physical side. By the time most people come around, the damage of weight gain is so great that getting back to an acceptable BMI is too much to contemplate.
Really, I would welcome a more user-friendly mental/physical/spiritual/emotional joined-up mental health facility in every locality.
My thoughts... or some of them at 05.04 GMT in the UK as I head off in the rain to get to yet another Meeting 'talking' about how to reform the Health Service.
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