So I have been on Invega for 6, going on 7 months. I have gained 45 pounds, which has been the worst experience from all of this. I wanted to know if anyone experienced weight loss while on antipsychotics and what did you do? I want to start working out regularly and counting calories but I hear so many stories that it doesn’t work. I’m also going to try to switch to Geodon and see if that helps. Let me know any weight loss stories.
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I’ve been on resperidone for more than 15 years. Before that I was on prolixen for about 18 years. I never started gaining weight until after I had schizophrenia for 20 years. I am six feet tall and my normal, comfortable weight was about 185-205 lbs. Than after 20 years I started gaining weight dramatically and I ended up at 263 lbs.
So I was unhappy about how I looked and felt at the weight even though my sisters told me I carry it well. (in other words, my build was still well proportioned and the weight was distributed evenly over my body) But I went on the Atkins diet and lost about 65 lbs. This was back in about 2000 or 2001. That’s when the Atkins diet really boomed and it seems like you heard something about it every day in the media or just people I knew discussing it.
It was basically a high- protein, low- carb diet. The interest has died down since but it sure worked for me at the time. But here’s the bad news: I kept the weight off for about two years but then my weight started to slowly creep up again. I ended up topping out at about 270 lbs! This was actually very common. Depending on who you want to believe, doctors say that 90% of people who lose a significant amount of weight gain it all back within 5 years.“Permanent” weight loss is very hard to do. But anyways the Atkins diet was too restrictive for me even though if you’re on it, you get to eat as much meat as you want (within reason).
So one day my sister told me about a relatively new diet that was similar to the low-carb, high protein Atkins diet but far less restrictive. I should mention here that too much dramatic weight loss in your life time can be very unhealthy. It’s very hard on your system and it can even result into becoming “immune” from being able to lose weight. So be very careful.
Anyways, on this new diet I lost about 70 lbs. That was about 5 years ago. Currently I have been stabilizing at between 219-225 lbs for the past two years mainly because I watch my portions and I try not to eat too much junk food and sugar. So weight loss is possible on meds. It takes effort and commitment but the rewards are worth it.
I lost weight on abilify by calorie counting.
Thank you! This was inspiring!
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i went from 70kg to 110kg in 5 months when first put on AP iv only managed to loose 5kg since then
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Do you try to lose weight or did it naturally just came off? And I’m so sorry you experienced that, trust me I can relate.
I’m on Invega too @mgc12001 but I don’t want to switch/change with another antipsychotic. I gained like 15 kg or so since February but it is the best AP so far for me 
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I was about 240-245 pounds ( I’m 6ft ) when I was on Invega and Haldol. I was only taking 3mg of the invega but I stopped taking it and switched to Geodon and a lower dose of Haldol. Now I am 185-190. I have lost about 50-60 pounds since April 2017. And as a bonus the Geodon/Haldol helps me more with the negative symptoms then the Invega/Haldol combo did. But I hear experiences with Geodon differ. Best of luck!
I hope I have the same experience, thank you for sharing
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I lost weight on topamax but I gained it back.
I lost weight on Geodon by exercising daily and counting calories.
I have gained weight on every AP I have been on even though it wasn’t as dramatic on Thorazine that I am on now I still gain about five kilos each time I have reduced and increased again. Olanzapine was where I gained all my weight, I put 30 kg on in about 8 weeks despite not eating because I was paranoid of poisoning. I also went from walking four hours a day to sedentary, I was in a locked ward that wouldn’t take me out, I was also too sedated to do anything other than sleep. i have lost 4 stone on weight watchers before I am doing that again now and have lost 10lbs in 4 weeks so far. I did a ketogenic diet before that because it is meant to stop cravings entirely i was successful in losing weight and quickly too. But I felt god awful on it, and it wasn’t retraining my eating habits I was just starving myself and I did it twice only to regain the weight once I started eating normally again. I feel much better on weight watchers, I don’t have much of an appetite right now and I don’t overeat when I do have one, it suits me because I can have treats and just point them. It works for me, it’s very possible to lose weight on AP’s
It couldn’t hurt to try.
What’s the worst that could happen? If it works, you’ll have lost the weight. If it doesn’t work, at least you tried.
I lost 5 stone but put it all back on…I take zyprexa
Counting calories and regular, consistent, daily exercise does work. I know, I am living proof. I count my calories every meal and every day with www.MyFitnessPal.com And I never drink my calories. I stick to plain water from the tap, and plain, black coffee with no additives. I avoid alcohol because of the calories. And I exercise every day at something I love doing. I also weigh myself every week. My weight is within normal limits.
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On Haldol 1 mg plus Seroquel 25 mg I used to be 6 ft 233 pounds. On those meds I am now 174 pounds.
I try for only high fiber bread.
Trying for high fiber vegan diet with no meat or dairy. Plenty veggies and fruits. Protein from hummus, soy and nuts. No sodas only water or herbal tea. I dont usually count calories.
Only eat during 8-9 hour window each day, go about 16 hours between last meal and breakfast.
Stop eating at 5:30 pm.
Walk 2.5 mile per day. A few weight or dumbell exercises.
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