I haven’t been on Zyprexa for very long, Only a little over a week and I’ve put on 5 pounds. I’m SO frustrated because before I started on this AP I was losing weight at a steady rate. I’m terrified of gaining more weight. Does anyone have helpful tips to keep the weight off and to curb the hunger/cravings? I’m trying really hard not to relaps into purging, I’ve recovered from bulimia just two years ago and I’m scared that this increase in hunger plus the weight gain is going to trigger a relaps in that area. My next appointment is in two weeks with my pdoc, and we are supposed to increase my dose from 5 to 10mg. Any helpful advice would be appreciated.
Zyprexa is known for its weight gain. I definitely don’t recommend stopping your meds. I used to stop my meds because of weight gain and side effects, then I found Abilify which is pretty weight neutral and have been on meds pretty much ever since. I was stubborn, would rather be unhealthy mentally than physically. Abilify save me. Maybe another med for you but if Zyprexa is making you gain so much weight and you have an eating disorder it’s probably bad news in my opinion and you should talk to your doctor about it! You do adjust a little bit to the weight gain As you get used to the med but 5 pounds in a week is kind of a lot especially if you were previously losing weight
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My pdoc wanted to try me on abilify but it was too expensive for me to afford out of pocket so she gave me Rexulti samples for two months(which I’ve heard is very similar to Abilify) but it did nothing to help with my positive symptoms. I was really close to a crisis point and that’s why she put me on Zyprexa because apparently it has a bit more of a success rate at dealing with the hallucinations than the other atypical antipsychotics do.
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I’m guessing you don’t have Medicare or Medicaid but today I’m seeing my psychiatrist and asking him about this thing called Genesight. It’s where they do genetic testing to figure out which med causes the least side effects and is most effective. Some guy told me you can get it for $150 even if you don’t have insurance. On the site I’m using it’s like $300 but my insurance covers it completely. It’s a very useful tool I think if it works. Something maybe to consider going forward!!
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https://genesight.com/product/
That is the link to the genesight test. There is a lot of debate over whether it’s effective or not, but it’s worth looking into.
If you’re very close to a crisis, you might not have time to go changing meds right now, but fear not! After I got stable enough to give up the med that was making me gain weight, I lost all of the 40 lbs I had gained pretty quickly. I now only take Geodon, which is weight-neutral. Latuda is another weight-neutral med for most people.
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I would call your dr TODAY. With a history of bulimia I wouldn’t wait. I used to be bulimic and it’s an addiction. You don’t want to go down that road again
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I know how u feel- I gained 70 lbs on invega (which I lost all of in the past 7 months) but a couple times I went back to purging bc those hunger cravings were insatiable and I couldn’t control my eating.
Can I recommend the combination of R-ALA and Acetyl-L-Carnitine? The first one is an antioxidant that unblocks the receptors blocked by AP’s that usually cause weight gain, and the second is an amino acid that helps convert and burn sugars and body fats into energy. Either l-carnitine or acetyl-l-carnitine help GREAT, u take it with carbs and for me I don’t notice ANY weight gain when usually whenever I’d eat carbs the AP’s would just 𝑰𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 convert it to fat.
Here’s a link about it http://www.nutritional-supplements-health-guide.com/l-carnitine-for-weight-loss.html I encourage u to look it up but it’s safe and the only thing I’ve found to be effective for ap induced weight gain. The weight just falls off if u work out after taking this as well. Best of luck!
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I would call your doctor today and let them know you can’t keep taking it and they need to find a different med. Everyone reacts differently with what meds cause weight gain. I can’t take any of the atypicals because if excessive weight gain, but haldol works well for me.
Definitely call. Good luck.
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Abilify5mg has been a nightmare for me I have gained over 100 pounds being on psych meds and nothing curbs my appetite here lately I have been rapidly gaining weight And I know its because of Abilify5mg and I am only on a small dose of it but its the only med so far that works for my mind and mood. I tried Topamax but that only made me anxious and paranoid didn’t do a thing for my weight its frustrating to know I will most likely be fat together losing hope I will ever lose or be thinner just about gave up on that and accepted my fate. I would love to be thin but of course that’s not ever gonna happen because I haven’t found anything to help and too tired most of the time to even exercise.I know I am making excuses for being fat but any advice on what I can do to fix my current situation let me know please.
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Find a local dietician to help you. They will prepare a meal plan that fits your needs. Don’t forget to exercise as well.
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Let the doctor know that you are gaining weight on Zyprexa, and it is making you want to purge. When I was on Zyprexa I craved sugar. I gained a lot of weight. Being overweight is a serious health condition. There are other drugs that work. See if you can try them.
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I appreciate all the replies, I emailed my pdoc and she said we would discuss the weight gain at our next appointment. I haven’t felt the urge to binge/purge all day, I’ve felt hunger but just normal hunger. Ate a normal breakfast (orange and a yogurt) and just had a salad for lunch. I feel in control as of this moment, strange because when I posted this I didn’t feel in control at all. I had a GREAT day, feeling motivated.
This is the first medication that I’ve tried that has some effect on the voices so I want to try and work with it and that’s what my pdoc said as well. We’ll see if this evening I’m feeling this good still.
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I also want to note that I get plenty of exercise. I work on a farm and regularly get 20-25k steps a day.
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That’s how I felt about Saphris. It was the first med that actually did anything. But then I gained 100 lbs in 6 months while on a low calorie diet and still exercising regularly. I regret letting my doctor convince me to stay on it so long. There are too many other options to put up with that kind if weight gain. The meds make it a lot harder to lose weight in general, so be really careful with rapid weight gain.
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Ever tried glucomannan? I gained twelve pounds since I quit smoking and my weight will continue to go up because my appetite had increased. Nicotine suppresses your appetite and I lost that. So I have been on glucomannan for the past three days I have already lost a few pounds. It does really seem to suppress your appetite so you eat less.
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My advice is to get off of Zyprexa. It is a weight gainer drug. Ask your pdoc for another medication. There are many others.
Eat clean, train hard!
only real advice is to eat less. it’s not easy but its the only option really if you have to be on medication.
I don’t know how to delete this post.
If you must take Zyprexa, and it sounds like you must, try counting your calories on a calorie counting app. That’s what I do. Also, try exercising for at least a half hour every day. That’s also what I do. I’m on three AP’s and I’ve been successful at keeping weight off for three years now.