Psychiatric Medication-Related Weight Gain Revisited - My Story, and Hope for Others

I first wrote on the issue of weight gain as a side effect of psychiatric medications on March 31st of this year. I wrote that piece because I was depressed with my own situation. I was frustrated with the lack of awareness among medical professionals and the general public on the issue.

I was desperate to let my feelings out, because no matter how hopeless or despondent I might feel at times, I somehow had a tiny glimmer of hope that perhaps things would look up.

Since then, things have begun to improve for myself, so in hopes that others who have experienced these issues too, might know that there is still hope, I wanted to continue my story as it began in my first article on the topic.

That year, I was being tested for a possible diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome. After blood tests revealed I had high levels of DHEA, a sort of natural steroid that the body converts into sex hormones (that's the best explanation I can give - if you want to know more, Google it). Besides the DHEA, the stubborn weight gain that would not respond to weight loss efforts, and continued problems with acne that have persisted into my early twenties, I had no other "classic signs" of the disease, like elevated glucose levels; thus, besides putting me on birth control pills to level my hormones, there was no other way they could see to treat my condition other than to recommend I lose weight. Being good doctors and not simply telling me to drop 100 lbs and sending me on my way, they referred me to the University's weight management clinic.

Upon meeting Dr. Beckman, my physician at the weight loss clinic, I was immediately impressed that she came in with printed off information on Lamictal, the mood stabilizer I was on at the time. She had actually researched it that morning, discovering that recent studies had shown it to cause elevated levels of DHEA in some women, creating the same symptoms as polycystic ovary syndrome. This was obviously a very recent finding, because my psychiatrist (who is both very knowledgeable and keeps up-to-date on the latest research) hadn't heard of it. Dr. Beckman, having worked with other bipolar patients before, recommended I talk to my psychiatrist about trying Topamax as an alternative to Lamictal, as it has the handy side effect (for me, anyway) of suppressing appetite.

This was just one piece of the puzzle for me, though. Around the same time, I happened upon an article about some lawsuit against one of the major drug companies. To make a long story short, have you ever clicked on one link after another until you end up at some vaguely related site that doesn't really have much to do with the site you were originally at? I ended up on a site for "user reviews" of prescription drugs. I looked up Seroquel, a medication I'd been taking at the very lowest therapeutic dosage for years. I used it to quiet my anxious, racing thoughts at night in order to help me sleep. I never thought it could be a culprit in regards to my weight gain because the dose was so low.

And yet, lo and behold, there was a comment that sounded almost as if I'd written it myself. They said something along the lines of, "I've been taking 50 mg of Seroquel. I wake up at 3 AM every night craving a bowl of cereal, and I've gained 20 lbs in two months. I'm going to ask for something different when I see my doc next week."

With my doctor's permission, I discontinued Seroquel, and gradually weaned myself from all sleep-related medications. With that, I lost 15 lbs before I could even get in at the weight loss clinic!

Here's the point I'd like to make: I thought I'd tried everything. I thought the cocktail of meds I was on was keeping me stable enough so I thought I was trapped forever in an obese body. In reality, I just didn't yet know which medication it was that was causing the problem. All along, I thought my problem was Zoloft. When I tried switching from Zoloft to another antidepressant, it plunged me into a severe depression last winter. I'd always been told Lamictal was "weight neutral", and for most people it is - unless it essentially gives you polycystic ovary syndrome, like it did to me.

The best advice I have for anyone out there dealing with weight gain they suspect might be related to any medication, whether it be an antipsychotic, antidepressant, or any other prescription drug, is to read about others' experiences. Look up the latest research on how that medication affects the human body over a long period of time. Remember, most psychiatric drug trials are testing for efficacy, so drug companies most often use a 12-week trial, thus not detecting effects that might not be as immediate like weight gain or hormonal changes.

Now that I'm feeling more comfortable, I'm going to try to start upping my physical activity. I want to keep the momentum going. I want to be healthy both inside and out. The changes in my meds have helped both with my body and my mind, evening out my mood swings, thus making me feel more confident and competent. I'll keep you updated on my progress, and I would hope that anyone reading this would keep me updated on theirs. We're all in this together, and we can't give up hope!