Psych Meds and Weight Gain

There are all kinds of reasons why a person might gain weight. Unplanned, unwanted and unintended weight gain can happen because of health problems. Unplanned, unwanted and unintended weight gain can also cause health problems. Many times the weight gain is caused by more calories being taken in than are being expended. The extra ice cream cone or the special piece of cake becomes a per year weight gain.

Gaining weight as one grows older is considered natural in todays society, but is still something that isn’t desirable. As we age, our metabolisms slow and we are no longer able to indulge as we were able to do as children or young adults. Our levels of activity also become less. We may have a desk job that keeps us from moving as much as we would like or aching bones and muscles may make us want to move less and less.

Weight gain may also be a sign of an illness or other problem.

People who take psychiatric medications are often faced with the problem of weight gain in part due to the medications they take. While the weight gain is still a matter of too many calories psychotropic medications are proven to cause weight gain as a side effect. Antidepressants, lithium, tranquilizers, and antipsychotic medications may all cause weight gain.

The way this happens may be different. Some of the medications may cause one to crave certain foods to the point that is may seem to be impossible to stop eating them. People talk about craving potato chips and ice cream while on different medications.

With some of the newer atypical antipsychotic medications that have been developed not only can a major weight gain happen but there can also be changes in a person’s metabolism. That a persons metabolism can change due to atypical antipsychotic medication is available through documentation from the National Institute of Health. It’s not unusual and it’s not a secret.

Some medications are more likely to cause weight gain than others. This is well known. What may be less well known is that of the two newer atypical antipsychotic medications that have been proven to help people gain weight the way that happens is very different.

At the time this web page was written those two medications are Zyprexa and Clozaril.

Clozaril weight gain is considered to be dose specific. Now, someone can take Clozaril and not have the weight gain as a side effect. That is great. However if one is taking Clozaril and gaining weight, there is a tendency to gain more weight if one takes more Clozaril. That means that the weight gain is dose specific. More Clozaril, more weight. There are a number of ways that weight problem might be dealt with.

The weight gain from Zyprexa is not generally considered to be dose specific. What this means is that if someone is taking Zyprexa and is gaining weight, it very well may not be a situation where one can reduce the amount of Zyprexa one is taking and have the tendency to gain weight drop. If one is likely to gain weight from Zyprexa, one may gain weight while taking a relatively small dose of Zyprexa. This medication was proven to cause the most severe effect on weight gain and metabolism. (New York Times, October 27, 2009) Zyprexa was heavily marketed and pushed as a medication before psychiatrists and physicians realized how severe the weight and metabolism changes might be.

Some experts feel that Zyprexa weight gain is dose specific. What is known is that:

that Olanzapine promotes fat accumulation : due to disturbances in fat metabolism. When tested, rats don’t have their weight increase at first but they do become fatter. Then they move less and begin gaining weight. (currently the article is embargoed)

Patients/Clients/Consumers taking the medications of Zyprexa and Clozaril often gain so much weight that they are at increased risk for obesity related problems such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Mike Adams, author of the book “How to Halt Diabetes in 25 Days” stated, “We’ve known for a long time that antipsychotic drugs cause severe blood sugar imbalances and even increase the risk of diabetes.”

There is evidence that the weight, blood sugar imbalance and metabolism changes happen very quickly.

Risperdal and Seroquel fell between Zyprexa and Abilify regarding weight gain. Abilify is the least likely to cause severe metabolism change and weight gain. It is also considered to the weaker of the five medications.

So what can be done?

1. Become an informed consumer. Know what you are taking and what can happen. Ask questions about your treatments including your medications. 2. Let your treatment team know when something is going wrong (like excessive weight gain). 3. Ask questions about why the medication is prescribed and find out if there are other options available to you. 4. Ask if there are gym memberships available so you can go work out. 5. Find a way of eating (diet) that you are comfortable with. If there is a food that is a trigger for you (that makes you want to eat it more and more), find out if there is a different, more healthy alternative. 6. Remember that small changes can really make a difference. Don’t think that the changes all have to happen at once. Small changes piled up on top of other small changes can really make a difference. 7. Moving more also helps change one’s metabolism.

Have your weight, glucose levels and lipid levels measured regularly while taking an atypical antipsychotic medication. You have the right to ask questions, understand what you are taking and why you need to take that medication.

Being proactive in your recovery is important. It’s your life, your body and your recovery.


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