Weight Loss and Healthy Living in Our Forum

It's a fact: the medications used to treat depression and mania do cause weight gain. And that excess weight can be extremely hard to lose, because the medications are fighting our efforts. Researchers have found, for example, that weight gained from SSRI medications like Prozac can be difficult to lose even after the person is no longer taking the drug.

Too many doctors seem to be taking the position that "being fat is better than being depressed." But they're missing some important points:

1. Being fat IS DEPRESSING; and
2. Being fat is unhealthy!

The 80 pounds I gained (from a combination of bipolar medications and quitting smoking) sent my blood pressure and cholesterol skyrocketing. So now I have to take medication for that! I have a genetic predisposition to high cholesterol, but as long as my weight was under control, my cholesterol was, too. If I can lose the weight, I can probably get off Vytorin. It will be better for my heart. It will be better for my back (which thinks I'm pregnant because of supporting so much belly weight). It will be better for my circulatory system. It will be better for my knees and feet. And it will be immensely better for my self-esteem.

If this sounds familiar, then you know what I'm talking about. Maybe you, like me, have tried to lose weight on your own, failed, and become discouraged. That's why this a community program - so members can support each other while developing new eating and exercise habits and fight the dangerous weight-gain side effect of bipolar medications.

Community Support for Weight Control

We have a Healthy Living Folder in our Bipolar Bar & Grill Forum. If you want to succeed and help others succeed, please participate there as much as you can. Encouraging others to stick to a healthy lifestyle for weight control will be good for your own resolve, too. Remember, weight loss for someone taking medications to control depression and/or mania won't be easy to accomplish. Don't expect to lose 6 pounds every two weeks from walking and watching your diet. We're in this for the long haul. And that's why this type of program is important - one where we who know each other's unique problems better than anyone else can support each other as we go forward.

So the only question is: What have you got to lose? Join in!