More weight-neutral than Abilify?

[The Emperor]

This may have been done to death, so if it has, and someone knows the thread, please direct me!

Otherwise, I'm just wondering if there's an AAP that is supposedly MORE weight neutral than Abilify? Because this one has caused me some weight gain that I'm rather displeased with. About 15-20lbs depending on what day you weigh me, apparently. I'm getting so sick of it that I want to ask p-doc to come off it completely, but in light of recent events, it doesn't seem as though I'll be going off meds any time soon. I could be wrong.

So yeah, any AAP that is supposedly as weight neutral or more weight neutral than Abilify? I know there's some new AAP's out there, so I didn't know if any of those were less likely to cause weight gain or not. I know it also varies from person to person, I will keep that in mind.

No I don't exercise and don't eat right, I'll admit it. But I didn't BEFORE and didn't gain any weight! I think I've had an increase in appetite. It's hard to fight that.

Blah blah blah. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

[muriel]

Geodon maybe. We've had members come off of Abilify and start Geodon and be able to lose weight.

You're also getting older, and having a child changes your body forever. It might not just be the Abilify.

[vanderk]

This is one of those YMMV areas. "Weight neutral" doesn't mean that nobody gains weight on medication x. It simply means that roughly the same number of participants gained weight during clinical trials as patients who lost weight. Abilify and Geodon are the AAPs least likely to cause weight gain. I haven't seen enough folks on Latuda or Saphris yet to pass judgement on those two. Clozaril, Zyprexa and Seroquel (at dosages above 200mg) are the most likely to put weight on via metabolic changes.

[The Emperor]

You're also getting older, and having a child changes your body forever. It might not just be the Abilify.

Sigh. Yes. But I want a scapegoat! I was 15-20lbs lighter when I started the Abilify and it seems that at every dose increase I've gained five pounds. I put on 5 at 5mg, 5 at 10mg, and 5 finally at 15mg. So it has been pretty steady, I suppose. I had the baby long before they put me on the Abilify. BUT I do remember being at the 10mg weight before even being put on the Abilify, if that makes sense. I don't know how to word that quite correctly. So maybe you're right.

I need to exercise.

I'm on it for mood issues, and I don't think I can switch to an AD because every one I've tried in my signature has made me worse. The Abilify really has been a miracle in terms of helping with anxiety. Depression .. . eh, it still happens.

But I just worry that I'll be overweight soon.

Thanks, vanderk for your response, that was helpful as well!

I just need to start exercising. Dammit. I'm afraid that if I switched to something else, either I wouldn't get as much symptom relief or I'd gain even more weight. Or hell, I could come off the damn things and fucking stay the same weight anyway, I don't really know. My diet is very high in carbs, so I could change that. I don't know. I love my Abilify, I just do NOT love the weight gain.

[crab76]

I can relate to you. I have gained weight (10lbs in 3 months) on abilify and I'm only on 2.5mg. I've tried to increase to 5mg but more weight gain so I go back down to 2.5mg.

I know 100% it's the abilify because I'm naturally thin, eat "fairly" good and exercise like 4-5 times a week. It's always been very easy to keep my weight steady. But with abilify I can't keep it off. I try to diet but it's sooo hard because I'm starving all the time on this med. I crave Sugar & Carbs. This is my third time on abilify and every time I went off I was able to lose the 10lbs super fast.

I LOVE the effect it has on my mood, racing thoughts & depression. So I keep going back on it. I'm scared of Geodon because I've read so many scary posts. And all the rest cause weight gain more than abilify from what I see. So I stay with abilify.

I guess I can't be of much help to answer your question but I wanted you to know that I'm dealing with the exact same issue.

[The Emperor]

Thank you, crab. I'm sorry you're dealing with the same thing. It's very frustrating to have a med that WORKS, yet makes you gain weight. I guess it's a cost-benefit analysis. I don't know what to do!

[muriel]

I hate to be a bitch here, but let's look at this logically: it's 10-15 pounds. It's not 20 or 50 or 80 pounds. If you're already thin or at a healthy weight anyway, that 10-15 pounds isn't going to kill you and the only person that probably notices is you.

You really have to do a rational analysis of whether the return of your symptoms is worth those 10-15 vanity pounds. If not, be annoyed for a bit, but let it go. Deal with your body issues in therapy. If you're carrying some extra weight but are still in the normal range, the best way to feel better and look better is to exercise.

I've gained 30? 40? more? pounds in the last year that's possibly med related and I know how bad it felt at 15, and at 20 and now wherever I am. I know it sucks. But being depressed and anxious sucks a lot more, right? Stay on your meds, try the low carb thing if the 15 pounds is really that bad, and just be grateful that you have some control over your symptoms. I still haven't found meds that work all that well plus I'm in a size 16.

[The Emperor]

I hate to be a bitch here, but let's look at this logically: it's 10-15 pounds. It's not 20 or 50 or 80 pounds. If you're already thin or at a healthy weight anyway, that 10-15 pounds isn't going to kill you and the only person that probably notices is you.

You really have to do a rational analysis of whether the return of your symptoms is worth those 10-15 vanity pounds. If not, be annoyed for a bit, but let it go. Deal with your body issues in therapy. If you're carrying some extra weight but are still in the normal range, the best way to feel better and look better is to exercise.

I've gained 30? 40? more? pounds in the last year that's possibly med related and I know how bad it felt at 15, and at 20 and now wherever I am. I know it sucks. But being depressed and anxious sucks a lot more, right? Stay on your meds, try the low carb thing if the 15 pounds is really that bad, and just be grateful that you have some control over your symptoms. I still haven't found meds that work all that well plus I'm in a size 16.

I'm sorry, you ARE right, and not being a bitch, just being logical, which is something I cannot master for the life of me. I know 15-20lbs is NOTHING compared to what some people have gained, so I DO feel as though I am being a whiny bitch about it. I have stupid body image issues that won't let me get past the weight gain, though. I hate it and I KNOW it is stupid. You're right, I should work on that in therapy. I just. . . I can't get past it. I wish I KNEW that my sanity is worth way more than 20lbs. I'm sorry, I know I'm being nit-picky and I shouldn't be. I can't help it though. I wish I could. I should be happy that I have an ass! instead I'm hung up on "oh I'm not skin and bones" and it sucks. I hate the way I think.

But no, you weren't being a bitch. I think that was perfectly logical.

[muriel]

I get it, I really do. Really, really.

But let me tell you, I ALWAYS felt fat and huge at EVERY weight. It gets worse as I gain, but not that much worse. My issues are in my brain, not my body.

If you can possibly do it, try the low-carb thing. But even more, try to exercise. It's hard not to feel a little better about your body if you can get exercise and not get crazy obsessive. If you do get crazy obsessive, again, that's something to work on in therapy.

I know how hard it is. I'm not belittling you or trying to be mean, it's just that it's a trap. It's just another way the crazy is... making you crazy.

[humblestudent]

hello.. i have been on abilify for 3yrs now and gained 20kgs. Thats 40bls i think? its 1/3rd my natural body weight. Its dangerous for me because i have an illness called lupus which has kidney involvement, nad this is v bad if i gain weight. Abilify (2.5 -5mg) also increases blood sugar, putting me at risk for diabetes. I feel fat and its affecting my self esteem and quality of life. So i talked to doc n she put me on saphris. She said weight neutral in her experience. I so far had taken 3 doses of saphris n feel so incredibly sleepy... Im taking about 2mgs.im very sensitive to meds so no idea how this will affect me... Fingers crossed it will not make me gain any weight! Good luck... And im sorry but abilify can cause alot of weight gain in sm people over a long period of time.. So if ur gaining weight now it proly wont b the last of it. I wish i said to switch meds earlier cause now my weight gain is dangerous to my health...