Weight gain, exercise, and quetiapine

[slah317]

First time posting but I need some help. 

I am on 800mg of Seroquel and have been for over three years. I went from 110lbs to 200lbs in those years. 

This is the only medication to help me. I heard that tapering down can improve weight loss but I currently dont have insurance and moved to a new state so no pdoc. 

Is it really impossible to lose the weight I've gained? I just got a gym membership and a bike. I'm just really miserable with this weight but dont have many options when it comes to changing meds. 

[CrazyRedhead]

If you just moved to a new state, and have no insurance or pdoc, who is prescribing your Seroquel now?.........Would switching to Seroquel XR be an option?..........I have seen a few people on here say that the XR version causes less weight gain than the IR.

There are options for people with no insurance, like community mental health care centers, free clinics, and teaching hospitals.

I would suggest checking around in your current area about what health care options are available for uninsured folks...........If you were able to see a pdoc,  or even a psychiatric nurse practitioner, they might have some suggestions about other med options for you.

I have some experience with Seroquel, and I gained weight on it, too.......However, I told my pdoc that I was unhappy with the weight gain,  so she switched me to another medication, and I lost the weight.

No, I wouldn't say it's totally impossible to lose weight on Seroquel, but I'm guessing you would really have to be careful about your eating,  (no fast food or junk food, and count all your calories)......Also, getting exercise on a daily basis would probably help, too.

What other meds have you tried besides Seroquel?.....Do you have a diagnosis?

Edited May 16, 2018 by CrazyRedhead

[slah317]

2 hours ago, CrazyRedhead said:

If you just moved to a new state, and have no insurance or pdoc, who is prescribing your Seroquel now?.........Would switching to Seroquel XR be an option?..........I have seen a few people on here say that the XR version causes less weight gain than the IR.

There are options for people with no insurance, like community mental health care centers, free clinics, and teaching hospitals.

I would suggest checking around in your current area about what health care options are available for uninsured folks...........If you were able to see a pdoc,  or even a psychiatric nurse practitioner, they might have some suggestions about other med options for you.

I have some experience with Seroquel, and I gained weight on it, too.......However, I told my pdoc that I was unhappy with the weight gain,  so she switched me to another medication, and I lost the weight.

No, I wouldn't say it's totally impossible to lose weight on Seroquel, but I'm guessing you would really have to be careful about your eating,  (no fast food or junk food, and count all your calories)......Also, getting exercise on a daily basis would probably help, too.

What other meds have you tried besides Seroquel?.....Do you have a diagnosis?

I found a family practice doc that is willing to write me exactly what my psychiatrist gave me back in Washington which is 800mg of Seroquel and 2mg klonopin as needed. She absolutely wilL not do dosage changes with me. 

The seroquel is the only way I can sleep so I dont know if extended release will help with that. 

I'll look into what local options are. I dont think there's many. 

I dont think I could give up seroquel honestly. I  changing my diet and exercise so I hope I see a change. 

I have been on Lithium, Lamictal, Wellbutrin, Risperdal, Topamax, Abilify, every type of Benzos basically. 

And yes. I am Bipolar I. 

[dancesintherain]

I am currently struggling with Zyprexa-induced weight gain, but I was able to lose some weight (not much) while taking Seroquel..  So I wouldn't say it's impossible--just hard.  Watching what you eat and getting exercise are great steps. 

[Rabbit37]

Just my two cents on seroquel. First, I love it. Yeah, it’s a lifesaver for me. I’m currently on 300mg IR, but that might need to be upped a bit. 

The first time I was on it, 400mg, I seemed to gain 40 lbs overnight. This time, however, I’m losing. Nothing drastic, but I’m slowly buying smaller sizes of clothing. I think making sure you grocery shop wisely, don’t buy junk for middle of the night cravings, that helps. I love having healthy leftovers from dinner that I can snack on if I’m tempted, but I don’t seem to have the cravings I did the first time. 

I have horrible bouts of insomnia, the IR conveniently helps *sometimes* with that. Weird, tho, it’s a crap shoot every night on whether I’ll sleep or toss and turn, even with keeping a regular schedule. I hated the XR, I was told to take it three hours before bedtime, and I still never could tell exactly when it kicked in. Didn’t help sleep at all. 

I don’t do formal exercise, but having two teens and lots of pets, plus now shitloads of outdoor responsibilities, I think I stay pretty active. Finding that being active = burns more calories = feel less sluggish, more energetic = being more active... it’s hard, but once you’re in the cycle, it gets easier. 

[slah317]

1 hour ago, Rabbit37 said:

Just my two cents on seroquel. First, I love it. Yeah, it’s a lifesaver for me. I’m currently on 300mg IR, but that might need to be upped a bit. 

The first time I was on it, 400mg, I seemed to gain 40 lbs overnight. This time, however, I’m losing. Nothing drastic, but I’m slowly buying smaller sizes of clothing. I think making sure you grocery shop wisely, don’t buy junk for middle of the night cravings, that helps. I love having healthy leftovers from dinner that I can snack on if I’m tempted, but I don’t seem to have the cravings I did the first time. 

I have horrible bouts of insomnia, the IR conveniently helps *sometimes* with that. Weird, tho, it’s a crap shoot every night on whether I’ll sleep or toss and turn, even with keeping a regular schedule. I hated the XR, I was told to take it three hours before bedtime, and I still never could tell exactly when it kicked in. Didn’t help sleep at all. 

I don’t do formal exercise, but having two teens and lots of pets, plus now shitloads of outdoor responsibilities, I think I stay pretty active. Finding that being active = burns more calories = feel less sluggish, more energetic = being more active... it’s hard, but once you’re in the cycle, it gets easier. 

I started at a pretty low dose, but wasn't able to sleep so it just kept getting upped. I don't want to be on this dose, but I don't have a pdoc right now. When I was on a lower dose I didn't gain weight- at least not like I gained in the last three years. It saved my life, as well. It really is the best medication I've ever been on. It's such a difficult choice. Mental health or physical health? 

I am pretty good at ignoring those awful late night cravings, but I also take klonopin to sleep to it knocks me out before I can go zombie hunting for junk food at night, haha. 

It's good to hear you are able to lose some weight. I hear/see all the time that it is completely impossible to lose any weight on Seroquel. I really just wanted to hear success stories, honestly.

[slah317]

2 hours ago, dancesintherain said:

I am currently struggling with Zyprexa-induced weight gain, but I was able to lose some weight (not much) while taking Seroquel..  So I wouldn't say it's impossible--just hard.  Watching what you eat and getting exercise are great steps. 

It seems like some people lose a lot of weight on Seroquel or they gain a bunch of weight. It's really crazy. I wish I had become one of the people that lost a lot of weight on Seroquel 

[dancesintherain]

1 hour ago, slah317 said:

It seems like some people lose a lot of weight on Seroquel or they gain a bunch of weight. It's really crazy. I wish I had become one of the people that lost a lot of weight on Seroquel 

Don't get me wrong, I gained 50-60 pounds.  I was just able to gradually lose some of it.  I eventually had to come off of it because of not being able to get the rest off.

[apostle1850]

I'm taking saphris (asenapine) same drug family? I'very gained 10 lbs but also ate fast food during the winter. Don't eat fast food or junk foodstuffs of any type. Eat fresh vegetables and watch out for potatoes, pasta and bread, which can also put weight on you.