I agree it seems very unfair, especially in cases where the weight gain is quite extreme. One does have to really measure the advantages and disadvantages of certain medications, and if a certain med or meds cause you just as much or more harm than the illness alone, something must be done.

I certainly believe that anyone with bipolar disorder that is quite affected by it really should take bipolar medications. It's a shame when frustration with side effects cause people to quit medications completely. There definitely are bipolar medications that are weight neutral or even weight friendly, or ones that help counteract the side effects of others. Perhaps they may not be quite as effective at curbing the disorder than one that causes extreme weight gain, but if they curb it to the degree that it gives mood relief and gets rid of the frustration of weight gain, could that equal an overall better "score" on a satisfaction scale than an alternative?

It took me a long time to get where I am now. I'm doing OK, but still have some challenges. I am overweight, and see my weight continuing to increase, but I know that with a minor change I may actually be able to diet and exercise more. On some medication mixes or doses it seems pretty much impossible. I was once on a medication mix that did very little for my moods AND made me gain weight rapidly, also increasing my cholesterol, triglycerides, and glucose levels. I was left on that mix way too long. It was a lousy a*s mix. That was a "0" on my satisfaction scale.

Right now on my current mix, my moods have been pretty darned good. I'd give it a 90 for mood relief (100 being perfect) and a 70 for side effects. That will average out to 80 on my self-made satisfaction scale. I guess that's a low "B-" grade. My goal is to have my Seroquel XR dose lowered a little bit. I know that when it's 450 mg (I'm close) and I enter my annual spring upswing or find more and more improvement through therapy, that my satisfaction score will increase even more. Why? Because my side effects will ease and my weight will likely decrease. I'll have more of an ability to diet and exercise.

If I didn't take medications, there is a strong likelihood that my mood situation could be as low as 30. And though side effects from medications perhaps wouldn't be relevant (unless I was having withdrawals), don't some mood issues cause physical and other issues, too? Would I start to abuse alcohol again? Would I perhaps be slapping my face or punching the walls? Would my financial situation worsen even more dramatically than it is now? What if my husband left me or I ended up homeless?