Countering Seroquel Weight Gain

I have been on 500mg of seroquel every day and it helps with so many mental health problems.

Only issue is weight gain. I have gained about 50 pounds and its hard to lose the weight. My triglycerides are also high.

I was wondering if anyone figured out a way or medication that can counter the weight gain for seroquel.

I tried dieting I lost 20ibs but hit a brick wall. Could not lose any more weight.

I was on 600mg of Seroquel, the thing that helped me was switching to one of the older first generation APs which is more weight neutral and I lost about 10lbs of the seroquel weight so far. I understand not wanting to change though if it's working for you. I've heard good things about a mood stabilizer called Topamax that can help with weight loss. I hope you find something that helps

I hear ya about the bad bloodwork results. I have high cholesterol and sometimes high triglycerides, too. However, I don't really think my weight gain has been significant at all, on Seroquel XR. I am overweight and I'm sure that losing weight would improve my cholesterol and triglycerides, but if they were normal, I'd be fine with where I am. That doesn't mean that I don't think my Seroquel XR is weight friendly. But it's not particularly unfriendly, for me. I'd say that at doses up to about 450/500 mg, my Seroquel XR was weight neutral for me. At my current 600 mg, it's slightly harder, though. I've been on 500 mg or more for at least five or six years. I've gained 20 lbs since, which I think I could have gained even with no meds. I managed to lose almost 10 lbs once on 500 mg, but then mental chaos kind of reversed that a bit. I've mostly maintained since. My point? Have you ever talked to your doc about the "XR" version? I found it to be a bit more weight friendly than the regular Seroquel. I suppose that could just be me. I've kind of found the hunger "spike" to be lower with the "XR", especially at doses under 600 mg. Even at 600 mg, my appetite is not extreme, as long as my mood is OK. Often it's my mood that is my biggest weight enemy.

I guess we're all just different. I've read others say they gained 100 lbs on Seroquel XR.

My psychiatrist once attempted to put me on Metformin. Many people lose weight on that med. I had to stop almost immediately because I happen to have kidney damage from Lithium. Metformin is contraindicated for people with kidney damage.

When I'm a little sped up, I tend to lose weight because I'm burning more calories quicker. I don't recommend inducing hypomania or mania, but if a person is depressed, or stable but oversedated, a dosage or med change may help. You've got to be careful about being too speedy too long, though. It can be physically damaging. My brother was told that he had been living with tachycardia so long that it exacerbated his heart problems. I take a beta blocker for tachycardia. My brother and I have always been physically speedy type people. My sister, on the other hand, has always been physically slow as molasses.So is my husband. Sometimes I wish I could just drag him with me, he's so slow. I leave him in the dust!

I read about Topamax as well. But that drug can have really bad side effects. It can dumb you down and you can actually decrease your IQ. Its nickname is Dopamax

I could ask my doc about seroquel XR but don't want to screw with the current medicine cocktail as things are very good and stable mental health wise.

I have also tried Metformin it decreased my cravings and a lot of my lipid profile was in a normal range. But it caused diarrhea.

Im on seroquel. Ive lost 30 pounds since my highest weight. Not much since going on seroquel. Its a great med for me. Ive recently changed my diet and exercise and my clothes are starting to feel looser.

I was on Seroquel for 7 years. It didn't help me in any way except sleep. I gained 147lbs on it over the years (I started at 110lbs). Psychiatrists kept insisting that I needed to stay on the stuff. I now have high blood pressure, high bad cholesterol, and I'm on the line between prediabetes and diabetes (I'm on meds for the health issues now).

At the end of the summer I was finally able to go off the Seroquel. The medication for diabetes definitely curbs my appetite, which was crazy on Seroquel. But since going off Seroquel, even with the med for diabetes, I have gained 7lbs. For some people Seroquel is a magic pill. For me it was poison. I am so angry because I never told a pdoc NO, I will not continue taking Seroquel.

My psychiatrist, whom I must say, I do totally trust, just put me back on it because of this big psychotic episode I just had last week. He said Thorazine or Seroquel. I chose Seroquel. It has been a big weight-gainer for me in the past, so am a bit worried. But being psychotic is worse. Oh, well...

Quote:

Originally Posted by bpcyclist My psuchiatrist, whom I must say, I do totally trust, just put me back on it because of this big psychotic episode I just had last week. He said Thorazine or Seroquel. I chose Seroquel. It has been a big weight-gainer for me in the past, so am a bit worried. But being psychotic is worse. Oh, well...

I'm so sorry about your psychotic break. How frightening. Just be sure to watch your blood pressure and glucose.

I have been on and off Seroquel many times over the years. I always go off of it because of the weight gain. I have gained over 100 pounds from it. I tried Metformin but no real help. I just started Victoza which is an injection. I have already lost 8 pounds and I am still on the lowest dose. I move up this weekend. I did have nausea from it but it is starting to go away. I just hope it keeps working.

Have you tried plant based? My bloodwork is excellent when eating mostly vegetarian and walking 2 miles a day. I stopped walking and gained like 15 pounds so its definitely a combination effect. I’m not on seroquel but another antipsychotic which also causes weight gain. One thing I’ll say is every person has different results with any diet so you need to find the one that works for you. Plant based works for me because I can’t stand fru fru tiny portions, I need to be full.

I have not tried plant based. Don't think I will. I hate vegetables. I have done walking as well. Biggest thing that worked for me was a diet more then exercise.

I was on Seroquel for a while. It only helped for sleep. I did put on weight and the doctor didn't want me to stop taking it. But when I became allergic to it, I stopped it anyway. And the doctor left the area I think exercising and careful diet would help to counter the weight gain but my appetite did increase a lot while taking it.

Hi!

Some people do lose weight quickly with Topamax; some do not.
There can be some major trade-offs for using Topamax.. One of the major issues is: A large percentange of people report cognitive difficulties, to varying degrees.
Topamax is nicknamed : DOPAMAX for this reason.

One of my doctors was trying Topamax as a preventative to her migraine headaches. this is what she told me: She had gotten into 3 car accidents, two with her vehicle sliding upside down (on the roof); once her neurologist took her off of it, she cleared up and noticed she had not cleaned her house for 6 months! So, she was quite impaired.

i have taken it. I feel horrible on it. I also feel as dumb as a box of rocks. I could not function on that med..

That said, we are all different in our responses to meds.
Just wanted to give you the info I have on it.

I have had times when I could lose weight while on Seroquel.and times when i've only gained weight.
I'd lost 30 while on Serquel, but had a very determined, focused aproach. I'd also been following a Paleo -ish dietary program..

More recently, i have gained weight on Seroquel and now need to take it off! Again,
I will be using a Paleo-ish approach.

Best wishes for Great Health

I just resumed Seroquel last week after being off it for 18 months, maybe. And this morning, I woke up and the first thought I had was: Need to get some pie. Some pie and some doughnuts.

So, I did. I guess it's starting again...

Yep that intense carb and sugar craving that I swear only AP’s can cause

I’m currently being slowly weaned off Seroquel because of weight gain. I’m hoping that Saphris which is another AP will continue doing double duty as an AP and mood stabiliser.