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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Racer on January 17, 2005, at 23:34:16
I know that they're used, but I'm curious if anyone here has taken one for this purpose? Right now, I'm in the process of refeeding, and it's horrible. I am at the point of giving up recovery, because I'd rather stay sick and be more comfortable in my body than have to live with the body I've got now. It is really unbearable.
Here's my question, for anyone who has taken an atypical for anorexia: when my pdoc brought it up, I said no because I thought that the weight gain would make me too miserable, even if it helped the anxiety around it. Now I'm wondering if it might be worth trying. Did you freak out even more from the weight gain? Or did it relieve the anxiety enough for you to handle the refeeding process?
Thanks!
Posted by SLS on January 18, 2005, at 6:45:41
In reply to Atypical Antipsychotics in Anorexia Nervosa?, posted by Racer on January 17, 2005, at 23:34:16
Hi Racer.
:-)
Which AP medications have you thought to try? Geodon and Abilify are the two atypicals that are considered weight-neutral. I like Abilify. It does take one or two weeks for the initial increase in anxiety it can produce to dissipate, but thereafter, it can be a great, clean, anxiolytic. Someone here has recently reported that Abilify and Geodon are among the few drugs that helps him with his anxiety.
What are your thoughts so far?
- Scott
Posted by johnnystats on January 18, 2005, at 7:05:27
In reply to Atypical Antipsychotics in Anorexia Nervosa?, posted by Racer on January 17, 2005, at 23:34:16
> I know that they're used, but I'm curious if anyone here has taken one for this purpose? Right now, I'm in the process of refeeding, and it's horrible. I am at the point of giving up recovery, because I'd rather stay sick and be more comfortable in my body than have to live with the body I've got now. It is really unbearable.
>
> Here's my question, for anyone who has taken an atypical for anorexia: when my pdoc brought it up, I said no because I thought that the weight gain would make me too miserable, even if it helped the anxiety around it. Now I'm wondering if it might be worth trying. Did you freak out even more from the weight gain? Or did it relieve the anxiety enough for you to handle the refeeding process?
>
> Thanks!>Anorexia can be a horrible disease for those who develop it, but i wouldn't give up hope for recovery. If you're really serious about getting well then the best antipsychotic to try would be zyprexa. You can always stop taking it if you're not ready, and it will help you put on weight. It can help anxiety also for some people.
Posted by CareBear04 on January 18, 2005, at 14:11:30
In reply to Atypical Antipsychotics in Anorexia Nervosa?, posted by Racer on January 17, 2005, at 23:34:16
hi racer--
i agree about zyprexa. when i was on it regularly, i gained about 3-4 pounds a week, which isn't that much when you think of people who gain something like 30lbs in three weeks. still, as my pdoc said, when you're like 60 pounds to begin with, it's a lot. now i'm not 60pounds or close, but i'm really small, so 3-4 pounds is about 3-4% of my body weight each week. even though i know that i could use some extra weight and i don't have to worry about getting fat, being on zyprexa stressed me out, and it also made me a zombie. to avoid being put back on zyprexa, i remind the pdocs of the zombie effect and they agree that i don't need more sedation. it streses me out to not be able to control the weight gain being zyprexa did more than just stimulate my appetite. i couldn't map out the mechanism of the weight gain because it wasn't just increased intake. i don't think any woman, no matter how thin or fat, wants to feel so out of control over her body and her eating. in the case of a friend who gained 30 lbs on depakote in three weeks and became pretty overweight at age 15, we talked about how we begin as fragile people with usually low self-esteem, and these drugs just make us more and more depressed about ourselves.
zyprexa would probably be an effective drug for stimilating your appetite and causing weight gain, but going on it will probably require your willingness to sacrifice a feeling of control over yourself and your weight.
Posted by pretty_paints on January 18, 2005, at 17:17:12
In reply to Re: Atypical Antipsychotics in Anorexia Nervosa? » Racer, posted by CareBear04 on January 18, 2005, at 14:11:30
I think the major weight gain you get with Zyprexa would be too hardcore. It surprised me, bit of a shock to the system, and I even wanted to gain some weight. I can imagine that if you're having problems accepting your new "heavier" body, Zyprexa maybe wouldn't be the best choice. Seroquel increases your appetite, but it does this much more gradually than Zyprexa.
I'm afraid I don't know much about anorexia at all, so I won't attempt to give you advice about it and get it wrong! Maybe you explain to me a little bit. I mean, I can understand that if you have a very very low body weight, the emphasis should be on getting your weight up, but surely you should feel ok about this shouldn't you? I mean, if all you get from the drug is that you put on weight with it, will that really help? Won't you still want to loose the weight like before?
In terms of the antipsychotic changing the way you think about things, I honestly don't know, as like I said, I don't know much about anorexia. Sorry :( It could do though! Do you know why yours started? What is it about being fat that you dislike so much, what does "being fat" represent to you? I always thought anorexia was to do with maintaining some form of control over a situation, but I may be wrong. Are you having counselling or therapy?
I hope things go well for you.
Lots of love, Kate xxxx
Posted by SLS on January 18, 2005, at 21:40:36
In reply to Atypical Antipsychotics in Anorexia Nervosa?, posted by Racer on January 17, 2005, at 23:34:16
Sorry.
I guess I misunderstood your motivation behind your use of an AP. I thought you were trying to treat anxiety without causing further weight gain. Zyprexa sounds good to me if you are looking for something to help stimulate your appetite. Additionally, Zyprexa should act to reduce any obsessiveness that might be present.
- Scott
Posted by Maxime on January 18, 2005, at 22:32:49
In reply to Atypical Antipsychotics in Anorexia Nervosa?, posted by Racer on January 17, 2005, at 23:34:16
Hi Racer,
I did but not by choice. I was in the hospital and they had me taking Zyprexa. It was the worse thing I have ever been through. I am a restricting anorexic. I don't purge. So when Zyprexa made me want to eat everything in sight it had several effects:
1. My body's digestive system did not know what to do with the food and I became so constipated it was awful.
2. I ended up injurying myself because I could not handle having all that food in me and I don't purge (okay, I will be honest ... I can't purge. I have tried and tried and body just won't do it). So it caused it a lot of anxiety.
3. I was released from the hospital and stayed med compliant and started taking laxatives. At one point I was up to 30 laxitives a day.
4. I stopped the Zyprexa. Yelled at my PDOC and although I do not take 30 laxatives a day anymore I still used them from time and it's daily struggle to stay away from them. Even if I eat nothing I will sometimes take laxatives.
So that is my story. If you are ready to really start eating then check with your doctor to see if your system is ready for it.
Take care.
Maxime
> I know that they're used, but I'm curious if anyone here has taken one for this purpose? Right now, I'm in the process of refeeding, and it's horrible. I am at the point of giving up recovery, because I'd rather stay sick and be more comfortable in my body than have to live with the body I've got now. It is really unbearable.
>
> Here's my question, for anyone who has taken an atypical for anorexia: when my pdoc brought it up, I said no because I thought that the weight gain would make me too miserable, even if it helped the anxiety around it. Now I'm wondering if it might be worth trying. Did you freak out even more from the weight gain? Or did it relieve the anxiety enough for you to handle the refeeding process?
>
> Thanks!
Posted by Racer on January 19, 2005, at 16:16:00
In reply to Re: Atypical Antipsychotics in Anorexia Nervosa? » Racer, posted by SLS on January 18, 2005, at 21:40:36
> Sorry.
>
> I guess I misunderstood your motivation behind your use of an AP. I thought you were trying to treat anxiety without causing further weight gain. Zyprexa sounds good to me if you are looking for something to help stimulate your appetite. Additionally, Zyprexa should act to reduce any obsessiveness that might be present.
>
>
> - Scott
>No reason to apologize, Scott -- you pretty much had it right. Dr CattleProd suggested an atypical for anxiety, saying it might cause a few pounds of gain -- which in theory would be a good thing. Problem is, most of my anxiety right now is centered around my weight gain! If something like Zyprexa would reduce the anxiety to the point that I could manage to meet my eating goals regularly, without an increase in anxiety because of the weight gain, then it might not be such a bad thing. Otherwise, I guess I'd rather suffer through the anxiety and struggle with eating.
(I know, that's all confused -- but so is my whole eating/body image/etc. If something could calm me enough about the gaining that I could work harder on it, that would be OK -- kinda -- but it sounds from Maxime's post that that isn't the case.)
You're always such a dear, Scott. Never apologize -- except for not letting me know how you're doing more often ;-D
xoxo
This is the end of the thread.
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