Abilify and major stall

Hi everyone. I have been on a stall for about 2.5 months now. I had a complete breadown 2 weeks ago because I was so disappointed with my progress. I went back to the pouch test and then back to basics. By basics I mean protien shake for breakfast, protein shake for lunch and a sensible dinner....coupled with 4-5 days a week of cardio (1 hour each day). It's been 2 freaking weeks and I haven't lost a pound! I just want to throw myself on the ground and throw a tantrum like a child. :( Yesterday I realized that I have been on Abiligfy for 3 months and the lightbulb went on. Anyone else have a hard time losing on Abilify...or even gaining? I'm thinking I might need to talk to the doc about a new med....I'm wondering if Abilify is the culprit.

Thanks in advance!

I gained 23 lbs in three months on Abilify.  I was maybe three years post op at the time.

I also gained.  Ten pounds in less than two weeks. AND it wasn't helping me feel better.

It's funny, because my psych specifically told me that it was one of the meds that didn't normally put weight on people.  He knows better now.

Im on abilify and dont gain. Its funny how people are different when it comes to medication 

Yes, the Abilify might be contributing. Some people do report weight gain when taking it.  Although some psych meds can cause metabolic changes (Remeron is one), most meds that "cause" weight gain don't do it magically, but usually cause an increase in appetite which means more calories consumed. Are you tracking your food intake to be sure you are not eating more?  If your food intake is the same, I would ask your doctor about the possibility of changing meds to something more weight neutral.

Lora

Yep to what Lora says here.  I absolutely KNOW I didn't gain weight from the Abilify itself.  It did, however, set me off on an incredible craving for sweets.  And even if you dump, you can get a lot of sugar calories in just by spacing out your eating.

Pretty sure mine wasn't a metabolic issue because I wasn't on it for long enough to have that effect. 

FWIW, I am so very grateful that we have such an increased amount of different drugs with which to work on our own special issues.  I remember in my 20's, all that was really out there were the trycyclics (spelling) and while they really worked for me, I was always struggling with weight issues on them.

My 10 year old son has been on Abilify since June last year and hasn't gained a lb - obviously he hasn't had WLS either 

Those types of medications are notorious for weight gain. I started on antipsychotic meds, including Abilify, and gained 100 pounds over the course of a couple years. Hence, the RNY. I am currently on Seroquel, which I have been on for a few years, and my weight loss has been great since surgery. I can't say that the weight gain was 100% caused by the meds, but I am 100% sure that it exacerbated the situation. I'd definitely talk to your doctor. Are you on it for depression? There are lots of different choices for psych meds out there. Some have less likelihood of making you gain weight, but some just do. Mental health is super important, but it's hard to maintain when you're gaining weight from the meds...

Melissa-

My weight gain also started with meds.  I was always thin in my twenties.  But I started taking zoloft a year after the birth of my first child. I gained about 15 pounds in a year and a half. Then I got off of it because of the weight gain.  I stayed off for a year or so-lost 5 pounds and then got back on because I realized that I really needed to be on something to help with my chronic worrying. And so for the next few years-that was my pattern. On something for a year (with weight gain), off for a year, etc. I finally met with a specialist and he put me on Pristiq.  That was weight neutral for me.  Right before RNY, I switched to Effexor (which is very similar to Pristiq) because I needed something that wasn't "extended release."  So SSRI's work amazingly well for me-but they put on the weight for me.

Like another poster said, everyone is different. Both my mom and brother have had NO weight gain at all with SSRI's.

To the original poster-I would suggest going to a psychiatrist-not just your GP.  I found that a specialist had so much more knowledge knowing the nuances of the various medications since that's what he dealt with full-time. My weight gain stopped once I started seeing him (which was a few years before RNY).

Pam :)