Q. I am a 36 year old female with BPD, OCD, Major Depression and Acute Stress Disorder. I was diagnosed 6 years ago and have been under the care of a Dr for the past 5 years.
I have had about 14 hospitalizations during my treatment including one at the Menninger Clinic. During one of my hospitalizations, my Dr. called you to find out what medication you would recommend for BPD and you suggested Risperdal. It was of great benefit and I thank you for helping him, but here is my question. Have you ever treated a BPD patient with Risperdal and immediately had them gain 5-6 pounds of body weight a month-consistently?
When I started Risperdal, I weighed 202 pounds for my 5’8″ frame. This was my highest weight ever. I usually weigh 170 pounds but had gained 30 pounds with my second pregnancy and was then working at getting it back off. Anyway, I started Risperdal at 202 lbs and then started gaining 5-6 lbs every single month consistently without fail for the next 18 months. I DID NOT increase my normal 800-1200 calorie a day food intake and I walked 20 minutes- 3-6 times a week. Yet I continued to gain weight! My Dr. and I discussed this at the time and he said we would worry about the weight gain later, that the important thing is keeping me alive. I was getting fat but at least I didn’t suicide–he said.
I begged him to take me off of Risperdal and 18 months after I started the med. I weighed in at 297 pounds!!!!
My weight gain stopped immediately, but I CAN NOT get the weight off. I exercise regularly and eat between 300-800 calories a day, yet my weight WILL not budge.
My husband can attest to my low food intake. Please don’t tell me to decrease intake and increase exercise, I know all of that. I know my weight gain and maintenance is illogical. That’s why I am appealing to you. PLEASE write me back. My weight has stayed at 297 for the past 3 years now. You have treated 2,700 patients with BPD surely someone else has had this happen to them, What can I do? I am absolutely desperate to lose this weight. I don’t want to live if I have to look and feel like a beached whale.
I have never taken Tegretol. I have had my liver functions checked. Two years ago, a benign nodule was discovered on the left side of my thyroid gland. The Endo. Doc said that my thyroid function was normal and prescribed .125mg of Synthroid daily to possibly shrink the nodule. I recently had my annual Endo. check-up and the blood test results will be given to me at my October 14th appointment. I’ll let you know if anything changed, but as far as I know, my thyroid functions are still normal.
A. I remember that conversation with your Dr. He was genuinely interested in helping you.
No, being a beached whale is not the goal. I agree with your Dr. that your survival came first. Hopefully things have changed.
Please understand I don’t know you or your other diagnoses. Your Dr. is your physician, not me.
If your facts are correct, and you are telling the truth regarding your activity and eating, it does appear Risperdal is changing your metabolism. I have not seen it happen before, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t experiencing this effect. Anything can happen to anybody.
That type of weight gain is not a part of hypothyroidism that’s slightly undertreated either.
There are other medication options. The antipsychotic medication Zyprexa is an alternative. Prozac and tegretol (tegretol one week later) can be helpful as well.