Let`s talk about Bipolar

@rivergal thanks for your suggestions... very helpful

Hi @bipolarbunny @Shaz51 @Olga et al

I agree that weight management is really difficult on an older style antipsych medication. I usually struggle with my weight but have had success this year and have just reached a target my gp set me. Lots of veggies and dried pulses. Complex carbohydrates and wholegrains. Avoidance of processed foods and alcohol. Occasional lean meat or fish or eggs. Olive oil and a plant sterol spread ( expensive but has helped reduce my cholesterol). Yoghurt, tofu, kimchi fairly often. I'm trying to walk several times a week but that's not always easy with a low mood and low energy, but I know in principle it should get easier. Being fairly disciplined with what I eat has really improved my gut health - another thing I've struggled with that seems closely tied in with stress levels and psych meds.

@Shaz51 I really sympathise with mr shaz but if the meds are helping his mood I'd set a goal of maybe 6 weeks to see if diet can help. My gp told me I could get a dietician bulk billed but I decided to try by myself first. So you might be able to get a dietician's advice re portion control and calorie counts per serving... serving size being so important.

@rivergal Hi rivergal I agree I love going for walks and saying good morning to passers by particularly if they have a dog that I can pat :D. Makes life worth living.xxx

Hi beautiful @Shaz51, I understand why Mr Shaz could feel that way. I have had the same problem with weight side effects of medications. End 2018, talked with my psychiatrist about it and we switched medications. Since then it's been going down slowly but steadily over a couple of years and that is continuing. The change of meds has worked well. It may work even better now that I'm on the path of walking more and doing more physically.

hello and thank you @Historylover , @rivergal , @Dimity , @Bunniekins , @Mazarita , @bipolarbunny , @Appleblossom

mr shaz tried different meds last year but ended up going back to his regular ones

i think once the sun comes back out again and he will gets his energy back , it will help

he does not like raining days

relaxing today soo far , thinking of some weeding after if i get the energy

mr shaz has gone back to sleep

Hi @Dimity

congrats on reaching your weight target! That's amazing!! I'm so happy for you! I'm trying to eat more veggies etc too. I get IBS (no gallbladder) so sometimes it's a pain (literally) trying to find the right thing to eat. I'm slowly chipping away and my fitness is improving so I must be doing something right.

Hi @Shaz51

I don't do well with the cold weather either. It definitely plummets my mood. I'm trying to rug up and still get outside. Went for a run in the cold the other day and it was actually invigorating. I think half the time it's just convincing yourself to move that's the hard part. I have this little power phrase I live by at the moment. It is, Just Show Up. So every time I don't feel like moving, I think of it. I put my running or bike gear on and I go outside with no plan on how far I'll go and start moving. 9 times out of ten once I start moving I get into it and actually have a good workout. It even works when I'm super anxious and my brain is too loud. I think the simplicity of it has just become habit.

BB 🐰💙

Hi @bipolarbunny thanks. My gp set a small target for weight loss that proved achievable so it wasn't a big deal but has given me more confidence for longer term goals

Sorry to hear about your ibs. I suffered with ibs for many years.so greatly sympathise. Cutting out wheat based breakfast cereals and limiting bread, pasta and noodles was a turning point, but I'm not glutenfree. Basing my main meal on vegetables also helps. Stress caused diarrhoea and higher antipsychs caused constipation so overall mental health has to be a key as well. Pain and bloating aren't such a problem any more so I just looked up FODMAPS but the high FODMAPS fruit and vegetables are actually some of my favourites so that's not the answer (at least not for me). I've read somewhere that processed foods with emulsifiers disrupt the gut microbiome, and fermented foods on the other hand are good, so that could be part of the picture as well. I have a couple of books on the subject, including one by Michael Mosley that's quite good. Most books say dietary fibre is important so dried pulses (lentils chick peas and beans) would be helping.

Sorry this turned into a bit of a rant about diet but ibs is just so painful and debilitating that it took a big toll on me for a long time.I hope that at least some of my comments help. Take care BB.

Cheers,

Dimity.