Hi everyone! 

I just got prescribed Seroquel after being off of Abilify for about 7 months. Thought I was doing better without meds then a huge mixed episode hit that made me reach out again. I have bipolar 2 with mixed episodes/severe depressive episodes. My mania is always hypomanic, lasting only around 2-3 days.  

Prescribed Seroquel. Dr wanted to do Lithium but I don’t have a PCP right now (this is through an online service) to do constant blood work required for Lithium. Starting me off slow, 25mg and then working my way up to a dose that helps.

However, I’m REALLY nervous and anxious about this medication due to the weight gain. On Abilify, I gained 80lbs in the course of a year (granted, this was also probably because of quarantine as well) and I’ve been struggling to get the weight off but I have been trying my best with CICO and introducing exercise. I let my prescriber know my anxieties and they kind of brushed it off and said if I hit a plateau and I’m not losing weight anymore after starting the medication, we’ll just switch me to Lithium. 

Seroquel in theory seems like it’s going to work well for me which is why I’m going to push through and try it. However, I’m incredibly dysphoric with my body in general and weight does not help that. To my friends on Seroquel, how did it effect you? Did you gain weight, were you able to lose any if you did? Was it hard to lose the weight? I’m nervous.