Diet Pills and Paranoia/Anxiety - LONG

iVillage Member
Registered: 07-18-2006
Diet Pills and Paranoia/Anxiety - LONG
2
Mon, 05-14-2007 - 12:57pm

Hello Everyone! I'll admit, I don't come here very often....usually just when I'm in trouble. I have several issues I need help with -

1. Over the past 12 months I lost almost 90 lbs and my doctor put me on lithium in NOvember 06' and I have gained back 25 lbs. I joined weight watchers 3 weeks ago and have lost almost 10 lbs. so far. Anyway, I found these diet pills that are supposed to suppress your appetite (lithium makes me very HUNGRY!!!). I showed the pharmacist the medications I take and he compared it with what he had in his computer and stated that it is completely safe for me to try. It is Hydroxycut Caffiene Free. It doesn't have any stimulants in it. I'm just desperate. I'm so hungry all the time and I am white knuckling it on weight watchers....not because I don't eat enough (I have tons of food every day). Do you think I should go for it on the weightloss pills or do I risk having a manic episode? I take the following medications for Bipolar Disorder Lamictal, Lithium, Geodon, Abilify and Clozepam.

2. I am experiencing a lot of paranoia and have been for about a year off and on now. My pdoc keeps increasing my Abilify (up to 40 mg daily now) and it isn't helping. I worry that when I take my dog for a walk that we'll be attacked by other dogs and she'll be killed. I worry that someone will break into my home and kill me and my family. I worry that if I leave something plugged in that the house will catch on fire. I worry that if I leave the crockpot/slowcooker plugged in that the house will catch on fire. I worry that people are staring at me when I go to the gym. I worry that when I am in the gym someone will steal my car. I worry that my parents will be killed in a car accident. And the list goes on and on....Has anyone experienced symptoms like this? Any words of wisdom on dealing with it? I am in therapy, but all my therapist seems to come up with is journaling, writing poems and painting (I'm an artist). Please help!

Jena

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-07-2002
Mon, 05-14-2007 - 1:08pm

I'd go ahead and try the diet pills. If they don't have stimulants, they should be fine. Years ago, I took Redux while it was on the market, and it had no effect on my moods. I imagine if that one was OK for BP, other non-stimulant diet pills are also worth tries.

As for the paranoia, that has not been a problem for me. I would definitely mention it to your pdoc, though. On second thought, there was a time not so long ago I was paranoid. After my mother died, I was afraid that everyone else I was close to was going to die, too. It turned out to be a natural part of grieving, and I got over it.

Express!
Beth "Petrouchka"

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-01-2004
Mon, 05-14-2007 - 4:12pm

Jena,


With what the pharmacist had to say, I think you'd probably be okay (I took another similar med without problem, but it didn't help either-SIGH!).