Your doctor may suggest a lower starting dosage or a different drug.It’s not known if Lamictal is safe to use during pregnancy.

J Am Psychiatr Nurses Assoc., 13, 345. Bipolar Disorder and Weight Gain: A Multifactorial Assessment.

Our website services, content, and products are for informational purposes only. Your doctor may suggest healthy foods, exercises, or other techniques that could help you minimize weight gain…

Talk to your doctor about the best way to feed your child if you take Lamictal. These factors may also contribute to making poorer diet choices and have worse eating habits.The assessment the authors provided was a basic review of the literature, and as such, couldn’t come to any smoking-gun conclusions. All rights reserved. Does not typically cause significant weight gain in most people who take it.

Mayo Clinic does not endorse any of the third party products and services advertised.A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. FYI: The keto diet is not number one. At 9.7 pounds, weight gain was lowest with aripiprazole (Abilify).Overall, half of the children gained more than 7% of their original body weight. Mayo Clinic is a nonprofit organization and proceeds from Web advertising help support our mission. Clean out expired products and clutter to make way for a healthier you. this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines. Doctors explain how to tell if you have a head cold or something more serious that requires medical attention, such as the flu, strep throat, meningitis, or mono. Although experts agree that the medications can help some young patients (for example, bipolar children who have severe manic episodes or autistic kids who endanger themselves and others with violent behavior), many question their widespread use for other conditions, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).The new findings suggest that these medications could have lasting consequences for young patients, in the form of weight problems (including obesity), heart disease, and diabetes.Families already under the stress of coping with a young ones mental illness may have a particularly hard time helping their child maintain a healthy weight, says Dr. Varley.According to Dr. Varley and his co-editorialist, Jon McClellan, MD, of the University of Washington, in Seattle, “these results challenge the widespread use of atypical antipsychotic medications in youth.”Researchers looked at 205 children and teens with mood disorders, schizophrenic illness, or disruptive or aggressive behavior disorders.

Interactions may also cause one or more of the drugs to stop working normally. Tell your doctor if you’re pregnant or plan to become pregnant before taking this drug.Lamictal also passes into breast milk and may cause side effects in your child if you breastfeed. Unlike most mood stabilizers, though, Lamictal is less likely to cause weight gain. In the news. Your doctor may suggest healthy foods, exercises, or other techniques that could help you minimize weight gain. Healthy eating, keeping physically active and getting psychological counseling (psychotherapy) can all help.Continue to work with your psychiatric care professional to find the best way to keep your bipolar symptoms and your weight under control.Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products.

“These medications are not created equal when it comes to side effects,” Dr. Correll says.

It’s used for long-term treatment of the more severe type of Most mood stabilizers used to treat bipolar disorder are known to cause weight gain. The symptoms of anxiety can be hard to detect. However, you should never stop taking your bipolar disorder medication without first talking to your doctor.If weight gain is a concern for you during your bipolar disorder treatment, discuss Lamictal with your doctor.

However, Lamictal tends to be an exception. What they don’t say anything about is whether this is significantly higher than the general population (it’s about 25% in the general population) and whether bipolar disorder may cause this increased risk.Additional theories about the increased weight risk associated with bipolar disorder include a childhood history of neglect or abuse, which is reported in 36% to 49% of people with bipolar disorder. Correll says that atypical antipsychotics are sometimes the only thing that can help autistic children with severe aggression, and that the medications are also very helpful for bipolar children with severe mania who aren't helped by mood-stabilizing drugs like lithium.

Varley argues that theres been a “broadening” of the use of atypical antipsychotics in children.