Tell me something good
I'm not a doctor, nor have I ever been accused of being too thin, but I have dealt with appetite side effects at both ends of the spectrum (loss of it on Zoloft many years ago, increase on RA meds). Let me ask a practical question: if you don't do the things you list with regard to your weight, what is your definition of being "obsessive" about it?
Songbird, I am mentally obsessive. I think about my weight almost constantly. I drive Mr. MFBA batty with my constant complaints about my "fatness". I weigh myself daily to the point that I can tell the number to within a couple of ounces before I step on the scale. I view myself as a LOT larger than I am and I do not consider myself skinny or even thin.
However, the only thing I do with food is try to stay on the healthy side and watch how many sweet things I eat.
Did you say that to the psychiatrist? If it's puzzling to you that she would conversationally diagnose an eating disorder, it might be worth asking her, non-defensively, what makes her think that other than your slender figure? She might learn something from you! Or she might have an insight that would be helpful to you.
I hear you. Last spring I weighed about 117. This spring I weigh about 145. It is almost certainly due to medication (in my case it's my birth control and antidepressant), and my doctor totally dismisses it. Everyone dismisses it. "Stop worrying. You were so thin before. You needed to gain some." It makes me so incredibly angry.
I'm especially surprised that your psychiatrist is blowing this off as your problem. She is aware that atypical antipsychotics are notorious for causing metabolic syndrome, yes? That it is kind of is a big fuckin deal?
Garr. Now I'm all pissed off again. Sometimes I swear the reason why mental health professionals are always using dumb ass diabetes analogies is to subtly prepare us for when we all develop diabetes as a result of our medication. "Mental illness: Just like diabetes because it IS diabetes!"
Songbird, she knows my eating habits because she always wants to know how I am taking care of myself. Her remark was tossed out there at the end when we were wrapping up and just left me a bit stunned. I didn't say a word to her but I plan to because I am honestly curious how med weight gain concern places me in eating disorder category. Even with the crazy things I say, it seems more like a body image issue not an eating disorder.
SLA, my therapist gets why I am upset about the weight gain. She certainly feels that I have major body issues but understands why I am concerned about 12 pounds since it could easily turn in to 40 pounds.
I feel like screaming when the "you could stand to gain" comment is made. I have heard this from friends and family, too. It's maddening because I don't understand what is wrong with wanting to weigh what I did or close to it.
She prescribed the metformin to help counteract the weight gain the Abilify could cause. I didn't gain weight with Seroquel so I had hoped not to gain weight with this.
I will probably have to do as Mr. MFBA has suggested and stop taking the Abilify since the weight gain issue is far worse than the "funk" I was in before I started it.
I won't even start on the diabetes. There are several people at group who have it due to medication and of course it is listed as a possible complication for umpteen meds.
You're not delusional. In my experience medical people have trouble seeing medication/treatment related weight gain (I have no experience with medication dependant weight loss) as a serious issue. This is a 'side effect' to them and as long as the primary symptom is being treated, they're generally happy.
I say stick to your non-eating disorder guns. However, Songbird's suggestion maybe less defensive and more effective.
She might have misspoken. You don't have an eating disorder, right? But there's a technical term for not seeing one's body as it appears to others -- like a skinny person who views herself as fat. That, maybe, you've got? And that term (I'm sorry, I can't remember what it is) is generally used in conjunction with eating disorders, so it makes sense to me that she might have mixed them up. Still doesn't excuse it, but maybe that could help you put it down?
Signed,
Someone who is used to having to defend/explain her weight to medical professionals.
ymp, I agree that many doctors are more concerned with treating the primary problem. That rubs me the wrong way because if someone suddenly puts on weight their self-esteem can go down causing other issues. I don't buy in to the idea that in order to treat my bipolar disorder I must take a medication that will make me gain weight at an abnormal rate.
Phantom, we have discussed my body dysmorphia to death. I know that I have a big problem with seeing myself the way I actually am. Rationally I know that I am small but I am irrational about my weight.
She said eating disorder but since I didn't ask I do not know for certain that is what she meant. I plan to ask since this bothers me for some unknown reason.
May I just say that her prescribing a weight-gaining medication to a person with body dysmorphia and then dismissing your body issues about your weight gain WHEN SHE KNOWS YOU HAVE A PRE-EXISTING ISSUE WITH THIS is mind-blowing.
And yes, most of my psych classes that talked about body-dysmorphia classed it with eating disorders when it was not about a specific body part (like nose or hands)
Yeeps.
Girl. I'm with you on the weight thing. If I weigh myself and it's up a pound or two, it's what I will think about until I weigh myself the next day. Now that I'm trying to loose weight, I feel like all I do is think about how hungry I am and when I can eat again. Crazy, huh?
For me, when I see that I'm gaining weight, I feel out of control. I can see where you are concerned about gaining weight on meds. Gaining weight due to meds can really make you feel out of control because what can you do to stop it?
I went home over Easter and I'm so self conscious about how much I weigh. I have never been this heavy and I hate it.
Blagh.
I'm late chiming in here, but I agree with the others - the psychiatrist was out of line. Body dysmorphia is entirely different from an actual eating disorder.
And I SO hear you on the family/friends concern thing. I've lost a lot of weight this year (not intentionally - probably med related) and I am so tired of people asking me if I eat enough.
I love you.
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