Patients suffering from bipolar disorder often wonder if their condition may be an obstacle to performing the Lap Band procedure. They worry that the medication could interfere with post-bariatric treatment and that mood swings (which characterize this medical condition) will decrease their chances of successful weight loss.
Well, they shouldn’t worry. Research showed that there was no significant difference between mentally ill patients and mentally healthy people in terms of their weight loss. These investigations were also confirmed by bariatric clinics.
Bipolar Disorder – Characteristics
It is a mental disorder with two large types of episodes that are very different from each other: the manic episode and the depressive episode. These episodes can manifest with abnormally high energy or depression and therefore can interfere strongly with daily tasks. The first thing when treating a bipolar patient is to establish the medication that stabilizes the mood. Mood instability is the reason why bipolar patients need to constantly take their medication.
How does bipolar disorder affect weight gain?
If left untreated, bipolar disorder can cause changes in appetite and eating patterns. Also, these changes in appetite can lead to weight fluctuations. There is also evidence showing a direct relationship between bipolar disorder medication and obesity.
The well-known mood stabilizers have several side effects that influence weight fluctuation. Lithium is thought to lead to hypothyroidism in about 30% of cases, which means that the production of thyroid hormones is decreased and this is often associated with weight gain.
In addition to this, in women who had their psychological treatment prescribed before the age of 20, valproic acid is associated with PCOS (Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome), which is also related to the increase in body weight, since it causes an increase in appetite and consumption.
Gastric banding and bipolar disorder
The adjustable gastric band will not influence the way the medication is absorbed, but it will help you deal with the increased appetite you get due to the medication. And furthermore, scientific studies conducted on weight loss surgery patients who also had mental disorders are helpful in this area, showing similar results with bariatric surgery patients who were psychologically healthy. So, if your BMI tells you that you need weight-loss surgery, don’t worry, gastric banding is a restrictive procedure, it’s a reversible, minimally invasive surgery, and bipolar disorder isn’t an obstacle for you to cope with it. gastric band control your appetite changes.