Lamictal and Appetite:
Continuing my series of the most noticeable side effects of lamictal, today's topic is loss of appetite. I've written 15 posts about this. I've found it to be less disruptive than the sleep issues, but at least those could be addressed with my blue light. Loss of appetite is far more persistent.
I started having problems with my appetite on July 19th. It's come and gone over the months, but mostly they've come and stayed. Right now, thanks to the Abilify, they've camped out on my lawn.
The appetite problems manifest primarily as difficulty eating breakfast. Not only am I not hungry,but food seems completely unappealing. My usual breakfast, which I've enjoyed for a few years now -- yogurt with dark cocoa stirred into it, a gluten-free carb (either bread or a waffle), and some salad greens -- often seems yucky to me. Breakfast often sits there for four or five hours as I slowly pick at it.
When I do eat breakfast in a somewhat normal fashion, it's because I'm eating dinner foods. Specifically, salty, fatty dinner foods. Green chile and cheese tamales from the farmers market. Weird omelets.
By 3:30 or 4, I'm ravenous. Unfortunately, this is my depressive time, and my breakfast problems haven't helped my mood any. On the other hand, I'm hungry enough that I to make up my calories in the afternoon and evening, so at least I'm getting enough of them.
Since this problem was beginning to abate after I'd been on 150 mgs for a month, I suspect it will disappear again once I stop taking Abilify.
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