The diet has started!!!!! This also means exercise has started. Now trust me on this one. At age 42, still undiagnosed with the bipolar beast I was able to wear a thong bathing suit. Not only did I wear a thong bathing suit but I looked good in it. I had the tan and a belly button ring (now theirs a painful thing but that's another story).

I worked hard to keep my body in this shape. It was expected of me and I did the work. Of coarse I did have the help of a few shots of vodka to help keep me in this condition. My ex husband expected his Barbie doll to look like this. Of coarse his Ken body was not something we would have put a thong on. No, he had that couch potato look. Many beers had hit that mid section and decided to stay. Well he's gone and I only have my own waist to worry about now.

But now at 46, diagnosed with bipolar for 3 years and many different meds in my system my midsection is no longer something that can be viewed by others without a layer of loose clothing.

It seemed that meds were the start of this downward swing in the battle of the bulge.

First were these lithium lumps. I had heard about and seen cellulite, just hadn't really experienced it myself until lithium. These lithium lumps seemed to be breaking out all over my body. This caused me to stop taking all meds. I did get thin again but at quite a cost in other parts of my life.

After this I did get serious about taking meds. I knew that I had to if I was to get well. No more booze. Just life according to doctors orders. Of coarse that meant more medication.

The first problem was the risperdol risperdol roll. That sucker just seemed to appear overnight. How one little small pill can do that much damage to a body I have yet to fathom. It was the end of the waistline as I had known it. That thing just seems to stay. Dieting doesn't seem to have an effect on that risperdol roll. I tried cutting out fats. No luck

Many meds have been added and subtracted since that time. Topomax seemed to take a few inches off of that risperdol roll. I thought that one was going to be the answer.

I've decided theirs only one way to attack this thing. Exercise! Get the weights out and start doing some stretch exercise. Do it the old fashioned way. I used to swear by these little stretch exercises using the small weights. Then add a few crunches for the belly. I did this for years. Of coarse I did add walking to the regime as I got older but things looked pretty good at 42. I'll just have to see if I can get some of that body back and maybe, just maybe something will happen to that risperdol ring.

Liz Walker
8/20/01