"after almost dying of chronic alcoholism i was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and put on lithium in may 2006 (currently on 750 mg per day). i was also taking seroquel and imipramine.  i put on 50 lbs and my wife kept commenting on how i was listless and &quot;zoned out&quot;.  this was a big problem because i write fiction for a living, which requires energy and alertness.  with my doctor i started tweaking the seroquel and imipramine and finally quit them altogether (the info sheets for both state they &quot;may result in weight gain&quot;). the weight is melting off, i&#039;m off the booze and feel great.  life hasn&#039;t been this good in a long time."