Medication as a weight gain method

carinthea

I have been good (for that read 1200kcals a day as recommended by MFP because I am under 5ft and have a lot of weight to lose, exercising, not eating back my calories), cardio workouts, weight training and I have not managed to lose a single pound in 3 weeks. I have joined a gym this week in the hopes that they will be able to push me that little bit harder and hopefully get some results. My reason for posting is to ask; does anyone else take medication that is detrimental to weight loss? In the last month I have been put on two drugs (for severe depression and anxiety) that have done nothing but mean I am seriously struggling to lose the weight. These meds are both long term things (one I previously took for 12 years) and I don't want to be struggling so much with the weight that I am depressed because of that instead of because I lack a natural chemical that helps me cope with the general day to day. Does anyone have a similar experience and a way that they have overcome the hump? It seems that no matter how hard I work at it the weight is just not shifting...I feel like it's an uphill battle and I am losing.

missiontofitness

Meds can affect your appetite, which in turn can lead to major losses or gains. The medicines themselves do not cause the gains, as they do not contain the calories necessary to do so.

I'm currently transitioning off of Depo-Provera (hit the threshhold for how long someone should remain on it), which lists weight gain as a side affect. I have also been on anti anxiety and anti depressants before. When I wasn't weighing my food or being conscientious about my intake, I gained. Once I started weighing my food and experimenting with calorie deficits and sustainable changes, I lost.

Work closely with your doctors if you continue to have difficulty in losing. If you do not own a food scale, invest in one to tighten up your logs. Keep at it for 4-6 more weeks, and see if you have any losses. Also, make sure your activity level is set correctly.

Good luck!

carinthea

I weigh everything that I put in my mouth, (a tedious process so I mostly live on salads) I am low-carb (no pasta, rice, potatoes etc), balanced proteins, I exercise regularly (6x a week for 30 mins cardio) don't go over 1200 cals unless there is a bit to spare. I am being incredibly good (it's actually frustrating), my diet is restricted quite considerably by the fact I am not allowed soya, yeast, anything fermented (so salads remain undressed but for low-cal salad cream), cheeses, all red meat, tinned produce and most alcohol, I have very little oil in my diet - max of 2tsp in any one day used for cooking...if I didn't weigh everything and do all this I would say "It's because I am not doing what I should" but I am. According to posts on Lyrica forums weight gain (considerable in some cases) is very common, if that is the case then it may well be that I need to come off this med and suffer the anxiety instead - I don't want to be working this hard for nothing. Just wanted to know if I was alone.

atypicalsmith

It's good that you joined a gym. Exercise at every opportunity, as it will help you overcome your depression. My personal favorite is a treadmill with a built-in television. I time it to watch an hour of one of my favorite shows and burn lots of calories. Also, you can increase the speed and incline to burn even more calories once you've gotten used to it. Another great exercise is picking up trash at your local park. Yep, I do that! Get a trash picker (I call it my Super Duper Quicker Picker Upper) and a trash bag and clean up the park. Yes, I know, they pay people to do that, and yes, people should throw their trash in a garbage can, but so what? Do it anyway to get some exercise in and make your fellow citizens feel guilty when you are picking up trash around their barbecue or picnic area (it's amazing how many people disappear). Weeds in your yard? Cool! Get some garden gloves and spend ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes in the afternoon, wherever the shade is during that time, and pull a few weeds. Your lawn will love you, and feeling that love will knock out that depression.

In short, not only does exercising burn calories, but it takes away the opportunity to eat more. And maybe, just maybe, you can rid yourself of the medication causing weight gain.

missiontofitness

carinthea wrote: »

I weigh everything that I put in my mouth, (a tedious process so I mostly live on salads) I am low-carb (no pasta, rice, potatoes etc), balanced proteins, I exercise regularly (6x a week for 30 mins cardio) don't go over 1200 cals unless there is a bit to spare. I am being incredibly good (it's actually frustrating), my diet is restricted quite considerably by the fact I am not allowed soya, yeast, anything fermented (so salads remain undressed but for low-cal salad cream), cheeses, all red meat, tinned produce and most alcohol, I have very little oil in my diet - max of 2tsp in any one day used for cooking...if I didn't weigh everything and do all this I would say "It's because I am not doing what I should" but I am. According to posts on Lyrica forums weight gain (considerable in some cases) is very common, if that is the case then it may well be that I need to come off this med and suffer the anxiety instead - I don't want to be working this hard for nothing. Just wanted to know if I was alone.

I would continue to experiment with different medications before coming off of them. It absolutely stinks to be on them, I absolutely understand that. But if one isn't working for you, hopefully your doctor is willing to shop around for other treatments that may work better.

I haven't been on my anxiety/depression meds in a long time (though, I am most likely transitioning back to my anxiety medication, because it is a pain to manage sometimes), but I did that with my birth control. One didn't work for me, so I kept researching and testing out different types until I found Depo.

Additionally, are your dietary restrictions due to medical needs, like PCOS or other reasons?

missiontofitness

atypicalsmith wrote: »

It's good that you joined a gym. Exercise at every opportunity, as it will help you overcome your depression. My personal favorite is a treadmill with a built-in television. I time it to watch an hour of one of my favorite shows and burn lots of calories. Also, you can increase the speed and incline to burn even more calories once you've gotten used to it. Another great exercise is picking up trash at your local park. Yep, I do that! Get a trash picker (I call it my Super Duper Quicker Picker Upper) and a trash bag and clean up the park. Yes, I know, they pay people to do that, and yes, people should throw their trash in a garbage can, but so what? Do it anyway to get some exercise in and make your fellow citizens feel guilty when you are picking up trash around their barbecue or picnic area (it's amazing how many people disappear). Weeds in your yard? Cool! Get some garden gloves and spend ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes in the afternoon, wherever the shade is during that time, and pull a few weeds. Your lawn will love you, and feeling that love will knock out that depression.

In short, not only does exercising burn calories, but it takes away the opportunity to eat more. And maybe, just maybe, you can rid yourself of the medication causing weight gain.

Seconding this. Replacing medication with exercise should be done under the supervision of your doctor, especially if a decision is made to wean you off of the medicine. I honestly found that getting out and walking did wonders for my mood, and doing random things like spring cleaning at 2AM when I couldn't sleep, or just laying outside during the summer and appreciating the sun/wind/smell of fresh cut grass helped as well. Find things that help you bring yourself back and foused.

I do like the trash pickup idea; it's a repetitive task (which can help with anxiety from my personal experience) and productive!

carinthea

The dietary restrictions are due in main, to the 600mg I take daily of an old style anti-depressant I take (having suffered from depression for 27 years I have run the gamut on meds and this was the only one which worked); the side effects if you avoid the restrictions are blinking nasty. The low-carb is because it's a food that I tend to always go over-board on when I eat and I bloat badly, the lower fat is because I had my gallbladder removed last year and it was recommended that I try and avoid too much fat, red meat is just because for some reason it has always made me sick. Unfortunately in the UK the whole 'experimentation' with meds thing isn't done, you get prescribed the meds, you take them. You can choose to come off one, but you can't just say "I want to stop this one and try that one instead..." I have an appointment with my specialist on Tuesday next week and I am going to mention the weight gain/lack of loss to him and see if he can suggest something. Other than the lack of loss the meds are doing what they should, but I question as to whether the side effects are worth it!

missiontofitness

carinthea wrote: »

The dietary restrictions are due in main, to the 600mg I take daily of an old style anti-depressant I take (having suffered from depression for 27 years I have run the gamut on meds and this was the only one which worked); the side effects if you avoid the restrictions are blinking nasty. The low-carb is because it's a food that I tend to always go over-board on when I eat and I bloat badly, the lower fat is because I had my gallbladder removed last year and it was recommended that I try and avoid too much fat, red meat is just because for some reason it has always made me sick. Unfortunately in the UK the whole 'experimentation' with meds thing isn't done, you get prescribed the meds, you take them. You can choose to come off one, but you can't just say "I want to stop this one and try that one instead..." I have an appointment with my specialist on Tuesday next week and I am going to mention the weight gain/lack of loss to him and see if he can suggest something. Other than the lack of loss the meds are doing what they should, but I question as to whether the side effects are worth it!

Oh boo! Makes me a bit more grateful that we can shop around here in the U.S....except we pay for it in premiums, unlike the NHS! Glad to hear you're going to bring this up to your specialist next week.

carinthea

atypicalsmith wrote: »

It's good that you joined a gym. Exercise at every opportunity, as it will help you overcome your depression. My personal favorite is a treadmill with a built-in television. I time it to watch an hour of one of my favorite shows and burn lots of calories. Also, you can increase the speed and incline to burn even more calories once you've gotten used to it. Another great exercise is picking up trash at your local park. Yep, I do that! Get a trash picker (I call it my Super Duper Quicker Picker Upper) and a trash bag and clean up the park. Yes, I know, they pay people to do that, and yes, people should throw their trash in a garbage can, but so what? Do it anyway to get some exercise in and make your fellow citizens feel guilty when you are picking up trash around their barbecue or picnic area (it's amazing how many people disappear). Weeds in your yard? Cool! Get some garden gloves and spend ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes in the afternoon, wherever the shade is during that time, and pull a few weeds. Your lawn will love you, and feeling that love will knock out that depression.

In short, not only does exercising burn calories, but it takes away the opportunity to eat more. And maybe, just maybe, you can rid yourself of the medication causing weight gain.

I won't be using the treadmill, I am more of a rowing machine and boxing girl - something I have already spoken about with the instructors. I am one of these people who would prefer to cycle (I cycle 5-10 miles a day every day as part of my commute to work) or do something quick and seriously cardio (I love to dance and often will just put on my cardio monitor, strap some weights to my ankles and wrists and dance around the lounge doing quick jogs, hula movements etc to burn some extra calories for 30 minutes), so the boxing is much better for me, I think that you have to find the exercise that you can both maintain and enjoy. One of the reasons I never found the gym any use before was because they give everyone the same routine - you pay your money they show you the basic machines "here's the treadmill, here's the cross trainer, here's the rowing machine...you use them like this, go for it" and leave you alone, I need the extra boost and support that a generic gym doesn't seem to offer. This new gym is doing an intensive training session with me on Monday, introducing me to a trained chef to go over my food options and then producing a personalised plan for me...I just have to go...

carinthea

missiontofitness wrote: »

Oh boo! Makes me a bit more grateful that we can shop around here in the U.S....except we pay for it in premiums, unlike the NHS! Glad to hear you're going to bring this up to your specialist next week.

Thank you I hope that he can help.

I do find it funny that people outside of the UK think the NHS is free though - it's really not. Every month a third of our salaries are taken to cover all the stuff that the 'state' provides (schools, benefits, NHS, etc etc), then those who work also pay for their medications - mine cost about £40+ a month, not very much in the scheme of things really, but still money out of my budget.

missiontofitness

carinthea wrote: »

missiontofitness wrote: »

Oh boo! Makes me a bit more grateful that we can shop around here in the U.S....except we pay for it in premiums, unlike the NHS! Glad to hear you're going to bring this up to your specialist next week.

Thank you I hope that he can help.

I do find it funny that people outside of the UK think the NHS is free though - it's really not. Every month a third of our salaries are taken to cover all the stuff that the 'state' provides (schools, benefits, NHS, etc etc), then those who work also pay for their medications - mine cost about £40+ a month, not very much in the scheme of things really, but still money out of my budget.

Haha, I'm aware! I know the NHS isn't perfect, but I would love if we had more generalized healthcare here. Premiums get overwhelming if your employer doesn't help! If they just took a set percentage out each month and I knew I could schedule a doctor's appointment, family could go to school, ect, I'd be a happy camper.

elphie754

missiontofitness wrote: »

atypicalsmith wrote: »

It's good that you joined a gym. Exercise at every opportunity, as it will help you overcome your depression. My personal favorite is a treadmill with a built-in television. I time it to watch an hour of one of my favorite shows and burn lots of calories. Also, you can increase the speed and incline to burn even more calories once you've gotten used to it. Another great exercise is picking up trash at your local park. Yep, I do that! Get a trash picker (I call it my Super Duper Quicker Picker Upper) and a trash bag and clean up the park. Yes, I know, they pay people to do that, and yes, people should throw their trash in a garbage can, but so what? Do it anyway to get some exercise in and make your fellow citizens feel guilty when you are picking up trash around their barbecue or picnic area (it's amazing how many people disappear). Weeds in your yard? Cool! Get some garden gloves and spend ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes in the afternoon, wherever the shade is during that time, and pull a few weeds. Your lawn will love you, and feeling that love will knock out that depression.

In short, not only does exercising burn calories, but it takes away the opportunity to eat more. And maybe, just maybe, you can rid yourself of the medication causing weight gain.

Seconding this. Replacing medication with exercise should be done under the supervision of your doctor, especially if a decision is made to wean you off of the medicine. I honestly found that getting out and walking did wonders for my mood, and doing random things like spring cleaning at 2AM when I couldn't sleep, or just laying outside during the summer and appreciating the sun/wind/smell of fresh cut grass helped as well. Find things that help you bring yourself back and foused.

I do like the trash pickup idea; it's a repetitive task (which can help with anxiety from my personal experience) and productive!

While I agree that exercise can be beneficial for many illnesses, telling someone to replace meds with exercise is NOT a good idea and can very dangerous. The OP was prescribed medication for a reason and it is pretty irresponsible to say "control it with exercise". Would you tell a disbetic to control their disease with exercise? (Not saying it isn't beneficial, but to rely only on that?) and have them stop taking their medication? No? So how is this any different?

missiontofitness

elphie754 wrote: »

missiontofitness wrote: »

atypicalsmith wrote: »

It's good that you joined a gym. Exercise at every opportunity, as it will help you overcome your depression. My personal favorite is a treadmill with a built-in television. I time it to watch an hour of one of my favorite shows and burn lots of calories. Also, you can increase the speed and incline to burn even more calories once you've gotten used to it. Another great exercise is picking up trash at your local park. Yep, I do that! Get a trash picker (I call it my Super Duper Quicker Picker Upper) and a trash bag and clean up the park. Yes, I know, they pay people to do that, and yes, people should throw their trash in a garbage can, but so what? Do it anyway to get some exercise in and make your fellow citizens feel guilty when you are picking up trash around their barbecue or picnic area (it's amazing how many people disappear). Weeds in your yard? Cool! Get some garden gloves and spend ten minutes in the morning and ten minutes in the afternoon, wherever the shade is during that time, and pull a few weeds. Your lawn will love you, and feeling that love will knock out that depression.

In short, not only does exercising burn calories, but it takes away the opportunity to eat more. And maybe, just maybe, you can rid yourself of the medication causing weight gain.

Seconding this. Replacing medication with exercise should be done under the supervision of your doctor, especially if a decision is made to wean you off of the medicine. I honestly found that getting out and walking did wonders for my mood, and doing random things like spring cleaning at 2AM when I couldn't sleep, or just laying outside during the summer and appreciating the sun/wind/smell of fresh cut grass helped as well. Find things that help you bring yourself back and foused.

I do like the trash pickup idea; it's a repetitive task (which can help with anxiety from my personal experience) and productive!

While I agree that exercise can be beneficial for many illnesses, telling someone to replace meds with exercise is NOT a good idea and can very dangerous. The OP was prescribed medication for a reason and it is pretty irresponsible to say "control it with exercise". Would you tell a disbetic to control their disease with exercise? (Not saying it isn't beneficial, but to rely only on that?) and have them stop taking their medication? No? So how is this any different?

Hence me saying that the replacement should be done under the supervison of a doctor, if a decision is made for the individual to be weaned off of the medication.

If a decision is made that is an appropriate change to make, they can do it with supervision. I never said to do it outright. It is one that needs to be closely monitored, especially if someone is coming off of a medication. I made that transition with my specialist fully aware that I was not returning to medication, and knowing full well I could return to it if I needed to. A professional needs to be involved with any changes made to treatment, whether it is continuing medication, discontinuing medication, or pursuing alternative treatment options.

Additionally, I would support a diabetic using exercise as treatment, if they have come to that decision with their doctor, and it was determined that a diet and exercise plan was appropriate for their care plan and something they wanted to pursue.

RobertWilkens

carinthea wrote: »

My reason for posting is to ask; does anyone else take medication that is detrimental to weight loss?

I take a medication, risperidone, which is known to cause weight gain. My doc tells me at a higher dose the effect is worse, but right now i'm about 1/3 from my highest regular dose.

My experience with this drug is that it is, primarily, a major tranquilizer... This causes, as its main function, your energy levels to go down, and the weight gain effects are two-fold. First, with low energy, you'd normally be moving a lot less... I find forced exercise when i don't want to even -- does help this because exercise actually helps create energy for me. Second, With low energy the body craves foods that are high sources of energy, and that means carbs including sugar (candy bar!!). I still eat carbs, but i have to try harder not to eat too many of them.

-Rob