Welcome to Debate Club! Please be aware that this is a space for respectful debate, and that your ideas will be challenged here. Please remember to critique the argument, not the author.

Medication and Weight Gain, Any ideas?

c4h1ll
c4h1ll Posts: 2 Member
Hi,
I have a question regarding medication and weight. I'm 27 now and up to 19 years of age, I was considered on the lower side of average in BMI (body mass index). I was then diagnosed and put on medication and gained significant weight from then (at 19 I was about 70-80kg, at 20 I was at 100 or a little over).
I've been dropped from one med in the past year and lost 7kg avg, but I am wondering if other people were in the same position and how you lost weight if you did? I'm not on a very high dosage but the medication itself has a side effect of weight gain, I've heard of one person who lost weight on this particular medication but said it was a hell of a lot of work...
Anyone have experience with losing weight after putting it on with meds? Thanks muchly :)
«1

Replies

  • markrgeary1
    markrgeary1 Posts: 853 Member
    My upper 40s wife gained 35 on risperdal, doc said it's a side effect deal with it. Ten years later we started dieting. Doc says maybe we should put you on something different that does not cause you to gain weight. Six months later I'm with wife when doc sees her down 50 pounds, doc's jaw hits floor. Doc says I guess you're not having an issue losing weight.

    She says she was never hungry. She ate 1200 calories of nutritious food daily.
    We walked two miles every other day. She lost one half to two pounds weekly.

    Bottom line, some meds do slow down your metabolism, maybe. Don't be discouraged, docs only practice medicine, many times they're Wrong!
  • cmriverside
    cmriverside Posts: 33,907 Member
    It's still a matter of calories in and out, regardless.

    Log all your food, figure out how to cut some calories here and there - stay within your calorie goal and you'll lose weight. It's not any different for those on medication, it just means finding your sweet spot.

    I know some medications make me want to sit and do nothing, but that's not the problem - the problem is how much food I'm putting in my mouth.
  • ObsidianMist
    ObsidianMist Posts: 519 Member
    I was on an atypical antipsychotic, which is known to cause metabolic syndrome, and I gained 30 pounds. I lost it using this site while tapering off it. it can be done.
  • JosetteGetsFit
    JosetteGetsFit Posts: 55 Member
    Calories in and out works with a person who's hormones are balanced. Also, certain medications can inhibit the heart rate from getting into the fat burn zone. ie blood pressure meds. Track with a heart rate monitor log your food and talk to a good doctor about a full blood panel.
  • CharleePear
    CharleePear Posts: 1,948 Member
    I am here to look at people's advice too. Calories in versus Calories out is not working for me at present. My current medication makes me lose my appetite, I have to force myself to eat at a health level of calories. I have still gained 22kg from it. I admit I stopped logging properly after awhile because it felt like there was no use. I have had a full blood panel, I previously lost 15kg over 2 years or so, and kept it off until these meds. So any proper helpful advice from people who have seen results (from losing weight while on weight gaining meds) would be cool.
  • melbmeg
    melbmeg Posts: 32 Member
    I am currently losing weight while on the same medication that 'caused' me to gain 50lbs over a year year after a lifetime of being at a healthy weight. In my case it's an SSRI.

    Unfortunately, the medical community isn't clear about the causes of weight gain on this medication (and possibly many others). They think it could be a combination of hormonal changes (increased appetite/reduced satiety), reduced inhibition (behaviour change) and reduced metabolism.

    In my case I think my weight gain was down to reduced inhibition and the grief I was dealing with which made even my health seem like a trivial concern.

    Anyway, i have lost about 35lbs while on the medication by eating calories at the normal recommended level for weight loss, so I'm inclined to think the weight gain was not caused by changes to my metabolism.

    For me, the biggest factor in losing weight has been mental. If a person is in a state of distress, as many people on medications that cause weight gain are, it's can be difficult to diet until you feel better. I'm not talking about you here, by the way, just in general.





  • CipherZero
    CipherZero Posts: 1,418 Member
    Also, be sure to not conflate weight gains with fat gains - a fair number of medications cause water retention. It's kind of unfair to beat yourself up over water weight.
  • Shells918
    Shells918 Posts: 1,070 Member
    I gained weight on an antipsychotic as well. When I went off of it, it took a few months, but I did lose the weight.
    However, I am now back on that same drug, higher dose, gained even more weight, but I am losing weight!
    It is NOT easy.
    I eat a LCHF diet and exercise 5-6 times a week. If I am not vigilant I do not lose.
    If I eat too many carbs, I do not lose.
    I am under the care of a weight loss/metabolic dr and registered dietitian to help me in this process, which is extremely slow, but it is moving. It's taken me a year to lose 21 pounds. But they are gone along with 26 inches.
    It can be done.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
    For the vast majority of medication the side effect isn't weight gain in magical isolation (other than water retention or medications like steroids) but increasing appetite and with psych meds especially, sedation causing a dramatic decrease in incidental moving around. There may be some impact on metabolism and hormones but not enough to just wipe out weight loss efforts.

    So if you get serious, track meticulously (weighing all solids and semi solids, measuring liquids), accumulate enough data then you will know exactly what is going on and you will lose weight. The body can't store fat without an excess of energy and even people in a coma burn a base level of calories. It may be slower due to the appetite increase meaning you have to be less aggressive in order to keep that under control but it can be done.

    I say this quite a lot but I'd prefer it if listed side effects dropped "weight gain" because it's a lazy catch all and allows for excuses, knowing or unknowing, for those trying to lose weight. It should state increased appetite more broadly, as that's all most medications with weight gain as a side effect are doing.

    And for full disclosure, I gained a bunch of weight on psych meds but being honest I also ate more than I was previously and was a lot more sedentary. I am currently managing my conditions drug free but started losing weight whilst still on and then tapering, so it is perfectly possible and not a lost cause. It just requires honesty and commitment.
  • naodee
    naodee Posts: 2 Member
    I gained weight rapidly on an afib medication, before I was switched to another with different side effects. Because I feel better, and my afib is under control finally, I am able to lose the weight. Down 10 lbs with 10 to go. Hang in there. Any drug with *rapid weight gain* listed as a side effect is going to make maintaining one's weight a challenge!
  • beansy419
    beansy419 Posts: 1 Member
    I have been on a certain anti depressant for a little over a year. Up until that time I had lost 20 pounds. I was meticulously logging my intake and my exercise, walking more, and exercising more. In the last year while on this certain anti depressant I have been stuck on this plateau and cannot lose the weight like I had previously. I continued to log everything as I had previously. I am on a 1200 calorie per day diet which includes a maximum of 90g of carbs per day.
    I have done some research which shows that this drug can cause weight gain irregardless of what the person does to control that gain.
    My point here is that while logging, watching my diet and exercising are all good there can be instances where no matter what you do your medication can be counterproductive.
    I was so overly stressed with logging and still having no progress that I have now stopped logging anything but my weight. And guess what has happened. I am still stuck on that plateau but I am less stressed about it. I will be asking for a medication change the next time I see my doctor as it hasn't really helped with the depression and anxiety anyway. Hopefully I can find something that will help me get past all this.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
    CipherZero wrote: »
    Also, be sure to not conflate weight gains with fat gains - a fair number of medications cause water retention. It's kind of unfair to beat yourself up over water weight.

    So much this ^^

    CI<CO affects fat weight gain only. A lot of medications cause water retention which is weight that may be unaffected by calories in or out.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    My husband used to get a sleeping pill prescribed that i took every now and then, every single time i took it i woke up the next day totally ravenous and was a bottomless pit all day, and on top of that I had a pillover and had no motivation or energy! If i were to take this pill everyday, it would be a torturous nightmare to try and lose weight :noway:

    It was called Quetipine or something like that, and it was the lowest dose available. So if medications cause these same types of side effects in others I have total empathy for you guys as it is a hard slog.
  • ObsidianMist
    ObsidianMist Posts: 519 Member
    My husband used to get a sleeping pill prescribed that i took every now and then, every single time i took it i woke up the next day totally ravenous and was a bottomless pit all day, and on top of that I had a pillover and had no motivation or energy! If i were to take this pill everyday, it would be a torturous nightmare to try and lose weight :noway:

    It was called Quetipine or something like that, and it was the lowest dose available. So if medications cause these same types of side effects in others I have total empathy for you guys as it is a hard slog.

    quetiapine, or seroquel, is known to cause pretty serious drowsiness when first starting to take it until the body adjusts. it's not something I would want to take as a "just here and there" kind of sleeping pill, for sure. also it's a strange medication in that the lower the dose, the more sedating it is. I've taken everywhere from 25mg to 250mg and I can vouch that that is true. the higher my dose got, the less well I slept. I'm currently taking just a low dose to help with sleep and it's a lifesaver for me, but my body is used to it after taking it for 2.5 years.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    edited July 2016
    My husband used to get a sleeping pill prescribed that i took every now and then, every single time i took it i woke up the next day totally ravenous and was a bottomless pit all day, and on top of that I had a pillover and had no motivation or energy! If i were to take this pill everyday, it would be a torturous nightmare to try and lose weight :noway:

    It was called Quetipine or something like that, and it was the lowest dose available. So if medications cause these same types of side effects in others I have total empathy for you guys as it is a hard slog.

    quetiapine, or seroquel,

    Yes that's it, and it was 25mg. Thanks for the clarification on dosages, i often wondered how people coped on 250mg.

  • cerise_noir
    cerise_noir Posts: 5,468 Member
    Some medications do increase the appetite which can cause weight gain. Medications themselves won't add extra calories, so they don't actually cause weight gain. Seroquell and lyrica increased my appetite, as did Yasmin. If I keep busy, I find the appetite gets reduced significantly.

    So yes, it all boils down to CICO.
  • HippySkoppy
    HippySkoppy Posts: 727 Member
    After many experiences with anti-D's, steroids etc I would like to add in another medication that gives me the terrible munchies and much worse fluid retention than the steroid dose and that is the anti-histamine group especially Phenergan and Periactin.....had to take a couple yesterday for a bite and Oh my I WAS ravenous!!!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    After many experiences with anti-D's, steroids etc I would like to add in another medication that gives me the terrible munchies and much worse fluid retention than the steroid dose and that is the anti-histamine group especially Phenergan and Periactin.....had to take a couple yesterday for a bite and Oh my I WAS ravenous!!!

    My vet prescribed periactin for my underweight dog as an appetite stimulant, it definitely helped her put on the pounds.
  • HippySkoppy
    HippySkoppy Posts: 727 Member
    Damn @Christine_72 your dog must be a happy and hungry little one, between the steroids and the Periactin the supermarkets must LOVE you. :D

    PS: My Oriental cat is on a daily dose of steroids for her asthma and her appetite has settled down now...but raise that dose when she is ill and there is a tractor line of bowls for her needs or we endure "The Howling". >:)
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    Damn @Christine_72 your dog must be a happy and hungry little one, between the steroids and the Periactin the supermarkets must LOVE you. :D

    PS: My Oriental cat is on a daily dose of steroids for her asthma and her appetite has settled down now...but raise that dose when she is ill and there is a tractor line of bowls for her needs or we endure "The Howling". >:)

    LOL she's only a tiny shihtzu so she's not eating me out of house and home just yet. I always worried about bad side effects of steroids, so they are reserved for when i wanna pull out the big guns :lol: