Why am I gaining weight...antibiotic to blame?
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azithoromyzin is used for middle ear infections not acne...and you wouldn't still be on it...
what is used to treat acne is certain types of BC usually and that can cause increased appetite and water retention.
I suspect it's that...
Yes, acne is one of the uses for azithoromyzin. It has been for over 15 years.
how can an antibiotic be used for acne?
I've check online
https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a697037.html
and other sources irl and can't say that I've seen where antibiotics are used "long term" and remain effective and for acne as it is not a bacterial infection.
but can't say I am an expert but this doesn't sound correct to me...will have to discuss with the pharmacist that lives in our house.
esp since the side effects listed say "decreased appetite" etc which doesn't lead to weight gain.1 -
Also I don't visibly see any fat gain. My clothes all fit exactly the same. I've looked at a picture of myself from 2 years ago when I weighed 127 and now I look almost the same or maybe even a little thinner!
So what's the problem, then? Why are you getting hung up on a number on the scale if nothing else on your body has changed?
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https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15485538
http://escholarship.org/uc/item/3qf1x5t6
eta: It's not necessarily a common usage, but it is definitely used for acne.5 -
this! if you feel you look better and you are only looking to lose 2 pounds (which is really just a big poop), what is the problem???1 -
cmriverside wrote: »@abbison28 Again, five pounds is a normal fluctuation for women of childbearing age that can happen at any time, but it is completely normal for you to weigh more than you did last year or two years ago (five pounds is not "weighing more.") You are 18, right? You're still growing. No need to obsess over five pounds.
I was told by a doctor before that girls stop growing around 16. I haven't grown in height for the last 3 years.
Trust me my body didn't stop "growing" till I was in my early twenties, you may have stopped gaining height since 16 but you don't stop growing into an adult, medication may increase appetite in some people but I seriously think your weight gain is most likely healthy gain as you develop into an adult now you're in your late teens especially if you feel thinner.
Take care and good luck with the acne meds I know the feels and am glad the antibiotics are working for you. 3 -
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15485538
http://escholarship.org/uc/item/3qf1x5t6
eta: It's not necessarily a common usage, but it is definitely used for acne.
ah I see...it can be used...at least in the US.
I know here most girls her age get prescribed bc for that...or other methods.
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vespiquenn wrote: »YvetteK2015 wrote: »Are you trying to lose weight? Are you logging your food? Are you using a food scale? What is your calorie goal for the day?
Without knowing your eating/logging habits, it's hard to say why you are gaining weight.
I usually log what I eat, I'm eating about 1,400 calories a day and riding my bike for 30 minutes every day(fast so I get my heart rate up.) During the fall/winter when I don't gain weight and maintain my weight I'm eating about 1,500 and doing next to no excercise!
That still doesn't answer the other questions from above. Are you using a food scale? If not, you're eating more than you think. What are your goals? Are you trying to lose weight?
Because if you're simply wanting to maintain, and your clothes are fitting the same, the 2lbs could be nothing more than a weight fluctuation due to water retention, a high sodium meal, food in the digestive tract, etc.
No I'm not using a food scale. I was trying to lose weight, but now all I want is to lose like 2lbs and maintain my weight, probably around 136lbs(I'm currently 138) But since last year I've gained 11lbs from not doing anything different than taking my antibiotic!
Just a heads up in case you are one of the people that is under the impression you can maintain an *exact* body weight- our body weight is constantly fluctuating due to some of the factors mentioned above (not fat gain or loss). You are actually within what would be considered the maintenance range of your desired weight.1 -
Hearts_2015 wrote: »vespiquenn wrote: »YvetteK2015 wrote: »Are you trying to lose weight? Are you logging your food? Are you using a food scale? What is your calorie goal for the day?
Without knowing your eating/logging habits, it's hard to say why you are gaining weight.
I usually log what I eat, I'm eating about 1,400 calories a day and riding my bike for 30 minutes every day(fast so I get my heart rate up.) During the fall/winter when I don't gain weight and maintain my weight I'm eating about 1,500 and doing next to no excercise!
That still doesn't answer the other questions from above. Are you using a food scale? If not, you're eating more than you think. What are your goals? Are you trying to lose weight?
Because if you're simply wanting to maintain, and your clothes are fitting the same, the 2lbs could be nothing more than a weight fluctuation due to water retention, a high sodium meal, food in the digestive tract, etc.
No I'm not using a food scale. I was trying to lose weight, but now all I want is to lose like 2lbs and maintain my weight, probably around 136lbs(I'm currently 138) But since last year I've gained 11lbs from not doing anything different than taking my antibiotic!
Just a heads up in case you are one of the people that is under the impression you can maintain an *exact* body weight- our body weight is constantly fluctuating due to some of the factors mentioned above (not fat gain or loss). You are actually within what would be considered the maintenance range of your desired weight.
Wait! This thread was all about 2 lbs? ohh
She was talking about an original weight gain of about 8 lbs. I was just addressing the specific comment that she wanted to lose 2 more and maintain that particular weight.0 -
Hearts_2015 wrote: »vespiquenn wrote: »YvetteK2015 wrote: »Are you trying to lose weight? Are you logging your food? Are you using a food scale? What is your calorie goal for the day?
Without knowing your eating/logging habits, it's hard to say why you are gaining weight.
I usually log what I eat, I'm eating about 1,400 calories a day and riding my bike for 30 minutes every day(fast so I get my heart rate up.) During the fall/winter when I don't gain weight and maintain my weight I'm eating about 1,500 and doing next to no excercise!
That still doesn't answer the other questions from above. Are you using a food scale? If not, you're eating more than you think. What are your goals? Are you trying to lose weight?
Because if you're simply wanting to maintain, and your clothes are fitting the same, the 2lbs could be nothing more than a weight fluctuation due to water retention, a high sodium meal, food in the digestive tract, etc.
No I'm not using a food scale. I was trying to lose weight, but now all I want is to lose like 2lbs and maintain my weight, probably around 136lbs(I'm currently 138) But since last year I've gained 11lbs from not doing anything different than taking my antibiotic!
Just a heads up in case you are one of the people that is under the impression you can maintain an *exact* body weight- our body weight is constantly fluctuating due to some of the factors mentioned above (not fat gain or loss). You are actually within what would be considered the maintenance range of your desired weight.
Wait! This thread was all about 2 lbs? ohh
She was talking about an original weight gain of about 8 lbs. I was just addressing the specific comment that she wanted to lose 2 more and maintain that particular weight.
gotcha! Thanks0 -
Take a probiotic, see if that helps. From what I understand, the antibiotic cannot single out good and bad bacteria. For me I get big stomach upset while on antibiotic and usually lose a few pounds for a few days. Doc said probiotic or two yogurts a day. Might be worth a shot.1
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I second the probiotics. A really good one, not the ones at the drugstore. Try Arthur Andrew Medical for "Syntol AMD". It's full of probiotics and digestive enzymes, which I badly needed after being on Doxycycline (another antibiotic used for acne) for years and developing severe GI issues. I did use Azithromycin (Zithromax) as a teen. It was the first thing prescribed for acne 20 years ago. It's still popular for sure.
For people who think antibiotic use for acne is uncommon, it's not. Chronic acne IS a bacterial infection that isn't on the surface of the skin. Washes, creams, retinols, etc are typically useless on this type of acne (ie: cystic acne most often). Antibiotics, birth control, and Accutane are the most commonly prescribed drugs for chronic acne.0 -
This! If I had a dollar for everytime a person has told me medication XYZ makes me gain weight. I mean everything from BC pills, antibiotics, antidepressants, sleeping pills, etc... I have come to believe a lot of people really don't understand "weight."vespiquenn wrote: »Medication does not directly affect weight. What it affects is your appetite; which means that you are eating over your maintenance if you are gaining. You don't say whether you are counting calories, using a food scale to weigh all solids, or logging with MFP. That's where to start.
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vespiquenn wrote: »Medication does not directly affect weight. What it affects is your appetite; which means that you are eating over your maintenance if you are gaining. You don't say whether you are counting calories, using a food scale to weigh all solids, or logging with MFP. That's where to start.
If medication makes you retain water, it absolutely affects weight. Now, that'll be a one-time weight gain not a slow continuous gain (which is what you'd see if the medication increased your appetite instead and you responded by eating more), but it's certainly a weight gain that a person would observe on their scale.2 -
cmriverside wrote: »@abbison28 Again, five pounds is a normal fluctuation for women of childbearing age that can happen at any time, but it is completely normal for you to weigh more than you did last year or two years ago (five pounds is not "weighing more.") You are 18, right? You're still growing. No need to obsess over five pounds.
I was told by a doctor before that girls stop growing around 16. I haven't grown in height for the last 3 years.
This is wrong. Most girls may stop getting taller around 16, but it is very common for hips to get broader and breasts to enlarge beyond that age. Both of those are still "growing" in the sense that they would both cause you to gain weight, and neither should be a cause for concern.
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SusanMFindlay wrote: »cmriverside wrote: »@abbison28 Again, five pounds is a normal fluctuation for women of childbearing age that can happen at any time, but it is completely normal for you to weigh more than you did last year or two years ago (five pounds is not "weighing more.") You are 18, right? You're still growing. No need to obsess over five pounds.
I was told by a doctor before that girls stop growing around 16. I haven't grown in height for the last 3 years.
This is wrong. Most girls may stop getting taller around 16, but it is very common for hips to get broader and breasts to enlarge beyond that age. Both of those are still "growing" in the sense that they would both cause you to gain weight, and neither should be a cause for concern.
Yeah, not the biggest wrong assumption in a pack of wild assumptions, but this. And FWIW, I didn't stop getting taller too (albeit slowly) until my early to mid 20s. Either your doctor said something more nuanced and you didn't understand, or your doctor was sharing nonsense.
But OP, the primary reasons you are gaining "weight" are 1) water weight, largely due to bloat in the intestine, nothing to worry about really, welcome to life in a human body; and 2) you're not measuring your portions so the "1400 calories" you think you're eating are a fantasy. A lot of people are saying you have to weigh your food (and I personally think weighing is not only the most accurate but also EASILY the simplest, most fuss-free method), but if getting a food scale seems like an insurmountable problem for some reason, I PROMISE you that just using measuring cups consistently is VASTLY better than guesstimating and "measuring" using just your eyeballs.
Measure. Your. Portions. It's the first thing people get wrong when they claim they're gaining weight on < 1500 calories a day, and the simplest thing to fix.2 -
SusanMFindlay wrote: »vespiquenn wrote: »Medication does not directly affect weight. What it affects is your appetite; which means that you are eating over your maintenance if you are gaining. You don't say whether you are counting calories, using a food scale to weigh all solids, or logging with MFP. That's where to start.
If medication makes you retain water, it absolutely affects weight. Now, that'll be a one-time weight gain not a slow continuous gain (which is what you'd see if the medication increased your appetite instead and you responded by eating more), but it's certainly a weight gain that a person would observe on their scale.
I think we all can assume that I was referring to direct fat gain. Especially because later I acknowledged water retention. But after being here so long, I mistakenly assume that people can confer this on their own.cmriverside wrote: »@abbison28 Again, five pounds is a normal fluctuation for women of childbearing age that can happen at any time, but it is completely normal for you to weigh more than you did last year or two years ago (five pounds is not "weighing more.") You are 18, right? You're still growing. No need to obsess over five pounds.
I was told by a doctor before that girls stop growing around 16. I haven't grown in height for the last 3 years.
If I stopped growing in height by 16, I would be 3 inches shorter. So no to the OP. Any doctor I have talked to has claimed early 20s.
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Medication absolutely can and does cause weight gain if it says that it "causes weight gain". When it is labeled as "increases appetite" it means it increases appetite. Saying that medication can only cause temporary/water weight is a bizarre claim that would render all Medical and Pharmaceutical evidence and conclusions false. Since I doubt they are all wrong, I'm confused as to how anyone can think that medication cannot and does not cause actual weight gain. While I feel like this claim needs no explanation....just minor examples would be medications that affect your body's hormone levels or insulin sensitivity.
When taking a medication that changes how your body metabolizes food and beverage....that means that your normal eating/drinking could suddenly become "too much" or "too little" and cause you to gain/lose weight. If medication could not cause these things, then medications for obesity/weight loss wouldn't exist. Medications for diabetics wouldn't be effective at helping them lose weight, either. If eating 2200 calories per day used to be maintenance for your body and you take a medication that affects your metabolic process....then 2200 may now be too high or too low. It literally means they "cause weight gain" or "cause weight loss".
An example that isn't a common diabetes or weight loss drug that both would be Adderall (stimulant for ADHD treatment). It both decreases appetite and increases cortisol levels. This means it could make you quite literally "lose" weight (because you're eating less calories overall due to decreased appetite)...but have increased belly fat whether you lose weight or not. That means the drug directly affected the fat on your belly regardless of your appetite or caloric intake.
I find it bizarre that no one has addressed that comment for the pile of "incredibly wrong" that it is.
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azithoromyzin is used for middle ear infections not acne...and you wouldn't still be on it...
what is used to treat acne is certain types of BC usually and that can cause increased appetite and water retention.
I suspect it's that...
Yes, acne is one of the uses for azithoromyzin. It has been for over 15 years.
how can an antibiotic be used for acne?
I've check online
https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a697037.html
and other sources irl and can't say that I've seen where antibiotics are used "long term" and remain effective and for acne as it is not a bacterial infection.
but can't say I am an expert but this doesn't sound correct to me...will have to discuss with the pharmacist that lives in our house.
esp since the side effects listed say "decreased appetite" etc which doesn't lead to weight gain.
Antibiotics most certainly are prescribed for acne. I took them for years when I had horrible cystic acne. Acne is a bacterial infection of the skin. I never gained weight because of them, but I would assume that maybe it would be water retention if someone does gain a few pounds while taking any med.1 -
I third the recommendation to take a good quality probiotic if you're taking antibiotics, make sure to space them at least 12 hours apart as the antibiotic will also kill the beneficial bacteria from the probiotic.
Isn't there anything other than an antibiotic you can take for your acne OP? I avoid them like the plague, and will only take antibiotics if I'm on deaths door.0 -
WendyLeigh1119 wrote: »Medication absolutely can and does cause weight gain if it says that it "causes weight gain". When it is labeled as "increases appetite" it means it increases appetite. Saying that medication can only cause temporary/water weight is a bizarre claim that would render all Medical and Pharmaceutical evidence and conclusions false. Since I doubt they are all wrong, I'm confused as to how anyone can think that medication cannot and does not cause actual weight gain. While I feel like this claim needs no explanation....just minor examples would be medications that affect your body's hormone levels or insulin sensitivity.
When taking a medication that changes how your body metabolizes food and beverage....that means that your normal eating/drinking could suddenly become "too much" or "too little" and cause you to gain/lose weight. If medication could not cause these things, then medications for obesity/weight loss wouldn't exist. Medications for diabetics wouldn't be effective at helping them lose weight, either. If eating 2200 calories per day used to be maintenance for your body and you take a medication that affects your metabolic process....then 2200 may now be too high or too low. It literally means they "cause weight gain" or "cause weight loss".
An example that isn't a common diabetes or weight loss drug that both would be Adderall (stimulant for ADHD treatment). It both decreases appetite and increases cortisol levels. This means it could make you quite literally "lose" weight (because you're eating less calories overall due to decreased appetite)...but have increased belly fat whether you lose weight or not. That means the drug directly affected the fat on your belly regardless of your appetite or caloric intake.
I find it bizarre that no one has addressed that comment for the pile of "incredibly wrong" that it is.
Medication does not cause direct weight gain. What it can cause is an alteration to the metabolism or appetite, aka the calories in (for increased appetite), or calories out (decrease in metabolism) of the CICO equation. So one cannot solely blame the medication when there are other factors at play. One does not take a pill and gain fat. Even typing that sounds absurd.
As far as Adderall increasing belly fat.. unless it's eating muscle (which it isn't), magically gaining belly fat is not possible without a surplus. I would be interested in your sources to that.
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