Why am I gaining 1-2 pounds a week?

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  • 1princesswarrior
    1princesswarrior Posts: 1,242 Member
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    Maybe you should also ask for a RMR test and a series of blood tests other than thyroid. If are truly weighing everything accurately you should be losing regardless of medication. I blamed meds for my weight gain because that was a side effect until I really looked at what I ate while I was taking those meds. Overeating was why I gained, not the meds. That being said there are some vitamin deficiencies that can cause weight loss problems.
  • nomeejerome
    nomeejerome Posts: 2,616 Member
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    Some medications (including the ones listed in this thread) can make weight loss more difficult, but not impossible.
    Obviously impossible for me.



    I quit Zoloft cold turkey after 2 months. Now that I'm off meds and doing paleo I've been losing slowly but surely

    You stopped medication and switched your diet. It sounds like you found a calorie deficit, which is why you started losing weight.
  • caminoslo
    caminoslo Posts: 239 Member
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    Some medications (including the ones listed in this thread) can make weight loss more difficult, but not impossible.
    Obviously impossible for me.



    I quit Zoloft cold turkey after 2 months. Now that I'm off meds and doing paleo I've been losing slowly but surely

    You stopped medication and switched your diet. It sounds like you found a calorie deficit, which is why you started losing weight.
    There was a time in between where I was walking 3 miles a day without meds and still gaining. I figured the meds screwed up my metabolism so I didn't do nothing. But now switched to paleo after a year and its working. I conclude meds were not helping and neither was my diet of avoiding hfcs or exercising I dumped those 3 and do paleo and lost
    Basically I eat paleo and don't exercise (only sparingly)that combo works for me.
    Zoloft didn't work and then my diet w exercise didn't work.
  • ericanom
    ericanom Posts: 27 Member
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    I put on quite a lot of weight before being diagnosed with hypothyroidism. My calorie goal is 1200 per day and I have managed to lose some weight, just very slowly. Good luck with your test, hope you're not hypo!
  • stumblinthrulife
    stumblinthrulife Posts: 2,558 Member
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    There are one of two things going on -

    1. You are underestimating your intake.
    2. You are overestimating your daily calorie burn.

    That's it. Period. Fin. Finito. Ende. Sfarsit. Your body doesn't magically create weight from nowhere. Gained weight is stored surplus energy.

    At this point you can either choose to find and fix the under and/or over estimates, or you can continue to insist you are doing everything right, and continue to gain weight.
  • ClaudiaTheNice
    ClaudiaTheNice Posts: 74
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    For months now, I've been gaining 1-2 pounds a week no matter how much I diet or exercise. I am having the worst time trying to lose any weight. I eat under 2000 calories a day always, but it's usually 1200-1500 (Never below 1200 including exercise). I fast one day a week, which I started due to the weight gain hoping it would help deter it.

    I eat low carb/paleo/gluten-free, so lots of veggies, eggs, protein (chicken, fish), and fruits, and very rarely nuts. I do not eat/drink any dairy products. Only drink black coffee, water, or tea.

    Exercise is only 30min 4-5 times a week. How am I gaining weight every single week? Even if I wasn't dieting, 2000 calories or less a day shouldn't cause this much weight gain. I keep a real journal, so my MFP journal is empty for the most part.

    I'm 27, female, 5'3".

    Are there any physical/medical reasons my body is gaining weight? My Dr. is testing for hypothyroid but is very doubtful that's what it is. I've been complaining to her for about 2 months now. She thinks it is also unlikely my paxil (SSRI) as it does cause weight gain, but usually not this fast and usually because it causes one to eat a lot, which I don't do.

    I'm so lost and helpless! I started this diet 6 months ago and I've gained 50 pounds instead!! :(:( I weight more now than I ever did and its making me so depressed.

    Even if you're eating above your TDEE, 2000 calories isn't more then 500ish over, you shouldn't be gaining weight that fast.

    Since you've talked to your doctor, and I'm not a doctor, I'll stay away from the medical reasons that my cause weightgain. Also you're to young for menopause and that is pretty much my only suggestion here.

    So here are my questions:
    -How do you sleep? Do you get enough?
    -How is your...um....bowel movements
    -I lied: Did your doctor do a full blood panel to check if your deficient in some nutrients? Vitamin D, magnesium, or iron deficiency and cortisol levels could play a part.
  • ClaudiaTheNice
    ClaudiaTheNice Posts: 74
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    I weigh 188 as of this morning. Was 135 this time last year (was hoping to only lose 10 pounds, not gain 50!!)

    I do weigh everything! Every stinkin' ounce of everything I eat. I only weigh my food, I NEVER go by the serving size measurements, only the serving size weights.

    That is quite a lot.

    What tests other then thyroid have your doctor done? Are you satisfied with him or would you consider getting a second opinion?
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
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    I agree with other posters. It might be the Paxil. I gained a bit of weight on Zoloft (maybe 10 lbs several years back, which came off when I stopped). My son has been on antidepressants for a learning disability most of his life and the weight gain depending on which one he took was pretty significant. Sometimes he'd lose 20 lbs. just by switching meds.
  • ClaudiaTheNice
    ClaudiaTheNice Posts: 74
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    Maybe you should also ask for a RMR test and a series of blood tests other than thyroid. If are truly weighing everything accurately you should be losing regardless of medication. I blamed meds for my weight gain because that was a side effect until I really looked at what I ate while I was taking those meds. Overeating was why I gained, not the meds. That being said there are some vitamin deficiencies that can cause weight loss problems.

    My mother started to gain weight rapidly, she tried dieting, nothing worked. Then she went to the doctor and it turns out she had ovarian cancer. If you are 100% sure you log everything and not underestimating then go get a more extensive workup. Doctors tend to overlook ovarian cancer in young women, because it's not a typical kind for them to get.
  • DebbieLyn63
    DebbieLyn63 Posts: 2,650 Member
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    Medications cause people to gain weight because of either water retention, or an increase in appetite. They do not create a calorie surplus out of thin air. Perhaps they may lower your metabolism slightly, but if that is the case, then you need to lower your calorie intake.
    Are you saying that in 6 months you have NEVER had a day that you went over your calorie limit? That you weigh and record EVERY single thing? If so, then perhaps you are sleep-eating and are unaware of your nightly binges?

    Or are you saying that you are NETTING 1200-1500 calories after burning 800 calories on the treadmill?

    Bottom line is that you are eating above your maintenance level on average, to be gaining 2 lbs per week for the past 6 months.
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
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    You're not exercising much? Keep in mind that you don't burn 2000 calories a day most likely unless you walk about 5miles a day. Consider a fitbit or something to track your activity. I just started an office job and I hardly walk there.
  • raindawg
    raindawg Posts: 348 Member
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    Wow, I feel for your predicament. I believe you that you are validating your calorie intake and the problem seems to be your body is burning substantially less than 1,500 calories. I'd keep pushing your doctor and even search out a second opinion. I've seen that show "mystery diagnosis" where the people have to go to multiple doctors until they find out what is really going on. This may be your case.
  • QuietBloom
    QuietBloom Posts: 5,413 Member
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    Seriously, blame the meds. I was gaining 1.5lb per week eating 1,800 calories when I was on medication. Weight gain is a side effect, but it shouldn't have been as much or as fast as I was experiencing (they've taken me off for the time being so I can actually lose some weight)

    Meds may increase your appetite, but they don't magically make you gain weight. If you eat in a deficit, you will still lose.
  • sarab99
    sarab99 Posts: 134 Member
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    Meds, half of these drugs were fast tracked meaning no long term studies. Side effects are often minimized or misrepresented. Sorry, modern medicine can be wonderful, but when Dr's are given the wrong information, its hard to give patients the right information.
    And meds can absolutely affect the way your body handles metabolism, heart rate, water retention,etc.
  • ennayoung
    ennayoung Posts: 1 Member
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    I am not losing weight either, I walked over 79k last week and put on the .500g I lost last week. Very frustrating.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    I weigh 188 as of this morning. Was 135 this time last year (was hoping to only lose 10 pounds, not gain 50!!)

    I do weigh everything! Every stinkin' ounce of everything I eat. I only weigh my food, I NEVER go by the serving size measurements, only the serving size weights.

    I think I'd be seeking a 2nd opinion at this point. If indeed you are tracking everything and being as precise as possible, there's something else going on. To boot, even if 2000 calories was above your TDEE, it wouldn't be so much as to cause 1-2 Lbs per week increase.

    There's something else going on, either the meds are substantially hindering your metabolism or there is another medical issue/deficiency/allergy or something going on.
  • loubidy
    loubidy Posts: 440 Member
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    Meda! If puts on nearly 40lb in six months when I went on microgynon
  • redraidergirl2009
    redraidergirl2009 Posts: 2,560 Member
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    Meds def can make you gain. I took some that had metabolism side effects and also someonce and make you crave sweets. Personally I am not big on sweets. But I was buying a lot then
  • BornxVillain
    BornxVillain Posts: 79 Member
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    I'm almost sure it is your medication. My Prozac made me gain and gain and gain, after I realized it was that that was contributing to my weight gain, I had to drop it and try herbal supplements in place of it and I've been able to drop around 30lbs since then. It's a terrible feeling needing medication for help in your life but that medication makes things worse. I hope you and your doc can find a solution! :flowerforyou:
  • lexbubbles
    lexbubbles Posts: 465 Member
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    Seriously, blame the meds. I was gaining 1.5lb per week eating 1,800 calories when I was on medication. Weight gain is a side effect, but it shouldn't have been as much or as fast as I was experiencing (they've taken me off for the time being so I can actually lose some weight)

    Meds may increase your appetite, but they don't magically make you gain weight. If you eat in a deficit, you will still lose.

    Actually, the hormonal medication I was on reduced my metabolism. A LOT. So, yeah, I was no longer in a deficit. Where I was previously maintaining on 1,800 I started gaining 1.5lb on it. No change in diet before the meds vs on the meds. The meds alter the 'calories out' part of the deficit equation. It doesn't have to be 'increased appetite'

    I started losing in December when I was still on meds by netting 1,000 cals most day. I was losing around 1lb a week that way. They took me off the meds in February and in the first WEEK of being med-free I dropped 2.5lb.

    Edit: I was gaining so much faster than could even be 'normal' for those meds that the doctors did a whole bunch of tests in case my thyroid or anything was messed up and nothing. I was just having an extreme reaction to being given incredibly strong hormone medication normally reserved for cancer treatment.

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