Medications that cause weight gain

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titi4j
titi4j Posts: 97 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I take medication that causes weight gain. I've been on it for about 3 years now and I gained about 30 lbs in the beginning. I have never been able to get that weight off. I have about 130+ lbs to lose. My issue isn't so much the 30 lbs I put on as much as it is the total amount I have to lose. I feel like I'm constantly fighting to lose even the smallest amount. I feel like the medication may be hindering my weight loss efforts.

Does anyone have any similar experiences? What have you done to lose weight while being on meds that cause weight gain? Do you think it makes for more of a struggle? I'm constantly fighting to not gain, let alone to try and lose. I'm feeling defeated.

Also, the medication is something I have to be on for life. We have tried other medications and they didn't work. I would greatly appreciate any feedback and/or ideas to help me on this journey. Thank you!
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Replies

  • KrazyAsianNic
    KrazyAsianNic Posts: 1,227 Member
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    Have you asked your Doctor about this?

    I feel like where there's a will, there's a way. I mean, there should be SOMETHING you can do to overcome the medicine weight gain while still on the medicine.

    I have this fear too because I take anti-depressants. Luckily I have been able to maintain/lose. I hope you find an answer.
  • minkakross
    minkakross Posts: 687 Member
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    check with your doctor or pharmacy to see if the weight gain side effect is due to a hormone change or if it affects your blood sugar or causes insulin resistance. Basically if you can identify how it causes weight gain you can then adjust your diet to counter that effect.
  • sarahrbraun
    sarahrbraun Posts: 2,261 Member
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    I posted a similar thread yesterday. I believe that my OTC allergy medication is preventing me from losing as much weight as I should be. I have had issues with being able to lose weight as fast as I should, but my weight loss has drastically dropped in the 2 months since I added first claritin, then changed to zyrtec.

    I started out my journey at roughly 93lbs overweight. I was on a bunch of medications--potassium for my kidneys, and advair, singulair, and albuterol for my asthma. It took me 3 months to lose the first 7lbs. It has taken me 10 months to lose a total of 30lbs. I still have 40lbs before I hit the line between obese and overweight.

    Having a chronic condition that requires medication always makes life more of a struggle. The fact that you *only* gained 30lbs, and it was in the first little bit that you were on the medication is a good thing. You are a unique person with a unique set of circumstances. You have to use the right *tool* to measure yourself with. That means only comparing yourself to other patients who are taking X medication.
  • tyrantduck
    tyrantduck Posts: 387 Member
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    I'm on Effexor... it's not causing me to gain weight so much as making it impossible for me to lose weight at the rate I exercise. I've bottomed out at 320 and the scale either moves up or stays at 320. it's awful. i push myself hard to burn at least 5000 calories a week and it's just not going anywhere.
  • gayje
    gayje Posts: 230 Member
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    I have this fear too because I take anti-depressants. Luckily I have been able to maintain/lose. I hope you find an answer.

    What!? :noway: I didn't know antidepressants could cause weight gain. If my doctor mentioned it, I didn't hear it. I went on them a couple years ago and at the same time was on another steroid medication that caused weight gain I'm battling with now. Maybe I should google the ones I'm taking and read the side affects warnings.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    Medication doesn't make you gain weight, overeating makes you gain weight. Sticking to a diet budget will take pounds off. It may be harder when you get closer to goal but with 130 lbs to lose there's lots of room before that happens.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    I'm on Effexor... it's not causing me to gain weight so much as making it impossible for me to lose weight at the rate I exercise. I've bottomed out at 320 and the scale either moves up or stays at 320. it's awful. i push myself hard to burn at least 5000 calories a week and it's just not going anywhere.

    Exercise won't take weight off. Exercise makes you fit, your food diet is where weight loss happens. Cut calories and make sure that you weigh and measure food for accuracy and you'll see weight loss.
  • d_Mode
    d_Mode Posts: 880 Member
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    As a diabetic, the insulin I was on seemed to add weight. That was two years ago...since then I've began watching what I eat and most recently back i April I was put on a 1700 calorie diet. I've been responding well to the insulin and they slowly lowered my dose and two weeks ago I was finally taken off my meal-time insulin.

    I've also been walking and hitting the gym, mostly the treadmill and elliptical machine. It's helped me lose some of the weight I've gained and got me even closer to being off all the insulin I was taking.
  • djjc76
    djjc76 Posts: 69 Member
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    Antidepressants do this. I stopped taking them awhile ago and lost 40+ lbs alone. I asked the doc if I eat right and exercise, could I lose the weight. He said no.
  • djjc76
    djjc76 Posts: 69 Member
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    I'm on Effexor... it's not causing me to gain weight so much as making it impossible for me to lose weight at the rate I exercise. I've bottomed out at 320 and the scale either moves up or stays at 320. it's awful. i push myself hard to burn at least 5000 calories a week and it's just not going anywhere.

    Exercise won't take weight off. Exercise makes you fit, your food diet is where weight loss happens. Cut calories and make sure that you weigh and measure food for accuracy and you'll see weight loss.
    I could not agree with you more. 95% of my 110-lb weight loss was because of my calorie intake. The exercise helped but what I ate made the difference!!!
  • mikmurphy
    mikmurphy Posts: 57 Member
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    Medication doesn't make you gain weight, overeating makes you gain weight. Sticking to a diet budget will take pounds off. It may be harder when you get closer to goal but with 130 lbs to lose there's lots of room before that happens.
    I disagree. I've been on over 20 different psych meds in my life. Ive always been a naturally thin person until I started specific meds. For me it was lithium and seroquel. I could eat nothing but a small cardboard box for the day and still the pounds were packed on. Certain psych meds are "weight neutral" though.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
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    Antidepressants do this. I stopped taking them awhile ago and lost 40+ lbs alone. I asked the doc if I eat right and exercise, could I lose the weight. He said no.

    *don't stop taking medication because someone on a forum said you would loose weight. just incase common sense is a problem for you, I'm just making it clear.

    first off we need to look at your food diary. open it up here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/account/diary_settings

    secondly, you should see a doctor and maybe he will refer you to a nutritionist. without saying what you're taking, you are going to get a bunch of bad information.

    so if you want real help we need to start at the beginning. open your diary.
  • GypsysBloodRose26
    GypsysBloodRose26 Posts: 341 Member
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    I took Prednisone for a year. During that year I also pretty severely injured my back. Between those two things, I gained 45 pounds in 10 months! The issue with the prednisone is that I would eat and then feel starving after 10 minutes. It, literally made me insane, and majorly cranky, for the first couple months. I have no idea how I would be at losing weight if I were still on it.

    I would recommend seeing your physician and then a Dietician. They would be able to help you.

    Stick with it, because you are doung great just by trying!
  • wizbeth1218
    wizbeth1218 Posts: 358 Member
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    check with your doctor or pharmacy to see if the weight gain side effect is due to a hormone change or if it affects your blood sugar or causes insulin resistance. Basically if you can identify how it causes weight gain you can then adjust your diet to counter that effect.

    This. Excellent advice.

    I, too, take a life-time medicine that causes weight gain. Except that the actual cause of the weight gain is that the meds change the brain chemistry and make you kind of apathetic about eating right and exercising. Understanding how the side effect actually works makes me be more aware.

    HTH. :)
  • stines72
    stines72 Posts: 853 Member
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    just came off of a medicaiton that caused weight gain and lost weight within the first week... ill keep you posted
  • titi4j
    titi4j Posts: 97 Member
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    The medication is Geodon (a psych med). We have tried many others over the years and they did not work like Geodon does. One of the side effects is weight gain. We (my psych) have me on the lowest dose that is able to control my symptoms while trying to avoid weight gain. I also take about 5 other psych meds (yes, I'm crazy. Lol) except they don't have weight gain as a side effect. Ooops, I just realized my diary is open to friends only.
  • mikmurphy
    mikmurphy Posts: 57 Member
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    I sympathize with you. The meds I'm on is supposed to be weight neutral. I wonder sometimes. I really feel I've got leftover weight from my fatty meds lol. Ive heard Zyprexa is known to make you gain weight from merely breathing.
    Have you tried fish oil? Ive heard some people say it can help with weight loss or maintaining weight and supposed to have mood benefits. Id say keep chugging along watching what you eat and exercising. What else can you do? Congrats on finding a med that works :-)
  • lisamariepickering
    lisamariepickering Posts: 110
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    The medication is Geodon (a psych med). We have tried many others over the years and they did not work like Geodon does. One of the side effects is weight gain. We (my psych) have me on the lowest dose that is able to control my symptoms while trying to avoid weight gain. I also take about 5 other psych meds (yes, I'm crazy. Lol) except they don't have weight gain as a side effect. Ooops, I just realized my diary is open to friends only.

    I'm right there with ya with the Geodon ( and other psych meds). I am constantly hungry. Not just snacky or craving, but full-on- I-feel-like-I-haven't-eaten-all-day hunger. I've been watching what I eat for a few weeks now and have lost a few pounds, so for me, at least, I know weight loss is possible. I'm still usually hungrier than I'd like to be, but I just figure that's the price I'm willing to pay to feel normal. But as you already know, everyone reacts differently to psych meds. You should definitely talk to your doctor. Good luck!
  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
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  • sunnshhiine
    sunnshhiine Posts: 727 Member
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    Medication doesn't make you gain weight, overeating makes you gain weight. Sticking to a diet budget will take pounds off. It may be harder when you get closer to goal but with 130 lbs to lose there's lots of room before that happens.

    Medication DOES make you gain weight. Certain presciption steroids make you gain weight --- I've been there.

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