Antihistamine causing me not to lose weight.

Emilyvioletsdiary
Emilyvioletsdiary Posts: 13
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, I have been counting calories since october and only lost 11 pounds since then.
I attributed this to an antihistamine I take everyday for chronic hives, (allegra)
The weight just seems to not come off and im getting very upset cause I been working out like crazy and eating 1800- 2000 calories a day. cause that is what mfp tells me to eat. ughh

Replies

  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
    That's actually a decent amount of weight you have lost. I'm not 100% sure, but it doesn't sound probable that your antihistamine is prohibiting weight loss. Don't get discouraged and keep going at it! You'll get there.

    Edited to add the standard questions: are you weighing and measuring your food? Are you eating back exercise calories? You could be underestimating your calories eaten while overestimating your calories burned. That's what I was doing for my first 2 months. I also started logging in October and have only lost 6 pounds. A food scale and HRM have helped greatly.
  • Emilyvioletsdiary
    Emilyvioletsdiary Posts: 13
    yea i eat the calories i burn sometimes cause i thought i could?
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
    Huh. I ahve never heard of an antihistamine causing metabolic changes, but I don't know enough about it to comment. I think it's unlikely that it's the allegra and more likely something else.

    Can you open your diary? How accurately do you log your food- do you weigh and measure everything? Do you eat at restaurants often?

    What kind of workouts are you doing and how often?

    Maybe we can help find an alternate cause for unexpectedly slow weight loss.
  • concordancia
    concordancia Posts: 5,320 Member
    Allegra is more commonly associated with weight loss, due to the fact it causes digestive issues for many users, so I think you are going to have to look for a new culprit.

    Are you weighing on the same scale every time, with the same clothing (or lack there of)? Medical scales are calibrated, but most home scales, and even some gym scales, are off by 5-10 pounds. As long as you use the same one every time, you should have a good record of your progress.

    Are you keeping up with tracking your food? When people don't write it down, they frequently "forget" snacks and condiments, which can really add up on calories.

    Are you weighing and measuring your food? Even dietitians have been shown to miscalculate based on eyeballing foods.

    How are you calculating your calories burned? Exercise machines often give grossly exaggerated numbers.

    When was the last time you had a physical? You may have some underlying issue.

    Have you set non weight goals, like running faster or lifting more weight or eating 5 servings of vegetables every day? These kinds of goals can keep you focused even when the scale is stubborn.
  • 19TaraLynn84
    19TaraLynn84 Posts: 739 Member
    You definitely can! But how do you calculate your burn? Most cardio machines will give an exaggerated number, as will the MFP site. So in eating those calories back, you may be eating more than you actually burned. (Hope that made sense) Your best bet is to use a heart rate monitor, if you aren't already. I have a $20 one from Wal-Mart that works well. I've seen several members who've lost a lot of weight recommend that you only eat back a percentage of exercise calories to avoid overeating.
  • Rho_Ro
    Rho_Ro Posts: 201 Member
    Hiya, personally I think you're doing okay - that's about 1lb per week which is the recommended amount. However I asked my Doctor once HOW do my antidepressants cause me to gain weight and he said that they stimulate my appetite. I'm still on antidepressants and I've lost a reasonable amount of weight, so I figure it is just our head space, ie if you tell yourself that you could put on weight, then you are giving your body permission to eat more and thus gain weight. I assume that this reasoning could apply to the majority of medications, so perhaps this is something you too can consider.

    If it were me I would try and tighten up my thinking a bit and tell myself that this is all within my control and I choose to lose weight, not gain it. Then chill, relax and let it be. I've lost my weight slowly and although I've put a bit of it back on, I'm still comfortable where I am and am looking forward to a smaller me in the future.

    GOOD LUCK.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    Hi, I have been counting calories since october and only lost 11 pounds since then.
    I attributed this to an antihistamine I take everyday for chronic hives, (allegra)
    The weight just seems to not come off and im getting very upset cause I been working out like crazy and eating 1800- 2000 calories a day. cause that is what mfp tells me to eat. ughh
    Really, you're upset because you've lost only 11 pounds since October? That's a really slow steady GREAT weight loss. I'm giving your kudos! :smile:

    Sorry, but antihistamines won't make you hold weight.
  • editorgrrl
    editorgrrl Posts: 7,060 Member
    Hi, I have been counting calories since october and only lost 11 pounds since then.
    That's 1 lb. per week, which is a perfectly healthy loss. Not everyone can lose at "Biggest Loser" speed.

    Keep up the great work, and read this: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-Sexypants
  • Emilyvioletsdiary
    Emilyvioletsdiary Posts: 13
    look up allegra and weight gain
  • Emilyvioletsdiary
    Emilyvioletsdiary Posts: 13
    i lost that weight in 2 weeks in the beginning then havent lost a pound since.
  • Emilyvioletsdiary
    Emilyvioletsdiary Posts: 13
    all you people saying that allegra wont cause weight gain, look it up! its on the list of top medicines to cause weight gain.
  • Emilyvioletsdiary
    Emilyvioletsdiary Posts: 13
    thanks for the help

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