Is it possible to lose weight on beta blockers ?

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fannytoot
fannytoot Posts: 87 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Doctor has put me on Beta Blockers for Panic attacks propranolol slow release ....however I am reading everywhere it causes massive weight gain ....I am very self conscious and if that happened it would make me feel really upset Please can anyone that's taken these reassure me or tell me their experience ...it almost makes me want to not take them ..thanks in advance

Replies

  • arabellaflagg
    arabellaflagg Posts: 28 Member
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    I was on those for a few months and never gained.
  • beautifulwarrior18
    beautifulwarrior18 Posts: 914 Member
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    That's false. Most Beta Blockers used today do not cause weight gain. The only way you'd be perscribed one that does is if the first few didn't work for you and generally the weight gain is no more than 4 lbs.

    From the Mayo Clinic
    http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/expert-answers/beta-blockers/faq-20058385
  • Rosie_McA
    Rosie_McA Posts: 256 Member
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    I am also prescribed propranolol and have been on them for well over a year now. I only take them when needed and did worry about the affect they might have on my weight. I'm now at maintenance and any lighter and I'd be in underweight territory.
    My prescription says take three a day but it's rare that I do so. However, even during stressed periods when I took my full allowance I didn't notice any change to my weight loss.
  • lacroyx
    lacroyx Posts: 5,754 Member
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    I was on them when I first started and didn't have any issues losing weight.
  • zaniazong
    zaniazong Posts: 10 Member
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    I've been on beta blockers for 4 years now and they never influenced my weight. But I have been wondering if, since they essentially slow down your heartbeat, they make it harder for cardio to be effective. Anyway, I've lost 5kg since 3rd March by counting calories and doing Jillian Michaels workouts 4-5 times a week so beta blockers definitely not make weight loss impossible :)
  • staceyloukelly
    staceyloukelly Posts: 9
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    I take Atenolol and i'm losing weight ok.
  • badbcatha05
    badbcatha05 Posts: 200 Member
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    I was on propranolol for about a year and a half for VT. I gained 14 pounds and could not lose weight until I quit taking it. I am still 2 pounds from my pre-propanolol start weight. I never had any energy and cardio was near impossible. I am glad to see though that some folks were able to take it with no issues.

    ETA- It may depend on the dose, mine was for a cardiac issue so it may have been a heftier dose too.
  • 16shelz
    16shelz Posts: 11 Member
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    I have been on propranolol for 20 years. Initially to control migraines and now for high blood pressure too. It will slow your metabolism. That being said it had not caused me any weight gain. I've been roughly the same weight give or take 10 lbs for the past 20 years, minus pregnancies of course. And I was able to lose the pregnancy weight fairy easily.
  • fannytoot
    fannytoot Posts: 87 Member
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    Thankyou everyone that replied I was a little bit despairing when I went on to some forums there was a lot of people that said they had gained stones in weight ! This has reassured me but I shall keep a close eye on my weight anyway :)
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    I was on daily propanolol for a while (for migraines) and didn't gain weight but hated how I felt when I exercised. Felt like an artificial cap on my max HR. I would be in distress at a HR well below my true maximum.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
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    APRIL THREAD!!!

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