Can antibiotics cause weight gain?

charissh · August 2013

So I got a nasty infection in my toe and it spread to the rest of my foot. Doctor gave me Augmentin (Amoxicillin) and Claritromycin.

I got on the scales yesterday and had put on 5lbs!

I haven't been able to do as much exercise with my foot being swollen, but I've still been eating at a deficit.

The tablets don't say they cause water retention in the side effects- has anyone else ever taken these tablets and gained weight?

Terrified I'm gonna have to work really hard to take the weight off again, especially as I don't know when I'm going to be able to exercise again

Please help! x

mspoopoo · August 2013

I think infections can cause water retention and also the tissues inflamed from the infection.

Just drink plenty of water and you should be fine.

Faery_Dust · August 2013

Unless you ate a heck of a lot of food in the last day or two then that is not fat gain. Try not to freak out so much, if 5lbs goes on pretty much over night and you know you didn't eat something like 10,000 calories yesterday then that weight won't stick around too long once you are off the tablets.

Hope your toe / foot gets better soon, sounds painful!!

__Di__ · August 2013

So I got a nasty infection in my toe and it spread to the rest of my foot. Doctor gave me Augmentin (Amoxicillin) and Claritromycin.

I got on the scales yesterday and had put on 5lbs!

I haven't been able to do as much exercise with my foot being swollen, but I've still been eating at a deficit.

The tablets don't say they cause water retention in the side effects- has anyone else ever taken these tablets and gained weight?

Terrified I'm gonna have to work really hard to take the weight off again, especially as I don't know when I'm going to be able to exercise again

Please help! x

It would most likely be the infection itself that causes water retention, therefore ensure you finish that course of antibiotics so that the infection clears up asap and you get back to where you were.

and no, if it is just water retention, you will not have to work hard to remove those 5lbs, they will fall off once your infection goes.

charissh · August 2013

Thanks for your help everyone, my foot has been really swollen actually and it's starting to go down a bit now, I finish the antibiotics in a couple of days so hopefully I'll lose this weight then. It's just so disheartening to see the numbers go up so much lol!

I'm definitely gonna drink plenty more water too. Cheers everyone x

EvgeniZyntx · August 2013

if your foot was visibly swollen then there is your weight gain.

You cannot gain 5 lbs of fat mass while eating at a deficit, so any weight during this short period - due to the infection, time of month, etc... will disappear quickly once you are ok.

nmkroll · August 2013

I started taking amoxicillin 3 days ago because I had an infection in a tooth that had to be removed and an implant put in. I hardly ate and within 2 days have gained 5 lbs. I did not work out for 2 days and today I went to the gym and worked out for 3 hours. I took an hour of cardio, weights, then a Zumba class. My diet and weight are always about the same but since taking the medicine I jumped from 117 to 122. So that is why I googled to see if antibiotics cause weight gain. The dosage is a big 875mg. Any thoughts?? Will see tomorrow if the exercise helped!!

Graelwyn75 · August 2013

Same antibiotic, same issue.
I have been on it for a chest infection.
I feel bloated and heavy in spite of continuing with my training, 1 day excepted.

jerilynn11 · November 2013

I have had the same reaction to it as well. I've been on it for 3 days and have gained 3 lbs! I feel so bloated too. I have not eaten any more than usual either. It is very frustrating bc I watch every pound. I still have 7 more days to go on this med. I hope I don't keep steadily gaining for the duration.

ohellotheresa · November 2013

very interesting

elyelyse · November 2013

Antibiotics can cause stomach problems, such as gas and bloating...the last time I took antibiotics, I also saw the scale go up a few pounds, temporarily. That, along with the swelling you're experiencing, can for sure account for the gain you are seeing. Don't sweat it, totally normal.

neandermagnon · November 2013

sounds like a water weight gain. It's not a fat gain. You can't gain that much fat overnight, unless you ate 17500 calories more than your TDEE. Even then I think most people would vomit that quantity of food and so not absorb all those calories. Fat is burned and gained slowly, big gains and losses on the scale are not fat. Look for the trend over time, and also how you look in the mirror and how your clothes fit. Focus on whether you're losing or gaining actual fat and don't worry so much what the scale says, other than the overall long term trend, i.e. if your weight is going down slowly over the weeks, or staying the same.

ArellD · November 2013

Don't worry, it could be due to water retention associated with the infection you're having. Augmentin is not supposed to produce these side effects. Although since anti-biotics mess with intestinal flora, the food you're eating may be metabolised a bit differently/more slowly. Ask your self these questions: Do you have stool as frequently as before? Does it have the same volume as before?

Btw, the swelling in itself could explain some of that excess weight.

__Di__ · December 2013

So I got a nasty infection in my toe and it spread to the rest of my foot. Doctor gave me Augmentin (Amoxicillin) and Claritromycin.

I got on the scales yesterday and had put on 5lbs!

I haven't been able to do as much exercise with my foot being swollen, but I've still been eating at a deficit.

The tablets don't say they cause water retention in the side effects- has anyone else ever taken these tablets and gained weight?

Terrified I'm gonna have to work really hard to take the weight off again, especially as I don't know when I'm going to be able to exercise again

Please help! x

Infections can cause water weight gain, once the infection has gone, that excess (provided you stuck to your eating plan) should immediately come back off.

quiltlovinlisa · December 2013

Currently taking antibiotics, can visibly see the water retention, not even stepping on the scale for my own sanity.

focuseddiva · December 2013

I could have written this myself. I was on amoxicillin, 875mg twice a day for 10 days, for a sinus infection. I hardly ate that week b/c I wasn't hungry and so clogged and felt so lousy. End of the week, I weighed myself thinking I should have lost 5 lbs. Instead, I GAINED it. I was so annoyed -- I asked a friend in the medical profession. They said it likely is NOT the medicine, but just general inflammation/swelling from the infection. That plus the body conserves when you're sick to fight off the infection. ANyway, I finished the meds, my infection wnet away, and I thought the 5 pounds owuld have disappeared. Nope, only one pound disappeared, so I am still up 4. Can't explain it. But ... stay hydrated and stick to your eating plan and it should come off.

giulialatini · March 2014

Now you know another reason why they give them to livestock!

rebeccarose754570 · March 2014

I am frustrated that this doctor knew that I had just detoxed for a couple of months and worked really hard at losing 25 pounds. Then I have an accident where my big toe became infected and I had a sprain. So they put me on the antibiotic Cephalexin and said to take it 3 times a day. I've hardly had an appetite but have eaten salads and grilled chicken and some dark chocolate here and there and water but still low calories everyday, and I've gained 7 pounds in 8 days of taking this antibiotic. I know it's the antibiotic. My mom is allergic to penicillin and anything that ends in "in." I shared that with two doctors and they said that I'm taking the generic of Keflex and should be ok. I've had a headache daily, hardly any appetite but make myself eat salad and grilled chicken etc and have gained 7 pounds on the scale in 8 days

. I've been trying to join the military so this is not good! I'm a probiotics person in general but was told that I really needed to take this. I said what if I just use hot water and plain Epsom salt(which worked really well actually). the antibiotics haven't worked so I was finally allowed to get off of them today even though I have a three week supply left. I hope this hasn't messed me up too much etc.

lowcarbdawn · May 2014

Try taking a high dose probiotic in-between doses of antibiotics. Antibiotics kill the good bacteria in your gut, along with the bad bacteria you are trying to kill. It won't necessarily stop the weight gain, but it should slow it down, and help you get back down afterwards. The meat industry in the states uses antibiotics to fatten their livestock, so if you live in the states, and you have problems with weight gain on them, you might want to either make sure you buy antibiotic & growth hormone free meat or a least always take probiotics to help combat the weight issue.

Ulwaz · May 2014

dont weigh yourself while on the, can cause water retention! and also they are only temporary if it does cause weightgain, try not to be so obsessive x

OnU2nite · May 2014

I take penicillin 250mg x2 daily. I have for the past 15 years and will for the rest of my life. I also take an insane amount of amoxicillin before and after dental work, for tattoos and any injury with the possibility of infection. Antibiotics have had no affect on my weight what so ever.

Sprained toe = less activity than normal.
"here and there" eating = your body holding onto what little its getting.

Are you sure its not the chocolate?

stockbroker68 · July 2014

Same happened to me. I gained 6 lb in only two days

paperpudding · July 2014

Now you know another reason why they give them to livestock!

Not understanding your comment.
How does water weight help livestock or meat production?

DianeDIrving · November 2014

charissh wrote: »

So I got a nasty infection in my toe and it spread to the rest of my foot. Doctor gave me Augmentin (Amoxicillin) and Claritromycin.

I got on the scales yesterday and had put on 5lbs!

I haven't been able to do as much exercise with my foot being swollen, but I've still been eating at a deficit.

The tablets don't say they cause water retention in the side effects- has anyone else ever taken these tablets and gained weight?

Terrified I'm gonna have to work really hard to take the weight off again, especially as I don't know when I'm going to be able to exercise again

Please help! x

Hi I have been dieting since March through weight watchers and am steadily loosing weight. I have recently had an ear and throat infection and doctor also gave me Clairitromycin. When I got weighed today I had gained 3lb which is not justified by my eating pattern over the last week. x Diane

Tilandra · November 2014

paperpudding wrote: »

Not understanding your comment.
How does water weight help livestock or meat production?

The animals are sold by weight to the slaughterhouse. The get dollars per pound whether it's meat or water retention.

The grocery store does the same thing after the slaughterhouse too... check in the chicken section for raw poultry with possible "water added" on the label. When the store charges you $3.99 a pound for boneless/skinless chicken breasts, you're paying for any marinades or "flavor solutions" they've been injected with, and all the moisture in that weird cotton padding too.

hummingbirdhope · December 2014

charissh wrote: »

So I got a nasty infection in my toe and it spread to the rest of my foot. Doctor gave me Augmentin (Amoxicillin) and Claritromycin.

I got on the scales yesterday and had put on 5lbs!

I haven't been able to do as much exercise with my foot being swollen, but I've still been eating at a deficit.

The tablets don't say they cause water retention in the side effects- has anyone else ever taken these tablets and gained weight?

Terrified I'm gonna have to work really hard to take the weight off again, especially as I don't know when I'm going to be able to exercise again

Please help! x

A lot of antibiotics cause water retention

splashtree5 · December 2014

charissh wrote: »

So I got a nasty infection in my toe and it spread to the rest of my foot. Doctor gave me Augmentin (Amoxicillin) and Claritromycin.

I got on the scales yesterday and had put on 5lbs!

I haven't been able to do as much exercise with my foot being swollen, but I've still been eating at a deficit.

The tablets don't say they cause water retention in the side effects- has anyone else ever taken these tablets and gained weight?

Terrified I'm gonna have to work really hard to take the weight off again, especially as I don't know when I'm going to be able to exercise again

Please help! x

NO

14alissa · July 2015

Same antibiotic, same issue. Was prescribed it after a dental procedure. Gained 5 lb within first week. One more week to go. Feel bloated and heavy. It's very hard to lose and maintain weight at my age. I'm miserable and horrified

sistrsprkl · July 2015

Don't worry about it. I went on 2 rounds of anitbiotics recently and didn't experience any weight gain. Rest and let your body heal itself. As long as you're accurately logging, you shouldn't have a problem.

fitnessandfood_xo · August 2016

I got an ear infection last week, I too got prescribed Amoxicillin. I've taken 3 a day for the last 7 days and I'm feeling a lot better but just been to Slimming World and I've put on 6lbs. Devastating not what I needed after the week I've had.

psuLemon · August 2016

harricw12 wrote: »

I got an ear infection last week, I too got prescribed Amoxicillin. I've taken 3 a day for the last 7 days and I'm feeling a lot better but just been to Slimming World and I've put on 6lbs. Devastating not what I needed after the week I've had.

It's just water weight. It's not fat. To gain that in fact, you would need to eat 21,000 calories over maintenance. Or in other words, 3000 calories over your maintenance every day for the past 7 days.

Can antibiotics cause weight gain?

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