Gaining weight on Doxycycline/Prescribed drugs?

Jul158
Jul158 Posts: 481 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I was put on Doxycycline a few months ago to help with skin irritation. Since I've been on it, I've gained between 10-15lbs. even when I've maintained a healthy diet and I exercise for an hour a day! At first I was blaming it on holiday eight gain but now it seems absurd to me. Has anyone else experienced weight gain on Doxycycline (Vibramycin?)
Also, after I stop taking this prescription drug, will my weight return to normal when I continue my healthy habits? Thank you!
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Replies

  • LeenaRuns
    LeenaRuns Posts: 1,309 Member
    If you stop taking it will the irritation return?
  • SunnyLynnie
    SunnyLynnie Posts: 87 Member
    Weight gain is a common side effect of some drugs. For instance, when I started on an anti-depressant a few years ago, I gain 15 pounds. I've been trying to lose it ever since, doing all the right things, with limited success. It's frustrating. Check with your pharmacist or doctor. If there is another way to cure the skin condition, I would consider it (something topical?).
  • Erica_theRedhead
    Erica_theRedhead Posts: 724 Member
    Hey there, doxycycline usually doesn't cause weight gain in the same way as some other drugs, like antidepressants, birth control, etc. However it can mess with your kidneys, so you may be retaining some water weight/salt. It shouldn't stay around too long once you discontinue it. Maybe try to drink more water to flush your system?? How long will you be taking the drug?
  • Jul158
    Jul158 Posts: 481 Member
    Thank you for your help! I have contacted my doctor and awaiting a reply. When I was first prescribed the drug I was told of the side effects (and had a printed list) and weight gain was not on it. However, after doing some amateur research (which can't always be trusted!) many people had the same experience. The drug is not necessary and taking for vain reasons for my skin so I'm hoping that in the next few days I'll drop at least a portion of the weight. My concern is I have gained nearly 15 lbs in three months when working out an hour/day & maintaining an awfully clean diet with some heavy days over the holidays, but I can't reason that 5-6 bad days would equal so much weight! Any input is greatly appreciated! Oddly enough, the weight all seems to be in my stomach..I can still slide my jeans on but just can't button them! Any one experience losing weight after going off a drug that caused them to gain?
  • Jul158
    Jul158 Posts: 481 Member
    Hey there, doxycycline usually doesn't cause weight gain in the same way as some other drugs, like antidepressants, birth control, etc. However it can mess with your kidneys, so you may be retaining some water weight/salt. It shouldn't stay around too long once you discontinue it. Maybe try to drink more water to flush your system?? How long will you be taking the drug?

    I've been taking the drug since September, about 3.5 months. I've upped my water intake to around 10-15 glasses a day and even increased my green tea intake to 4 cups a day hoping it would give me a boost. Still gaining weight now & eating between 1,100-1,700 a day depending on my workout. Thank you for your input! Once this water weight passes, will my stomach get flatter again? I hate not fitting into my clothes! Again, thank you so much, very frustrated.
  • baileybowman
    baileybowman Posts: 21 Member
    I'm 3 months away from being a pharmacist, and I can tell you that Doxycycline doesn't cause weight gain. It interacts with birth control and increases sensitivity to sun, and shouldn't be taken at the same time as antacids or dairy. Has anything else changed? Diet, other drugs?
  • DrMAvDPhD
    DrMAvDPhD Posts: 2,097 Member
    Talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Either will be able to tell you if weight gain is a potential side effect (or if just general swelling/bloating is). If you gained real weight, it probably won't go back. But if it's just bloating, chances are you would drop back down when you stop. BUT DON'T STOP TAKING IT WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR PHYSICIAN!!!!
  • Jul158
    Jul158 Posts: 481 Member
    I'm 3 months away from being a pharmacist, and I can tell you that Doxycycline doesn't cause weight gain. It interacts with birth control and increases sensitivity to sun, and shouldn't be taken at the same time as antacids or dairy. Has anything else changed? Diet, other drugs?

    I've been wearing sunscreen and taken into account the BC issue. I've been on BC for 5 years and haven't experienced this type of gain. Does Doxycyline encourage water retention? I am not a perfect eater but I stay within my limit for the majority. I work out very consistently with intense classes, spin, dance, weights and am perplexed that I haven't lost anything, even weeks after Christmas. I felt as though there were a lot of testimonies on medications.com, which again, is not trustworthy but people were having identical experiences to me. Frustrated and confused. Thanks again for your help : )
  • lbg2000
    lbg2000 Posts: 1 Member
    The same thing happened to me after taking Doxycycline for 28 days (100mg/2x daily) and then Oracea for 12 days following the Doxy, all for perioral dermatitis. I noticed the weight gain after one week (5pounds), but I thought it could have been due to the holidays and I assumed that I could lose the weight easily. In total I gained about 10 pounds, but it's almost all in my stomach, and then some in my thighs/hips/butt. I work out 5 days a week and eat very healthy and have a small frame. I have been off of the Oracea for a week and haven't lost any of the weight. I am hoping it is water retention and that it starts to come off soon and that this isn't permanent damamge done to my digestive tract or metabolism (I'm not even sure if this is possible). I am going to the doctor tomorrow, but seeing as everyone reacts differently to meds, I doubt I will be able to get any helpful insight. Sometimes the best insight is people who have had the same experience. I've also upped my water intake to about 12 glasses a day.
  • onezeronine
    onezeronine Posts: 37 Member
    It would be very strange if you were retaining 15 pounds of water. That's a fairly significant amount for an otherwise healthy individual. Doxycycline is essentially an antibiotic. It should not do permanent damage to your metabolism or digestive tract. Unless something is wrong with your kidneys (you don't appear to be having any other symptoms that would indicate this), I bet your weight gain is related to something else.
  • sofielein
    sofielein Posts: 539 Member
    Doxycyclin is rather known to cause mild to severe stomach irritation, in bad cases diarrhoea and stomach pain which rather tends to result in loss of appetite and therefore weight loss. If you took it for months without side effect the cause of weight gain may be another drug or a combination of certain factors in your life.
  • princesskris22
    princesskris22 Posts: 2
    I was prescribed doxy for a bad viral infection. So many side affects! I'm pretty tanned, but burned within a day. Massive headaches especially the first 6 days! Nausea in the mornings. Yesterday was my last day. I took it for 10 days, twice a day. I've been done one day. I'm so bloated. It's all in my stomach. Anyone know how long it takes to go away? I'm not constipated, just bloated in lower abdomen area.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    I've been on Doxycycline for a couple years for adult rosacea.
    It did not cause me to gain weight, nor is it a side effect of antibiotics.
    I did get an esophageal ulcer from taking it at bedtime and not drinking enough fluid to make sure it was out of my esophagus.
    Doxy is notorious for that.
    I stopped taking it for about six weeks to allow my esophagus to heal and my rosacea returned with a vengeance.
  • fluffykitsune
    fluffykitsune Posts: 236 Member
    Working out and eating healthy means nothing if you're eating over maintenance calories.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
    Same thing happened to me. Doxy is really, really rough on your liver and kidneys. Really stresses your flushers, let alone your gut, and compromises the body's ability to remove toxins - estrogen (mainly the potent estradiol) and xenoestrogens included. And if the body can't get rid if it, it'll store it somewhere "safe".... So, if you're a female predisposed to estrogen dominance you are very likely to lay down fat stores to store the excess hormone where is can't harm you . Estrogens are stored in fat cells. Thus begins the vicious cycle.. The presence of the estrogens makes it very difficult to break down the fat ect ect.

    My advice : ditch the doxy, start taking a DIM supplement, and cut coffee for a while if you like the brew - or switch to organic chem free decaf :)

    Where are you getting this information from?
  • tape5352
    tape5352 Posts: 1 Member
    At pharmacist, doxcycline absolutely makes you gain weight. There are way to many people describing the same side effect for it not to be valid. I've been on doxcycline for 4months and have gained 15 pounds all in my stomach. My stomach is so distended, I'm stopping the doxcycline today and hope and pray I can lose this weight. My fear is that I won't because its not a normal weight gain but a drug induced side effect weight gain. Has anyone had any luck with losing the doxcycline weight gain? If yes, how? Was it simply stopping the medicine because I'm reading a lot on this and it doesn't look good. Any input would be great! Thank you!!
  • Scorpioangel
    Scorpioangel Posts: 951 Member
    I took Celexa many years back and put on about 30 pounds. I am not sure if it was associated with that or something else though. I wasn't eating any more.
  • hannahbabeyyy
    hannahbabeyyy Posts: 1 Member
    At pharmacist, doxcycline absolutely makes you gain weight. There are way to many people describing the same side effect for it not to be valid. I've been on doxcycline for 4months and have gained 15 pounds all in my stomach. My stomach is so distended, I'm stopping the doxcycline today and hope and pray I can lose this weight. My fear is that I won't because its not a normal weight gain but a drug induced side effect weight gain. Has anyone had any luck with losing the doxcycline weight gain? If yes, how? Was it simply stopping the medicine because I'm reading a lot on this and it doesn't look good. Any input would be great! Thank you!!

    Have you had any good progress yet? Because I'm in the same boat as you. I'm a young girl and I gained 20 pounds thinking it was just holiday weight but I haven't been able to loose any of it since taking doxy hyclate. I'm very upset with reading these posts and it worries me too that I won't be able to loose the weight and how long it will take if I can. I am very certain that it is my weight gain problem. I workout daily and have a very healthy diet. So please let me know!!!
  • charbaut
    charbaut Posts: 1
    I have been on and off Dorxy 150mg for the last few years. In this time, I can definitely notice a weight gain, especially in my abs. I do an hour of cardio almost everyday, plus I am in a US Marine run boot camp 5 days a week. I have not lost a single pound while maintaining a clean diet, and a rigorous workout schedule. I'm 47, so part of me wants to blame hormones, but recently I heard a story on NPR about antibiotics making us fat. Doctor Oz just did a show on this as well. I'm starting to lean on the side of the Doryx being the cause, rather than age and slowing metabolism. Very frustrated!
  • Mena212
    Mena212 Posts: 1
    Interesting! I, too have been on 100mg of Doxy for the past 5 months and am so pleased that my rosacea has calmed down tremendously yet my weight has gone up. Never made the connection until my mother mentioned antibiotics could be the trigger. I do heavy cardio at least 5 days a week and my eating habits have remained the same. My belly feels almost puffy and it is an uncomfortable (full) feeling, especially in the upper region, below the chest line. Also have noted that I have not been as 'regular' as I always have been and now am wondering if the Doxy could be that trigger, too! Will mention this to my dermatologist at my next visit.
  • day248
    day248 Posts: 1 Member
    RN here: I'll weigh in on this as I am currently taking this drug. I had lost approx 70lbs over the course of a year. I've gained a few lbs back from poor diet over the course of about 4 months. I started working out again, and food tracking about a month ago. My weight had been holding steady. Approx 2-3 weeks ago, I started taking Doxycycline 100mg daily for skin issues. I've gained 10lbs in those 3-ish weeks with NO CHANGE IN DIET AND EXCERCISE. I started doing some research. Here is one article that has just been released on the subject. Keep in mind that the reason for use of the drug is different, but there is starting to be some evidence that antibiotics can cause severe weight gain in about 25% of the population. Also, the weight gain is NOT listed (anywhere, in any source I have access to ~ none of my drug books either) as a side effect.

    Here is the article for those interested:
    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140414123818.htm
  • I_Will_End_You
    I_Will_End_You Posts: 4,397 Member
    I've taken it, and never had an issue with weight gain. It's just an antibiotic.
  • Barry4321
    Barry4321 Posts: 1
    Ive been on Doxycycline for 3 weeks for Prostatitis, and have gained about 5 pounds. I feel bloated in my stomach, hips, and butt. I workout with weights 5 days a week, run about 6 miles a week and am actually eating less since starting the drug.
  • dominicstimma7
    dominicstimma7 Posts: 1 Member
    I don't care what experts say. It happened to me I took doxy for 30 days 200 mg a day n gained 10 pounds. As soon as I stopped taking it the weight came off. It builds up intestinal bacteria thus leading to belly fat.
  • kmart919
    kmart919 Posts: 20 Member
    How does the ANTIBIOTIC doxycycline build up intestinal bacteria? o.O How does intestinal bacteria cause belly fat? O.o i sure hope you have bacteria in your intestines. Normal flora is essential to balance the "good" vs "bad" bacteria. Doxycycline doesn't cause weight gain. Stomach upset, esophageal irritation, increased sun sensitivity (so it does not matter AT ALL if you are all ready tan), diarrhea, possibly bloating? Sure. It can cause all that, but it doesn't cause true weight gain or "build up intestinal bacteria". I also took it for 3-6 months many, many years ago. Zero weight gain and clear skin from it.
  • robertf57
    robertf57 Posts: 560 Member
    absolute hogwash! doxycycline doesn't cause weight gain. if you gained weight on it its because you are eating more calories than you are burning. don't blame a drug that has been prescribe for decades millions of times. weight your food and count calories accurely.
  • Mustang_Susie
    Mustang_Susie Posts: 7,045 Member
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  • KARW45
    KARW45 Posts: 1 Member
    I took doxycycline for nearly a month while I had Lyme disease and built up fat around my middle. I was also taking estradiol. I am a runner and even did some light jogging that month. I am convinced from my own experience there is some mechanism by which this medication causes weight gain. I never had that quick a fat build up ever. I am trim and exercise, even lightly while sick. I also am careful about my diet, and do not and did not eat much sugar or dairy. It would really help for someone to get to the bottom of why there are so many anecdotal reports of this drug causing weight gain from people. There is definitely a lot on this online.

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