Any out there on meds that make you gain weight?

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Replies

  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    _Ben wrote: »

    Pharmacy students are now experts?

    If you are tracking your calories in and out you can make adjustments to what the medications might slightly alter and still be successful at losing weight. As the OP has tried to claim she did not gain weight because of medications while eating 1 apple every 2 or 3 days.

    I lost the majority of my weight while on high doses of steroids and 13 other prescriptions. It took paying close attention to my numbers and making adjustments.

    Obviously its not impossible to lose weight while on 'weight gaining' medications, on the contrary, its very possible! However, the simple point is, some medications do make you gain weight. You may not see as fast of weight loss while on these medications, as compared to when you are not
    But see, I don't think they do. It may be semantics but I think that statement causes confusion, especially on a calorie counting site. They decrease your TDEE and that's not the same thing.
    If you are on a medication that has a known side effect of affecting your weight, measure and reduce your intake accordingly because eating too much with a lowered TDEE will make you gain weight.
  • cindyhoney2
    cindyhoney2 Posts: 603 Member
    Hily93 wrote: »
    YES! Most anti-psychotic and anti-depressant will and can cause weight gain. I shot up 60# with Seroquel. Abilfy is another one known for weight gain.
    I've even had a petite little doctor tell me that in no way shape or form did a drug cause me to put on weight. To be honest, she's lucky I didn't sit on her or break her in half since I weighed prolly three times as much as her at the time. I'm careful and will not take meds that have weight gain side effects simply b/c most of my depression was over being overweight.

    Anyone who says they don't has never been thru it and needs to STFU!

    Well aren't you pleasant...

    The meds didn't make you gain the 60 lbs. Not adjusting calories to account for the slight changes the medication caused is what put the weight on.

    When I was first put on the steroids I wasn't watching calories, weight was going up about 8-10 lbs per month because I didn't adjust for lack of movement, and increased appetite. Once I did I lost steadily.

    Some of us were never told that weight gain was a side effect. I for one blamed myself for over 2 years.

    Exactly, and I'm still unsure where you got the medical degree???

    The brochures list weight gain as a side effect, it's common knowledge, more know than 10 years ago. The doctors even discuss it with patients now. And you are right, I'm a bucket of sunshine when someone is telling a flat out lie!
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Hily93 wrote: »
    YES! Most anti-psychotic and anti-depressant will and can cause weight gain. I shot up 60# with Seroquel. Abilfy is another one known for weight gain.
    I've even had a petite little doctor tell me that in no way shape or form did a drug cause me to put on weight. To be honest, she's lucky I didn't sit on her or break her in half since I weighed prolly three times as much as her at the time. I'm careful and will not take meds that have weight gain side effects simply b/c most of my depression was over being overweight.

    Anyone who says they don't has never been thru it and needs to STFU!

    Well aren't you pleasant...

    The meds didn't make you gain the 60 lbs. Not adjusting calories to account for the slight changes the medication caused is what put the weight on.

    When I was first put on the steroids I wasn't watching calories, weight was going up about 8-10 lbs per month because I didn't adjust for lack of movement, and increased appetite. Once I did I lost steadily.

    Some of us were never told that weight gain was a side effect. I for one blamed myself for over 2 years.

    Exactly, and I'm still unsure where you got the medical degree???

    The brochures list weight gain as a side effect, it's common knowledge, more know than 10 years ago. The doctors even discuss it with patients now. And you are right, I'm a bucket of sunshine when someone is telling a flat out lie!

    It's not a flat out lie. Does it make it more difficult yes it can, can you take steps to work towards finding the correct intake to either maintain/lose weight while on medications .. yes you can but you have to decide you want to take an active part in your health and not just place blame on doctors.

    I don't need a medical degree, I know from experience that it is possible once you stop blaming everything else and start taking an active role in your health.
  • cindyhoney2
    cindyhoney2 Posts: 603 Member
    MrM27 wrote: »
    YES! Most anti-psychotic and anti-depressant will and can cause weight gain. I shot up 60# with Seroquel. Abilfy is another one known for weight gain.
    I've even had a petite little doctor tell me that in no way shape or form did a drug cause me to put on weight. To be honest, she's lucky I didn't sit on her or break her in half since I weighed prolly three times as much as her at the time. I'm careful and will not take meds that have weight gain side effects simply b/c most of my depression was over being overweight.

    Anyone who says they don't has never been thru it and needs to STFU!

    Sorry but you don't set the rules.
    _Ben wrote: »
    MrM27 wrote: »
    _Ben wrote: »
    Pharmacist here. OP Im not seeing in this thread specifically what you are taking (possibly missed it) but if you want to send me a PM, there may be an alternative medication that might work a bit better for you.

    Also for those who say medications can or cant cause weight loss, you're simply wrong. Medications can alter your metabolism, water retention, salt/electrolyte retention, etc. If anyone would like, Id be more than happy to explain in further detail

    So if they alter your metabolism and lower your TDEE would the fat gain be from the meds directly or is it from a reduction in TDEE and eating above that?

    Also, yes, please explain in further detail with supporting evidence.

    Lots of misinformation in this thread, Im a bit busy at the moment, but I'll do a brief explanation. Dont really have a bunch of time to sit on this thread, so Ill do my best to make a brief, but thorough answer

    Weight gain and weight loss is controlled by a host of mechanisms, but primarily it is based off calories in vs calories out, which is the basis of MyFitnessPal. Calories out is primaily controlled by your metabolism, which is controlled by the energy that is expended by the body, and hormonal regulation. Drugs that alter either your energy, your hormones, or metabolism (such as thyroid medications) can have positive or negative effects. This is especially true with oral contraceptives, antidepressants (both atypical and typical), antipsychotics, thyroid medications, diabetic medications, parkinsons medications, nasal decongestants, and some blood pressure and heart medications.

    Other medications can alter other factors that while not directly affecting calorie use, can change storage habits. Some medications will cause increased or decreased glucose storage. Some move electrolytes and fluids into different locations, causing an increase/decrease in fluid weight. Heck if you take HCTZ you lose a bunch of fluid weight due to its diuretic effects. Just the same, theres plenty of drugs that cause fluid retention. Some medications also will increase appetite, which often times cause people to gain weight. While that weight gain is due to them eating more food, some drugs have reported increased appetite, leading to increased weight gain, therefore are considered to be related to weight gain.

    In terms of supporting evidence, it really depends on the actual drug you are talking about, but pretty much the best source for anything is the National Library of Medicine. Here are some quick links I found, related to a few different drugs

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0003573/ - Good overview summary article

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11681765 - Abstract related to weight gain in different antipsychotics

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16234878 - Abstract related to weight gain in general. Not on my work computer ATM so I couldnt access the full article.
    _Ben wrote: »
    Also for those who say medications can or cant cause weight loss, you're simply wrong. Medications can alter your metabolism,

    which can make you gain weight, einstein :wink:

    And seriously dude, you need to tread very carefully PMing with med suggestions. That's between the OP and her doctor/

    Im not certain what you meant by the first portion of your comment, but I think its just that I meant to type weight gain instead of weight loss, simple typo.

    In terms of medication recommendations, it is something that I have a degree and a license in. Its also a recommendation. A) These are prescription medications, and without a prescription from her doctor, there is no way for her to get these medications. B ) Its a recommendation. Of course without seeing her lab values, PMH, SH, FH, etc, there is no way to know for certain. Thats why I was offering to recommend an alternative, that may have decreased weight gain effects, but either a similar or comparable MOA. Thats what my job is as a Pharamcist. I can make a recommendation, and through her talking to her doctor, she possibly could make a switch. There is a reason that we are called 'drug experts'; because we are drug experts. I am simply offering an extension of some advice if she would like some, but I would never recommend doing anything without her doctor being aware. I never recommend my patients change their therapy without also consulting their doctor, often times I will call their doctor so all 3 of us can have a conversation to optimize therapy, outcomes, and adhrence

    I will be looking at those links in a few.

    SORRY, AT WHAT POINT DID I SAY I SET THE RULES???
    If I set the rules there would be no need for any of the meds to begin with to cause or not cause the side effects that cause the need for more meds. Or weight gain or loss (there are plenty that cause loss as well) I've done my research and I've been going thru it for 25 yrs, so you'll just have to excuse the hell out of me for speaking from experience. Although I'm not a licensed Pharmacist I can actually spell.

    I'm bowing out b/c you don't know me and I don't know you.
  • cindyhoney2
    cindyhoney2 Posts: 603 Member
    edited January 2015
    Hily93 wrote: »
    YES! Most anti-psychotic and anti-depressant will and can cause weight gain. I shot up 60# with Seroquel. Abilfy is another one known for weight gain.
    I've even had a petite little doctor tell me that in no way shape or form did a drug cause me to put on weight. To be honest, she's lucky I didn't sit on her or break her in half since I weighed prolly three times as much as her at the time. I'm careful and will not take meds that have weight gain side effects simply b/c most of my depression was over being overweight.

    Anyone who says they don't has never been thru it and needs to STFU!

    Omg I can so relate!! Seroquel is what got me here, and my doc didn't even tell me that I could gain weight. I really hate her, she did so many things wrong with me that cost me a lot. And the last time I spoke to her she was yelling at me and telling me I was the reason for all that went wrong. Which was some major breakdowns and a bunch of other things.

    If my p-doc would have acknowledged part of my problem was my weight I would have felt better a whole lot faster, but I found that out on my own. No one wants to exercise when they are crying and don't even want to get out of bed.
    Mine didn't help me much either, I'm seeing a new one now that understand my concerns. I hope you have better luck in the future as well :)

    I have made great strides to being healthier, not just less depressed, the meds are half of the problem. IMO
  • Just joined today and was gonna ask same thing, I'm on 30mg antidepressants and no matter how much I diet I put Weight on, had a suspicion it was my meds causing it.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    FredDoyle wrote: »
    _Ben wrote: »

    Pharmacy students are now experts?

    If you are tracking your calories in and out you can make adjustments to what the medications might slightly alter and still be successful at losing weight. As the OP has tried to claim she did not gain weight because of medications while eating 1 apple every 2 or 3 days.

    I lost the majority of my weight while on high doses of steroids and 13 other prescriptions. It took paying close attention to my numbers and making adjustments.

    Obviously its not impossible to lose weight while on 'weight gaining' medications, on the contrary, its very possible! However, the simple point is, some medications do make you gain weight. You may not see as fast of weight loss while on these medications, as compared to when you are not
    But see, I don't think they do. It may be semantics but I think that statement causes confusion, especially on a calorie counting site. They decrease your TDEE and that's not the same thing.
    If you are on a medication that has a known side effect of affecting your weight, measure and reduce your intake accordingly because eating too much with a lowered TDEE will make you gain weight.

    Unless you are a scientist actively researching the effect antidepressants have on weight, you are in no position to say "they just decrease your TDEE."
  • FredDoyle
    FredDoyle Posts: 2,273 Member
    edited January 2015
    As we age, it's observed that our metabolism slows somewhat in the average person.
    Would you say that getting older makes you gain weight, or would you say that less energy is required to maintain our weight as we age? Saying weight gain is a side effect sounds like an excuse for weight gain. What it should be is a call to diligence in case we need to reduce our intake in order to maintain (or keep losing) weight.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,943 Member
    Hily93 wrote: »
    RodaRose wrote: »
    Meds can cause weight gain in ways that researchers have only recently begun to study.

    Sure they do. Due to affecting appetite, and causing people to retain water (giving an artificial gain on the scale that isn't fat gain).

    Are pills filled with calories that put someone in a surplus?

    You can gain weight while on certain meds. There has been research proving that people on certain drugs gain a significant amount of weight during the first year or 6 months of using the drug. These researches are made on thousands of people out there, you can't draw the conclusion that all of them are on a bad diet.
    In my case, I was on a bad diet, but at the same time I didn't eat nearly as much as I should because I had no appetite and I walk ALOT and back then I used to live on the 6th floor with no elevator, and I lived in a 2 storied apartment. I was running up and down those stairs all day.

    The weight gain while on meds is not about diet type, but about being hungrier than usual and eating more calories overall and/or tired from meds and moving less. They cause water retention too. However, in order to make actual fat, you have to feed it food.
  • fevrale
    fevrale Posts: 170 Member
    Hily93 wrote: »
    YES! Most anti-psychotic and anti-depressant will and can cause weight gain. I shot up 60# with Seroquel. Abilfy is another one known for weight gain.
    I've even had a petite little doctor tell me that in no way shape or form did a drug cause me to put on weight. To be honest, she's lucky I didn't sit on her or break her in half since I weighed prolly three times as much as her at the time. I'm careful and will not take meds that have weight gain side effects simply b/c most of my depression was over being overweight.

    Anyone who says they don't has never been thru it and needs to STFU!

    Well aren't you pleasant...

    The meds didn't make you gain the 60 lbs. Not adjusting calories to account for the slight changes the medication caused is what put the weight on.

    When I was first put on the steroids I wasn't watching calories, weight was going up about 8-10 lbs per month because I didn't adjust for lack of movement, and increased appetite. Once I did I lost steadily.

    Some of us were never told that weight gain was a side effect. I for one blamed myself for over 2 years.

    Exactly, and I'm still unsure where you got the medical degree???

    The brochures list weight gain as a side effect, it's common knowledge, more know than 10 years ago. The doctors even discuss it with patients now. And you are right, I'm a bucket of sunshine when someone is telling a flat out lie!

    It's not a flat out lie. Does it make it more difficult yes it can, can you take steps to work towards finding the correct intake to either maintain/lose weight while on medications .. yes you can but you have to decide you want to take an active part in your health and not just place blame on doctors.

    I don't need a medical degree, I know from experience that it is possible once you stop blaming everything else and start taking an active role in your health.

    I'm thinking the reason people who are affected by certain medications that are associated with weight gain wanted to post in this thread initially was to find people in similar situations for support and figuring out solutions to their problems. Not to have strangers tell them that they're putting on the blame on someone else (I know, I know, "it's a public forum/free country and I can do what I want"). If I missed the post in which someone said "WAHH! It's all the doctors fault!" please, point it out to me. If not, the fact that someone is posting on this site is that they are looking to take an active part in their health.

    Now, I'd love a thread for those on these sorts of medications where we can talk about stuff that matters like how to restrict intake and deal with the insatiable hunger, etc. and the stuff that's actually productive. Let's do that sometime.
  • Well I've had blood tests,changed my diet,exercised more, cut out carbs,eat gluten free products.but still notice no weight loss since on my meds.always been active since leaving forces. I've no medical degree or a diet guru.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    edited January 2015
    fevrale wrote: »
    Hily93 wrote: »
    YES! Most anti-psychotic and anti-depressant will and can cause weight gain. I shot up 60# with Seroquel. Abilfy is another one known for weight gain.
    I've even had a petite little doctor tell me that in no way shape or form did a drug cause me to put on weight. To be honest, she's lucky I didn't sit on her or break her in half since I weighed prolly three times as much as her at the time. I'm careful and will not take meds that have weight gain side effects simply b/c most of my depression was over being overweight.

    Anyone who says they don't has never been thru it and needs to STFU!

    Well aren't you pleasant...

    The meds didn't make you gain the 60 lbs. Not adjusting calories to account for the slight changes the medication caused is what put the weight on.

    When I was first put on the steroids I wasn't watching calories, weight was going up about 8-10 lbs per month because I didn't adjust for lack of movement, and increased appetite. Once I did I lost steadily.

    Some of us were never told that weight gain was a side effect. I for one blamed myself for over 2 years.

    Exactly, and I'm still unsure where you got the medical degree???

    The brochures list weight gain as a side effect, it's common knowledge, more know than 10 years ago. The doctors even discuss it with patients now. And you are right, I'm a bucket of sunshine when someone is telling a flat out lie!

    It's not a flat out lie. Does it make it more difficult yes it can, can you take steps to work towards finding the correct intake to either maintain/lose weight while on medications .. yes you can but you have to decide you want to take an active part in your health and not just place blame on doctors.

    I don't need a medical degree, I know from experience that it is possible once you stop blaming everything else and start taking an active role in your health.

    I'm thinking the reason people who are affected by certain medications that are associated with weight gain wanted to post in this thread initially was to find people in similar situations for support and figuring out solutions to their problems. Not to have strangers tell them that they're putting on the blame on someone else (I know, I know, "it's a public forum/free country and I can do what I want"). If I missed the post in which someone said "WAHH! It's all the doctors fault!" please, point it out to me. If not, the fact that someone is posting on this site is that they are looking to take an active part in their health.

    Now, I'd love a thread for those on these sorts of medications where we can talk about stuff that matters like how to restrict intake and deal with the insatiable hunger, etc. and the stuff that's actually productive. Let's do that sometime.

    Read through the thread. There are a few it's my doctor's fault, my doctor didn't tell me.

    I did go through this, so if you don't want to hear from someone who was there I was 285 lbs when I started on 14 different prescriptions, I couldn't stand for more than 5 minutes at a time, so don't tell me I wasn't in a similar situation. I'm saying I blamed my medications for a while until I learned that I could control it.

    Just because you don't like the response doesn't mean it's not helpful or supportive, some of us have been there and done it already.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    bretttania wrote: »
    Well I've had blood tests,changed my diet,exercised more, cut out carbs,eat gluten free products.but still notice no weight loss since on my meds.always been active since leaving forces. I've no medical degree or a diet guru.

    Start logging your food accurately and honestly see what you are consuming. Adjust from that point. But without knowledge of your consumption it's not going to make a difference. You don't have to cut out carbs, go gluten free, or any of that.
  • Thank you, but I've always eaten healthy and trained, it's only been in the last year I've noticed a weird weight gain.
  • mustgetmuscles1
    mustgetmuscles1 Posts: 3,346 Member
    MrM27 wrote: »
    _Ben wrote: »
    Pharmacist here. OP Im not seeing in this thread specifically what you are taking (possibly missed it) but if you want to send me a PM, there may be an alternative medication that might work a bit better for you.

    Also for those who say medications can or cant cause weight loss, you're simply wrong. Medications can alter your metabolism, water retention, salt/electrolyte retention, etc. If anyone would like, Id be more than happy to explain in further detail

    So if they alter your metabolism and lower your TDEE would the fat gain be from the meds directly or is it from a reduction in TDEE and eating above that?

    Also, yes, please explain in further detail with supporting evidence.

    If I hit you over the head with a hammer, just hypothetically of course, since I'm not a violent person, would the pain be from being hit in the head with a hammer, or from the inflammation caused by the burst blood vessels and fibers under the skin?

    Sometimes people talk in shorthand. It's easier to say, "This medication caused weight gain," than "This medication caused my metabolism to slow which resulted in unknowingly overeating which resulted in weight gain."

    If you want to fix the problem then that is a very important distinction.

    If I take a drug and then gain weight I could say that the drug caused weight gain. I have to take that drug so there is nothing I can do about the weight gain. That is wrong.

    If someone tells me the drug can not cause weight gain but it does alter my appetite or cause me to be less active. If I eat more calories than I burn as a result THAT is what causes the weight gain. Then I know how to fix the problem. Adjust calories intake or increase calorie output. It simple even if its not easy.

    The drug did not cause the weight gain, too many calories cause the weight gain.