Medicine causing weight gain?

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  • JordisTSM
    JordisTSM Posts: 359 Member
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    I guess I don't understand how they could make someone gain weight. Weight gain requires excess calories in over calories out. That's the cold hard fact of weight gain.

    I get that meds can cause water retention etc, but unless the pills somehow metabolise into a large amount of calories, how could they cause a fat gain?

    Is it possible that they somehow slow down metabolism for some people and not others? Thereby reducing the calories out part of the equation. If so, is this a permanent slow down? Or does it then come right once the body is used to the meds?

    As I said before, I'm on seroquel as well as others and haven't noticed an issue - but I was (still am) a lard-*kitten* anyway :smile: but if others have experienced weight gain then I'm curious as to the science behind it.

    Can anyone enlighten me?
  • clhenderson2
    clhenderson2 Posts: 107 Member
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    Nony_Mouse wrote: »
    Having been on several different meds over the years for depression and anxiety - some will, some won't, and it's different for different people. Now, before one of the 'meds don't make you gain weight' people jumps on me... some medications will affect some people's metabolisms, and that can go either way. If it slows yours it will have the unfortunate effect of causing weight gain, because you are now overeating. If that happens then the only way to avoid gaining weight is to move more and/or eat less to counter that effect. And yes, some meds will just flat out increase your appetite.

    But please don't forgo medication just because of the potential weight gain. Be aware of the possibility, have a plan for it (either eat less/move more or just accept it and deal with it later when you come off meds again).

    And best of luck with the anxiety. It is a *kitten*, but you can get better :).

    I like this response ☺️
  • Childfree1991
    Childfree1991 Posts: 145 Member
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    WeddedBliss1992 wrote: »
    i guess i just don't understand how someone who has never taken medications for mood disorders can comment about how the meds do NOT cause weight gain. THEY DO FOR SOME PEOPLE. i packed-on 20 lbs when i started seroquel, with eating 1200 cals per day. i was hitting the gym just like always. i wasn't eating 1200 cals of carbs. i was sticking to my regular routine as where i had been losing before, the ONLY change was the meds. THEY DO MAKE SOME PEOPLE GAIN. i have now gained well over 20+ pounds. it is very hard to "have" to be on meds which cause weight gain and the weight gain causes depression and the meds are actually FOR depression. it's a vicious circle. i am just trying to educate people to not throw stones. it's easy to say "oh just don't eat as much" it doesn't always work that way. my appetite didn't increase. my calorie intake didn't increase. the meds made me gain. my thigh measurement went from 19" to 23" that is a real and actual change in my body from meds, not from appetite increase.

    You mean Quetiapine (treats bipolar)? I was on it when I was younger and also gained weight as well as complaining. Then again, I was a teenager back then and never took responsibility for my actions. Now I'm on 3 medications for something different and am maintaining a healthy weight. Fight the urge.
  • shonako
    shonako Posts: 98 Member
    edited April 2015
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    SergeantSausa! ge wrote: »
    Medicine doesn't cause weight gain. Overeating does.

    Don't overeat ==> no weight gain, right?
    MrM27 wrote: »
    WeddedBliss1992 wrote: »
    i guess i just don't understand how someone who has never taken medications for mood disorders can comment about how the meds do NOT cause weight gain. THEY DO FOR SOME PEOPLE. i packed-on 20 lbs when i started seroquel, with eating 1200 cals per day. i was hitting the gym just like always. i wasn't eating 1200 cals of carbs. i was sticking to my regular routine as where i had been losing before, the ONLY change was the meds. THEY DO MAKE SOME PEOPLE GAIN. i have now gained well over 20+ pounds. it is very hard to "have" to be on meds which cause weight gain and the weight gain causes depression and the meds are actually FOR depression. it's a vicious circle. i am just trying to educate people to not throw stones. it's easy to say "oh just don't eat as much" it doesn't always work that way. my appetite didn't increase. my calorie intake didn't increase. the meds made me gain. my thigh measurement went from 19" to 23" that is a real and actual change in my body from meds, not from appetite increase.

    I would like to know what was the changes within your body due to the medication that allowed it to begin accumulating fat despite being in a caloric deficit. Where did you body get the necessary energy to carry out its daily functions since you were in a deficit? How did it store fat if the energy you were putting in was needed to function? How did it do that?

    I have read studies that says certain medcines slows down your metabolism greatly. So for some people they still gain weight even in a calorie deflict.
  • tippytoes125
    tippytoes125 Posts: 2
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    I gained a lot of weight on amitriptylene that I started taking to prevent chronic migraines. Quit smoking the same month. Bad combo. The ami numbed my chronic pain, but also made it extremely hard for me to experience satiety. It resulted in a lot of overeating.

    I also gain on anything birth control related. My hormones are a disaster though. Depo made me suicidal in addition to fatter. Can't wait for menopause.

    I don't give a ____ if it's caused by increased appetite, medicine-induced depression, whatever. Bottom line is I have problems with food on certain meds that I didn't have without them, as do, I suspect, many others. Hence, to me, medicine can cause weight gain and the rest is just semantics.
  • MelissaAnn1983
    MelissaAnn1983 Posts: 149 Member
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    I have been on anxiety medicine for 6 months now. First it was Lexapro and I actually found myself loosing a little weight. But I was also watching what I ate. It did help curb my appetite. Now I am on Effexor and I do not see a difference at all. My problems with food are that. My problems. I think you will be ok. Just tell the doctor your fears. They will work with you. They worked with me.
  • DearestWinter
    DearestWinter Posts: 595 Member
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    Childfree1991 wrote: »
    WeddedBliss1992 wrote: »
    i guess i just don't understand how someone who has never taken medications for mood disorders can comment about how the meds do NOT cause weight gain. THEY DO FOR SOME PEOPLE. i packed-on 20 lbs when i started seroquel, with eating 1200 cals per day. i was hitting the gym just like always. i wasn't eating 1200 cals of carbs. i was sticking to my regular routine as where i had been losing before, the ONLY change was the meds. THEY DO MAKE SOME PEOPLE GAIN. i have now gained well over 20+ pounds. it is very hard to "have" to be on meds which cause weight gain and the weight gain causes depression and the meds are actually FOR depression. it's a vicious circle. i am just trying to educate people to not throw stones. it's easy to say "oh just don't eat as much" it doesn't always work that way. my appetite didn't increase. my calorie intake didn't increase. the meds made me gain. my thigh measurement went from 19" to 23" that is a real and actual change in my body from meds, not from appetite increase.

    You mean Quetiapine (treats bipolar)? I was on it when I was younger and also gained weight as well as complaining. Then again, I was a teenager back then and never took responsibility for my actions. Now I'm on 3 medications for something different and am maintaining a healthy weight. Fight the urge.

    Right. Many of us saying meds don't make you gain have actually been on these meds. I gained 20 lbs but it was purely because I was overeating. I accept full responsibility for that. The meds did affect my activity level (I was less energetic and fidgety) and my appetite and that certainly didn't make things easy but the bottom line is that the weight appeared because I was eating far too much.

    Now that I'm logging my food accurately I realize how many calories I was actually consuming before. I feel it requires mindfulness and accuracy to avoid gaining on many of these meds but you can do it.

    In the end it's your mental health that's important. If you need the meds then definitely take them.
  • marmaladepixie
    marmaladepixie Posts: 83 Member
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    some medications can make you gain rapidly. Several years ago I was put on lyrica for 3 weeks and i gained 15 lbs. I never felt like eating while I was taking it either. Some just swell you up with water weight.
  • FoxyMars25
    FoxyMars25 Posts: 112 Member
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    I gained 50 lbs on Zoloft when I was taking it in college. Lost all of that weight after I stopped taking it. Went on Cymbalta in 2010 and gained 40 lbs. Lost all of that weight after I stopped taking it (plus a lot more!), then went on Welbutrin last summer and gained 10 lbs, so I stopped taking that. I haven't been able to get this darn 10 lbs off yet though.
  • FoxyMars25
    FoxyMars25 Posts: 112 Member
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    I also want to add, I took Xanax for a year (just as needed-a 30 day supply lasted me a year) and that was the best medication for my anxiety and I did not gain any weight. I would actually love to go back on it as the older I get, the worse my anxiety gets.
  • earlnabby
    earlnabby Posts: 8,171 Member
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    SergeantSausage wrote: »
    Medicine doesn't cause weight gain. Overeating does.

    Don't overeat ==> no weight gain, right?

    One one hand, it is that simple if you do the math. On the other hand, it is very complex. Medications can mess with your metabolism making the CO part of the equation much more difficult to figure out. Psychotropic medications can also affect how you think which can increase cravings, lower impulse control, increase hunger, etc. You just have to weigh the benefits with possible side effects.

    One thing to the OP, if you go in expecting the medications to cause you to gain weight, you will. If you go in determined to not have it happen and get some alternative solutions in place in case your hunger increases you will not have a problem.

  • shonako
    shonako Posts: 98 Member
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    I've decided to do natural remedies. I hate/Fear the idea of taking medicine due to past experience with drugs. My doctor have prescribed me on Zoloft and they have just been sitting there. I have be receiving therapy, going out more, excercizing more, and eating healthier and My anxiety/Depersonalize have gotten much better. I refuse to have the side effect of weight gain on these medicine. I am very self conscious about my weight. I understand that my mental health is more important which is why I am correcting some habits that have lead to my anxiety.

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