Medication weight gain

strifechick
strifechick Posts: 129 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I have a few various health issues my main one being chronic migraines. The medications I've been on for it for the past few years (everything from anti-seizure drugs to anti-depressants) have caused me to gain substantial amounts of weight.

Before I got sick I was about 110lbs and at my heaviest I was over 200lbs. Since getting off the majority of the drugs (they were just no help to me) I have managed to go down to about 160lbs. I'm 5'2" btw.

I've been on a lower calorie diet, eating healthy, and going to the gym as often as I can in the last several weeks but I can't seem to lose any more weight. I was told by my doctor that weight gained from medication is often some of the hardest to lose. And I just wanted to know if there are any specific tips for this or am I just stuck at this slow pace (or doomed to never get back to my original weight).

Replies

  • pooey718
    pooey718 Posts: 13 Member
    I have been on antidepressants and beta blockers for the last 4 years and gained an additional 21lbs. I've been working out since October and although I have not lost any weight (5'4 174lbs) I have really toned up and the workouts really help me mentally. I've ditched the scales and focus on my shape and mental health. Hope this helps, keep it up :smile:
  • crackpotbaby
    crackpotbaby Posts: 1,297 Member
    Antipsychotics triggered a 14 kg weight gain for me (craved carb heavy foods which I don't normally eat, moved less, slept more) in addition, lithium suppressed my thyroid function,

    I made a decision that the risk:benefit ratio with the antipsychotics wasn't working for me and eventually was able to get off them.

    The lithium I have to continue with so as not to go mad, however, I am now on thyroxine to combat the hypo thyroidism.

    People may tell you here that medication induced weight gain is just you eating more, but many drugs including antiepileptics and some antidepressants are renowned for weight gain.

    Talk to your doctor if you feel the drugs are making you gain; they may have management strategies to help you.

    Here is a pic showing my rapid weight gain on psych mess over a few months. I had never ever in my life been overweight before:

    9xquq1p1i8at.jpg

    I'm back to normal weight now by getting off the problematic mess (not always an option), starting thyroxine, recognising my CO to be less than typical, eating in relation to that and exercising more.
  • strifechick
    strifechick Posts: 129 Member
    I have gotten off most of the drugs that made me gain because they honestly where not helping me any (sadly nothing really does).

    And I know it wasn't from just eating more/worse because if anything I ate less while on the drugs because many made me sick. But still I gained large amounts of weight.

  • asilmegan34
    asilmegan34 Posts: 256 Member
    I gained 15 pounds in 6 weeks with an antidepressant Prozac. I have been at a deficit, tracking macros, doing HIIT and strength training without a pound lost. Unfortunately, I have PMDD and I find Prozac really helps me. For the sake of my loved ones and myself, I have found that the cons (weight gain and unable to lose) are worth it to be in a happy, healthy place. Even though I am not losing weight, I am losing inches and am toning up. So the scale isn't my master or the end all be all!
  • YvetteK2015
    YvetteK2015 Posts: 654 Member
    I too went on an anti-depressant for my chronic migraines. It helped immensely, especially for my insomnia, but I went from 125 to 215! That drug made me so hungry, it was unbelievable. I'm off of it now, but now I have to relearn proper eating habits. I'm slowly losing the weight, thank gods. But yes, it is slow, and very hard.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    strifechick wrote: »
    I have gotten off most of the drugs that made me gain because they honestly where not helping me any (sadly nothing really does).

    And I know it wasn't from just eating more/worse because if anything I ate less while on the drugs because many made me sick. But still I gained large amounts of weight.

    Hate to break it to you but yes, it was because you were eating more than you were burning. Medications can cause appetite changes which can lead you to eat more without even realizing it.
  • crackpotbaby
    crackpotbaby Posts: 1,297 Member
    edited March 2017
    elphie754 wrote: »
    strifechick wrote: »
    I have gotten off most of the drugs that made me gain because they honestly where not helping me any (sadly nothing really does).

    And I know it wasn't from just eating more/worse because if anything I ate less while on the drugs because many made me sick. But still I gained large amounts of weight.

    Hate to break it to you but yes, it was because you were eating more than you were burning. Medications can cause appetite changes which can lead you to eat more without even realizing it.


    Yes to eating more than you were burning ...

    This doesn't always mean increased appetite and people eating more than they were before the medication though; some drugs affect the CO part of the equation in that they reduce energy expenditure through lethargy or interfere with metabolism.

    While eating less may correct this new imbalance, medication related weight gain in not always a case of someone eating more food.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    lizery wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    strifechick wrote: »
    I have gotten off most of the drugs that made me gain because they honestly where not helping me any (sadly nothing really does).

    And I know it wasn't from just eating more/worse because if anything I ate less while on the drugs because many made me sick. But still I gained large amounts of weight.

    Hate to break it to you but yes, it was because you were eating more than you were burning. Medications can cause appetite changes which can lead you to eat more without even realizing it.


    Yes to eating more than you were burning ...

    This doesn't always mean increased appetite and people eating more than they were before the medication though; some drugs affect the CO part of the equation in that they reduce energy expenditure through lethargy or interfere with metabolism.

    While eating less may correct this new imbalance, medication related weight gain in not always a case of someone eating more food.

    The amount of medication that actually affects your metabolism is really small. A lot of people like to think that their medication causes a decrease in metabolism, but studies have shown that not to be true. The weight gain is from either them moving less or eating more.
  • crackpotbaby
    crackpotbaby Posts: 1,297 Member
    elphie754 wrote: »
    lizery wrote: »
    elphie754 wrote: »
    strifechick wrote: »
    I have gotten off most of the drugs that made me gain because they honestly where not helping me any (sadly nothing really does).

    And I know it wasn't from just eating more/worse because if anything I ate less while on the drugs because many made me sick. But still I gained large amounts of weight.

    Hate to break it to you but yes, it was because you were eating more than you were burning. Medications can cause appetite changes which can lead you to eat more without even realizing it.


    Yes to eating more than you were burning ...

    This doesn't always mean increased appetite and people eating more than they were before the medication though; some drugs affect the CO part of the equation in that they reduce energy expenditure through lethargy or interfere with metabolism.

    While eating less may correct this new imbalance, medication related weight gain in not always a case of someone eating more food.

    The amount of medication that actually affects your metabolism is really small. A lot of people like to think that their medication causes a decrease in metabolism, but studies have shown that not to be true. The weight gain is from either them moving less or eating more.

    Didn't I write 'reduce energy expenditure through lethargy' as part of my post?

    Also, some drugs - an example would be atypical antipsychotics - are known to interfere with metabolism and have a strong association with development of metabolic syndrome and even type 2 diabetes. Other drugs - such as lithium - suppress thyroid function (lithium is even used to treat some forms of hyperthyroidism!) which basically impacts all metabolic processes in the body.

    There is quite a bit of research on this, though if you are interested in this area I suggest you access pharmacology or psychiatric research journals directly as many publications are not available to free search on the net. Most universities will allow access to databases though.

  • xmichaelyx
    xmichaelyx Posts: 883 Member
    It's still CICO whether the medicine slows the metabolism or not. MOSTLY medicine-related weight gain relates to hunger or water retention (and water usually only fluctuates 5-10 pounds).

    Whatever the case, there no drug that makes you fat in the absence of calories.
  • allisonl6
    allisonl6 Posts: 37 Member
    @lizery I remember when they first put me on anti-psychotics and I craved sugar to the point of drinking table syrup. It became an obsession and I gained 60lb in 3 months. It was awful.
  • crackpotbaby
    crackpotbaby Posts: 1,297 Member
    xmichaelyx wrote: »
    It's still CICO whether the medicine slows the metabolism or not. MOSTLY medicine-related weight gain relates to hunger or water retention (and water usually only fluctuates 5-10 pounds).

    Whatever the case, there no drug that makes you fat in the absence of calories.

    I'm not sure anyone wrote that CICO doesn't apply,

    Your last sentence doesn't reflect the fact that if CO is reduced, the CI needed to maintain weight will be less.

    Most medicine weight gain is water or increased appetite ... sure, but with some classes of drugs there are far more complex process going on within the body.

    It's easy to just say 'your eating more' but that's not really all. What would be more accurate is to say 'your eating too much compared to what you're expenditure is'.

    I'd really love to discuss this further but it's 12:30 am here.

    Night.
  • laceyslabaugh
    laceyslabaugh Posts: 113 Member
    @strifechick , I am also 5'2" and started at 161. I lost 5 lbs really quickly and have stalled ever since. I am on Escitalopram and have found it's getting harder and harder to lose weight. I gave up last week for just a week and ate what I wanted and how much - but found that last night, I was miserable. My stomach has hurt everyday, I'm sleeping awful and I feel yucky! lol! I am back at it and starting to walk tonight. Hoping this helps! Feel free to add me :)
  • markrgeary1
    markrgeary1 Posts: 853 Member
    My wife is on risperdal and told she'd gain weight on it. She did, 40 pounds.

    Then we started using MFP, her doc said she'd have to take a different med to lose weight. You should have seen the DR'S face when she next saw my wife, 50 pounds lighter.

    Docs don't get much education on diet.
  • strifechick
    strifechick Posts: 129 Member
    Ok I'm not dumb I know how much I eat. I wasn't eating more when I was on the medications. I was less active for sure which could have caused some of the gain because many of them made me very sick.
  • YvetteK2015
    YvetteK2015 Posts: 654 Member
    Mine was pure hunger from the medication. I started MFP while I was on the medication, but didn't lose any weight because my hunger was so insatiable on the meds, I was still over eating. I had to wait till I got off my medication before I could start any real weight loss program.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    strifechick wrote: »
    Ok I'm not dumb I know how much I eat. I wasn't eating more when I was on the medications. I was less active for sure which could have caused some of the gain because many of them made me very sick.

    No one is saying you are dumb. It is very easy to slowly increase portions without realizing it.
  • strifechick
    strifechick Posts: 129 Member
    elphie754 wrote: »
    strifechick wrote: »
    Ok I'm not dumb I know how much I eat. I wasn't eating more when I was on the medications. I was less active for sure which could have caused some of the gain because many of them made me very sick.

    No one is saying you are dumb. It is very easy to slowly increase portions without realizing it.



    Except when I started gaining weight I was conscious of what I was doing and eating. You don't have to automatically assume I wasn't. It annoys me when people just jump to the conclusion that's other just have no clue what's going on when it comes to their body/health issues

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