Medication woes and weightloss - MFP newbie

dysfunctionalborderline
dysfunctionalborderline Posts: 2 Member
edited November 21 in Health and Weight Loss
Ok wondering. How do other people on medications that cause weight gain, actually take off the weight while staying on that medication? Mine causes zombie like hunger.

Info: 5'2" was 189lbs last year - plateaued at 154 after consistant diet change, exercise, and a stint off the Rx. Back on it now. Target weight 125. Exercise (treadmill, hike, indoor bike) atleast 1 hr 7days/week.

Went to medical weightloss, put on phentermine and a max 1000 cal diet. Ive done it but ugg torture. 1st week -4lbs (probably water weight) 2nd week -.5 lbs (although my scale says no loss), almost through week 3 and my stupid scale still says no change (weighed in am). Am I destined to just maintain weight? Or is there something Im missing?





Replies

  • GrumpyHeadmistress
    GrumpyHeadmistress Posts: 666 Member
    I'm on flunarazine which is notorious for weight gain. I've lost 106lbs. Very few medications cause weight gain - most cause increased hunger. If you have enough will power you can resist the hunger.
  • dysfunctionalborderline
    dysfunctionalborderline Posts: 2 Member
    I'm on a bunch really but seroquel is the problem one I think. Propanolol, gabapentin, seroquel, lithium, hydroxyzine, and melatonin. A big problem I have is a low heart rate. I just can't seem to get it in target range - even when I feel like im dying. Normal resting bpm is 52, BP is 99/56. Plus my hunger is extreme. Even on phentermine :(
  • yourfitnessenemy
    yourfitnessenemy Posts: 121 Member
    I gained a TON of weight on Seroquel. I switched to Abilify which hasn't been quite as bad, but I'm still in the same boat. My hunger isn't extreme but the pounds aren't really coming off.

    My BP is also very low.
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
    I have not had this issue, but I would guess that if I did, I'd just try and be patient with a smaller deficit than otherwise. The biggest place people fail at losing weight is compliance, so I think setting achievable goals is key. If you have a fairly small deficit, you have to be very careful with your logging, and you have to be patient, because water weight can easily mask losses. A super low cal diet sounds unpleasant, not to mention that it won't help you learn how to maintain. I'm 5'2" and about 180 after losing just under 30 lbs so far. I'd like to get into the 125-135 range, but those last pounds always take a lot of work. Honestly, if I were in your shoes with the medication-enhanced appetite I think I'd start eating at maintenance for 125 and focus on fitness goals instead of weight loss. That's just me, though. I'm all for slow and steady.
  • andreayup
    andreayup Posts: 9 Member
    I gained about 60 pounds after starting Paxil. I have since lost almost 30. Like someone above said, most medications cause increased appetite, not the direct weight gain. It's hard, but doable.
  • shimmer_glo
    shimmer_glo Posts: 103 Member
    I am also on meds that cause weight gain and I managed to lose 48 lbs last year. A small amount of it was on keto and I found that I was never hungry, however, it seems for me a diet of whole grains, protein and moderate fats works better for weight loss.

    I have learned to skip foods at the times I'm the least hungry and save my calories for when I'm the most hungry. I also try to include a little bit of protein and fiber and fat at each meal because this helps me stay full. I'm learning when my worst trigger times are (3pm and late night) and pre-planning to avoid binging.

    But all in all I do still feel hungry (although with this method not ragingly hungry) and some of it just comes down to will power.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories