Can medicine make you gain weight?

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rickiimarieee
rickiimarieee Posts: 2,212 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Honest question for you guys, can medicine make you gain weight or is it more of the increased appetite that makes you gain weight?
The medicine my doctor and I were talking about starting, 25% of people who are taking it gain 10 pounds or more.
Can I still keep the weight off while taking the medicine as long as I’m counting calories?
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Replies

  • megs_1985
    megs_1985 Posts: 199 Member
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    It’s mostly the increase in appetite though through various mechanisms based on the medication. If you watch your calories you should be ok but if you can’t handle the side effects you should talk to your doctor.
  • yweight2020
    yweight2020 Posts: 591 Member
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    Yes
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,172 Member
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    If your doctor recommends a medication, give it a try. Log your calories every day to make sure you stay in a calorie deficit. Your doc will probably want to follow up with you in a month or so. If you are disciplined it’s likely you’ll be able to avoid weight gain. If the side effects of the drug isn’t worth it, your doc will probably be able to switch you to something different.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
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    In my experience it's not just the appetite... I take allergy medication for a month each year, and during that time, while I eat the same number of net calories, I lose less weight. I don't think my logging is to blame, it's the same logging I always do and there's no reason it would be different at exactly the time I take medication. There are a couple of possibilities about what causes the weight gain: the medication can slow metabolism, or it can make you tireder and less likely to move about, thus reducing your TDEE. Probably a little of both.

    However, if you count calories and pay attention to any gains, you can catch any issues and reduce your calories accordingly. The weight isn't magic, it comes from food. It may take LESS food to stay at the same weight, but you can do it.
  • rickiimarieee
    rickiimarieee Posts: 2,212 Member
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    rheddmobile wrote: »
    In my experience it's not just the appetite... I take allergy medication for a month each year, and during that time, while I eat the same number of net calories, I lose less weight. I don't think my logging is to blame, it's the same logging I always do and there's no reason it would be different at exactly the time I take medication. There are a couple of possibilities about what causes the weight gain: the medication can slow metabolism, or it can make you tireder and less likely to move about, thus reducing your TDEE. Probably a little of both.

    However, if you count calories and pay attention to any gains, you can catch any issues and reduce your calories accordingly. The weight isn't magic, it comes from food. It may take LESS food to stay at the same weight, but you can do it.
    DebLaBounty wrote: »
    If your doctor recommends a medication, give it a try. Log your calories every day to make sure you stay in a calorie deficit. Your doc will probably want to follow up with you in a month or so. If you are disciplined it’s likely you’ll be able to avoid weight gain. If the side effects of the drug isn’t worth it, your doc will probably be able to switch you to something different.
    megs_1985 wrote: »
    It’s mostly the increase in appetite though through various mechanisms based on the medication. If you watch your calories you should be ok but if you can’t handle the side effects you should talk to your doctor.

    It’s an antidepressant. I’ve read that some say it’s from an increased appetite and some say it’s because it messes up your metabolism. I’m not sure either one. I’ve very accurate with my logging as is and hit a steady weight and I’m not losing any more and to me gaining the weight back that I took so long and so much hard work to lose isn’t worth it yanno
  • ShawnLee67
    ShawnLee67 Posts: 5 Member
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    My understanding of what I read and have heard from friends over the years is that in some cases depending on the meds there is weight gain and simple exercise/calorie restricting doesn't help much. I seem to remember Paxil as the worst for it.

    Hopefully your doctor has checked your micronutrient levels before discussing the medication route. Low levels of vitamin D have been an issue when it comes to depression.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,627 Member
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    in and of itself, the majority of them, no. however they can affect appetite and make you eat more, hence the weight gain.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,389 Member
    edited January 2018
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    rheddmobile wrote: »
    In my experience it's not just the appetite... I take allergy medication for a month each year, and during that time, while I eat the same number of net calories, I lose less weight. I don't think my logging is to blame, it's the same logging I always do and there's no reason it would be different at exactly the time I take medication. There are a couple of possibilities about what causes the weight gain: the medication can slow metabolism, or it can make you tireder and less likely to move about, thus reducing your TDEE. Probably a little of both.

    However, if you count calories and pay attention to any gains, you can catch any issues and reduce your calories accordingly. The weight isn't magic, it comes from food. It may take LESS food to stay at the same weight, but you can do it.

    Many allergy medications lead to an increase in water weight. It's probably listed as a side effect. I use an antihistamine after runs in cold weather, not because of an allergy but because I cough badly from dehydrated lungs. I use the side effect to feel better quicker. For me it only works with one specific brand though. And yes, I have other health problems that lead to quick dehydration.
  • rickiimarieee
    rickiimarieee Posts: 2,212 Member
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    VintageFeline wrote: »
    There are some psychoactive medications that can have an effect on metabolism insomuch as they can make a few people IR but that number is small and an antidepressant is not one of those medications. I have been on said medication and it did not make me IR nor did it prevent me losing weight. I lost the same on it as off it.

    So it is largely an increase in appetite and potentially lethargy causing a reduction in NEAT (incidental daily movement) combining to make you gain. Keep tracking, don't panic if there's a scale spike as it will just be some water retention and ride out the initial side effects before making any decisions.

    Looking after your mental health is more important than a temporary, within your control, gain on the scale.

    I was more depressed when I was bigger so an increase of weight will make it worse that’s why I was asking.
  • Vanillabeanss2
    Vanillabeanss2 Posts: 45 Member
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    For sure yes and you can retain water depending on the medication
  • Munchberry
    Munchberry Posts: 172 Member
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    There are some that actually make you gain weight (and not just feel hungry and therefor eat more). If you are eating at a deficit or at maintenance (carefully recording everything over a few weeks of taking the meds) and are gaining, you have to tell your doctor. He/she may be able to try a different medication.

    I see later you are talking antidepressants. There are a lot out there, so maybe trying something else might help. Sometimes you eat more because you are not depressed! That may be a factor so be on guard for that. Never stop medication on your own though. Go to the doc.
  • Psychgrrl
    Psychgrrl Posts: 3,177 Member
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    And they, along with depression, can cause you to feel more tired/fatigued. If you’re tired, you’ll typically move around less. That combined with the increased appetite can cause weight gain.

    To be honest, I think the people who say the pills “mess up metabolism,” don’t truly understand the other impacts (increased appetite and decreased energy levels) and aren’t accurately assessing their energy balance equation. If you don’t truly know the calories in/calories out part it can be easy to blame the medication. I wish instead of “weight gain” the manufactures would list “increased appetite” as the side effect. I think folks could more easily understand those impacts.

    Prednisone really increases my appetite. If a doc wants to prescribe it, I ask if there’s an alternative. If not, I focus on my logging and the feelings of hunger. A few hundred extra calories won’t hurt in the long run. Being hangry is no fun.
  • ZhivagosGirl
    ZhivagosGirl Posts: 161 Member
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    You also could be part of the 75% that doesn't gain... I seem to have really weird body chemistry that reacts pretty much opposite to most medications. All that to say - you won't know how you'll react until you try. Here's a helpful table that shows various outcomes regarding weight gain/loss and different psych meds. Maybe you could try one of the "mild" options.
    awgkquignchy.jpg
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
    edited January 2018
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    Psychgrrl wrote: »
    And they, along with depression, can cause you to feel more tired/fatigued. If you’re tired, you’ll typically move around less. That combined with the increased appetite can cause weight gain.

    To be honest, I think the people who say the pills “mess up metabolism,” don’t truly understand the other impacts (increased appetite and decreased energy levels) and aren’t accurately assessing their energy balance equation. If you don’t truly know the calories in/calories out part it can be easy to blame the medication. I wish instead of “weight gain” the manufactures would list “increased appetite” as the side effect. I think folks could more easily understand those impacts.

    Prednisone really increases my appetite. If a doc wants to prescribe it, I ask if there’s an alternative. If not, I focus on my logging and the feelings of hunger. A few hundred extra calories won’t hurt in the long run. Being hangry is no fun.

    look it up some medications state in studies that they can alter the metabolism by slowing it down. some can speed it up. how big of a difference may not be knows. but it is out there.I was on a medication when I was younger for asthma(not prednisone although prednisone caused me to gain weight). and it sped up my metabolism. once I stopped using it, the same amount of calories I was eating and the same amount of exercise I was doing(I was always active doing something) I started slowly gaining weight after being off it awhile.


    I was on antidepressants years ago for depression and I never gained weight from those thankfully.my weight was actually stable but they made me have other side effects(sleep all the time,suicidal,etc)stopped them years ago and never took another one.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    It just occurred to me, there is one antidepressant that is an absolute horror for appetite increase, to the point they prescribe it to cats and dogs to stimulate appetite. Mirtazapine. Made me a ravenous sugary treat eating machine. BUT, I also didn't care about it, until I gained 14lbs in a month. Was immediately taken off it (and in the end wasn't an appropriate monotherapy as I was later diagnosed with bipolar).
  • CharlieBeansmomTracey
    CharlieBeansmomTracey Posts: 7,682 Member
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    my son was also on a medication for ADHD when he was younger and he lost something like 12 lbs in 2 weeks and he was eating the same amount of food he always did. I took him to the dr and told them and they said it was one of the side effects of the medication. he had to go off that one and try another as he lost 20lbs in a month that he did not need to lose.
  • caliallie2
    caliallie2 Posts: 19 Member
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    Great thread. Someone earlier said your mental health is more important than sideeffecys,of weight gain and she's right, but its not one or the other. Track yiur food intake and add exercise which is goid for aiding in depression trestment anyway. Dont self prophesize you'll put on weight. You can control alot of it with changing what yiuvest and how much you move. Your mental health is,the priority
  • mallory_2014
    mallory_2014 Posts: 173 Member
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    Medicine itself cannot cause you to gain weight. Some will make you gain temporary water weight, some may make you feel hungrier than normal causing you to eat more and some can make you feel more tired causing you to move less... those factors would contribute to weight gain.

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