Prescription meds causeing weight gain

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KickingDarkness
KickingDarkness Posts: 82
in Health and Weight Loss
Anyone in the same boat as me? I gained 75 pounds in one year because of a prescription med I was taking. Three years later I'm still trying to lose that weight. Now once again I'm on a med that often causes weight gain. DETERMINED not to gain weight, and will lose if at all possible. Anyone else out there fighting prescription drug weight gain?

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  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
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    first of all. There are very few, if any medications that affect your metabolism and cause you to gain weight for no good reason. When a med says it may cause weight gain, it means that it causes an increase in appetite. Which if you don't have a handle on, you gain weight.

    So start following the MFP plan and see what happens. If you are counting calories and doing it properly, you will lose weight regardless of your medication.
  • KickingDarkness
    KickingDarkness Posts: 82
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    Thanks for the tip. That's what I'm hoping that if I have a handle on how much I'm eating I will be able to lose weight. :)
  • bebopie88
    bebopie88 Posts: 3
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    what is the mfp plan i know i am dumb at that stuff
    just started this
  • stalksthedawn
    stalksthedawn Posts: 32
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    I am on a lot of psych meds which all contributed to my weight gain. I'm working on losing 80 pounds but have been warned by my doctors that I probably won't be able to lose them all because of the meds and I need to remain on these meds pretty much forever. I still think I can make a good dent in this weight though!
  • jennieodwyer
    jennieodwyer Posts: 1,036 Member
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    first of all. There are very few, if any medications that affect your metabolism and cause you to gain weight for no good reason. When a med says it may cause weight gain, it means that it causes an increase in appetite. Which if you don't have a handle on, you gain weight.

    So start following the MFP plan and see what happens. If you are counting calories and doing it properly, you will lose weight regardless of your medication.

    I completely agree. I gained weight on the medicine that could "cause weight gain" but then I realized my eating had increased. Once I got the eating back in check the weight came off. It was merely that the medicine increased my appetite. Good luck!
  • KickingDarkness
    KickingDarkness Posts: 82
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    I am on a lot of psych meds which all contributed to my weight gain. I'm working on losing 80 pounds but have been warned by my doctors that I probably won't be able to lose them all because of the meds and I need to remain on these meds pretty much forever. I still think I can make a good dent in this weight though!

    Yeah, I'm on psych meds too. Will have to be on them forever also.
  • GlitterGal1210
    GlitterGal1210 Posts: 2
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    I am in the same boat! I was always a relatively healthy person at around 135-140. I had to go on anxiety medication and gained relatively 40 pounds in 40 months. I have since stopped using the medication, and am still struggling to lose the weight. I am hoping by working hard and getting back into my old workout habits that I can lose the weight this year!!!
  • cramernh
    cramernh Posts: 3,335 Member
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    Yeah... the weight gain the providers are telling you about is due to your appetites increasing... Im on a particular prescription (nothing to do with psych) that they 'claim' causes an increase in appetite.. but, I already told them I will not be so easily persuaded into thinking Im gaining weight..... when in fact, six months later, Ive dropped 70 pounds..

    Treat this like other people who are not taking psych meds: Good meal planning with a healthy balance of real foods - no junk, no processed, no frozen meals, just REAL food, plenty of proper hydration, exercise exercise exercise, and get plenty of rest as well....
  • Abby2810
    Abby2810 Posts: 23 Member
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    I'm on steroids, which have caused me to gain weight due to increase appetite and uncontrolled eating. i'm hoping to be on them no more than a year and do everything in my power to make the scales go in the other direction!!

    Other posters are right have blamed the steroids for my weight gain when in actual fact its because i did not have the will power to stop shoveling food in my mouth. I also suffer from depression - so that compounded me need to eat.

    Anyways that was ast year, so i'm doing things different - I am here for a start with a lot more support and determined to stay on track - despite the steroids!! :-)
  • lucy1945
    lucy1945 Posts: 153
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    what is the mfp plan i know i am dumb at that stuff
    just started this

    My Fitness Pal (mfp) :)

    i'm terrible with initials too!
  • maryjay51
    maryjay51 Posts: 742
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    some medications can cause lethargy where it would make sense if you gain weight because you are not moving around like you normally do and you most likely are eating the same things at the same time.. what i would suggest is to be aware of this and make yourself do activity every day .. at least a half hour and get out of the house to go do something even if it is just to visit someone. be aware of what you eat and your activity and be aware of the water you drink. being aware of your weaknesses is not a bad thing.. just figure out a plan to work with that .
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
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    I've been on birth control pills and Depakote which both have side effects of weight gain or increased appetite.

    Losing weight on those meds was VERY hard, but doable. I was miserable trying to restrict calories though.

    Once I didn't need to take Depakote anymore (for migraines) I weaned off it and the birth control pills and I feel amazing. Losing weight isn't easy, but it is a lot easier than when I was taking the meds.

    I don't know much about psych meds, though. Honestly, with the Depakote I was taking, I'd rather be fat and tired than have constant migraines and hallucinations, so the meds were worth it. Once I didn't have those problems anymore, I didn't need the meds anymore.

    If you have to be on your medication for life, just do the best you can with the weight loss. You might want to ask your doctor if there are any other medications you can take instead.

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