Medication & Weight Gain

[b_l_u_e_b_e_l_l_]

I've just come home with 2 new scripts... I've been off meds for a couple of years but I'm back at the point where I really have no choice.

What exactly is it about medication that causes weight gain? I know it's a side effect of at least one of the drugs.

Is it that it increases appetite? Or just does something biomechanically that causes it?

I know I need the meds... but I really want to avoid gaining anything. I've worked really hard to lose 30kgs in the last year.... and the thought of gaining any of it back just adds to the depression.

If anyone can shed any light on it I'd be grateful. Many thanks.

[Dr_Kim]

Hi bluebell,

Good on you for all your efforts to be healthy.

It's really hard to say as I don’t know what medications you have been prescribed but I do know there is a lot of misinformation out there about this stuff.

There has been a lot of evidence based trials on this to date and most of the newer SSRI ( antidepressants and anti anxiety medication) do not cause weight gain when compared to placebo. This means if you take 1000 people and you give 500 placebo (sugar pill)  and 500 the SSRI medication, the same proportion will gain and lose weight in each sample. So when someone comes in and says that they gained weight on a medication, it may be NOT due to the medication but due to the fact that in the general population peoples weights are changing all the time but when start on a medication it can be erroneously attributed to that.
 
There are however some meds that notoriously do cause weight changes, some antipsychotics and anticonvulsants for example. 
 
So the best idea is to check with your GP or prescribing doctor or pharmacist as they should have all the up to date info on your specific medications. 

[b_l_u_e_b_e_l_l_]

Thank you Dr Kim, that makes sense.. I appreciate the input. I've read that weight gain may also be attributed to patients feeling better and therefore feeling more able to feel pleasure from food and eating. I guess it's good to be wary of that too.. as I currently have a very poor appetite.

One of the meds is one of those notorious ones I think... it is an antipsychotic. The other is a tricyclic antidepressant.

Perhaps on review with psych dr I might be able to switch to one without known weight change issues.

Thanks again.

[ssss]

Hi Bluebell,

I've just come off a medication in the last week, because I am now (after 13 months on it) too fat to fit into half my wardrobe. As someone who was regularly accused of anorexia prior to being on antidepressants I can say with certainty that in my case they made me put on weight, which I had previously been incapable of doing.

The weight gain was despite doing HIIT (high intensity interval training) 5x per week, to the point my hair was dripping with sweat every session, and eating less than my normal food intake. For the last few months I have also gone down to eating only twice a day (small portions, home cooked) a few days a week in an attempt to lose the weight. It definitely mucked up my metabolism. I didn't get hungry, but I also didn't get full.

As of Monday this week I am now trying a new medication, which is supposed to have no effect on weight. Fingers crossed I will start to go back to my normal weight!

[b_l_u_e_b_e_l_l_]

Thanks so much for your response! I feel like I've already put on weight in the few weeks I've been on them.... the scales say 2kg more than usual... so I'm not happyand will definitely ask to be put on something else with no known weight related issues. I train 3x a week and eat fairly well mostly... its like an extra kick when you're down to put on weight despite trying so hard to be fit and healthy.

I hope your new meds help and you can get back to normal too!

[startingnew]

thanks for starting this topic

i often wonder this myself