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Old 05-01-2011, 02:54 PM   #1  
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Question Medication side effect - Weight Gain

I've done this so many times I feel like an old hand, but this is the first time I've ever tried to lose weight while taking ongoing medications. I have 3 herniated/bulging discs in my neck and it is so painful it is debilitating. For about a year I have been on pain meds and I literally cannot function without them, so getting off them just isn't an option.

I may just be being paranoid here, but I have been wondering....does anyone take meds that have the side effect of weight gain and is still able to lose/maintain?

Here's the thing....I started this diet right after I had an endometrial ablation surgery and had to stop taking my mobic (meloxicam, it is an anti-inflammatory) because I was bleeding excessively afterwards and doc thought it might interfere. I didn't take that one for about 5 weeks, and that happened to be the time I lost most of the 24 pounds I have so far.

I also take Lortab and Flexeril several times a day. All 3 of my meds have weight gain listed as possible side effects. I had also tried Lyrica at first but gained 40 pounds in the 3 months I took it so doc took me off, said that happened to lots of people and benefit didn't outweigh the risk.

My weight loss has slowed significantly and I have to wonder if it has anything to do with the meds I take. Is the side effect weight gain strictly because some meds affect your appetite and make people want to eat more, or is it something else entirely-like hormonal or metabolic? Is there anything I can do to negate that?
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Old 05-02-2011, 07:17 AM   #2  
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I am not sure exactly why some meds cause weight gain but I know people experience it frequently. I think some meds do mess with your metabolism, especially pain pills b/c they tend to slow you down a little bit. Meds that change/alter hormones can often cause weight gain as well b/c everything in your body is regulated by hormones. I think the fact that you lost 24 pounds quickly when stopping the meds says a lot.

Your doc was correct to have you stop Mobic while bleeding. I have clotting issues and I can't take any NSAIDs b/c they interfere with clotting. Recently my doc has put me on tramadol for my spine arthritis and it's been an unspeakable improvement to my life. I don't notice severe gain from it but I do get a little 1-2 pound bloat sometimes. When it comes to pain relief you gotta do what you gotta do to manage it. Definitely ask your doc about the side effects you notice b/c your doc needs to know if the meds are taxing your body. Not all of them are a good fit.

Look how far you've come though! That is a really great achievement any day but even more so when you are working around a spine injury!

Last edited by 4star; 05-02-2011 at 09:06 AM.
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Old 05-02-2011, 03:12 PM   #3  
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Thanks 4star

My doc had initially put me on tramadol-before we did my mri and found out the extent of the damage-and it was a lifesaver after dealing with this with nothing but tylenol for so long. Any relief was a welcome change.

I decided to quit taking my mobic temporarily again over the weekend just to see...and low and behold this morning I'd lost another 2.5 pounds. That's not exactly scientific proof that it's a problem or anything but it does make me wonder how much of an effect it has. I don't really wanna do without it unless I replace it with something similar so I'm gonna talk to my doc at my next appointment about what my options are.

Lyrica definitely wasn't a good fit for me. I slept lots better while on it, not constantly waking up from my hands going numb and tingly. But if it causes such a big weight gain those extra pounds don't help my condition either.

And I appreciate the vote of confidence, especially since you understand where I'm coming from here. Exercise isn't exactly an easy addition when you're in pain and your movement is limited. I've been trying to ease back into doing yoga again now that I've lost some of the weight. It really helped with my pain management before and it's the most viable form of exercise for me since it isn't jarring.

And congratulations on your 43 pound loss! I can only imagine with arthritis that every pound down is a little less pain for you, too.
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Old 05-02-2011, 04:19 PM   #4  
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Thank You! I am determined to keep working on my weight. I am not sure if it will help all that much but it can't hurt.

It really is hard to function when you can't break the pain cycle. It's so exhausting. Tramadol has been a really good tool for me. I am able to exercise consistently and that really makes a big difference in the amount of calories I can eat and still lose weight. It doesn't take away all of the pain but it keeps it to a dull roar on bad days and since I can't take NSAIDs, it's been nice to finally be able to have the anti-inflammatory action. What's on my mind now is that I need to make hay while the sun is shining b/c while I take the medication sparingly, it might stop working one day. If that day comes, I want to have my body recovered and as strong as much as possible.

I hope you can get some good relief without a lot of bad side effects. Definitely speak up about the weight gain and noticing it going down when stopping the meds. I don't know if it's harmful but it's worth mentioning. Meds are tricky. Sounds like you've got a pretty good Doc too so I am sure they will know what direction to go next. Good Docs are like gold when dealing with stuff like this!
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Old 05-02-2011, 08:01 PM   #5  
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Medication is not a solution for losing weight. Only helathy dieting and exercising is.
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Old 05-03-2011, 07:47 AM   #6  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by carmencane View Post
Medication is not a solution for losing weight. Only helathy dieting and exercising is.
We're talking doctor monitored pain management for chronic pain from physical problems here, not some diet pill.
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Old 05-03-2011, 07:54 AM   #7  
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BTW I just started a new round of physical therapy last night to increase mobility in my neck, spine, and ribs. My physical therapist said I have good strength and flexibility but lack mobility, which is nice to know my work has gone for something but not as good as news as I wanted. He said we can't make it go away but we can likely improve my mobility. He did say my headaches will probably get more frequent at first b/c we'll be disturbing things but it will eventually make it better. I'll take it. I don't mind hard work so long as it's productive.

Have you done/are you doing physical therapy? Have you ever checked into Tai Chi? It's more gentle than yoga.

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Old 05-03-2011, 10:48 AM   #8  
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4star - didn't we just talk about this in the binging forum? I hope more people reply with scientific answers!! I can only speak from what I observe, not from personal experience, so take this with a grain...

My bf has been taking Tramadol for 7 years - after his 2 back surgeries. While initially, he walked with a cane, eventually, he was able to wean himself off of the cane and get back to very heavy weight lifting. Hooray for him!!!

Then, in walked me. That was over a year ago. While with me, he has gained almost 25 lbs. Has his meds changed? nope. He and his best friend agree that the only change is that he is happy now (aw!) ...so he is eating more (OMG, yes) and spending more time with me than training at the gym. So true.

So I guess I would ask you to consider any other change in your lifestyle that may attribute to your weight fluxuations.
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Old 05-03-2011, 12:29 PM   #9  
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Quote:
Originally Posted by fitness4life View Post
4star - didn't we just talk about this in the binging forum? I hope more people reply with scientific answers!! I can only speak from what I observe, not from personal experience, so take this with a grain...

My bf has been taking Tramadol for 7 years - after his 2 back surgeries. While initially, he walked with a cane, eventually, he was able to wean himself off of the cane and get back to very heavy weight lifting. Hooray for him!!!

Then, in walked me. That was over a year ago. While with me, he has gained almost 25 lbs. Has his meds changed? nope. He and his best friend agree that the only change is that he is happy now (aw!) ...so he is eating more (OMG, yes) and spending more time with me than training at the gym. So true.

So I guess I would ask you to consider any other change in your lifestyle that may attribute to your weight fluxuations.
Don't know where people are reading all that into this convo...

I have only noticed an occasional minimal bloat from tramadol, no additional weight loss or gain. The only use to me that tramadol has been is that if offers enough pain relief for my arthritis to be ABLE to workout consistently. I know that if you have not been in this position, you really don't understand how hard it is to lose weight when your body is so limited that it all depends on strict diet and whatever exercise you can tolerate. If you haven't ever experienced chronic crippling pain, I don't really expect an intimate understanding of working around the obstacles. That's why I see a Doctor and work Physical Therapy programs. Some people are fighting just to maintain function. Again, I guess you just have to be there.

The OP is just struggling to understand what's going on with their weight. Like it or not, accept it or not, meds can interfere with the body. Her Doctor understands and will handle it. I just know where the OP is coming from b/c when a med that offers you relief starts to fail you, you face the extreme pain again and have to start the trial and error of pain relief meds all over again. It's a very frustrating and painful process and I applaud anyone who can make headway with that kind of obstacle.

Sounds like your friend is pretty inconsistent and fell off track. Not sure if he's eating emotionally. That's hard to just look at from the outside and diagnose. I am not dealing with an issue like that but people do and that has to be addressed emotionally, not physically. It might not even be an issue from "emotional eating" though, he may just be inconsistent and need to work on his routine. His routine may slide when he's having too much fun. It happens with lifestyle changes and that's not an ED. Not all people who are overweight and/or overeat have an ED. There are other obstacles that people have to get around sometimes.

http://weightloss.about.com/lw/Healt...in-Weight-.htm

Dragonlady Here's an article on what kind of drugs can contribute to weight gain. You said you take Lortab for the pain, that might be slowing your metabolism down a little too. If your diet is pretty decent, double check it with your Doc and see if you can get it switched.

Last edited by 4star; 05-04-2011 at 04:18 PM.
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