When you start putting on weight, you look to the usual suspects: the dusty treadmill or that stash of chocolate in your desk drawer.
But for 30-year-old Chelley Thelen, the culprit sat in her medicine cabinet. In six years, Thelen gained 60 pounds from taking prednisone, a steroid used to treat her arthritis.
Thelen is just one of a growing number of women who can blame their excess pounds on the drugs they’re taking for everything from allergies to migraines. The chances of finding yourself on a drug that can lead to weight gain have more than doubled in the last 20 years.
In fact, the number has increased from one in ten to one in four, says George Blackburn, MD, associate director of the Harvard Medical School Division of Nutrition. The problem is so critical that Blackburn teaches a course for physicians on the weight-gain side effects of medications.
“The drugs we’re most concerned about are drugs for chronic diseases, like diabetes and psychiatric problems, because you have to be medicated for life,” Blackburn says. But even innocuous-sounding meds like over-the-counter sleep aids can cause snug-jeans syndrome—some by slowing your metabolism, others by altering the hormones in your body that control your appetite.
And the problem isn’t just affecting women’s waistlines: Some are even choosing not to take drugs critical to their health for weight-control reasons. If you suspect that meds are making you gain weight, check our list below for the most common culprits and expert advice on what to do about it.
Antihistamines
The fat effect: Allergy drugs containing diphenhydramine (such as Benadryl) have a sedating effect that saps your energy if you take them regularly. You’re not as active, so you’re burning fewer calories, Blackburn says.
What to do: Ask about another antihistamine like Claritin or Zyrtec that doesn’t include sedating ingredients.
Antidepressants
The fat effect: Some antidepressants affect neurotransmitters in your brain that control appetite and mood, both of which can make you eat more.
What to do: See a psychiatrist instead of a family physician or internist and ask about antidepressants that don’t typically cause weight gain, such as Wellbutrin or Zyban.
Birth control pills
The fat effect: Birth control pills may add up to five pounds because the estrogen in them can cause you to retain water.
What to do: Ask about a low-estrogen pill like Yasmin, or the progestin-only minipill. Or consider trying the NuvaRing, which releases lower doses of hormones than the birth control pill, or try an intrauterine device.
Sleep aids
The fat effect: You’ll find that common culprit, diphenhydramine, in over-the-counter sleep aids, such as Tylenol Simply Sleep, Sominex, or Nytol, or “nighttime” versions of cold and pain medicines, like Sudafed PE Nighttime Cold or Excedrin PM.
What to do: Your doctor may prescribe an option like Ambien that’s designed to cut carryover sedating effects.
Migraine meds
The fat effect: Depakote and Depakene, medicines which are sometimes used to prevent recurring migraines, can make you want to eat more, says Harminder Sikand, clinical director of pharmacy at Scripps Mercy Hospital in San Diego.
What to do: Ask your doctor about Imitrex or other migraine drugs that are less likely to increase your appetite.
Steroids
The fat effect: Prednisone, often used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and chronic inflammation, can make you feel ravenously hungry.
What to do: Your doctor may be able to give you prescription-strength NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen) to help. If you need to stay on steroids, work with a trainer to increase the calories you’re burning.
By Jennifer Acosta Scott
Comments (32)
It’s good article except for the advice regarding ibupropen instead of prednisone. Kidney transplant patients can not take NSaids but must take prednisone. I had hopes of finding some advice for us in the article too. The always hungry is the biggest problem in my post transplant weight gain. I’m not even as big as others I know, but have gained 20 pounds in 5 years and still haven’t found a way to counteract the effects of the prednisone. It’s exercise and being married to a kind but concerned food-nazi husband that is keeping me in check.
I am 55yrs old and went into menopause with a vengence. Reluctantly I had to go on a low dose hormone to curb the hot flashes. It did the trick but within probably 2 weeks I had gained 8 lbs. All effort has brought me down 2 lbs. It is mostly in my belly. should I consider a diet Pill or do you have any other suggestions. Edie
IU hate those hot flashes but those pills work great. I am heavy very heavy but have loss 10.9 pound in a month. I did The WW diet. Make sure your portions are in check
Depakote is a migraine preventive and Imitrex is used when you get one… not the same type medication at all. Having taken most of them, I can tell you that most meds used to prevent migraine can lead to weight gain.
good informations.people shoud do yoga& exercises to avoid medicines
I have lupus and RA and i take predisone for them. I have gained a lot of weight that bothers me very much. I don’t even want to go out in public because i might see someone that knew me. If anyone has a answer to all the people saying “boy you sure have put on a lot of weight” please respond.Thanks for the info, on alt. meds.
I have CIDP and have been on prednisone for the better part of 6 years now. Altho it is impossible to not gain some weight, the weight gain can be reduced. Do as much as you can to avoid sodium!! It is the enemy! Cutting back goes a long way in reducing the puffiness. Also, try to opt for a more natural diet, no preservatives added, antibiotic-free meat products, whole foods. Trader Joe’ is an excellent place to find that stuff. Become a label reader. Good luck! I know that prednisone is no fun at all!
I guess that the medications slow down the metabolizm and that creates more opportunity of weight gain.
I was on Cymbalta for about 4 years & gained 20 lbs even though I was going to the gym 4x’s a week, really working out doing cardio classes & muscle conditioning. Now I am on Lexapro & have not started gaining any weight yet after 5 months.
Can men gain weight from medication and what type can cause weight gain in men?
Article was great, however, your solutions to weight loss does not apply to everyone. I think that you should have made your solution a suggestion for a person to try to see if weight loss occurs.
I’m allergic to the medicines that I need to take to stay alive. I get the weight gain, lots of water throughout my whole body, puffy and sore body. If I exercised, my body will swell and hurt more. The swelling goes down when it wants to, but I cannot take another medication for the severe pain. I cannot walk without my feet swelling 2 sizes what it is suppose to be.
Medicine Weight gain advocate
i HAVE PARTICIAL COMPLEX SEIZURES THE MEDS THAT I TAKE ARE LAMITAL AND TRIPITAL. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF ANYONE HAS HAD THE PROBLEM WITH THIER WEIGHT. I HAVE TRIED TO LOSE MINE BUT SINCE I HAVE BEEN ON THEM AND HAVE EXERCISED EVERYDAY BUT STILL HAVE NOT LOST ANY OF IT.
Are you being mindful of your diet? What are you eating? What does your workout consist of?
i am on a antidepression medicine called seroquel and citalopram and one of them are making me eat alot and get really fat i used to be 120 and not 134 just within and month or so. so i stopped taking the medicne because i don’t want to get fat it is a big fear for me. is there anything else out there that i can take that won’t me be gain weight if so please someone tell me because i feel worse without my medicne but dont’ want to get fat please help…………………
I would like to point out that the author’s recommended alternate sleeping aid, Ambien, is widely known to induce episodes of “sleep eating.” This side effect was reported so frequently to MedWatch that the FDA was forced to place a warning on Ambien and all sedative-hypnotics in its class. Interestingly, CNN (which linked me to this website) began reporting on this issue back in 2006, before the FDA mandated the warning label: http://www.appellate-brief.com/Ambien/Ambien-CNN-Zahn.htm
The fact that you are recommending Schedule IV sedative-hypnotics instead of antihistamines, or NSAIDs instead of steroids, or a dopamine-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor instead of a serotonergic antidepressant, or a triptan instead of an anticonvulsant for headaches or NuvaRing, which is 1.5 to 2.5 times more likely to cause lethal blood clots than those “fattening” hormonal birth control pills … all of this is, quite frankly, disconcerting.
I would like to know where Ms. Scott received the medical training that rendered her qualified to make prescription drug recommendations.
I AM 42,IN 2007 I HAD A CAR ACCIDENT, AFTER THERAPY
ON MY SHOULDER, I WAS GIVEN SUBACROMIAL STEROID
TWO TIMES
NOW I HAVE BUT ON AN EXTREME AMOUNT OF WEIGHT, OVER
THIRTY POUNDS ESPECIALLY IN MY STOMACH. I AM NOW
LOOKING AS IF I AM PREGANT. IS THERE ANYTHING THAT
CAN BE DONE. OR PLEASE RECOMMEND A TYPE OF DOCTOR I
COULD CONSULT WITH, PLEASE HELP. I ONLY TOOK TWO
INJECTIONS. BUT REFUSE TO TAKE ANYMORE AFTER I NOTICE
MY BODY CONDITION.
THANK YOU
CHERYL
Please can anyone tell me if Toprol, Zyrtec, Zocor, Xanax, or Fioricet can put weight on you? If you know that is. Thanks.
I am very thin, my hight 6fet 11Enc so give me sum medisin name
Claritin or Zyrtec also make you gain weight.
I put on 12 pounds in one year on Nuvaring and Zyrtec. They both made me gain weight dispight a healthy lean diet and lots of excersize.
I was always thin and the max I weighed was 132 or so. Lately I have gained about 20 pounds and don’t know what is doing it. I take Effexor for anxiety, Imitrex for migraines, dilantin for high blood pressure for migraines and fish oil and simvastatin for cholesterol. My doctor doesn’t say anything and saysI should exercize more, which I do, but I do not loose. Thank you
Fattening Medicine am very thin am seeking for midesin who can a be fat
I am 75, have had a couple of heart attacks, have
diabetes and a thyroid problem among others.
Doctors decided my thyroid strength needed cutting down which entailed on my gaining 30 pounds in 2 montlhs.
Each test says it’s ok but I am sooooooooooo tired it
s awful.
Should I insist on another test. My grandmaw died of goitre in her 50s.
can ambien make you gain weight I have been taking it for about 9 weeks I work out 5 times a week twice a week with a traniner This really sucks ive put on about 5 pounds maybe it just my age 51 if i dont sleep i feel bad but now i feel worse
That makes sense, but the medicines i have been taking for years are Zoloft and Alpha blockers, both didn’t cause any significant weight gain; Lately I started taking Nexium for the reflux, and Lipitor for the cholesterol… could that be what is causing this fat belly i started having?
effexor can definitely make you can gain a lot of weight. you can try wellbutrin, i know that one makes you loose weight. but whats the consensus on ambien… is there one?
Please can anyone tell me if they know that is? Can zyrtec, xanax, zocor, fioricet, or toprol put weight on you? I ask the Dr. and he said it is fat. Oooh. That hurt. He said they can not. But I am very curious.
This is a good article, except for the advise about taking Ibuprofen….Ibuprofen can make you retain water.
I was recently put on antibiotics for a severe infection for about 21 days.
The second week into my course, I developed a ravinous appetite. I must have gained at least 10 lbs so far! Has anyone heard of antibiotics causing others to eat so much? I only have a few days to go and I am eating myself out of house and home!
my daughter is on prednisone for adrenal defficiency. she was told she would be on it forever. she has gained 22lbs in just 4 months. she works out 6 days a wk and is on a healthy regime of food. we walk every day and she drinks plenty of water. there is just no solution other than stop the steroids which could endanger her life. Has anyone come up with a solution? Please help for it is sad to see this happening to such a young adult.
Tildeum LA 200mg ! I have put on 8lbs in 3 months, I blame the tablets !
I can’t believe Ambien is suggested to combat the Fat Gain of other sleep aids. wtf?? I’d rather be fat than go insane.
I gained about 8 pounds from 4 weeks of high does prednisone. Plus being stuck on my rump for that whole time. Now it is winter, which slows my metabolism further. :(