Drugs Known to Increase Body Weight

Many of us have trouble keeping our weight under check. Unwanted side effects of taking some prescription drugs include gaining weight. The most frequently prescribed drug classes—corticosteroids and antidepressants—that cause weight gain are both. But others exist. Find more about a few common medications that might cause weight gain.

Corticosteroids

Prednisone and hydrocortisone, two anti-inflammatory medications, are examples of corticosteroids. They are prescribed by doctors to treat inflammatory diseases such Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, asthma, dermatitis, and arthritis.

Corticosteroids may stimulate hunger, which might result in weight gain. Additionally, they alter how your body distributes fat. It often gathers in the belly, back, neck, and face. This adverse impact is influenced by how long and how much corticosteroids you take. Exercise and food monitoring may be helpful. Any weight gain should go away after discontinuing the corticosteroid in a few months.

Antidepressants

Weight gain is more likely to result with certain antidepressants than from others. Weight gain is a common side effect of tricyclic antidepressants, MAO inhibitors, and serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Although it is not obvious how they cause it, their impact on brain chemistry and metabolism may be important.

Your physician could advise switching to a different medication if you gain weight. A few antidepressants are either weight-neutral or may even aid in weight loss. These include duloxetine, venlafaxine, and bupropion (all included in Wellbutrin) (Cymbalta).

Antipsychotic Medicine

Despite having various purposes, antipsychotic medications are mostly used to treat schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Similar to antidepressants, some of them make weight gain more problematic than others. Antipsychotics may make you gain weight by increasing your appetite and altering your metabolism. Some of the second-generation medications, such clozapine (Clozaril) and olanzapine, are the most troublesome ones (Zyprexa). Ziprasidone (Geodon) and aripiprazole (Abilify) often have less issues with weight gain. Find out whether one of these could be effective for you by speaking with your doctor.

Antiepileptic Drugs

Anti-seizure medications are often prescribed by doctors to treat epilepsy and other seizure disorders. However, there are several more applications for this class, including as managing certain forms of pain, avoiding migraines, and balancing mood. These medications alter brain chemistry, and a side effect that might occur is weight gain.

The three medications in this category that likely to cause the greatest issues are valproic acid (Depakote), gabapentin (Neurontin), and carbamazepine (Tegretol). If you gain weight, your doctor could suggest changing medications. Options include zonisamide (Zonegran), topiramate (Topamax), and lamotrigine (Lamictal).

Drugs for diabetes

Some diabetic medications might make you gain weight. And insulin—the hormone that is either absent or functioning improperly in diabetes—is the key. Insulin controls how your body utilizes and stores energy, which causes you to gain weight. A common side effect of starting insulin medication is weight gain. But regulating blood sugar levels has many more positive health effects than this negative effect. And you can control it by changing your eating and exercise routines.

Other diabetic therapies that stimulate your body to produce insulin might make you gain weight. Sulfonylureas like glipizide (Glucotrol) and thiazolidinediones like pioglitazone are among them (Actos).

Additional Drugs

There are other medications and pharmacological types that might make you gain weight. Beta blockers for high blood pressure, antihistamines, and birth control medications are a few examples. Before beginning any new medication, discuss your concerns regarding weight gain with your doctor.

Additionally, let your doctor know if you develop any new or strange symptoms after beginning a medication. If the medication might be the issue, your doctor can make the determination. If so, you may come up with a strategy for handling the adverse effect or try a different medication.

Steps You Can Take

You still have influence over the weight shown on your bathroom scale even if you take prescription medications that make you gain weight. To stop you from gaining weight, your doctor can advise making changes to your food and way of life. Keeping an eye on your food quantities and exercising often enough may be helpful. Talk to your doctor about other strategies to prevent medication-related weight gain if your condition makes it difficult for you to maintain a diet and exercise routine. Changes in medication or techniques like cognitive behavioral therapy may be beneficial.