Posted by fachad on March 17, 2002, at 14:35:26
In reply to JOHNX2 - re weight gain » JohnX2, posted by Janelle on March 17, 2002, at 14:23:10
Janelle,
I don't think the drug induced weight gain can be explained by drug action at any single receptor site.
For awhile, they were saying it was the antihistamine property that caused the weight gain. But regular old antihistamines like Benedryl or Chlortrimaton block histamine as strongly as weight gain casuing TCAs and they don't cause weight gain.
Cyproheptadine (Periactin) is an old antihistamine that does cause weight gain. People speculated that it was the 5HT-2 blockade that caused the weight gain. But other strong 5HT-2 blockers like ritanserin and Serzone don't cause weight gain.
John's post is the first place I've heard of a1 blockade as a source of weight gain, but other a1 blockers like Serzone and antihypertensives don't cause weight gain.
Again, I think it's one of the most important questions in psychopharmacology, but it is not as simple as blockade of one, or even a known combination of receptors.
> John,
>
> Here I am again, back to pick your brain! Okay, you said that a lot of these medicines block the "alpha-1" noradrenaline receptor as well as the histamine receptor (I follow that!) and that this "alpha-1" receptor affects your metabolism, and that blockade of alpha-1 receptors or antihistamines can induce drowsiness.
>
> You also said that you gained quite a bit of weight on Zyprexa and Serzone (both alpha-1 antagonists) so my question is: does the BLOCKADE of alpha-1 receptor and the metabolic changes this causes then result in weight gain?
>
> I have been on Zyprexa for about a year - when I started on it my appetite became immense but I did NOT give into it (that was difficult but I managed). My depression had *helped* me in one way - I had lost my appetite and shed about 30 pounds which I really needed to lose. So when Zyprexa started giving me the munchies big time I just drank water or ignored them. After awhile the Zyprexa stopped increasing my appetite.
>
> I'm surprised that you never gained weight on Remeron - just about everyone I read about who's on that one gains weighton it.
>
> So, what's the story with weight gain - is it the blocking of the alpha-1 receptor that causes it? Thanks as always.
poster:fachad
thread:98391
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020313/msgs/98462.html