Posted by fachad on August 18, 2002, at 17:18:19
In reply to Re: Weight Gain from TOPROL-XL ? » fachad, posted by LLL on August 18, 2002, at 16:41:46
> My G.P. also insisted that weight gain was not a side effect. However, I'm pretty used to hearing that in regard to side effects from many different med's:"that's impossible, on such a low dose?!"
You are right about that! A lot of GPs and NPs don't even know about TCAs causing weight gain! How could they be so blind? I've actually seen references to the non specific beta blockers, especially propranolol, causing weight gain.
> Although I was more physically active during that 6 months than prior to taking it (regular workouts at the gym and aerobic walking)and maintaining a healthy diet, I was steadily gaining - not maintaining, not losing - gaining! And coincientally lost it in a couple mos. after getting off of it.
TCAs are that way. My wife gained a lot of weight on a TCA, even though she exercised more and ate less! The weight gain did level off after a while, and a little even came off without lowering the dose.
>My husband MUST stay on it, however his Cardiologist said that it can in fact cause weight gain! No, he doesn't have congestive heart failure, he had a mild heart attack many yrs. ago. He's been on it for about 7 mos. and has gained 7 lbs (not exactly something you want if you're preventing further heart disease).
Well, contrary to popular opinion, there are a lot of things that are worse for your health than being a little heavy. Our culture is so thin obsessed and lipophobic that the overall picture is lost and people want to be thin at any cost. Better for him to be a few pounds heavier, with a regular heart beat, than thin with heart trouble. Otherwise, smoking would be a good idea - it helps you lose weight, and quitting will make you gain. But even fatter, you are still far better off in the long run as a non smoker.
>It was his weight gain that clued me in to the fact that Toprol was doing the same to me. The only thing I can figure is that it slows your metabolism. My usual pulse rate is in the 80's. I just took it and just being around the house today doing a bunch of nothing it was 88. On Toprol my pulse dropped to the low 60's. I doubt that you can drop your pulse and blood pressure and NOT have an effect on your metabolism.
You are probably correct there.
> I believe he was taking 50mg and now is on 25mg.
> You might want to ask for others opinions, maybe we're the weird exception.Well, there goes my theory about "flying under radar", that is, taking a very low dose to avoid side effects.
-fachad
poster:fachad
thread:116774
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20020814/msgs/116851.html