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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 10 of 10. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Janelle on March 22, 2002, at 2:32:30
What is the mechanism by which Remeron and Zyprexa cause weight gain? Is it that they stimulate appetite, so you're more hungry, you then eat more and thereby gain weight, or is it that they slow down your metabolism so even if you do NOT eat more you still gain weight?
Actually, I have experience with Zyprexa and for me it was a case of appetite increase - I was hungrier but I resisted the cravings and munchies and didn't gain any weight. Luckily, the increased appetite side effect wore off fairly soon.
Thanks to whoever can explain why/how Remeron, Zyprexa and who knows what other meds, can cause weight gain.
Posted by Cressida on March 22, 2002, at 7:41:19
In reply to Remeron, Zyprexa and weight gain:, posted by Janelle on March 22, 2002, at 2:32:30
I've been taking Zyprexa at 5mg for almost a month, and I've been more hungry than usual over the past two and a half weeks. It seems logical to say that eating more causes weight gain. There may be other reasons, such as slowed metabolism or bio-chemical changes, but I don't have the authority to step in that arena...Ask a *pharmacist* or your doctor. There's probably a simple explanation. &8-]
Posted by fachad on March 22, 2002, at 8:19:18
In reply to Remeron, Zyprexa and weight gain:, posted by Janelle on March 22, 2002, at 2:32:30
I have spent more time trying to figure that out than on any other subject in this whole PSB domain! That's how I became familiar with different classes of meds, different receptors, affinities, etc.
It's been about 10 years of research, and I can say with confidence that nobody really knows for sure, and it seems to vary from person to person.
For a while pdocs were saying that the weight gain was a natural part of relieving the depression and re-gaining the weight that was lost due to depression.
But obviously some people who were weight normal before depression became severely obese during treatment.
The next round of explanation was that these drugs stimulated the appetite thru blockade of H1 histamine receptors. People ate more, therefore they gained weight.
But SOME patients gained a disproportionate amount of weight - more than could be explained by the extra food they were eating. So some mechanism of changing the way the body burned calories was proposed.
So although there are a million theories, there is no real way to accurately predict whether or not a certain drug will cause weight gain in a particular individual.
From my own personal experience, doxepin (an antihistamic TCA) causes weight gain even if I take very small doses (<10 mg/day) and even if I both EAT LESS and EXERCIZE MORE I still gain weight. I have kept food and activity journals over time both with and without doxepin, and for me, doxepin both increases my appetite and slows down my metabolism. Even when I resist the desire to eat more, plus work out more, I still pork out.
Others have reported increased appetite, increased eating, but no weight gain.
And some say they did not have increased appetite, but still had weight gain.
Some, like you, report that they had increased appetite, but did not eat more, and did not gain weight.
So it's a question that does NOT have a simple answer, or even a complicated answer that is applicable to everyone. It is a question that looms big in everyone’s mind.
> What is the mechanism by which Remeron and Zyprexa cause weight gain? Is it that they stimulate appetite, so you're more hungry, you then eat more and thereby gain weight, or is it that they slow down your metabolism so even if you do NOT eat more you still gain weight?
>
> Actually, I have experience with Zyprexa and for me it was a case of appetite increase - I was hungrier but I resisted the cravings and munchies and didn't gain any weight. Luckily, the increased appetite side effect wore off fairly soon.
>
> Thanks to whoever can explain why/how Remeron, Zyprexa and who knows what other meds, can cause weight gain.
Posted by Janelle on March 22, 2002, at 20:23:25
In reply to That's The $10,000,000 Question!! » Janelle, posted by fachad on March 22, 2002, at 8:19:18
I have now seen the phrase "pork out" in a few different places on here and up until now I thought it meant the same thing as to "pig out", i.e. to eat alot (overeat)at one time, usually fattening, *comfort* foods (say chocolate ice cream).
HOWEVER, in your response here, you wrote: " Even when I resist the desire to eat more, plus work out more, I still pork out."
In the context of that sentence, since you are NOT eating more and are working out more, I am now inferring that "pork out" means to gain weight, get fat (not the same thing as to pig out)???
Posted by Janelle on March 22, 2002, at 20:40:50
In reply to Re » fachad, posted by Janelle on March 22, 2002, at 20:23:25
Posted by Jerrympls on March 23, 2002, at 0:12:15
In reply to Remeron, Zyprexa and weight gain:, posted by Janelle on March 22, 2002, at 2:32:30
I currently am on Seroquel and Desipramine - two terrible meds for NOT wanting to gain weight. They are working well for me in the mood dept. but put me in front of a pie from Baker's Square and I'll eat the whole thing in one sitting. It's like I'm so starving that nothing else in the world matters. I'm 30 and 5'8" and have weighed under 150 lbs most of my life. Then 5 years ago Luvox added about helped me gain 80 lbs in about 18 months. My heaviest was 220 lbs. It was horrible. Finally I got back down to 190 and stayed there for a while until starting Seroquel and Desipramine 4 months ago. Now I'm back around 215. I am even on 60mg Dexedrine and I could eat all day long!! I've never had to deal with being so overweight in my life and it is terribly distressing. The weird thing is that a couple days ago I weighed myself and I was 215 and yesterday I weighed in at 207 - same clothes and same time of day. Then today back around 215. How can I lose 8 lbs in 24 hours and then gain it all back? Water weight maybe?? Can anyone shed some light here? Sorry to ramble...I'm just very frustrated....
Thanks
Jerry
Posted by fachad on March 23, 2002, at 11:25:11
In reply to Re » fachad, posted by Janelle on March 22, 2002, at 20:23:25
What a great subject line - it sounds so dignified and scientific!
Well, I've heard the expression "pigging out" used to describe behavior where you just eat everything in sight. The scientific word for this is hyperphagia.
The other expression in question, "pork out" is something that I've seen less often and only recently. It is used to describe rapidly putting on weight.
So you were correct, for some people, including me, these drugs cause rapid weight gain even with decreased food intake and increased exercise.
Somehow they just change the basic metabolism and the way food is burned for energy vs. stored as fat.
Thankfully everyone is not affected the same way. If you have been able to maintain weight on Zyprexa (which is one of the most potent "pork-o-genic" drugs ever, you will probably be ok with other less lipogenic (that’s more scientific sounding that porkogenic) drugs.
> I have now seen the phrase "pork out" in a few different places on here and up until now I thought it meant the same thing as to "pig out", i.e. to eat alot (overeat)at one time, usually fattening, *comfort* foods (say chocolate ice cream).
>
> HOWEVER, in your response here, you wrote: " Even when I resist the desire to eat more, plus work out more, I still pork out."
>
> In the context of that sentence, since you are NOT eating more and are working out more, I am now inferring that "pork out" means to gain weight, get fat (not the same thing as to pig out)???
Posted by Janelle on March 23, 2002, at 21:14:24
In reply to Pigging Out vs. Poking Out » Janelle, posted by fachad on March 23, 2002, at 11:25:11
Posted by Janelle on March 23, 2002, at 21:24:16
In reply to Pigging Out vs. Poking Out » Janelle, posted by fachad on March 23, 2002, at 11:25:11
Posted by Ritch on March 23, 2002, at 21:43:14
In reply to Pork-o-genic, good one, ROTFL !! (nm) » fachad, posted by Janelle on March 23, 2002, at 21:14:24
This is the end of the thread.
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