Medications and Weight - Which do you take?

We all know that different medications can have differing effects on people's waistlines. Here is a list of medications with known/proven weight gain. Read through the whole list, sometimes the classification of the drug is not why is prescribed to the patient, drugs work on multiple symptoms. Remember, your side effects may differ.



Diabetes Therapies: gains of up to 18 lbs in intensive 3 month treatment

• Insulin (lispro, aspart, glulisine; humalog, novolog, apidra
• Thiazolidinediones (TZDs) [pioglitazone; actose]
• Sulfonylureas (glipizide, glyburide, glimepiride, chlorpropamide, tolbutamide; glucotrol, diabeta, micronase, glynase, amaryl, diabinese)

Psych/Neurologic Therapies: average gain of 9 lbs per month

• Triclyclic antidepressants: amitriptyline, doxepin, imipramine, nortriptyline, trimipramine, mirtazapine; (elavil, endep, vanatrip, adapin, dilenor, sinequan, tofranil, aventyl, pamelor, surmontil, remeron)
• Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs): setraline, paroxetine, fluvoxamine; zoloft, paxil, pexeva, luvox)
• Lithium: eskalith, lithobid

Antisychotics:

• haloperidol
• loxapine (oxilapine, clozaril, fazaclo
• clozapine (thorazine)
• chlorpromazine
• fluphenazine (risperdal
• risperidone (M-tab)
• zyprexa
• seroquel
• olanzapine
• quetiapine

Antiseizure/anticonvulsants: variable gains of up to 44 lbs

• valproic acid (depakote, depakene, stavzor)
• carbamazepine (carbatrol, epitol, uquetro, tegretol)
• gabapentin (horizant, neurontin)

Steroid Hormones: gains of 4-29 lbs

• oral corticosteroids (prednisone, cortisone; sterapred)
• inhaled corticosteroids (budesonide, ciclesonide, fluticasone; pulmicort, alvesco, flovent)
• Hormone therapy/contraception (estrogen, progestagens)

Misc:

• antihistamines (diphenhydramine; benadryl, unisom, sominex, nytol, aler-dryl etc)
• Beta-andrenergic blockers (propranolol, metoprolol, atenolol; inderal, innopran, pronol, lopressor, toprol, tenormin)