Brian LaMar, MD, PPG – Weight Management, discusses the relationship between prescription medications and weight.
When someone is prescribed a medication, whether that's for a mental health concern like anxiety or depression, high blood pressure or another chronic condition, there's always the potential risk for side effects. Sometimes those side effects include weight gain.
There are many reasons why certain medications cause weight gain. Prescriptions have the potential to:
- Stimulate appetite, which increases hunger and makes you want to eat more.
- Make you tired or fatigued, which can lead to a decreased activity level.
- Cause water retention.
So, what can we do about these side effects? Obviously, if we can, we want to limit the amount and frequency of the medications we take. But, for many, they are lifesaving and going off the medicine is not an option. And that's okay. We don't want people to go without those necessary medications. It’s just important to be aware of the potential for weight gain and try to counteract the consequences, whether that's through stricter calorie restriction, diet control or increasing and making sure that you're staying on top of your activity level.
You can also work with your care team to use medications that can counterbalance side effects. They can also review your prescriptions and explore alternatives that have less potential for weight gain. This should be done on a patient-by-patient basis with the guidance of a medical professional.
To learn more about the resources available to you at PPG – Weight Management, including free seminars, call 260-425-6390 or fill out this form and one of our care team members will contact you with more information.
