Weight Gain

[quote:99ef90cb90=\"Claire Davison\"]Has anyone taken pizotifen and not put weight on? I'm prescribed 1.5mg per day. Some of the posting about weight gain are incredible, I'm not to bothered about a few pounds but a few stones, that's another story! I don't have many migraines as such but i have bad headache nearly every day and pain behind my right eye only. Not sure whether to take these pills or try somethng else.[/quote:99ef90cb90]

I have been taking pizotiofen for a couple of months now and i have already put on over a stone. i also went to see a neurologist who told em the main side effect was weight gain and that there is an alternative. maybe you should enquire at your doctors about the alternative, i know i am going to now.

I too have been on pizotifen for about 3 months now and the amount of weight I have gained is beyond belief. Nice to hear that its not just me. Will definately see about getting these changed.

I have been on 1.5 of Pizotifen for 4 weeks now and have put on a stone. I am totally peeved. I worked so hard to loose all my weight. Now just before Christmas I cant fit into the outfit I bought when I lost my weight. :cry:

I'm currently on Pizotifen and have been for 3 weeks, I have yet to put on weight though I realise I am in the minority with this. I was terrified about the weight gain before I started so it's a relief that I am currently not suffering. On the negative front they've yet to do anything for my dizziness for which they were prescribed.

OOOOhhh yes! Definite weight gain - 17 pounds in 6 weeks to be exact.

I've been losing weight well with Slimming World for 18 months now and had lost over 75 pounds.

Then about 7 weeks ago when I first started the Pizotifen, my 'resolve' to lose weight dropped. I tried everything - food diaries, more exercise but every week the scales registered another gain. It's only recently after a little research did I make the connection with the Pizotifen.

I'm absolutely horrified, all my hard work undone by a little pill. Soooo angry!

I'm going to the doctors tomorrow to seek an alternative.

Yep, I've been taking pizotifen for 2 weeks now. I've gained half a stone. I've never weighed above 9 stone in my life, my weight has always been constant. It's shocking how quickly you put the weight on, and how much weight you put on too. Surely it's not good for your body to go through such sudden weight gain. I'm having real problems with drowsiness so my doctor has kept me on 1mg a day for now, I haven't even gone up to the full 1.5mg a day dose yet. I'm not finding any benefit as yet.

I have just been prescribed pizotifen to combat my miagranes. Having suffered from eating problems in the past having to handle weight issues again terrifies me... do people find it is the tablet that does this or does it just make you more hungry?

Pizotifen cause an increase in appetite. I had been trying to loose weight and am using an online food diary. I have noticed that I eat about 500 more calories a day since I have been on pizotifen. I havn't put too much weight on, only 5 pounds or so over a 4 month period. But I have had to up my exercise levels a lot and make sure that I eat healthy food to fill me up. I'm going to request to try something else from my GP

I've been on 1.5mg of Pizotifen for about a year, my doctor didn't even tell me what the side effects were and I gained about a stone and a half over 2 months. Started going to the gym 3 times a week and eating 1200 calories per day but found it difficult to shift the weight. It didn't even cross my mind that it could be the tablet until I came across an article about it yesterday. I'm now going back to my doctor for an alternative because yes, the migraines stopped but it's definitely not worth it. My energy levels have also been at an all time low which I suspect is the tablet too.

And from what I've seen on forums, blogs etc. weight gain is really common with this drug. I'd say don't take it. Or if you decide to, monitor your weight closely!

If you suffer as badly as I did then putting weight on is nothing compared to the misery of daily migraines.

If is is related to appetite, then it is all about self control, surely? I would not recommend to anyone to stop or not start these pills.

I think when people have really really come to the end of options and this works, why suffer at the hands of vanity?

[b:b027343919]Yes, being overweight is not healthy but appetitie is a desire that can be controlled??[/b:b027343919] An alternative is a beta blocker amungst others, which lowers blood pressure and can increase pulse rate etc, I guess looking fat is worse than playing with your heart??

Look at pros and cons and make an informed decision with your GP!!!!!

ive been on pizotifen 7.5 yrs,i was 8 stone now 10 stone,its not a vanity issue it the fact why should these bloody migraines ruin my life in more ways than one? yes pizotifen has stopped my migraines (2 a yr on average now)but its still got a hold on us,eg pilling on the weight! and you cant stop eating! its like an adiction,you sit and try to ignore it but you just cant! if you smoke its like trying to give that up! maybe not the same for everone but thats what im like! beta blockers didnt work for me they gave me two severe migraines in 1 wk,i researched why theyre no good for migraines on an american web site,something about blood vessels in your head swelling (or could have been shrinking)when u get a migraine and betablokers cause swelling(or shrinking) in blood vessels,they work great for a normal headache as blood vessels in your head do opposite when you have a headache to having a migraine,anyway im off to docs on wednesday to find out about topamax! for migraines and it doesnt have a weight gain side effect!!

I've just read your email Nicky and am in similar situation. Have had chronic migraine for 7 years now, nightmare with a young family and now a job! I was on pizotifen for a year and gained a stone, but came off it and migraines were just terrible again, so now am going back on it. Like you, I tried beta blockers and got no relief, just side effects, aside from weight gain, pizotifen had no real side effects for me, so it's my best bet, though I'll still be taking triptans when I get a migraine!

Hey all, its nice to know there are other people who have the same experience as me. I have been taking pitzotifen since May this year. I intially put on a stone, my dosage now is 2.5mg, i get migraines about every 6 weeks now. Pitzotifen has really helped me, and too be totally honest i would rather suffer the weight gain than the headaches! The tablets increase your appeitite, but if you are careful and try to stay active then the weight gain can be contolled. The other side effect for me is the drowiness, but take them at night and it will help.

It depends how severe the original migraines were, i couldn,t plan to do anything, i missed alot of work, spent time in hospital... so yes i am happy taking pitzotifen and having my life back!!

I have gained a stone and a half since I started pizotifen 7 weeks ago. This kind of quick weight gain cannot be healthy.

The weight gain is not down to increased appetite though as I am eating less than I was before. I am exercising 4 times a week.

Has anyone else lost their appetite but still gained loads of weight?

I have still been getting migraines but only once or twice a week and not every day as I had been before.

My whole body shape has changed and I'm piling the fat down where I never had it before.

This is bothering me for 3 reasons -

1. I can't afford to buy more clothes, I have to squeeze into what I have

2. vanity - I've never been fat before and don't want to start now

3. I know if I gain much more weight in equally short a time I'm going to damage my organs & my general health. I'm already very sluggish.

I'm trying acupuncture to try and get rid of the migraines but as I've had them for so long the acupuncture is going to take a while to have an effect. I'm hoping to come off the tablets eventually and hope the weight comes off then.