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amitriptyline & weight gain

Posted , 71 users are following.

clowny1
clowny1

Hello,

Ive been taking amitriptyline for about a year for chronic tension headaches and i'm convinced they have made me gain weight. I've always kept an eye on my weight and i know how it can vary from day to day, but i always remained 2lb's either side of my ideal weight.

Since taking amitriptyline i've gained over half a stone, I even gained weight while trying to loose it! I've been eating around 1200 calories a day and still nothing!

I have asked several times at the doctors about this, and they all say that amitriptyline is not known for weight gain, but when looking on the internet it says that it is a well known fact, so i am quite confused.

Any help or advice would be great.

5 likes, 129 replies

129 Replies

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  • allan67251
    allan67251 clowny1

    Posted

    I have been taking 100 mg of amatryp for about 6 months for daily headaches and migraines. I only take it at night. I gained 30 lbs. in 4 months. My neurologist gave me Topamax to take with it. 50 mg in the morning and 50 mg at night. I have lost about 15 lbs. in the last 5 weeks without changing much else. Just for the record, I still have headaches everyday, quite often migraines, but I have convinced myself that they were much worse before the the meds. Painful Al
    • susiebelle43
      susiebelle43 allan67251

      Posted

      I was prescribed Amitriptyline for migraines as well, I was having daily headaches and migraines with only about 7 days a month pain-free. I have to take a lot of Sumatriptan to help ease the pain as it's the only thing that works. I have been on Amitriptyline for about 6 or 7 weeks. I went up to the maximum dose which was 50mg at night. But the headaches got worse, I get confused, forget things, lose my train of thought, have dry mouth all day long, sugar cravings, constipation and I've gained 10lbs already. I'm now weaning myself off them slowly and plan to return to my doctor to change to another medication. I have a friend who is on Amitriptyline and Topomax and this helps him but he still gets occasional migraines but not so frequent. It's good to know there are other people out there going through the same thing!
    • jazelazrbeam
      jazelazrbeam allan67251

      Posted

      Yeah when I take Topomax I still occasionally get bad headaches and migraines especially around my time of the month. I have found that it prevents 80% of my headaches, and that's better than having them every day! 

      I might also recommend talking to your Doctor about using effexor for migraines maybe? It works similar to amitriptyline and it helps calm overactive nerves that are firing too many signals at once which could be exacerbating your pain. I was prescribed it for depression and functional abdominal pain (basically fibromaylgia limited to the gut) and it's helped with both. It's been used to manage fibromyalgia and sometimes migraines, and it doesn't cause weight gain. 

    • jazelazrbeam
      jazelazrbeam susiebelle43

      Posted

      sorry this was meant to go to you not allan. Yeah when I take Topomax I still occasionally get bad headaches and migraines especially around my time of the month. I have found that it prevents 80% of my headaches, and that's better than having them every day! 

      I might also recommend talking to your Doctor about using effexor for migraines maybe? It works similar to amitriptyline and it helps calm overactive nerves that are firing too many signals at once which could be exacerbating your pain. I was prescribed it for depression and functional abdominal pain (basically fibromaylgia limited to the gut) and it's helped with both. It's been used to manage fibromyalgia and sometimes migraines, and it doesn't cause weight gain. However effexor can cause constipation and has for me but it's better than being in pain all the time. 

  • clowny1
    clowny1

    Posted

    Hello,

     

    Thank you for all your replies! I've just come across this post again over a year later, searching for the same issues once again. 

    I have continued with amitripline as it worked for my headaches so well and just decided to accept the weight gain. My weight did settle down from when I first started taking amitripline, however instead of piling the weight on quickly it has continued to creep up. Even with monitoring this and trying to counter act it I have had no luck losing any weight.

    I have dropped down a dose to 20mg, and have decided myself this week to try and come off it all together so dropped to taking 10mg - mostly as an experiment to see what happens with my weight. My headaches have become rare, so I am hoping this will not affect them. These tablets arent something I planned to stay on long term. Doctors have said different things to me which is very frustrating. Some saying I need to take them as long as theyre working for my headaches, others saying I need to come down as to not become reliant on them.

    Its become very frustrating going the doctors, since gaining this weight I dread visiting as I know they will weigh me and comment on it. Yet they dont seem to care or take into consideration that it is the amitripline causing it. Being called up on something that you are aware of and trying to battle, and knowing you have mentioned the issue in previous appointments isn't a nice expirence. When I mention the weight issue they say I need to choose either a bit of weight gain or headaches, but they then contradict this when telling me to keep an eye on my weight again while weighing me! This isn't something you want when you already feel unhappy about yourself. 

    Is anyone else epirencing the same issues? How have you found talking to your doctor about your concerns? 

  • Eryn2000
    Eryn2000 clowny1

    Posted

    Hi, I went off it a few months ago when I realised I had gained so much weight, I feel alot better, not as moody, tired, irritable etc.  I didnt realise it was the meds making me feel that way!  Headaches have gone away, much to the fact Im not stressed nearly as much anymore.  The weight is not really coming off though, lost a couple kg's but I think measurement wise I have changed alot, due to measure again in 3 weeks.  I work out 3 tines a week at gym with trainer and have started yoga, 2-3 times a week, hot yoga which I think was a great help, physically and mentally!  Strongly reccomend giving a "few" tries.

    Doctor suggested seeing a dietician and I just laughed basically, Ive explored many a "diet" and calories in versus out etc and am currently eating clean and snacking on small things such as seeds, nuts so seeign a dietician at this stage (while I am also getting nutritional advice from my trainer) is not something I will do.  Maybe down the track... maybe.

    Hope this helps you!

    • clowny1
      clowny1 Eryn2000

      Posted

      Glad to hear you're doing well without the amitripline! I will definitely look into hot yoga it sounds great. I think I need something like that in my lifestyle that will make me less stressed. However my lifestyle has changed a lot since I started taking amitripline, so I'm not expecting to be as stressed anyway.

      Definitely doesn't sound like you need to see a dietician! I'm the same in that I know what is good and bad in my diet (it's something I'm very interested in) and my weight gain didn't make sense at all. It's good to know I'm not completely imagining it! I'll just have to see what happens, but I won't know if I don't try!

      Thanks smile

  • dawn37202
    dawn37202 clowny1

    Posted

    Hi Clowny1

    I was started on Amitryptiline back in march i suffer with bad head aches & iv put 2 stone on ... i am trying to get it off but its not that easy as im sure you are aware,whats even worse is the pills havnt reduced the pain it just helps me sleep a little better,i have depression too which i think the pills have helped,im seeling my GP on saturday so hopefully they will increase the dose or give me something else

    i agree with you that it does make you gain weight... it sounds like you should go back to your GP & let him/her know that you chat to people on the forum & they agree with you that the drug does indeed make you gain weight ... Kind Regards

    Dawn

    • clowny1
      clowny1 dawn37202

      Posted

      Hope your doctor understood your situation and found a better solituon for you. Glad I am not alone in thinking this is a side effect! smile Thank you
  • Guest
    Guest clowny1

    Posted

    Well, what a fluke.!!

    I was just Googling Amitriptyline as my doctor upped my dosage because I have been having "breakthrough" nerve pain,and that is why I've been taking these tablets.  I'm normally savvy with my medication and I can't  fathom why these ones have missed my scrutiny.  NOW, I have an answer to why I gained so much weight and no matter what I do, I cannot lose it.

    I was putting it down to my inactivity over the last few years, due to living with elbow sticks, very hard to get too active, buuut, I do work very hard and garden, have projects, like woodworking, and pyysically, although painful, I still keep up a pace no other of my friends,or enemies can keep up with, and this is commented on.  

    I also tried 2 different therapies of self-hypnosis to lose weight and followed them avidly, no lose, damn.

    I decided that being that my age is 67 now, and that I had given up smoking because of numerous operations on my body, mainly right foot, and knees, and one hip, over the last 8 yrs , that it was a "catchup" on my habit of loving food and always being able to eat anything, anything, that I now had to suffer.  (I still am the slimmest in the family,which is a yaaay.)but my genes are more of my Mum, slim.

    SO, now, as of this very minute, I am not going to add to the quantity of these tablets, which I do swear by for a great nights sleep, plus, ( I found ),also, by taking my BP tab at night, I am guaranteed a great sleep, even with 2-3 pee breaks.

    Tonight, I shall begin with 1 X 50 instead of the 2, followed with a 1 X 25, which will equal,75 instead of the 100 I've been on, and not take the added amount I was prescribed yesterday.  Hey,I can put up with extra nerve pains, rather than more of a weight gain. And hopefully I can drop a few kilos. I shall keep you informed and I'm happy for anyone to follow me to see how I go. Toodles, Bunty. In Australia.

    • clowny1
      clowny1 Guest

      Posted

      Hi Bunty, 

      Glad the post has helped you, hope you can find the right balance of what works for you!

  • lisa84011
    lisa84011 clowny1

    Posted

    Hi all,

    i have been on amiltriptaline for 6 years and have gained 4 stone and now my dr has increased it from 35mg to 50mg. I haven't started that amount yet as researching natural ways to control restless legs and back pain. I am extremely anxious about the increase. However, if I ever miss a dose, I don't sleep a wink all night and then suffer for it for days on end. 

    I am also on 50mg of citalipran which also causes weight gain.

    i am seriously considering coming off of all of them altogether and find more natural products.

    since my weight gain my blood pressure has rocketed and am now on 3 lots of both meds too. I'm convinced if I lose the weight, I can reduce the no meds.

    has anyone tried to come off of amiltriptaline? If so, what were the side effects and withdrawal symptoms

    thanks guys.

    lisa

  • Diamond14
    Diamond14 clowny1

    Posted

    Hi I have been taking amitryptaline for over 2years at a higher dose, I take 100mg daily. I the last year & half I have put on over 4 stone, I thought it was due to the steroid injections in my lower back & also had part of the discs removed. I was put on gabapentin & piled weight on but stopped these & still continued to put weight on & not loose anything, I am still on the ami could these be making the weight go on & stay? No matter what I do I cannot loose anything, it's all around my stomach & my face looks swollen all the time. Any info would be great. Thanks
  • jaynetoddy17
    jaynetoddy17 clowny1

    Posted

    Hey I know how you feel I've always been 8st 3 and 5'6" and I'm now 10st!! I've been amitriptilyne for 2 years for migraines and neck tension, I've been researching more natural options, last weekend was the first world migraine summit in the states and if you google it you can join and listen to some of the pod casts by doctors, I would recommend listening to day 1 which a doctor discusses natural remedies, I'm currently talking magnesium citrite (not oxide) and B2, B6 and B12, google them and I was amazed my doctors never mentioned these x
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