Propranolol and weight gain
Posted , 69 users are following.
Hi
I have been taking this drug for over 6 months now. 40mg twice a day The cluster headaches that have plagued my life are now down to a bare minimum.....(not totally gone away) and manageable.
HOWEVER! I have gained about 1.5 stone in weight, particularly round my middle. This is highly unusual for me.
My GP states this is NOT a recognised side effect and I simply must be eating more due to feeling better! As my eating habits have not changed at all, I find this very hard to accept. If I am to take this drug for the rest of my days, At this rate I will be enormous!
PLEASE…can anyone help/confirm/reassure me that this is only a temporary side effect?
Thank you
7 likes, 119 replies
stormiweathers Kermodesmum
Posted
Yes, my GPA has told me the same thing. I've been on propranolol for 3 years now twice a day 60mg, I started out with 40mg and my weight went from 160lbs to 235 and gaining and no matter what I do I keep gaining and I'm scared.
gill58380 Kermodesmum
Posted
Hi I am so glad I found this forum, I have been taking 80mg of
Propanolol for about 3 months and have noticed weight gain around my thighs stomach it's awful I just feel so flat all the time can't muster excitement about anything ,
I did speak to a nurse who told me it's just side effects really I don't know what's worse anxiety or feeling this way 😯
gail53570 gill58380
Posted
Hi This has happened to me too. I was prescribed propranolol 80mg sr caps. i have put on weight, About 1 and a half stones in a little over three months. I was prescribed it for the panic attacks and stress and anxiety at work. Since taking them i'm absolutley shattered all the time and with little or no energy. I even started weight watches and kept to it but the puonds still increased. I have decided that i want off this medication and took a weeks holiday off work to go cold turkey. I started this on saturday. It's not been too bad. I find i'm clammy and have had strange dreams some times. Also i'm a little lathargic. But i will keep on with it. I will let you know how i go on.
gill58380 gail53570
Posted
I t really is awful I tried cutting down the dose but found that the anxiety came back really quick I still have panic attacks but not as strong because of propanolol hopefully it works for you think an appointment is needed again with the doctor 😮
stormiweathers Kermodesmum
Posted
Hi my neurologlist said no it doesn't cause weight gain but when I saw his pa this last time she said it most definitely does. so she started me on the first week of 1 tablet of TopiRamate 25mg, then the second week two tablets. I've lost 7 pounds in the first two weeks. I've been on propranolol since 1/2013 and gained 65lbs. I've tried all kinds of diets and just kept gaining now I've finally lost some.
christine44699 stormiweathers
Posted
Hi, can I ask how you've got on with Topiramate? I requested this for prevention of migraines but my GP refused to give me it till I'd first tried Propanalol. Have gained weight and suffered constipation and taken myself off it. So wondered how you've found Topiramate? Thanks
vixi84 Kermodesmum
Posted
I've put over 4 stone on in 2 years taking propranolol & every time I try & diet I can't even lose half a lb it's really getting me down, my family think I'm in denial about what I eat but I've always been able to loose weight & I don't feel like I'm digesting food properly. in fact I've probably put more on but I'm too upset to weight my self any more & I avoid seeing people because of my weight gain. I'm going to try cutting down from 3 x 40mg a day to just 1 before bed.. I really am at my wits end I left the gym after I never lost anything. I'm so glad I'm not the only one feeling like this..
gail53570 vixi84
Posted
Hi I'm so sorry to here about your weight gain. You are not alone with putting on weight. What are you taking the propranolol for.?. Is your meds in tablet or capsule form and are they slow release.?. how are you feeling about cutting down on the medication.?. I too left the gym and now go for walks with my head phones on music blaring away. That way i dont feel so open. i've managed to lose 5 pounds through this. still a long way to go though.
vixi84 gail53570
Posted
They are tablets, as far as I know they are not slow release ones.. I take them for anxiety but I've not been feeling too bad since I cut down in fact I've been a lot better & had more energy but it has only been a few days, I had a rubbish nights sleep last night though having weird dreams maybe down to cutting back or maybe just anxiety I'm not sure. I do feel more mentally positive though so that is a good sign..
gail53570 vixi84
Posted
ScottH vixi84
Posted
I was in a similar situation as you, I was taking 3x80ml per day, and put on weight fast. I take it for migraines so I was used to tracking food to see what was triggering the attacks. After lots of trial and error I discovered that propranolol reduced my calorie needs by 500 per day. I went from needing 2000 cals/day to 1500. I also found that certain foods on propranolol create crazy weight gain, if I eat tostidos (corn chips used for salsa) I will gain 5lbs overnight from all the fluid retention.
I have since lost 45 lbs. I cut out all processed foods except beer, eat 75% green vegtables and 25% lean protein (steak/chicken/egg white) and only use spices, no sauces or marinades.
Over the last few months I took a class in Mindful Meditation which has proven to be a great help for my migraines. Most of the people in the class were there due to anxiety.
matthew_38172 Kermodesmum
Posted
I'm so glad I found this thread I was on 40mg of propranolol 3 times per day and put on just under 3 stone in less than 5 months ! ...my gp tried to blame it on my other medication but the weight gain only started on the propranolol! Before that I was losing weight ...
I have since spoken to a pharmacist about it and she confirmed that propranolol slows down or stops your metabolism ...hence weight gain ! Hope this helps
patricia1953 matthew_38172
Posted
Matthew, We all are inthe same boat...my doctor told me to "eat less"...I was never a big eater to begin with????
In any event I just went for my intake appointment and was approved for the second trial of CGRP and I have my first shots end of October...I'm so excited as I'm chronic with 25 a month for l0 years and having migrianes since I was l5 and now 63.....I'm taking Imitrex and just went off Propranolol three weeks ago (with no side effects)....
Wishing everyone on this site better health in the future - we deserve it!!!
vixi84 Kermodesmum
Posted
I really think propranolol has made me really ill, I've been quite ill for just over a year now & I can't believe the doctors haven't picked up that it could be the meds, I'm almost 100% sure it's what has made me ill & I've tapered right down to 20 or 10mg on a night now, probably a lot quicker than I should have but I've had dreadful symptoms - itchy arms & back with rash & sometimes spots, bowel movements have been yellow mush like up to 10 times a day at one point, severe anxiety & panic attacks, menstrual problems, sleepless nights, hot sweats, constantly exhausted, severe weight gain & that's just half the things I can remember right now.. I believe this medication helped me once but not any more, my symptoms have cut back drastically & I'll be off this medication soon & it can't come quick enough. I just kept getting told I have IBS brought on by stress / anxiety which is what I took the propranolol for & to cut back what I was eating, even my family seem to think I lie about what I eat & I'm at the end of my tether. As soon as I cut my dose I noticed I started to think more positively. I also read earlier that sometimes it can be used to treat over active thyroid so no wonder it's made us gain weight..
I'm having pretty bad nightmares at the moment which I put down to coming off it but I'll be ok, just going to stay positive & see this through..
ScottH vixi84
Posted
if your doctor won't listen, go to another. propranolol is the 3rd drug they tried me on, the first would make me see crows flying everywhere, which was not fun when I was driving. the second ruined my sleep and gave me waking nightmares. Propranolol only gave me weight gain and made it hard to walk fast.
You have to be very, very careful about how fast you cut back on Propranolol. Remember, it dampens the signals from your brain to your heart so your heart beats more slowly. over time the brain increases the signal strength and your heart adjusts and speeds faster (then your dose is usually increased). when you cut back, your brain is still sending that strong signal which your heart now hears extra loud, so it increases its speed.