1. Community
  2. Heart Health
  3. Propranolol

Propranolol and weight gain

Posted , 69 users are following.

Kermodesmum
Kermodesmum

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?

cry

Thank you

7 likes, 119 replies

119 Replies

Prev Next
  • za1ribas
    za1ribas Kermodesmum

    Posted

    Hi.  The reason I am on here is the opposite of this thread.  I have only been on it for 2 days, for anxiety.. It has caused me significant stomach discomfort, and cut my appetite completely.  almost giving me symptoms of IBS.  I have noticed it definitely helps to cut out the tremors and phobia reactions..

    ?So, did anybody find it also affected their appetite?  I am going to try a few more days and see if it eases up.  If not I don't see how I can continue it..   I have been a suffering of anxiety for about 28 - 30 years now.  Has consumed those years.     Looking for any ideas that may ease that stomach feeling.   Like a certain food, drink... anything that will get me through it.   Typically sedative type medication makes me hungry and eat like a lion.    This reaction I definitely didn't expect. Super disappointed at the moment, bc I need the benefits of this med...   could be a game changer for me.    Getting in front of people to speak is nearly impossible for me,,.. but only bc of the darn shakes, and heart pounding adrenaline..    

  • brunetta35359
    brunetta35359 Kermodesmum

    Posted

    Ive been on proprop for about a year and got big boobs n thicker round the middle.. ive just come off them in the last few days so hopefully i can drop some weight... i did nothing different while on them except eat less but i was however very lethargic... dieted and no weight loss... hopefully now my body will go back to normal.. stay tuned

    • macpep1
      macpep1 brunetta35359

      Posted

      Since coming off it I have lost 12lbs & have more energy to actually get up & do things so good luck xx

    • tbrl2o17
      tbrl2o17 macpep1

      Posted

      Hey Hun.

      Was the medication replaced with something else? 

      I have really bad anxiety, and couldn’t just bring my self of these, without something else being in place. 

      I have been on propranolol for 16 months now. Started of on 10mg 3 times a day, then 20mg 3 times a day, then my doctors 3 months ago put me onto the propranolol slow release 80mg 1 time a day. But since starting propranolol 16 months ago I have gained 2 stone. I was 7 stone and now I’m 9 stone. I can feel all the weight around my middle area, (breast and belly).  My belly is a lot wider, I don’t feel comfy wearing jeans anymore, as my belly hangs over, I’m not use to that, as my belly use to be flat. Everytime I’ve mentioned weight gain being linked to these tablets to my doctor. They tell me gain weight should have nothing to do with these tablets. But I’m struggling to understand how they can’t be. All our stories sound similar specially with the weight gain being around the belly and chest area. I really don’t want to gain anymore weight. But don’t know what else to do, I don’t know anymore medication for anxiety as this is the only one I’ve ever been on.

    • brunetta35359
      brunetta35359 tbrl2o17

      Posted

      Hey.. i was put on them cos i suffer from Superior canal dehisence.... so they were supposed to stop vertigo.. balance issues and autophony... they took the edge off for a while i was on 40mg x3.. all they did was make me heavier. And made me sleep all day.. my heart rate was way too low.. so they think as opposed to falling asleep i was passing out... fat and snoring lol. so no im not on anythinh im gonna try accupuncture and natural therapy... im a bit over drugs that dont work.. have u tried valium for anxiety?

    • brunetta35359
      brunetta35359

      Posted

      And btw i hear ya with the belly thing my stomach as always been flat as a tack.. not anymore and yes the doc says weight gain not from tablets.. thats crap... i have been 49 kg for years not anymore
    • brunetta35359
      brunetta35359 macpep1

      Posted

      Thats what im hoping... i spend my whole life asleep on those things
    • tbrl2o17
      tbrl2o17 brunetta35359

      Posted

      Hi thanks for getting back to me 😊 I really hope you manage find the right medication to help you. They do make you very tired and put weight on. I don’t want that I just want my anxiety under control. My anxiety is mainly  social anxiety, but sometime I experience really bad anxiety during a night time, worrying about fires because I was in 2 house fires when I was younger. I have never tried anything but propranolol. I will book a appointment with my doctor and mention Valium. Hopefully they will try me on that. The propranolol  seem to work with my anxiety when I first start a different dostage, but my body soon gets immune to them. I don’t want to keep going up is dostage, as well as gaining weight. I also feel as though I did a lot more with my children with no medication and bad anxiety, then I do now, with how tired they make you. I’d advice people not to start propranolol, they help with the axiety attacks at first,but other then that they make u feel terrible. Thank you brunetta for your advice 😊 xx

    • macpep1
      macpep1 tbrl2o17

      Posted

      No I decided myself to come off them I too have social anxiety although it’s getting better slowly but surely I also had too fast a heartbeat but the eight gain was awful.  When I went to my doctor to see about coming off them it was a locum not my normal doctor & she said along with my asthma meds I should never have been given them in the first place! I asked shy & she said they slow you right down & make you lethargic & she said that’s how the weight was gained, I would mention the Valium or an alternative I have lost 12lbs so far, still a bit to go to get the rest off but I am getting there hope you get on ok xx

    • tbrl2o17
      tbrl2o17 macpep1

      Posted

      Hi

      Thank you. 

      I’m glad your anxiety seems to be getting better 😊

      The doctors seem to just hand What ever out, without checking who can and can’t have things.  I also have asthma. I’m going to ring the doctors Monday and book my self in and mention the medication you have suggested. How long have you been off the propranolol? Clearly proves the tablets are at fault if your are loosing weight, now u have stopped the medication xx

    • macpep1
      macpep1 tbrl2o17

      Posted

      I have been off them now for over 2 months I had no energy before I was coming home after work, sitting down & didn’t move unless I really had to I fell behind with housework & everything, I think now I am moving around more in burning more energy x

    • tbrl2o17
      tbrl2o17 brunetta35359

      Posted

      That’s how I feel. Luckily my partner as lifted he’s weight and helped me a lot more then he use to. Because sometime I just don’t have the energy. Yeah the weight gain, was after I started taking the tablets. I do seem to eat a lot more then I use to before the tablets xx
    • macpep1
      macpep1 brunetta35359

      Posted

      I haven’t taken it all off yet I wasn’t really eating more just not burning any calories I sit down all day at a computer n was just sitting about after coming home from work.  I still have around 23lbs to lose but I am confident that will come of over the next 6 months x
  • Aaminah.x
    Aaminah.x Kermodesmum

    Posted

    Hi, I just got prescribed propranolol today from the doctors and I was told to read through the side effects before using them. I’m on 2 doses of 40mg a day (morning and night) and I’ve read quite a few complaints about weight gain. I’ve been to the doctors twice now about my anxiety, once in December and again today. I’ve suffered from anxiety for nearly 5 years and migraine euphoria for 8 years. First they told me to cut out triggers such as cheese and chocolate but it didn’t help, so the doctor I saw today had said that she wants to put me on propranolol because it also reduces anxiety. I was told by many psychotherapists to go to the doctors because I’ve tried many different types of therapies and none seem to work, but my doctor refuses to provide any anti-anxiety medication and the reason was because I’m 16 years old. But the Beta Blockers seem to have many issues surrounding the weight gain thing and I’m worried that the weight gain will cause my anxiety levels to increase a lot more (I.e. right now.) another thing I’m worried about is I’m a college student who has to go up and down six flights of stairs 4 days a week but if I’m lethargic, I don’t think I’ll be able to cope (can’t use elevators unless you have a valid excuse e.g; asthma, broken leg, heart conditions etc.) 

    What shall I do?😓

Back to top
Prev Next

Report or request deletion

Thanks for your help!

We want the community to be a useful resource for our users but it is important to remember that the community are not moderated or reviewed by doctors and so you should not rely on opinions or advice given by other users in respect of any healthcare matters. Always speak to your doctor before acting and in cases of emergency seek appropriate medical assistance immediately. Use of the community is subject to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and steps will be taken to remove posts identified as being in breach of those terms.