Propranolol and weight gain

I’m so glad i found this post! I thought I was going bonkers as I was never told about the weight gain associated with this drug and doctors family and friends just said it’s  because I’m eating more . If anything my diet is healthier and I get more excerise , but the weight gain is not muscle !. For 20 years I have always been healthy 8-81/4 stone for my height and now 9 months later I’m  over 91/2 stone . I wouldn’t mind so much but it’s all on my belly and I have a moon face, the rest of me is still relatively thin , if it was evened out I would probably be less concerned . Tried everything to shift it and I can’t . I always had a flat stomach and thin torso , now I find it impossible to find bras as my breasts are the same size but my torso is not fat but thicker. My anxiety initially decreased but now my weird weight gain is making me even more self conscious so I feel like I can’t win!

My doctor did tell me I would gain weight on propranolol, and I did, 40 lbs (2.8 stone) over an 8 month period (3x80mg daily due to chronic migraines).  I then lost 50lbs over the next 6 months, here's what I did

1. Switched to a 100% vegetarian diet, all whole foods for 6 days a week. (day 7 I cheated but noticed I'd gain 3 lbs over night)

2. Reduced my calorie intake by 300 cals per day.  I was eating 1800 per day, reduced to 1500 per day.

Once I got my weight to where I wanted, I slowly introduced foods I've been avoiding (meat, pasta, bread, rice) to see the impact.  I kept the meat/chicken but removed pasta/bread/rice because it caused my weight to go up quickly. 

this may or may not work for you, everyone is different, but it is a starting point.

 

Hi Kermodesmum, I put weight on with Propranalol too and gradually lost a couple of stone with no effort on my part when I was suddenly switched to something else after 20+ years. I didn't connect the weight gain or loss with Propranalol until well after the events after reading the experiences of others on this forum. The evidence may be anecdotal but the notion made sense to me particularly after the effortless weight loss when I stopped taking it. Until then I had assumed the weight gain was entirely lifestyle related and the gradual weight loss, though welcome, a mystery.

Hi, my heart rate dropped so I was switched to Metopralol for a little while but now am on a host of other heart related medication for a different condition.

I have tried to do a bit of reading round and it seems there is a little debate about whether beta blockers in general cause weight gain. Weight gain isn't listed as a side effect in the BNF or the patient leaflet or in BHF info. However, is is acknowledged as an issue in some quarters. BUPA suggested that weight gain does affect some but the mechanism is unclear and suggests it might be a combination of factors. There is some suggestion beta blockers may have an effect on the way insulin might work; they definately slow you down and cause fatigue so it could be that we become less active. For myself, I know that I eat more (and usually not the most helpful things) when I am chronically tired. It's as if my body says "I'm tired, I need more energy; energy=food; feed me!!"

Fundamentally, weight is governed by diet and exercise and for most of us it doesn't take much to upset the delicate balance so it's no surprise really that a little tablet that alters us enough to not get headaches is altering other things unseen in the background, perhaps producing weight gain in some but not everybody.

I have been on 80mg slow release propranalol for a about a couple of years.  I was 9st.2lbs when I started and did go over 10st..5lbs but am holding my own at 10st.1lb. but I am not a big eater.  However, have had 4 migraines in 10 days putting it down to humid and stormy weather but feel I would like to come off these tablets as am always tired and lifeless, making an effort in everything I do.  I am tired of not feeling confident in going anywhere in case I am stricken down. But suppose that's life!  or is it!   To come of these tablets was told to see my doctor as it had to be a gradual reduction.  Wondering what else I could take long term to hopefully stop having these attacks.  I wonder what they would give the queen if she suffered from migraines???   The doctor said he couldn't increase these tablets as my heart rate was already quite slow yet I have read somewhere in these notifications that heart rates have increased!   Anyhow, when I get a migraine I take migraleve pink tablets which I have found successful in getting rid of the flashing lights after half hour and at least it takes away feeling sick, but then another day to feel as normal as I can be!

I came off Propranolol for the second time a few weeks ago. Mainly for weight gain reasons but it had also not been as effective at preventing the migraines as it was the first time I took it a few years ago. The first time I came off it was because of the weight gain, and the second time around I have gained even more weight and as I'm now 46 it's harder to get off but I'm getting there (10lbs down). I had really bad detox from it this time as I was on 240Mg a day (max dose) and my GP told me to go cold turkey as I would have rebounds whether I did slow withdrawal or not. However, I would not recommend it as I ended up in bed for 24 hours and felt terrible for several days after. I'm still reliant on Triptans for my migraines, which annoys me, but I am happy that my weight is going down and I feel less tired and lethargic, I also got really emotional and bad tempered on Propranolol. It's hard to get GPs to believe that there is weight gain on this drug, but I did find one GP who admitted that it slowed down the body's metabolism. I wouldn't go back on it again... I have been advised to take Riboflavin but haven't started yet. I was feeling quite well until 2 weeks ago and work got very stressful and so the migraines have returned. Good luck if you do come off it!  

Hello I was reading your letter about taking Propranolol..I have only just looked into these tablets ..iv been taking these for a number of years now. And I to have put on wait..I have wonderd why..and could not fathom it out ..now I know why....if I hadn't read your letter and read a few others..and the read up on Propranolol..I don't think I would have realised.

The wait iv put on is led my to be 12st...now I will not take these no more

How are you now as I can see it's been 4 years since u wrote your letter

Thankyou

Let me guess - your hair thinned also? Doctor didn't warn me either...

im so glad ive find this site !!!

ive been on propanol for six months. ive put on over a stone in weight especially around the tops of my thighs and stomach. i eat well, i exercice but the weight is going on not off. i even done a pregnancy test as i was getting so big !!! it was negative !!!

i cant begin to tell you how low i feel.

the reason why im on propanol, i have muscle damage around my brain the tablets work great but im huge !!! just dont know what to do ?

Relieved in a strange way to see these posts. I currently take 80mg of propanolol daily as well as 150mg sertraline. This started in February time.

I am at my heaviest ever. Around the middle is ridiculous as is bum/top of legs.

My appetite has reduced and even get comments that I can't be full when we're out. I don't know how much weight I've gained as don't have scales but I know from clothes it is not great.

I started learning how to go out jogging but it is not easy given the weight around the middle.

I have never been this big or carried weight around the middle and it is not nice.

Any suggestions gratefully received, this cannot carry on? Not sure if its related but i am 48 and also have proper sweats

omg wish I had something positive but I am in the exact same boat. started this med last November. headaches almost completely gone and have only had 2 migraines in said months. I was having 3-5 a day. But now I'm always tired, gained 15 lbs and I'm still eating the same lean meals and drinking breakfast and dinner. It sounds terrible, but I don't know which is worse, the weight gain, uncomfortableness and being drained or the headaches.... good luck to you!