Has anyone gained weight from being on Pain Pills? I just wonder because in the 3 months that I used I gained about 13 pounds. It wasn't so much that I was eating more but I was eating horribly, like I'd get a milkshake from McDonald's and take 2-3 pills and would feel great because I didn't take them on an empty stomach. Just wondering....

Not sure this is the right board for your post...maybe post on the pain management board??

I'll give you my thoughts anyway...what kind of pain meds are you taking and how often? What for?

I switched from oxycontin 20mg 3 times a day to 30mg of methadone 2 times a day (for cost reasons as I lost my ins. and methadone is waaay cheaper than oxy).

I gained weight. It could be the methadone but it could also be that I was laid off my job about 6 months ago (not that it was a physical job...just a desk job), but since then I've been in a huge depression and haven't been going out of the house much. Also not really eating right either.

Sorry I couldn't be more specific, but some meds do cause weight gain. I would google your drug and check out the side effects. Maybe weight gain is one.

Good luck,
Angela

I was on vicodin but have been clean...well i was on vicodin for 4 months straight...sept., oct., nov., and dec. I was taking up to 10 7.5 mg's a day. I quit with the help of the clonidine patch and sleeping pills and I quit for a total of 2 weeks then I went back and used for 2 weeks but it was for legitamite pain...I had a severe head ache for 2 weeks. This past Sunday was the last day I took any pain pills and w/d's aren't nearly as bad as they were the first time probably because I didn't take them again for a long time but I'm craving them badly.

I was just wondering if anyone gained weight while taking pain pills. I guess every one is different.

Thanks for the reply!

Everyone is different. I have been taking vicodin 5/500 up to 4 per day for many years for back pain and did not gain weight from them....only started gaining with the methadone (and the lack of desire to do anything since losing my job).

Good luck :wave:
Angela

yes I definitly gained weight on pks. the favorite time to take them was before breakfast and dinner. And it seemed I had know control over the junk I would eat. Spring And summer I got away with it because I worked out heavily. The workouts I had were incredible because of course I felt no pain.

Not so much weight gain (I just didn't eat), but big time bloating/water retention. Probably because it screwed up being able to take a piss.
Moeenergy

Well, same here!!!!! I have had some weight gain on vikes and perks. Also alot of fluid retention. If i took the pills all day and drank alot of coffee by evening my stomach would bloat and i swear i looked like i was pregnant!!!!!!
Also dont forget about the constipation they cause at times too!!!! Soooo yep, lots of reasons there for the weight gain!

ValleyGurl

(Angela - so sorry you having a bad depression. I'm just climbing out of one, now. Hope things start to look better soon. What a cycle, eh?!?!)


The only reason I gained weight on pain pills is:

--I felt so "good" I'd eat anything I darned pleased!!
--I stayed in and dormant--at home--with my little "buddies"--and got no exercise.
--I couldn't bother to take the time to gather my usual low-calorie faves together. I tended to eat what was handy. Peanut butter, French bread and cheese from all over the globe! (I live one block from a special deli with about 400 kinds of cheese. Baaaad!), take-out cuban pork chops, pizza, lollipops, Rocky Road ice cream...etc, etc. If it was "evil"--I ate it!

Had to go on a strict diet last year to finally get back to normal (even tho I was still taking the pills until last month.) I think I've also lost about 5 lbs in the last four weeks by just keeping tabs on what leaves the refrigerator (or, goes into it in the FIRST place!) :-)

Lynn

PS I took my pills first thing in the morning (for a nice morning flight)...then, a few hours later, if I needed to be creative and write....then later in the afternoon. Never before a meal, unless I was at a restaurant in a social situation and needed a bit of encouragement to get out at ALL! I rarely took pills later at night, unless I needed to do some creative projects!! Weird!! I can see now how I relied on them--I obviously had in it my head that I did all my best "thinking" while on a nice high. Yeah...for all of the ten minutes per pill that high even lasted!!!! Then...it was back to....duuuuuhhhh.

PPS I can NEVER eat when I'm depressed...so I've always called my diets "The Depression Diet"--dropping lbs and Norepinephren, whenever a clincal bout of depression hit me.

Everyone is different. I have been taking vicodin 5/500 up to 4 per day for many years for back pain and did not gain weight from them....only started gaining with the methadone (and the lack of desire to do anything since losing my job).

Good luck :wave:
Angela


HI Angela

The methadone did just the opposite for me..............I lost my appitite/
How long have you been on the methadone?

Hiya..me too..been on Norco for the past, ummm..2 yrs or so..I am up to quite a few a day but DEFINITELY have noticed the weight gain!!..Not sure if it is due to the fact that I just am feeling so good (mentally) that my brain cues me to eat OR the drug's chemical makeup?? Up from a pretty good 155 to now a 185!..I am 5 ft. 10 so I can carry the extra baggage pretty easily BUT heck, I hate having my fat, middle of the road and skinny clothes in the closet!!!!! grrrrr

lindylou58

Anna Nicole Smith..where are ya!!?:)

I gained about 15lbs. on pain meds. I read somewhere that they will drop your blood sugar and you will crave more sweets. I drank a lot more soda than usual and loved my desserts. So yes I believe it is from the pills. I also tried to keep my stomach full so the pills wouldn't upset it.
I've been clean for 4 days and already lost a pound.

Twinlynn...you're making me HUNGRY...makin my mouth water for all the foods I used to be able to get in San Francisco.....now I'm in small town americana w/little ethinic cuisine to choose from (maybe that's a GOOD thing considering my weight gain :eek: ) Thanks for the words of encouragement for the depression. It just keeps getting worse and worse. I actually wished that I would die of natural caused for my Christmas present. (I'm not a loony person...I'm a professional woman who lost her career job last June and haven't been able to pick up the peices yet....).

Bluejulie5 - I wish it were the same for me...to lose instead of gain...I've been on the meth since I lost my insurance - June 04.

My weight gain could be from lots of things....no job and eating when I'm not hungry....drinking too much beer....etc. I am going to visit my sister in Atlanta next week and when I come home I'm going to find a job (really haven't been looking much...the damn depression). My weight should start to go back down I hope.....