Weight gain with Benicar

[mrmojo]

Anyone else had extreme weight gain with benicar?

Here's my history

My BP has always run 135-140/90-95

A few years back, I was getting my pilot's physical redone, and I was a hair high on the diastolic, the ME had me sit for a while & I passed

I moved back to town & started seeing a different family doctor, he started me on low doses of something (I think atenolol), it was ok for 6 months & went up

Same story for 3 years now, whatever he switches me to works for a while & then the BP comes up, always higher than before

Anyway, i got a hernia in may from changing a tractor tire & when he checked my BP it was high again & he switched me to 20mg benicar & also started me on niaspan for my "high" cholesterol (its just a time released niacin supplement, so i'm not worried about it)

My cholesterol has gone up steadily since i started taking BP meds, it was never a problem before

I started gaining a little weight, but didnt think much of it since I wasnt working out until 8 weeks after my hernia surgery

in sept my bp was still high & he put me on 40mg benicar with 25 mg HCTZ

I've been gaining even more weight, I still work out & i get a lot of muscle & joint pain & the best I can do is maintain 260lb, when I can usually hold 235 (I an 6'2" & built like a defensive end)

It seems like all the weight is going to my belly, too because the rest of me is as fit as ever

So now I am wondering if the benicar can cause weight gain, but everyone says there is no way, i'm just eating too much & not working out, which is bull

I'm getting wide swings in BP too, 167-124 / 106-78

I've about decided to drop the meds for a while & see what happens, but I thought i'd see if anyone else had similar problems

Thanks for your input

[Palamedes]

I'm on Benicar 20 mg (no HCTZ). And, I am losing weight with this. However, when I was on HYZAAR which is another ARB combined with HCTZ, I was having problems with weight control. I suspect it's the HCTZ that's that culprit.

If you want to drop the HCTZ, you can substitute a low-sodium diet and accomplish the same thing. When you are on an ARB or ACE inhibitor you become salt sensitive.

Pal

[bharkins]

I tried Benicar, but could not take it. However, I was always thin and have gained alot of weight in the last four years since I had to start BP meds. Maybe they all tend to make some people gain weight. Anyone? Is this true?

[bharkins]

Let me also add: If metoprolol slows your heart rate down, can it also slow down your metabolism?

[zip2play]

Anything that slows your heart rate (like losartan does for me) will cause weight gain unless calories are lowered!

High Blood Pressure Causes Weight Loss...(this is a zip2play original....but it IS true!)