Coreg and weight gain?

[Eeyore1973]

Is there anyone here who is on Coreg and has gained weight? I have gained about 30 lbs since starting Coreg about a year and a half ago and no matter what I do I cannot lose weight for anything. Any suggestions?

[zuzu8]

Eeyore,
Beta blockers in general, because they slow down heart rate, make it more difficult to lose weight. Studies show that COREG, in clinical trials, causes a relatively high percentage of people to actually gain weight on it.

Are you taking it for hypertension? Congestive heart failure?

Talk to your doctor about this. If you are taking it for the former, there are many other alternatives out there for you. I don't know enough about CHF to recommend anything except, as I said, speak to your doc.

zuzu xx

[Eeyore1973]

Hi zuzu,
I am walking proof this drug causes weight gain and weight loss is impossable. Anyway I am taking Coreg because of cardiomyopathy. I don't think there is another alternative for that unfortunely. As far as my doctors go they do not beleive weight gain has anything to do with Coreg at all!! I don't know what I am going to do. It is very depressing.
Thanks for your response

[zuzu8]

I wonder if doctors stop reading once they get that degree!

Side effects of Coreg.. (generic name, carvedilol):

http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic3/carvedilol_ad.htm
Print it out and show it to your doctor(s)!

Even though these side effects were reported in clinical trials for patients w/ congestive heart failure, the adverse reactions would be similar across the board for other disorders.


You'll notice that edema (water retention) is also a side effect and I wonder if part of your weight gain isn't due to that.

DO talk to your doctor. He (they) are not gods and from what you tell me CERTAINLY not up to date on the pharmaceutical literature. ****, this makes me crazy!
Coreg isn't the only drug given for CHF or cardiomyopathy. Also. other beta blockers might not have the same effect on you. They are not all identical, even though they belong in the same class. Sometimes one tiny molecule makes all the difference.

P.S. Have you posted on the Heart Disorders Board? I cannot tell you how many well-informed folks are on there...

zuzu xx

[Eeyore1973]

Hi zuzu
Thank you so much for your reply. It's so true about these doctors. As upset as I am I laughed at that. I did print out that info about Coreg and made another appointment with my cardio but I don't see him untill 3/1/05. Anyway maybe if he doesn't want to take me off Coreg completely he can lower it and give me something else in combo. I don't know we will see what he says this time.
Thanks again,
Christina