Jillian's Wellness Team
John La Puma, M.D., is a board-certified specialist in internal medicine and a professionally trained chef. He hosts a weekly segment on Lifetime Television’s Health Corner called "What’s Cooking With ChefMD?" and has written several books, including ChefMD’s Big Book of Culinary Medicine. When he’s not lecturing or appearing on television, he can be found helping patients at his private practice in Santa Barbara, California.
Visit his Web site.
Weight Gain From Medication: Can You Change It?
One of the most vexing things about trying to lose weight is
your mood. In the beginning,
my patients can be a little grouchy, even if they are
losing pounds, not flavor, using culinary medicine.
Even if they’re depressed, anxious, schizophrenic or bipolar and on prescription medication. And especially if their weight gain is from their medicine.
Newer medicines like Seroquel, Abilify, Zyprexa and Risperadal are promoted because they have fewer medical side effects, like tardive dyskinesia, than older psychiatric medicines. And they do.
But these newer medicines also have a higher cardiac risk than the older ones, and the leading cause of death in the mentally ill is heart disease.
And the new medicines don’t have less weight gain.
A recent JAMA report studied 255 students taking the drugs: they gained between 8-15% of their body weight in about 12 weeks…between 1 and 1.5# per week.
The Biggest Gainer? Zyprexa. :(
What to do?
When I did an online forum with dr-bob.org on obesity from psych medication in 2003, the response was overwhelmingly interested and eager. These people really need help.And deserve it.
It turns out that many of the same strategies and tactics help them as help other people keep weight off once they lose it.
My favorite are these 4, from the National Weight Control Registry, at nwcr.ws:
“There is variety in how NWCR members keep the weight off. Most report continuing to maintain a low calorie, low fat diet and doing high levels of activity.
78% eat breakfast every day.
75% weigh them self at least once a week.
62% watch less than 10 hours of TV per week.
90% exercise, on average, about 1 hour per day."
The bottom line? Don’t stop taking your medication. Find a clinician and trainer you can work with. Work with them. Keep at it.
You can succeed if you plan, and if you believe. Even if it doesn’t seem like it, you can!
John La Puma, MD
Please note that the information in this blog is for educational purposes only. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for, nor does it replace, professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. If you have any concerns or questions about your health, you should consult with a licensed physician or other health-care professional.