Weight gain on meds

[Petercat1]

I had a dissected aorta in '17 and am on losartan 100mg and bisoprolol 10mg as I had palpitations too. I have put on about 2 st since. I don't eat very much and am active. If I change my meds or reduce tge dosage would this help to stop the weight gain please.

[Cliff_G]

Not sure, Petercat. But if you're on Facebook, go and join the Aortic Dissection UK Buddies group and you'll find loads of folk on there you can ask a question of.

[Petercat1 in reply to Cliff_G]

Thanks for the info

[Ecki]

You are on a high dose of bisoprolol, which does slow everything down. This is what leads to bisoprolol related weight gain. I was on bisoprolol for a year and during that time I lost 4 stone. I suspect that you are eating more than you think and being less active than you think. Try keeping a food diary for a few weeks, write down everything you eat and work out approximately how many calories you are taking in. I have a Garmin vivo active smartwatch which tells me how many calories I've expended every day. Intake has to be less than expenditure to lose weight. If its more, you will put on weight.

This will give you more information and show if its the drugs or your lifestyle that's causing the weight gain.

If your meds are working for you, I'd suggest trying this before looking to change doses.

[Petercat1 in reply to Ecki]

Thanks. Good idea, but I honestly don't eat much at all. I will try it though.

All I will say is that I have a 28yr old son who is very health conscious so we do eat good food, and during the last lockdown, with the exception of 3 days, for the 9 weeks we walked on average 3.5km a day with absolutely no results whatsoever.

I do admit I don't walk as much now, but I also don't sit around all day doing nothing. I am still a very active person.

I know I put on some weight after my op as I could do nothing for the first couple of months, and then only light things for a while so I expected that, but since then I've got back to more or less normal. I was also volunteering in my local charity shop for 6mths before the first lockdown, but they closed permanently now.

It is just so depressing seeing how fat I am now. I have tried dieting, but nothing happened weight/fat wise.

Thanks for your reply though.

[Peony4575 in reply to Petercat1]

It’s acknowledged that some beta blockers, it is listed as a side effect of atenolol , make people gain weight . I think they interfere with sugar control mechanisms apart from anything else

[Tessie28]

Petercat, if bisoprolol is causing weight gain I'd like to know as still on a large dose. But not sure. Are you retaining fluid?

[Petercat1 in reply to Tessie28]

No, I don't think so.

[Petercat1 in reply to Tessie28]

I have since been told that bisoprolol slows everything down, including your metabolism which could result in weight gain. Haven't seen my doctor re this yet, but when I do I'll put the reply on here.

Best wishes

Denise

[Tessie28 in reply to Petercat1]

ah Denise, I'm on 7.5. Have being doing rehab stuff, walking etc and no weight loss. that makes sense. Can't come off it due to ectopics.

[Petercat1 in reply to Tessie28]

I'm on 5mg twice a day and was going to see if I could put mine down, but mine was for palpatations and to help lower my BP. I have had a slight flutter occasionally and today I had a slight palpitation episode for a couple of minutes so am worried about lowering my dose because if it. My Consultant said it would be ok to gradually lower it and just to keep a close eye on my BP if I did.

Not sure now though, maybe just have to put up with the weight gain!

Will have to think very seriously about it.

Denise