Heart meds and weight gain

[Foxglove78]

Hi Everyone, My lovely son had heart attack back in October '24, 3 stents after almost total blockages found in 3 arteries, cholesterol found to be sky high, investigation for FH ongoing. He is only 32! Awaiting further stent scheduled for 4th Feb but just been notified this has been postponed for a further 2 months due to a lack of heart surgeon at hospital. As a Mum my fear and anxiety has been through the roof...checking to see if he has made it through the nights, as he still has a totally blocked artery! He is dealing with it far better than me. Apart from that I'm worried that despite radical dietary changes and the usual raft of meds, which have drastically cut his cholesterol he is actually gaining weight, his tummy is really big, all function tests are coming back within normal parameters. He hasn't been able to start cardio rehab because of the need for further procedures. Has anyone else noticed this? Could it be the meds?

Thankyou in advance for any responses, this site has been a Godsend for me, to all those suffering and anxiety ridden you have my utmost sympathy and hopes for a brighter future!

[Blearyeyed]

Has he had to reduce his activity ? This can increase the weight gain.

You can get medication induced weight gain with various prescribed meds as well, sometimes as much as 10

pounds depending on the combination.

You can reduce the slippery slope , and lose weight eventually when treatments are complete and you can get back to more regular exercise.

You can also begin the path to weight reduction by looking at your son's diet and portion sizes generally.

Even if he has drastically changed what he is eating , if he's got used to big portions he may still be eating far more calories each day than he uses in energy , especially if he's being kept from activity waiting for surgery,

If he is he will continue to gain weight even in healthy food options.

Avoiding food and especially drinks containing artificial sweeteners can help , these can increase appetite for more food and cause bloating.

Reducing carbohydrate foods to small portions , and eating the complex carbs, root vegetables, fibrous fruit , potatoes with skin, pulses , grains , wholemeal or seeded bread , wholewheat pasta or brown rice in limited amounts instead of "white" carbs like peeled potatoes, sugar , baked goods , white rice and pasta , white bread. It prevents the big swings in blood sugar that cause more hunger pangs as well as reducing the amount of empty calories eaten.

Drinking the recommended water/ fluids each day. Often when you feel hungry it's a mixed message , the body is actually craving water , so drinking regularly or having a glass of water if you just feel peckish may be what you really wanted and reduces snacking. Water intake also helps improve weight loss by helping the digestion and metabolism of body fat.

Increasing portions of vegetables and lean protein make meals more filling but with less calories.

Eating dairy or nuts like almonds , including lactofree is also a good protein option. Eggs are ok , yoghurt is really versatile , but cheese needs portion control.

Changing to healthy fat foods can also help in weight management as well as heart health and cholesterol reduction , even if you have FH and take meds ( I do) you do still need to limit high cholesterol foods in your diet , even healthy ones, Choose things like olive oil , olive spread, avocado, fish etc. Choose different cooking methods for popular foods you enjoy which use less oil. Reduce the amount of red meat and processed foods, including so called health foods which often include whipping amounts of coconut or palm products . Be careful about fat free marked or sugar free marked products. Sugar free often replaces sugar with bulking fats , fat free often with sugar or large amounts of sweetener.

Eating limited fruit , increases fibre and nutrients without causing too much sugar based carbohydrate intake.

Try and keep active even if you can't do exercise activities or cardio. Doing some physical activity for a few minutes an hour , even if it's just a gentle stroll around the house , or some basic stretches in a chair help the heart and reduce the weight gain , fatigue and pain of having to take things slower as you wait for surgery. You don't need to go mad and do anything strenuous, you do need to keep moving .

Your son obviously needs to discover what will be a " Diet for Life" which is healthy food options he also enjoys with the occasional treat , and can make himself , especially if he is going to keep to it long term. He just may need more help to cope with hunger pangs while he gets portion sizes under control to help him lose , and then manage , his weight. Some weight gain ( 3-6 pounds approx) in people whom already have an ideal BMI may not be lost when they take medication but it can be kept to a minimum.

Hope your son gets his treatment soon , if his tests are remaining in normal parameters that is a positive thing if he was not they would bring him in sooner , so try to be positive as often being overstressed or overly careful about things as you wait for a procedure can make everyone feel unwell.

Take care , Bee