The medication I take has a side effe... - Restless Legs Syn...

Restless Legs Syndrome

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The medication I take has a side effect of weight gain. I have gained 20 lbs and am very uncomfortable with that.

Bella5 profile image
18 Replies

it seems that the metabolism is slowed down and no matter how little you eat you still gain weight. Does anyone know of a herbal remedy to boost the metabolism. Thanks, Bella

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Bella5 profile image
Bella5
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18 Replies

Bella, I can't remember for sure but I think that you are taking pramipexole?

You have to burn more calories than you eat.. that's the formula for permanent

weight loss.You can add a brisk walk or biking to your routine..but it really means

reducing the foods that you eat and adding more veggies..it's no fun, I watch my

weight too..If I catch it before I hit 5 pounds up, it's easier than waiting until I hit

15 pounds..it's hard work bella..muscles burn fat.. If you get up in the middle of

the night and consume calories, it could be that...I get up and brush my teeth so

I won't eat..Fiber and proteins will fill you up so much that dieting will not feel

like you are dieting..If you use protein powder without adding movement, you will

gain weight like no one's business..If you go that route, it will fill you up at less than

100Grams per day..I use it in my veggie/ fruit shakes..I drink them whenever I am

hungry during the day..1 fills me up for 3 hours. .=) Karen

I take Pramipexole, and i watch my weight. I know its hard for some to keep the weight down. I have been on the Pramipexole for a year this month, and havent put any weight on. Like you Yikes, sometimes i go up a few pounds, then catch it before it gets worse. Low fat food, make dinners from scratch, i also have to say, i dont exercise, maybe i am lucky. I have porridge (oats) for breakfast made with mostly water and a dash of milk. Cutting down on milk i found made a big difference to my weight. There is lots you can do food wise to get the weight off, its a matter of "what" you eat. If i get up in the night, i never eat, but i do drink a cup of tea. I do alot of low fat cooking these days, including low fat cake making. Altho now Christmas is almost on us, i will indulge some. :P Fruit and veggies when peckish in the day will help too, rather than dive in the biscuit tin. :)

in reply to

I cook from scratch mostly as well..If you brush your teeth as soon as you

wake up at night, you will not want to eat...I do that same thing after a meal

so that I won't take seconds or nibble...altoids or Any strong mint is another

helper of mine..I won't want anything with that heavy mint over my taste buds.

Bella5 profile image
Bella5

Correct me if I'm wrong please, I take mirapex which has that side effect and according to my information it has to do with a slow metabolism (am not sure of the exact term). I've ha to be careful all my life and was successful in keeping my desired weight. Once I started Mirapex no matter how careful I am the weight still comes on. My doctor will not prescribe because he said most of them stimulate the heart - which no one needs. That's why I'm looking for alternative therapy. I've had to change my dress size twice. Very depressing indeed.

in reply toBella5

Bella, I do have a heart and feel the same as you do..It sounds cold

to say that picking apart your diet more will help..it's suffering..for me

too..I also add in walking, running everyday if possible..If I miss doing

that even one day, I feel it..things tend to bother me and I react with

a short fuse...Eating better foods helps me with that as well...=)

in reply toBella5

You are not wrong!

Dopamine both affects your metabolism and higher your apitite for some of us.

I took Sifrol ( pramexipole) for 11 years and put on 27 pounds. I hated it and I watch every single thing I put in my mouth and I walked as fast as I could two hours daily, did bicycling every day and took long swimming tours twice a week like a mad.

It went so far that I had to do a plastic surgery because an old scar gave problems to my ileoostomy bandage when I became fat.

I hated it and had to stop taking Sifrol.

I lost 16 pounds within three months, but 11 are still stucked on my stomach, hate it!

You have to find something else than a dopaminagonist when you are sensibel to this terrible side effect.

in reply to

Sweedish, I am so jealous of you. =))) I get to eat like a bird

and you will probably be eating a feast this holiday season...=)

If you graze lightly all day long, it revs up the metabolism as well.

I do that more than eating one big meal 3 times a day...

in reply to

No, I cannot eat how and what I want. And even that I have give Sifrol up I do have to be very careful, seems like when you once started to gain weight it is there for ever.

in reply to

I guess some of us have a slower metabolism than others. :(

in reply to

Absolutely!!

Bella, I am going to be honest with you..totally, For me, I eat so many

veggies that It just works for me to fill up on it..I don't like it at all but my body

loves me for eating so many seeds, nuts, veggies, honey, some but not a lot of

fruits..I eat nut bread, No flour but ground up nuts..I don't ever eat up mashed potatoes

nor do I eat ice cream or even a taste of cake or I am going to gain weight...I make

every single calorie count..I have given up on eating for enjoyment but what I do make

is spiced so it tastes better..I don't usually eat what the family has but I do eat

with them at the same time...because I am on Pramipexole, I run..I burn calories

by getting muscle..My eating sweets and high fat days are gone..I had to make

a choice..I chose to not have RLS...and as I cut back on it, maybe eating a half cup

of ice cream will not go straight to my butt.,I mind the scale..the numbers do not

forgive my own will...I hate being so cold and harsh about the truth..but there is

just no nice way to say it..Elisse makes low fat foods taste good..I try to just the same.

The supplements that raise your heart can change the way your heart beats, yes...

It's the muscle that burns fat more efficiently...the heart is a muscle so it has to be

conditioned as a muscle...it will pump more effectively at a lower rate if you do

it the right way..supplements like those energy drinks and herbs are very hard on

your heart...It can be dangerous to add those things to a heart. Caffeine is the

main ingredient in most of them..some of the cans say 2 servings are in them..

The average cup of coffee is 100mg of caffeine..in an energy drink, It's close to

360mg..and remember that the can has 2 servings in it...I just read this in an

article..It's my own opinion and not that of a doctor although my own doctor told me

something pretty much like this when I asked. =)

in reply to

I ate the traditional 2500 calorie meal with fats in it..

I feel like it too...it's been 3 days of dragging myself around..

I can't believe that I used to eat like that for the holidays and

still snack in between..I am seeing attitude changes, my body

hates me...I thought that I behaved but looking back, at the scale,

I better get into high gear...I too gained 3 pounds..so I am back

to eating twigs and sticks...and then I will go back to my usual

high proteins, low carbs like I've been doing for the longest time

now..I sure will feel better when the 3 lbs of fat is gone...You don't

think that's a lot...Take 1 pound of butter out of your fridge and look

at it...now multiply that by 3....and that's the fat that I gained...just

in 2 days of eating..=0 Karen

Bella5 profile image
Bella5

Thank you everyone. You are so right but I think I need a second job to be able to afford new clothes. 20 lbs represents 2 "dress" sizes. UGH!!!!

For relief from my RLS symptoms I take Amacari, which is a natural supplement made from Camu Camu fruit. They use the whole fruit, which adds more antioxidants and other nutrients that make my nervous system operate more efficiently. A side effect is more energy which may boost your metabolism. I have been taking 5 capsules a day for 3 months and have no twitchy legs at night. I love it and it is all natural. Camupure.com

Bella5 profile image
Bella5 in reply to

has it helped you in terms of weight loss

Annieapple profile image
Annieapple

The Fast Metabolism Diet by Haylie Pomroy helped me.

rosy_posy profile image
rosy_posy

I did rapidly put on weight since taking pramipexole from July 2011. A year ago I joined slimming world and also got Orlistat from my Gp. I have lost 50lb! Slow at less than 1lb a week and very hard work. I went for 8 weeks in the summer without losing a single pound! So it is possible!

toolcreep profile image
toolcreep

New here...

I have gained a junk ton of weight in the last several months and have only in the last two days started thinking back and wondering if my Mirapex had something to do with it. I moved to a bigger place just before starting this medication (was on Requip before, but it stopped working) and have been getting much more exercise, eating the same or less, drinking less alcohol, etc. but have still shot up 30 pounds since April!! I decided yesterday to try to come off of it for a while and see if it makes any difference. HOWEVER, it works very well for my RLS, and I am up at 2am not able to sleep right now without it. I hate that it's making me so chubby and costing me so much $ in new "fat" clothes :(

Thanks for posting this!! :)

toolcreep

USA

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