Medication Related Weight Gain & MTX Defeat

• By hmsinclair
• Reply 3709259
• January 15, 2013 at 8:31 pm
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I gained about 40 lbs while on MTX and Remicade. Since I've been on medical leave and started Areva I've lost about 20 of it (about 1 lb a week). When this came up on another post here it seemed I am the odd ball with this med. I could really use to lose 10-15 more lbs so I'm not really concerned with the weight loss, but I do feel like I need to mention it to my Rheum next month because I really shouldn't be losing weight. I even lost weight over the holidays.

• By realtor910
• Reply 3709340
• January 15, 2013 at 9:04 pm
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I gained quite a bit of weight myself the first year or so on MTX, last winter I decided to join weight watchers and it really helped. The weight came right off. You mentioned feeling hungry all the time, try drinking water - MTX really dehydrates you and often we think we are hungry when in fact we are really thirsty, so see if that helps. Also you can try eating small meals throughout the day rather than the standard 3 meals a day. Again though drinking a lot of water on MTX is important.

• By myscalpsux
• Reply 3709659
• January 15, 2013 at 11:11 pm
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Thanks for the water tip! I'll try immediately.

• By angel1josie
• Reply 3709852
• January 16, 2013 at 1:26 am
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I have also gained 10lbs since starting mtx in sept. I too am always starving. I constantly drink fluids to avoid food but it doesn't work for me. Plus all the great food that was around for the holidays didn't help. Guess I better start physical activity cause this weight can not stay with me.

• By kelsc001
• Reply 3710400
• January 16, 2013 at 9:20 am
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Took methotrexate for 30 years with no weight gain. i did learn to take it with a meal. That cuts down on stomach iritation that can mimic hunger

• By Parched1
• Reply 3710544
• January 16, 2013 at 10:04 am
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I started MTX in October & have gained 7 lbs. & like you, am constantly hungry. I crave carbs that are bad for me like potato chips & just can't seem to get enough of them. I've pretty much been on a diabetic diet for the last 25 years since having gestational diabetes & have had no problem sticking to it until now...so my sugar levels have also gone up slightly & my cholesterol also went up so now I'm back on a statin again, My regular Dr. insists that the MTX has nothing to do with any of these things but I'm definitely going to ask my rheumatologist next time I go in...anyone else have this happen & were you taken off the MTX?

• By pick4u
• Reply 3711600
• January 16, 2013 at 3:55 pm
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Hi,

My personal experience with MTX which I now inject .8 ml weekly is severe nausea and diarrhea with the oral form. Good for 15 lb weight loss and then started injecting with still diarrhea and another 10lb weight loss over a period of three months. Could it be another med? Gabapentin/ Neurontin and steroids will cause gain from me too..

• By Parched1
• Reply 3711763
• January 16, 2013 at 4:55 pm
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well, for me it might be steroids...I've had a couple of injections of those since October...what about you myscalpsux?

• By angel1josie
• Reply 3712150
• January 16, 2013 at 7:13 pm
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Not on steroids but I have gained weight since starting Lyrica 2 yrs ago its just crazy that since I started mtx in sept I've gained 10lbs. I constantly crave carbs n sweets. Never really liked sweets till now.

• By diamondee
• Reply 3712854
• January 16, 2013 at 11:07 pm
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My weight stayed the same on MTX. I now get folliculitis and I thought they were blind pimples until I asked the doctor and she told me it is folliculitis. Maybe that is what you have on your foot.The spots look like a blind pimple sometimes has yellow in the middle and other times like a large raised pimple with a black spot in the centre. I have a huge one on my forehead today and asked the doctor and she explained MTX affects my immune system and I may have had them before MTX but my body got rid of them but now it takes longer to get better. I put an anti biotic cream on the spots and they heal up.

• By hmsinclair
• Reply 3712873
• January 16, 2013 at 11:20 pm
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Diamondee, I get those on my face occasionally and have since I've been on DMARDS and Biologicals(now that I'm really thinking about it). I always just assumed they were slightly infected black heads or white heads. I get my monthly zit, usually in my Tzone, but these are along my jaw line, on my ear lobes, in my eye brows, on my upper lip and along my hair line near my temples. They aren't that frequent or bothersome that I ever thought to ask about them, but that sounds like exactly what they are. Guess I need to pull out the antibiotic ointment lol.