beta blockers and weight gain

[Sherry]

I know this has been discussed before, but I thought I would throw it out there to get some more opinions. Went on a beta blocker (propranolol) six months ago and have put on 10 pounds. Not happy about my clothes not fitting but do like the lower heart rate and fewer migraine auras. Called the cardio's nurse today to see if she would mention it to him to see if there was a better alternative, but I wanted to see what other forum member's experiences were. Have any of you found a beta blocker that doesn't cause weight gain?

 

[Lionheart]

I'm on Atenolol and I don't think it has caused me to gain weight. It does seem to make me feel lethargic and sometimes unfocused though.
John

 

[Rick]

I am Coreg (carvedilol) and was on Propanolol and did not gain weight on either. I did, however, keep a regular 30 to 40 minute walk 4-5 times per week.

By the way, I also used to suffer from migraine auras and that has diminished a lot. Keep tabs on your heart rate. On my first dosage, though my heart rate was fine during the day, on a Holter test several months into treatment they realized my heart rate was going into the high 30s in my sleep (not good) so they cut back on my dosage.

Best of luck to you,

Rick

 

[bvdr]

Sherry, it has been a year or so since I went back on Atenolol and I think it has made the battle to take off weight more difficult. It was in Dec. 2002 that I finally owned up to the fact that I really had serious heart problems and went from taking just one pill to I think 7 in just a few months time. In the 8 months prior to surgery I did gain 15-20 lbs. but I think it was a combination of things that caused it. I can't take calcium channel blockers at all but I think I have adjusted to Atenolol. I hope you find an answer. At least you are nice and tall so ten lbs doesn't do to you what it does to me. The only people who think I have "wonderful" arms are my grandkids. I also no longer have a bust but somewhere along the way I got a busom.

 

[Maryka]

I had to go onto betablockers to control the growth of my aortic aneurysm (18 years ago or so). I also was heading into menopause. Yes, I gained weight, probably mostly because of lethargy. I switched beta blockers along the way and ended up with one that was very rarely used (Zebeta). You might try to get some input about other beta blockers. Good luck!

 

[RobThatsMe]

Hi,

I think I can answer this question for you. Beta Blockers slow the heart rate, and also lower your blood pressure. Since the heart rate is slowed, then you are burning less calories.

As an example, I can be jogging on a treadmill, and my heart rate will not get higher than 108 beats per minute. On the other hand, a person "not" on a beta blocker would have a much higher pulse rate than mine when jogging.

I believe that if you have to be on this medication, than you have to either exercise more, or reduce your caloric intake. In my case, I chose to exercise more, and have actually lost weight.

I thought I would also include this bit of info from my notes library for any of you on beta blockers that also have to take a stress test.

Topic: Heart Disease: Laurie Anderson, RN, BSN >> Discussion: Exercise with
low pulse from medication (by Arlyp (WebMD))
Re: Exercise with low pulse from medication
by ljandie91 (WebMD), 8/18/00 10:09 PM
Hello,
Your heart is getting an adequate workout as long as you raise it 20-30 beats
per minute over your resting levels. You can't calculate a target heart rate
based on the traditional method of subtacting your age from 220 and
multiplying it by 70-85%, because of the beta-blocker.
In the cardiac rehab setting we usually use 70-85% of the highest heart rate
achieved on the pre-exercise stress test, if the medication(s), especially
beta-blockers, were taken before the test. If the medication(s) were held,
the highest heart rate achieved must be further adjusted for these meds;
typically a range of 10-20% more depending on the size and frequency of the
beta-blocker dose and the dose(s) of other medications being taken that may
also be lowering the heart rate. Sometimes this method of calculation is
ineffective; in this case we often use the simple formula of resting heart
rate plus 20 to 30 beats per minute. This range is decided upon based on
whether or not the person is still ischemic (blockages that are preventing
adequate blood flow to the heart), the amount of heart muscle damage from the
heart attack, the ejection fraction and other individual considerations.
In regard to your question about time of day to exercise, in my opinion you
are actually better off to exercise earlier in the day, when your
beta-blocker is having the most efffect on your heart rate. I can't evaluate
this in relation to your condition, because I don't know what the situation
is with your heart's blood flow. In general the effect of the beta-blocker is
to improve blood flow to the heart muscle, so it is better protected from the
potential effects of decreased blood flow and thus you are less likely to
have angina. Hope this is clear and helpful; I will watch for additional
posts from you should you have another question.
Sincerly, Laurie Anderson, RN, BSN


Hope this helps,

Rob

 

[MaryC]

This is an interesting thread to me because I am in the middle of this battle right now. I take 100 mg of Toprol per day and am trying to lose 15 lbs with Weight Watchers. Where I used to be able to count on losing 1-2 lbs (usually at least 2!) I am now lucky to lose 1/2 lb. At this rate it will be a long haul but I have resigned myself to it now that I am 2 months into it. BTW, I exercise 4-5 times a week 45 mins at a time doing heavy cardio, including jogging.

Chris

 

[Sherry]

Thanks all for your replies. I knew theoretically why I should be gaining weight - lower heart rate, fewer calories burned - but I feel as though there are some beta blockers out there that don't cause weight gain. I don't exercise much in the traditional treadmill, running kind of way, but as a teacher in a large high school, I'm frequently scurrying (my term for exercise) here and there. I rarely stay put for very long, always on the go. I'm pretty careful with my diet, not obsessively so, but enough. No sugared drinks, no fried foods, decent servings of veggies and fruit. It's just frustrating, but I suppose I know what I need to do: get on that treadmill.

My nurse called me back this morning said cardio wanted to switch to atenolol 25 per day. Maybe this will help, or maybe it's will be the same as the other. Time will tell I guess.

Betty, if only I could be so lucky (bosom gain); it seems to concentrate itself in the lower half.

 

[DavesMom]

I've been on 20 mg of Coreg for almost a year and haven't gained weight yet. Surprising, because the stuff seems to make me so tired and mentally foggy.

We sound similar, Sherry. I also teach and spend most of my day scurrying around. Even at home I'm rarely sitting down.

Good luck!

Cheers,
Michelle

 

[RobThatsMe]

Hi,

Just one more thought on this.

If your daily activities, or scurring around, is the same as before you were taking a beta blocker, then now, since beta blockers slow the heart rate, you are burning less calories, your motabolism is slower. This could result in some weight gain.

Rob

 

[Sherry]

Thanks again for your replies, and hello, Michelle. You're right, teaching doesn't involve much sitting, does it? Scurrying is the most accurate description that I can give it - moving all over a building the size of a shopping mall is exhausting, especially under the constraints of a bell system.

Rob, you're right: same activity + new lower metabolism = fewer calories burned, but I know that there are so many beta blockers on the market, and according to the literature online, some of the newer ones don't cause the weight gain that some of the older ones purportedly do. I mentioned this to the nurse to convey to doctor, but he ended up putting me on another "older" model (altenelol) so we'll see what happens. I'll track it for six months or so and hopefully see a change.

I guess the weight gain may seem a bit trivial in the whole scheme of things, but I just can't afford to replace all my clothing right now. Two kids in college = broke Sherry.

 

[RobThatsMe]

Hi Sherry,

I would be interested to know what new beta blocker you end up with. Especially if it does mention that it does not cause weight gain.

I am currently on 100mg of Atenolol.

Since I have returned from my overseas assignment, I have worked out 5 days a week, 30 min on the treadmill, and then 30 min of high rep sets with the weight machines. I have "lost" 18 lbs in 5 months. Part of this I am sure must be the fact that I don't drink anymore German beer, or eat schitzel as often as I did over there.

Wishing you a happy and healthy new year!

Rob

 

[Bina]

What about the new BB that Duffman is on, Bystolic (Nebivol) ?
(I must be the only weirdo who has LOST weight while being inactive on Metoprolol....)

 

[Sherry]

Rob, he switched me from propranalol 60 to atenelol 25. I've been on it for two days so time will tell. Your 18 pound loss is incredible. You're very dedicated with your workout, and I guess I'm going to have to really work at it. I like how I feel on a bb so I wouldn't want to stop taking it. It's kind of ironic that I just started taking one this summer considering my surgery was 12 plus years ago. I probably should have been on one all along.

Bina, I've heard that about the new ones too, but he insisted on another old standby. I really need to do some serious research on these bbs. I figured you all would be a great source for getting a variety of experiences and opinions.