hydrochlorothiazide causing weight gain

Honestly, HCT does cause weight gain &mild hyperglycemia.... you could loose weight by going on Telmisartan or olmesartan... they are PPAR-gamma agonist.

I was very happy to come across this forum.  I had been taking 25mg HCTZ for about a year and a half, stopping it about 3 weeks ago in consultation with my physician.

Over the course of taking the medication, I noticed subtle but ultimately dramatic changes in my health.  (I am 64 years old and consider myself in good shape -- I run 5 miles a day for exercise.)

First of all, I started to notice problems with erectile dysfunction, slowly getting worse with time.  At first I attributed it to just getting older, but as I read more about the possible side effects of HCTZ, I discussed this with my physician who indicated that she had observed this with the drug on numerous occasions.  I stopped taking the drug, and within 10 days, the ED problems essentially disappeared.

However, I noticed 2 other effects as well.  As I mentioned, I like to run each day for exercise, but I noticed that my running times were getting worse and worse -- again, I initially attributed it to age.  They had slowed about 20%.  However, after stopping the HCTZ, my speeds dramatically improved over the course of the 3 weeks I was off the medication.  In fact, I am now after 3 weeks within a few percent of where I was a year and half ago.  Again, as I did my research on HCTZ, I noticed one of the other mentioned side effects is muscle weakness.  Hmmm...

Finally, and the reason I came across this forum, my weight was suddenly coming back down over the past 3 weeks.  Again, I thought that my weight gain was due to increasing age -- what is it, a pound per year they say?  However, again, it appears (from what most folks have said on this forum) that weight gain was another side effect of HCTZ.

The good news is that the 3 side effects (ED, muscle fatigue and weight gain) appear to have disappeared over a reasonably short period of time after stopping HCTZ.

I have been taking cozar hctz for the last several months for hypertension-feel bloated-as if someone inflated my stomach with air-cut the doasge to half from 100mg.
Md"s overmedicate-and do not know the untoward side effects of meds-alternative medicine is the way to go if feasible-without the multiple problems caused by pharmaceutical meds.

Listen, I DON'T work an office job and I also serve in the military. I lost 110 lbs 6 years ago and have kept it off. I am on my feet running around 10-12 hours a day for work, I exercise and work with a trainer.

Since I've started the HCTZ at the end of February I have gained 10 pounds so I take offense to comments that people are making excuses!!

Though I'm on medication because of genetics, I have made major healthy positive changes in my life. Being bloated all the time and putting on weight when I worked so hard to lose it and keep it off is discouraging.

There has to be a better way....that's all I'm saying.

And yes, honesty is always the best policy but it doesn't need to come with a rude condescending tone.

You are actually the snotty one. Reeny was just stating facts for herself. I guess the truth actually hurts some people.

Different people have different side effects and for some one to say get off your lazy butt that goes to show they don't no any better I have been on the pill for a year could not understand where the weight gain was coming from wore a size 8 went to a size 12 I eat healthy and exercise daily could not get the weight off will gradually take myself off and try this new Herb called Pyconegenitol it is better for you I am determined to get back down and yes I do believe that the pill contribute to my weight gain

I want add my thoughts to this discussion... I am a 18 year veteran of the New York City Fire Department (firefighter); I WAS A RESERVIST TOO.  After taking this crappy medication of HCTZ, I have gained 25 pounds in the last six months.  I work out five to six days a week and eat right.  I can't seem to get rid of the extra weight.  So, I experimented and discontinued the meds for three months.  I worked out normally as I always have and lost 20 pounds in two months.  I did this several times this year and have come to the concusion that it is the medication.  This medication does save your life, because my blood pressures were through the roof when I was't taking them.  I had my doctor change them, and now I am back to my normal weight and have not gained since I got rid of HCTZ.  So... Any doctor or pharmacist will deny that it is the medication.  OF COURSE... becasue it is bad for their busines.  And that is all they care about.  Trust me on this one.

Yours truly,

 

FF Vega

FDNY NY

 

did you stop the meds and if so did you lose the weight?

I don't work on a computer. I don't sit on my ass all day. I go to the gym 5 days and use the stair climber for an hour each day. I'm on hydrochlorothiazide and my weight has not budged. So let's not assum that if we are not losing weight or gaining, that we are sitting on our asses :).

Wow! This is about people sharing their stories an input to help each other not to judge an or accuse. I say use your own intuition on what you put in your body. The meds may not save your life, they may just lower your blood pressure. You are your best advocate an it's your body. I am not a fan of this med. An coming off of if helped me get my blood pressure under control myself an thank God that I don't need it. Now I'm working on getting the weight off it helped me put on in 30 days! An yes it is a FACT meds CAN WILL AN DO LEAD to WEIGHT GAIN!!!! It's up to us as individuals to trust our intuition an our doctors an work together , NOT to RELY on a PILL to SAVE your life. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOU! Meds are just a tool!!!

Not sure if this helps but I have been taking 50 MG for about 3 years to control blood pressure. I was overweight when I started but got myself back into a workout routine a year later. I dropped about 30 lbs and started monitoring my weight closely. During the Government shut down I was unable to get the HCZT I ran out on Thursday weighed on Friday and again on Monday over the course of the weekend I gained 11 lbs. The HCZT came on Tuesday By Thursday I was down 9 lbs although I would rethink starting it on Tuesday night. That was last year My blood pressure and weight were under control my doctor dropped the dose to 25 MG I have changed and changed back 3 times, each time I gained 6-8 lbs in a week. The last time I changed was two weeks ago, I stayed at the lower dose my weight went up just like beforebut went back down to my normal, and it appears I may even be dropping. I do notice more fluid retention on the surface, my veins are not as pronounced as before so the weight is coming off some other way. I will keep watching I truly hope this is a sustainable trend.

omg, I thought I was the Only person who gained weight on Hydrochlorothiazide. My dr has me taking 25 mg & I take Benazepril hcl 40mg & I've gained ALOT of weight (at least 40 pounds) on both. I workout 5x a week for at least an hour & still stuck at the same weight. I have to get off these meds.

I have been on Metoprolol as a base med and have tried several others as added meds over the past 20 years. I stopped the HCTZ because I couldn't stand waking up with a completely dry mouth. I never associated any of the meds with weight gain. About a year ago I decided I was getting too heavy and went on a campaign to eat less. I have since dropped about 35 pounds and still dropping. The leg that they took a vein from to use for my bypass surgery was beginning to swell up during the day but goes down at night so it's normal in the morning. I reasoned that the HCTZ which is known as the water pill might help with that so I asked my doc for that again and figured if I took it in the morning I should be able to get past the dry mouth OK and maybe by night time it would be nearly worn off so it wouldn't be so dry in the morning. It worked!!! My leg never swells up any more and the dry mouth isn't a problem during the day and not much in the morning either. I have not experienced any weight gain that I can attribute to the HCTZ.

I mentioned this to another health care provider recently and she said I should have been told to take it in the morning the first time I was put on it to prevent that dry mouth in the morning.

I have been on HCTZ for a little over a month now. I have gained almost 10lbs. I am very active, I wear a fitbit and track my activity. I do not drink soda or eat fast food or processes food. I have an incredible feeling of fullness, it's very uncomfortable. Nose bleeds, hair loss,joint pain, loss of sexual desire and terrible foot pain all have started this past month. I do not know what alternatives I have Rx wise but will be looking into it. I firmly believe you are your best advocate for your health. I plan to work with my Dr on finding a solution. Best of luck to all you on here. Remember if your Dr won't listen to you, find one who will! Life is to short.

Same exact thing with me! I have been on it for about 2 years, I have had TREMENDOUS weight gain, so tired I nearly function some days....I'm so unhappy.
I am at my all time highest weight! 270 :( I am 57 and 5'6