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"Ever wonder about the most frequent medications that may lead to weight gain? The list, according to one medical expert... Joseph Colella, M.D., F.A.C.S., of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center is here to share some common medications that could lead to weight gain: 1. Antidepressants: &amp;quot;One of the commonly prescribed, major offenders in sabotaging weight loss, are the anti-depressant drugs,&amp;quot; he says. &amp;quot;As a frequent side effect, we often see an increase in appetite shortly after the administration of the medications. These medications can have an effect on individuals to allow them to not take things so seriously, and to help alleviate anxiety. The net result can be to allow an individual to exercise less scrutiny over what they eat, and to pay less attention to what they weigh.&amp;quot; What to do? Don&amp;#x27;t go off any antidepressant without talking to your doctor first, but if you feel your medication is causing weight gain, you might be able to, with your doc, find one that doesn&amp;#x27;t have effects on your appetite. 2. Pain relievers: &amp;quot;Another tricky and surprising class of medications that is an appetite stimulant is the group called non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs( NSAIDS),&amp;quot; he explains. &amp;quot;Aspirin, Ibuprofen, naproxen, to name just a few--these medications, often used for joint pain or arthritis, often result in a low grade (minor) gastritis or inflammation of the stomach. This irritation tends to simulate &amp;quot;hunger pangs,&amp;quot; and when you eat, the pinchy or gnawing sensation in your stomach goes away. As you may know this class of medications is recommended to be taken with food to help avoid this side effect, case closed.&amp;quot; What to do? &amp;quot;I often recommend that if you absolutely must take one of these meds, protect your stomach with one of the many acid reducing medications available.&amp;quot; 3. Insulin therapy: &amp;quot;Type 2 (Adult Onset) diabetic patients who progress to insulin therapy are frequently caught in a disastrous &amp;#x27;catch 22,&amp;#x27;&amp;quot; he says. &amp;quot;As they gain weight and require insulin therapy to help control their blood sugar, they immediately gain weight, and soon require a further increase in their dose of insulin. Why? Because Insulin is a fat storage, pro-growth hormone, that has weight gain as one of it&amp;#x27;s chief side effects. The simple solution to this problem is to dramatically reduce the consumption of sugar in any form from your diet. The less sugar you take in, the less insulin needed to control it.&amp;quot; 4. Diuretics: &amp;quot;The number of people on &amp;#x27;water pills&amp;#x27; or diuretics is enormous,&amp;quot; he says. &amp;quot;These medications, often used to treat high blood pressure, heart failure and ankle swelling, have a tricky but disastrous impact on our appetite. They make us thirsty, and thirst is another one of the most potent appetite stimulants that we face. The human brain is just not so good at differentiating hunger from thirst, and guess where we end up as often as not when we are thirsty? That&amp;#x27;s right, the refrigerator or the pantry. Try to have a low carb protein drink already chilled, and ready for action.&amp;quot; Have you ever worried that your medication was making you gain weight? P.S. Don&amp;#x27;t wash your pills down with this. And, this former Glamour editor shares the story of her sleeping pill addiction... Photo: Jens Mortensen "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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