Does long term opiate addiction cause weight gain?

[gatsbygirl]

I have been doing lots of searching and research on this, so I would lover to hear some similar stories.....I started taking opiates about 3.5 years ago......its gotten bad, i take perks, lortabs, roxys, basically whatever i can get.......i started at about 150 and have always been around this weight, give or take.......i now weight 217!  I do not eat more...if anything i eat less, but sometimes i eat late, i stopped exercising i guess u would say i have become sedentary, no motivation from pills, and i also heard that since the liver is working extra on the toxins than it neglects the metabolism??? I am working on quitting tapering off, possibly suboxone....i have read lots of stories of people gaining weight on opiates, laziness, and dropping it when  getting clean, due to more energy, regaining old life....I hope this is true because it only motivcates me to quit for good......i would love to hear thoughts, stories on this topic.

[QPRIMITIVE]

So I have been moderately abusing Oxycontin and Oxycodone for about five years. I am proud to say I'm three months clean and don't have the slightest urge to use. I had been snorting Oxycontin 40's until the manufacturer made that impossible, then switched to Oxycodone 40's.

I have been fit all my life but I gained about 60lbs. while using for the last half-decade (not to mention spending about $200 a month). However, as I mentioned earlier, I was moderately abusing the drugs; snorting only about ten pills per month (sometimes only five). Seems almost trivial, but my tolerance never really subsided during my extended abuse, so I never found the need to purchase more (thank god).

I've been working out and eating right during the entire experience, but I was gaining weight like crazy. I couldn't put my finger on it because I always assumed that the opiates would cause me to lose weight. Nevertheless, I kept using and kept on gaining. My parents (who didn't know about the abuse) always said like I wasn't fat, but just swollen; like I had been retaining water.

I've come to learn that there are a lot of folks that use opiates who suffer from chronic constipation and swelling of the face, limbs, extremities and abdomen (my main problem). I'm wondering if anyone has gone through the same hell? I wouldn't call myself so vein as to obsess over this change in my body, but I'm only 29 and I'm getting married in a few months; I want to look my best (and feel my best, for that matter).

I've read that doing a cleanse with a stimulant laxative, plenty of fluids and exercise will really attack the weight and swelling. Has anyone else been through this? Regardless, any feedback or input to this dilemma would be more than appreciated.

Thoughts?

[Bingerbread]

What a great thread. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences. I naturally have a very slow metabolism (on useless meds for this), but adding to that I have had two major chronic pain conditions in my lifetime which introduced me to narcotics (at 16). I think I definitely have a dependancy.. For sure as I take codeine more days than not. For pain management but also to deal with depression. I really wish all the ineffective anti-depressants worked half as well as narcotics. I feel so positive, motivated, and I'm very productive! This builds on my self-esteem, however negative it may be for my body. I have suffered with unrelenting migraine on & off for 24yrs so I really keep close tabs on my usage. I can't build up too much of a tolerance or else I will be screwed when that migraine kicks in. I can get control over my migraine with 2-3 Tylenol 3's (60-90mg of codeine). Here in Canada we can buy Tylenol 1's OTC which I am grateful for because drs often underprescribe pain meds... And it can be hell. On the downside I can buy them for recreational use and it's probably killing my liver and totally messing up my metabolism. I have to take about 8 T1's to get the same pain relief or high as 2 T's. All that aceteminophen is toxic to my body and I'm sure it's also responsible for the 70 or so pounds Ive gained over the years. I eat very little for a big person (245lbs), and I am blowing up. I usually eat ine meal per day, and have forgotten to eat altogether. I'm with the testimonials and research, and the testimonials. These drugs definitely cause weight gain. I'm glad I'm not crazy, becausesomething just wasn't adding up. I must find a way to manage my depression and migraines without the habitual use of narcotics. It will be hard because they literally saved my life in many respects. Good luck and good health to everyone here. Thanks for sharing your non-judgementalcexperiences.

[CeeLoveeee]

Wow this sounds exactly like me! I been taking roxy 30mg everyday for about a year now.. And I was 130 pounds and now I'm 175!! It's absolutely horrible!!! I barely eat but when I do I eat like crazy and late at night! I also moved into my own place so I'm eating so much take out and rarely eat a nice home cooked meal-- I no longer use to get high but just to feel normal and I no longer get that happiness or boost of energy.. I'm actually feelings very depressed seeing how much my life has changed from doing these, I sleep so much I quit my job I don't excercise and I look like a cow!! This is not me!!! I'm struggling with this drug when I'm on it I think about how bad I want to quit but the minute I wake up in the morning I have to have one -- it's sickening.. I'm so lost and confused on how to do this the rigt way and least painful...:( stay strong ... Your not the only one out there !!

[holagirl907]

I have been steadily gaining weight without eating much and couldn't  figure out why!  I am the heaviest I have ever been (even during pregnancy)
So nice to have all this information now.  I have lost about 5 lbs so far, and am starting on my 13th day clean today.  
So happy to hear this!!  Just one more reason to stay clean...who knew?

[kyle505]

Yep...Me too - I got up to the heaviest I'd been in my life during my last (final) run on Norco. Just like everyone else has said - I'd just sit around, no motivation to exercise or do much else. I didn't want to eat before I took my pills (didn't want anything to lessen the high), so I'd have my FIRST meal of the day around 4 in the afternoon, and would eat constantly until I went to bed.

[FunctioningJunkie]

I actually lost a ton of weight because we all know that food is an opiate high inhibitor. I would take pills when I woke up, have a small breakfast or sometimes skip it, have a small lunch (NEVER past 1 p.m.) then go home, get high again and eat whatever I had. On top of the fact I am an avid runner, i.e., my body was not obtaining the calories I needed, I became grotesque looking. I'm embarrassed to see pictures of myself a couple of years ago, I looked like a waifer thin supermodel...BUT I AM A MAN!