Does long term opiate use cause weight gain?????

[GabbersMommy22]

So a little update before my question..... For everyone that knows my situation Im doing much better! The pain after the surgery hasnt been that bad at all as long as I take it easy and dont over due it. I still have only taken 3 total of the pain pills this since the surgery and am doing pretty good! Me and my fiance had a little flushing serimony this morning which strangly enough I think was really empowering. So now to my question...... Since I have been off the pain meds I have noticed I have been loosing weight like crazy! I never had a weight problem until strangly enough I started taking the pain pills and then I gained like 40 lbs. So am I nuts or can the pain pills really cause weight gain??? I guess maybe this is just another benifit of my quiting!

[sadison74]

I have been on large amounts of pain meds oxycodone and hydrocodone for three tears from a nasty accident shattering both my legs from knee down....now that I am able to walk (very limited) I find that I am injuring myself due to lack of natural pain telling me not to push it....I have gained 80 lbs I am sure some is from inability to exercise but it came on fast almost unrealistically....I have found much of it is water weight but I am sure not all of it maybe 25%....I am positive the meds are largely responsible for my weight gain....I come to this conclusion due to another long term injury 10 years ago I gained 50 pounds in less than a year of heavy pain killers....I keep trying to lower my dose but my friends the pain is too much to handle....I am using other pain control such as aleve tylonol and occasionally tramadol....I need to be free of them and hope to be again within this year....the good news is it took little effort the first time to drop the weight when I stopped use....boy oh boy cant wait...I have much more empathy for those with weight issues...it sure isn't an easy thing....cheers and good luck to all in this struggle

[Jordan_J]

I gained weight while in my addiction and when I stopped I lost 12kg.

[kelromans]

Wow I have been on pain medications for almost 3 years but thankfully I'm on the path to quitting them with my doctors' help. But I thought I was the ONLY  woman on earth who's belly was so distended that I've had several people ask when I was due!! Or how far along I am!! It's crazy! I can't wait to get off these damn meds and get my life back!!

[gatsbygirl]

Yes since I started on pills about 3.5 years ago i have gone from 160 to 218....nothing in my daily routine has changed except i have become super lazy and unmotivated, so no gym......i also heard that since our livers are working overtime on toxins they are neglecting our metabolism.....i am convinced when i quit that the weight will drop off

[GabbersMommy22]

Well prior to taking the pills I was pretty little, now after about 3 years of pretty steady use of the pills (except for the 9 months I was pregnet with my daughter) I did gain quite a bit of weight. Now that im off of them its like the weight is just melting off. I did notice while I was on them it was kinda life I was swollen all the time. My hands, my feet, ect. All I know is if this is a reward from being off of them I definitly am happy about it! Maybe soon I will actually be able to fit into my old cloths!! Woo Hoo!

[merrymaria]

i guess i must be different...didn t eat much on pills, therefore too skinny...but after pills the weight piled on quick.  i think i am substituting sugary foods for pills.  i don t care though...i would rather be addicted to sugar than pills.  congrats for flushing.  hang in there and good luck to you...maria

[snowflake620]

don't know about the weight gain but congrats on the flushing ceremony,I know you felt great to do that,keep up the good fight.
                             snowflake

[Diana641]

I am not sure if my answer will help you very much ---- I am underweight when I do not have Pain meds(Opiates) as I have no appetite due to the pain. When I do ,on rare occasion get a prescrption for legitimate chronic pain(and believe me, I hold out til the last minute until I can't stand it anymore because I have learned the hard way that withdrawl is sooooo much worse!!!!!! Back to your question, no I don't seem to gain weight from Opiates, I am just simply able to eat food due to lack of pain. By the way -- in case you don't know --I can't even describe the pain from Methadone withdrawl which I just came through, so if I were you I would just not go there ---ever! ( I did gain 9 pounds afterwards, but that was just gain from what I lost during the withdrawl Phase.Hope this helps. Best of luck to you!!

[Jacqui805]

Not only can weight be an issue, but one's belly can become distended due to chronic constipation.

[TrayCee]

Ieveryones different, I loose weight

[Worthmorenow]

Remember Elvis at the end???

[catmagnet]

Made me fat and lazy...

[dominosarah]

I gained weight also.  The sugar cravings were awful.  Once i got off the pills my weight started coming off.  Congrats on the flushing ceremony!!!!!!       sara

[mtgoat911]

yes,  people addicted to cocaine get skinny, we get bloated
i believe that the pills made me crave sugary foods
i actually lost a bunch of weight my first year, then i started eating like crazy, so i am back up to the weight i was in active addiction
i am very upset with this, right now i am working the steps on my eating, currently on step 3, not doing well with it
by the way...congradulations!!!

[betterdays01]

I've always noticed while I am on the pain meds, I gain weight.  I don't know why don't really eat any more.  Less actually so the buzz would last longer.  When I stopped using for awhile I lost 10lbs.  I actually believe that was from the runs, which lasted for 7 days, and the inalbility to eat.  Food just did'n t sound good.  Best of luck to you with your recovery.  I flushed once too and it felt great.  You can do it, power of positive thinking.