Dr. Fett - Extreme Weight Gain and Coreg

[margaretinva]

I know you are a strong believer in Coreg and my cardiologist is too. I take 6.25 mg in the morning and at night. My EF at diagnosis was 25% and almost 2 years later I'm holding steady at 45-50%. However, I am now REALLY overweight. I was 186 after I had Hannah and now I'm 239. I had a full endocrine work up that showed nothing. Im probably eating more healthfully now than ever with low salt and also cooking more because I want Hannah to eat well - but my weight keeps going up and up. Please let me know your thoughts.

And to my PPCM sisters - have any of you experienced this?

[carrob]

I really packed on the pounds also while adjusting to Coreg. I felt like it not only slowed my heart down....but everything else as well. And, my docs WOULD NEVER admit there was a connection. All they would say is that I needed to be exercising more. So, it was only when I started a devoted exercise routine that I was able to shed a few pounds. And, I had a "diabetes scare" that took out sugar and starch.

Good luck!

[JAMESFETT]

Margaret, I'm not aware of any connection between weight gain and the use of carvedilol. That issue may have been researched, and there may be more information available. I am an advocate of the use of beta blockers in PPCM, and among them specifically advantages for carvedilol (Coreg in USA) or metoprolol succinate (Metoprolol) or bisoprolol (Europe). You may want to discuss alternatives with your cardiologist.

James

[Yvonne]

I also thought Coreg was increasing my weight. I searched the internet and in the library of the my university for information about this subject. I found several articles but they all said no connection between Coreg and weight gain. In my case I thought it was because of slowing my metabolism, but now I think it is because I´m less active than before PPCM (I walked many miles during the day at my work in the hospital). So I try to exercise more now, but I find it difficult to find an optimum between excercise and not overdoing things.

[steph]

I too have been having a serious problem with weight gain since being diagnosed. In my case I have slowed down a bit as well, but even when I eat well and exercise regularly I CANNOT lose the weight. I went to a health spa for a week a few months after diagnosis. I ate their very healthy food and exercised 2-3 hours a day and did gain or lose weight. They said I'm the first person in their history to not lose weight while there! Just recently too, my parents came to visit. In the two weeks my Dad lost 8 pounds and my step mother lost 5 -- I however GAINED 4!!!!!! I heard my stepmother talking to her daughter about how good she felt, and how much weight she'd lost eating "Steph's healthy food". I ate more for those 2 weeks, and exercised less than normal because of having company. So...is it the coreg?!?!? I also have hypothyroid which is under control and another autoimmune illness. The level of inflammation in my body is still very high, could that be it?!?! I don't know either, but I feel like I'm fighting a losing battle here too!

I talked to my GP about this and my resting heartrate is in the 40's or 50's, my BP is 90 something over 50 or 60 something, and my temperature is always low. I asked if all of these were tied to metabolism and she said yes, but she had never thought about it before. She said for animals to hibernate, all of these go down, their metabolism shuts off, and they can live through the winter. That leads me to believe that, although not proven, the coreg might have some impact on metabolism.

[C.Alyse'sMom]

This is interesting. I just asked my dr about my weight gain yesterday since my last visit in March. I was dx in Feb. and lost about 10lbs during my 3 day hospitalization. I'm sure it was fluid, so I've become concerned about fluid retention b/c I gained about 9 lbs since March, and I thought I was "cutting back". When I mentioned it to the cardiologist, he asked me if I had been eating "good". I didn't think about it could be related to any of the medication.

[tbarton]

I didn't start coreg until about a year out from diagnosis so my post-baby weight had gone back almost to my pre-pregnancy weight. I gained 15 pounds while on coreg. They switched me to toprol and in the month or so I was coming off of coreg, I lost about 10-12 pounds without exercising more or eating less.

Teresa
PPCM Diagnosed July 2002

[tinabowen]

Well I am glad it isn't just me..While I was in the hospital I lost 50 pounds of fluid and now I gained most back and I am more active than I was before the PPCM plus I am eating better..

I am on 12.5mg twice a day of Coreg
He took me off of Lissinapril(sp?) in Feb and he thought that was causing some of the weight gain since my BNP(I think that's it) was just 25.He knew it wasn't fluid.

Now my OB is complaining that I have gained 10 pounds in three months.

Tina

[SarahsMom]

Hi Ladies,

Just want to "pipe" in here.....I lost 13 lbs immediately after my doctor took my off coreg and Lisinopril. I personally think it slows down the matabolism...but, just an opinion of my own.

Kari

(It's all relative....I weighed 128 on coreg and now I'm 115)

[Nails]

WOW! This is the best thread ever! I lost weight slowly and steadily up until 6 months ago when I began gaining weight slowly and steadilly-6 months ago my coreg was upped to 25 mg twice a day, I have gained 15 lbs in that time. I still have an excellent diet (a little less strict on the sodium and fluid but still very close to my once strict diet) I also have had a huge increase in activity in the last three months since my son has started walking. I have my next doctor's appointment on June 6th and I plan to ask him about this.

Does anyone know anything about the other options out there besides coreg? Is there anything even close to as good as coreg? I know weight gain is unhealthy for my heart (especially because I am already overweight) but I also want to be on the best medication possible.

[mommafisch]

WOW!!! I cna now blame my weight gain on something new. LOL I take 25 mg twice a day. I have always attributed it to the lack of energy I have which i think is impart to the coreg, but also other meds and 4 kids.